Deep carious lesions management in children and adolescents: a questionnaire survey among dentists practicing paediatric dentistry in France.

Introduction: While many questionnaire surveys have been undertaken worldwide to investigate practices toward deep carious lesion (DCL) management in adults, very few are related to children and adolescents. The present cross-sectional study aimed to assess DCL management in children and adolescents among dentists practicing paediatric dentistry in France (Fr-DPPDs). The secondary objective was to compare practices between Fr-DPPDs and dentists registered in the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD).

Methods: A questionnaire was electronically administrated to members of the CEOP (Collège des Enseignants en Odontologie Pédiatrique), the SFOP (Société Française d'Odontologie Pédiatrique), and the EAPD. Descriptive analyses, Chi-square and McNemar tests, ANOVA, crude and adjusted binary logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results: A total of 99 Fr-DPPDs and 146 EAPD members answered the questionnaire. Among the Fr-DPPDs, the preferred caries removal (CR) methods were the complete CR in one step for primary teeth and mature permanent teeth (respectively, 70% and 48%) and in two steps for immature permanent teeth (39%). EAPD members were more likely, than Fr-DPPDs, to choose selective CR versus complete CR in primary teeth (odds ratio = 2.60; 95% CI 1.39-4.85). Moreover, for primary or immature permanent teeth, general practitioners were less likely to choose selective CR than specialists and exclusive practitioners in paediatric dentistry, (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Tooth type [primary, permanent (immature or mature)] seemed to influence DCL management. Fr-DPPS should prioritise pulpal vitality when managing DCL.