The effect of pulp inflammation and premature extraction of primary molars on the successor permanent teeth. A retrospective study.

Background: Untreated caries on primary molars often leads to pulp inflammation and extraction.

Aim: To retrospectively investigate the effect of pulp inflammation and extraction of primary molars on their successors regarding alignment in the dental arch and developmental enamel defects (DED).

Design: The participants in this study were children at public schools in Petropolis (Brazil), who participated in a 3-year longitudinal clinical trial.