“The results of parental satisfaction are very positive…”

I was a full-time faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry back in the early and mid ’80s when NuSmile Crowns became available. I published one of the first articles that looked at fracture resistance of NuSmile and other crowns available at the time. After I left academia to go into private practice, the practice I joined happened to use NuSmile crowns. I’ve been using them routinely for 15 years.

What patients are a good fit?

In my opinion, for 2- to 5-year-olds with severely decayed primary anterior teeth, NuSmile is an excellent restorative option.

What is the learning curve for use?

For pediatric dentists who are used to stainless steel crowns, there is a  definite learning curve. The preparation is different from what they are used to making-not difficult at all, just different.

When someone prepares a tooth for a stainless steel crown, you can make the crown fit the tooth by crimping, bending and squeezing the crown. With NuSmile, you have to prepare the tooth so that it fits the crown, because these crowns are rigid.

Describe the results you’ve seen…

I’ve been fortunate to see impressive results not just in my personal experience, but as a co-author on two papers offering a retrospective analysis of clinical performance and parental satisfaction with NuSmile Crowns. We saw only 10-13% of cases demonstrate chipping or wear at the incisal edge, which is similar to what we see in composite strip crowns (a popular alternative to NuSmile). When it comes to durability, they are at least comparable.

The results of parental satisfaction with NuSmile crowns are very positive. We had an overall satisfaction rate of 93%. When asked, 91% indicated they would choose the same type of crown for future treatment of their child.

Why should a peer consider NuSmile?

When properly placed, NuSmile crowns deliver a very nice esthetic result and a predictable, durable restoration that you rarely have to worry about replacing or repairing. In addition, NuSmile Crowns are well-retained when cemented with a glass ionomer cement, even when there isn’t a lot of remaining tooth structure.

Another big plus is that they are not affected by the presence of hemorrhage. Contrast with a composite strip crown-when the gingiva starts to bleed, you have to control any hemorrhage before you etch and bond for the crown. That’s not the case with NuSmile and that is huge in my book. Another benefit is these crowns also have high color stability. They retain their color over many years and rarely discolor.