Preformed metal crowns: views of a group of dental practitioners in North Wales

OBJECTIVES: To determine the views of general dental practitioners (GDPs) in North Wales on the use of preformed metal crowns (PMCs) for the treatment of primary molars. METHOD: Following ethical approval, all GDPs in the North Wales Health Authority (85) were invited to participate in the study. After consent was given, a trained GDP conducted all interviews regarding the participants' approach to restorative care in children, preferred materials, use of local anaesthesia (LA), training, and use of PMCs. Their recorded responses were transcribed and analysed at a line-by-line level to identify themes within the data. The analysis was conducted according to a framework approach. RESULTS: Of the 85 GDPs, 27 responded to the invitation. After ten interviews no new substantive themes were emerging and data collection ended (saturation sampling). The GDPs who responded had practised for between three and 35 years and graduated from nine dental schools. The GDPs interviewed knew the advantages of PMCs but did not use them. Most had received undergraduate training with PMCs and were confident they would be able to place them if required. Reasons given for not using them included: limited experience, cost and time placing them, fear of hurting the child patient, need for LA, and glass-ionomer cement being easier to use. CONCLUSIONS: These GDPs knew that PMCs were the most durable restorative option and thought they had the skill to place them. However, they believed a less interventive approach, without LA, worked best with children, and PMCs did not fit well with this approach.