Twenty-four months of CRT prospective clinical evaluation of ART restoration

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare in a clinical randomized trial the performance of 2 glass ionomer cements used in Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) technique. Methods: Seventy-nine schoolchildren aged from 6 to 9 year-old, with at least two active caries in primary molar teeth (n=141, Class I and II restorations) from opposite hemi arches had been selected to participate in the experiment (split-mouth designed). Children were randomly divided into 2 groups: Group 1 - Ketac-Molar (K) and Group 2 - Fuji IX (F). Primary molars presenting open decayed cavities (≥ 3 mm) were handling excavated and filled according to ART approach. Restorative materials were randomly allocated in the primary teeth. Restorations were evaluated in baseline, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months. The data were submitted to the Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney and t-test (p<0.05). Results: For Fuji IX Class I, there was no significant difference between the recalls, but for Ketac-Molar a significant reduction of the success occurred at 6 months and another decrease at 12 months. For Class II both materials showed similar performance, with significant success rate reduction at 3 months (K-29%; F-37%); Ketac-Molar showed another success rate decrease at 24 months, and Fuji after 6 months. No significant difference was found between both materials, in the same period of time for Class I and II, except at 24 months for Class I, when Ketac-Molar presented higher failure rate (75%). Conclusion: The 24-month survival rates for treating tooth decay in school children with the ART approach was shown to be appropriate and effective particularly in small Class II lesions for both materials. However, the Fuji IX glass ionomer cement presented better performance when used in Class I cavities.