Parental Satisfaction, Cost Effectiveness and Longevity of Prefabricated Zircon Crowns versus Stainless Steel Crowns: (A Cross Sectional Study)

Abstract

Introduction: Prefabricated zirconia crowns have many merits when compared to Stainless Steel Crowns (SSCs). The high cost and duration of the crowns are among the most prominent disadvantages that hinder the wide range of use of zirconia crowns. Methods:This cross sectional study included a questionnaire sent to pediatric dentists to request the parents of their child patients to fill in via email. The questionnaire consisted of six sections: Type of Crown, Personal Data and Sociodemographic, Parental Satisfaction, Cost Effectiveness, Longevity and Potential Difficulty Experienced.Results: There was no difference in the overall satisfaction between the groups in terms of gender distribution and parent/guardian occupation and education. Regarding color, SSCs showed lower satisfaction compared to zirconia crowns. Crown shape showed same level of satisfaction in both groups. For size and number of visits, SSCs showed higher satisfaction than zirconia crown. Higher percentage of parents reported that SSCs have reasonable price while zirconia crowns are expensive. Higher stability was observed with SSCs for less than 6 months and from 6-12 months while for zirconia crowns stability was more than 12 months. Zirconia crowns showed higher prevalence of bleeding and food accumulation compared to SSCs. There was no difference between the two groups regarding tooth sensitivity. Conclusion:There is increasing demand for aesthetic restoration of deciduous teeth in the field of pediatric dentistry. Most parents prefer zirconia crowns when compared to SSCs, and they recommend this type for others despite its high cost.