Aim: The successful performance of resin modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) as an indirect pulp therapy (IPT) dressing material and, independently, as a class II restoration material for primary molars has been adequately documented. This study investigates if an RMGIC can be successfully used in a dual capacity.
Methods: A total of 61, 3.5-8.5 year old children with deep proximal carious lesions in one or more primary molars, radiographically suspected of pulp exposure, were included. Teeth exclusion criteria were: continuous unprovoked pain and an exposed or a non-vital pulp. Following adequate caries removal, RMGIC restorations were placed. The teeth were followed up for signs/symptoms and for restoration survival according to modified United States Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria. Descriptive statistics and a Fisher's exact test were applied.
Results: The prospective study was completed with 86 restorations in 41 first and 45 second primary molars. Three of the 86 teeth showed pulp necrosis and the remaining 83 (96.5%) were a) asymptomatic for a mean clinical observation time of 31.9 months (SD 10.8) and b) with no radiographic signs of pathology for 25.7 months (SD 10.3). Seventy six of these 83 (91.6%) class II-'extended' restorations were acceptable, exhibiting varying levels of occlusal wear.
Conclusions: A single application of RMGIC was used successfully for over 2 ½ years as an IPT and restoration material in proximal caries of primary molars.