Purpose: To investigate the effect of improved atraumatic restorative treatment(ART) with high-strength glass ionomer cement in the treatment of primary caries in children.
Methods: From August 2018 to May 2019, 262 children with primary tooth caries who were treated in Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were selected into our study, prospectively. The children were divided into two groups, randomly: ART group (131 cases, 177 teeth) and control group (131 cases, 178 teeth). Children in the control group were treated with conventional cavity preparation and composite resin filling, while those in the ART group were treated with improved high-intensity glass ionomer. The curative effect and satisfaction degree were compared between the two groups. SPSS 19.0 software package was used for data analysis.
Results: The overall curative effect in the ART group was better than that of the control group. The cooperation degree of the 2~4 years old children in the ART group was significantly higher than that of the control group(P<0.05). The cooperation degree of the 5 years old children between the two groups had no significant differences(P>0.05). Both groups of children accepted 12 months of follow-up. Three months after treatment, the rate of secondary caries in the ART group was significantly lower than that in the control group, but it was not statistically significant(P>0.05). Six and 12 months after treatment, the rate of secondary caries in the ART group were significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.05), and the satisfaction of parents in the ART group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Improved ART with high-intensity glass ionomer cement is more likely accepted by children and their parents, with more willing to accept and cooperate with the treatment. Not only is it easy to operate, but also has a reliable curative effect in children.