Clinical Evaluation and Parental Satisfaction with Pediatric Posterior Stainless Steel Crowns and Zirconia Crowns: A Comparative study

AIM OF THE STUDY: To clinically evaluate and compare the performance of posterior pediatric zirconia crowns with stainless steel crowns and elicit parental satisfaction for the same. METHODOLOGY: Twenty nine children in the age group of 3-9 years were selected and given seventy preformed crowns (35-preformed zirconia crowns, KINDER KROWN; 35-stainless steel crowns, KIDZ CROWN). Crowns were evaluated for retention, marginal integrity, opposing tooth wear, plaque accumulation, gingival inflammation and proximal contact at 3, 6, 9 and 12th month. Parental satisfaction was elicited with a 5-point likert type questionnaire and problems experienced by the child and future treatment recommendations were also elicited with close ended questions. RESULTS: At the end of follow-up period both the groups showed no opposing tooth wear and with intact proximal contact (p-0.317). No plaque accumulation was seen with stainless steel crowns (100%) compared to zirconia crowns (93.3%) at 6th month follow-up, but with insignificant difference (p=0.317). 96% of zirconia crowns and 100% of stainless steel crowns showed intact crowns with closed margins (p=1.000). Overall parental satisfaction was 78% with stainless steel crowns and 96% with zirconia crowns. 8% of the parents reported bleeding around the gums in zirconia group. 60% of the parents in stainless steel and 100% of zirconia group reported that they would opt for these crowns in future. CONCLUSION: Posterior preformed zirconia and stainless steel crowns showed good clinical performance with no statistical difference. Preformed zirconia crowns can be an option for posterior full coronal restoration when esthetics is of prime concern for the parent and the child