Clinical performance of 3D printed resin endocrowns and full coverage crowns versus stainless steel crowns for...

Advances in three-dimensional (3D) printing have enabled the fabrication of resin crowns, including conservative designs such as endocrowns (ECs), which may improve esthetics and periodontal outcomes. However, clinical evidence comparing them with stainless steel crowns (SSCs) in primary teeth is limited. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the clinical efficiency of 3D-printed resin ECs and full coverage crowns (FCCs) with SSCs in primary molars.

A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 37 children aged 4-9 years. Forty-five primary mandibular second molars were allocated into three groups ( n = 15 each): Group A (ECs), Group B (FCCs), and Group C (SSCs). Pulpectomy was performed on all the teeth. Following intraoral scanning, the resin crowns were digitally designed and 3D printed. The clinical performance of the crowns was assessed using revised FDI criteria over a 6-month follow-up period. Periodontal health was assessed using the plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI).

Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U -tests were used.

The overall success rate was ranked as follows: Group C (100%) > Group A (86%) > Group B (79%), which was not statistically significant ( P = 0.185). Periodontal health was superior in Group A, followed by Groups C and B. A statistically significant difference in GI was found between Groups A and B ( P = 0.007), as well as between Groups B and C ( P = 0.019).

3D-printed resin crowns may serve as an esthetic alternative to SSCs, with ECs preferable in children with compromised gingival health.