Anterior crowns in pediatric dentistry: a literature review

Esthetic treatment requirement of severely mutilated primary anterior teeth in the case of early childhood caries (ECC) is one of the greatest challenges to pediatric dentists. The choice of restoration depends on various factors such as amount of tooth structure remaining, ability to obtain adequate moisture control, child’s cooperating ability, esthetic demands, and cost factor. A practitioner should choose convenient, durable, and reliable solution which is fulfilled with complete knowledge of different crown forms.Satisfactory restoration of these teeth, improving esthetics, along with management of space and function has always been a challenge for pediatric dentists. Although restorations placed in pediatric patients are technically temporary, they are often required to last for years, meaning that the need for strength and durability—as well as esthetics—should not be underestimated. An ever-increasing demand for esthetics has lead to innovations and development of newer treatment modalities for these problems. The purpose of this article is to review latest materials and techniques in managing primary anterior teeth to decide the choice of the full coronal restorative material.