Zirconia Crowns: A Promising Restorative Option in Early Childhood Caries

Early Childhood Caries is a complex disease which involves maxillary primary incisors within a month after eruption and spreads rapidly to involve the other primary teeth. Because of the aggressive nature of ECC, areas of demineralization and hypoplasia can rapidly develop cavitation. If untreated, the disease process can rapidly lead to mutilation of the affected teeth posing a serious functional and esthetic concern. Many restorative and non-restorative management strategies have been tried over the years each having its own advantages, disadvantages and associated technical, functional or esthetic limitations. Zirconia crowns have provided a restorative alternative to functional and esthetic management of primary teeth affected by early childhood caries. The aim of this poster is to reiterate this promising nature of zirconia crowns by presenting a number of cases treated with preformed NuSmile zirconia crowns. The crowns have, over a 12-month period, demonstrated, not only good retention and esthetic results but also superior gingival health as compared to natural teeth or other restorations.