Caring for children: little teeth, big challenges

Abstract

Dental care for young children with carious primary teeth may pose a number of challenges in terms of assessment and diagnosis, behaviour management and treatment planning. These challenges, together with some misconceptions about the value of restoring the primary dentition, have led to a reduction in the proportion of restorations provided for young children in primary care settings. The aim of my presentation at the forthcoming BDA conference is to provide an overview of current practices for caries management in young children. It will particularly focus on restorative interventions, including preformed metal crowns (using the Hall technique), and will consider the evidence-base for a variety of restorative options. In addition, the child's perspective of restorative care will be considered.