Clinical and histological evaluation of hall technique with and without silver diamine fluoride in the treatment of carious primary molars

Background Dental caries is one of the most common chronic diseases. Aim This study was directed to: evaluate clinical, radiographic, and histological effect of hall technique with and without silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in treating carious primary molars. Patients and methods Split mouth clinical trial at which 90 carious primary molars, out of 45 patients aged from 5 to 8 years divided into two groups: group I: carious primary molars were treated by hall crowns. Group II: carious primary molars were treated first by SDF then covered by hall crowns. Then clinical and radiographic evaluation for 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Ten human carious first primary molar teeth, formally planned for serial extraction were treated by hall crown (group I) and SDF under hall crown (group II). These teeth were extracted after 1 year of observation. Teeth samples were prepared for histological evaluation under light microscope and scanning electron microscope. Results After 1 year, the overall clinical success rate was 95.6 and 100% in group I and group II respectively. The overall radiographic success rate was 97.8 and 100% in group I and group II, respectively. Regarding histological evaluation under LM. One specimen in group I showed inflammation in pulp, incomplete layer of tertiary dentine and loss of odontoblasts. While there was no inflammation, tertiary dentin formation and normal odontoblast cells in all specimens in group II. Surface morphology of samples treated by hall crown (group I). The dentine corresponding to lesion in teeth treated with hall crown showed open dentinal tubules surface morphology of samples in (group II) showed area of blocked dentinal tubules, silver precipitates in a form of clearly elevated particles with the irregular surfaces. Conclusion The application of SDF in combination with hall technique can improve the clinical and radiographic outcomes.