[Clinical evaluation of gingival tissue restored with stainless steel crown]

The use of stainless steel crown for the restoration of primary molars is widely accepted in pediatric dentistry. There has been a concern regarding their effect on the health of the gingival tissue. It is a possibility that the preformed crown may be a contributing cause of gingivitis. This study evaluated one hundred and thirty-seven crowns in forty-five patients who had received pedodontic treatment at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. The results indicated that the majority of stainless steel crowns had one or more defects, with crown crimping being the most common error. According to what the paired t-test showed, non-ideal crowns indicated that the gingival index was significantly higher than the entire mouth and control teeth. However the supragingival plaque accumulation of these teeth was significant lower than the entire mouth and control teeth. There was only a moderate positive correlation between supragingival plaque and gingivitis. The operator is necessary to adapt the stainless steel crown margin as closely as possible to the tooth and to avoid the mechanical defect of a crown. It minimizes the irritation of gingival tissue and diminishes the bacterial adherence of subgingival plaque, therefore preserving the health of gingival tissue.