Restorative thresholds for primary and permanent molars in children: French dentist decisions

Worldwide, numerous surveys have investigated practices and knowledge about caries management in adults, but few are available for children.

The present cross-sectional survey aimed to assess the restorative thresholds (RTs) in primary and permanent molars in children used by a population of dentists treating children and practicing in France.

The study population consisted of French dentists treating children (Fr-DTCs) who were registered in the French Society of Pediatric Dentistry (n = 250). A specific questionnaire was developed. Descriptive and statistical analyses were performed.

Response rate was 80.4% (n = 201). Considering that an appropriate RT is at the stage of a moderate lesion (occlusal: International Caries Detection and Assessment System 4; approximal: lesion involving the external third of dentine), more than 50% of respondents showed a tendency for iatrogenic treatment, except for occlusal carious lesions in primary molars. Inappropriate invasive strategies were more often reported for occlusal lesions in permanent than primary molars. Moreover, for both molar types, these inappropriate RTs were more often chosen for approximal than occlusal lesions.

The present survey suggested that Fr-DTCs tend to overtreat in terms of caries management in both primary and permanent molars.