Silver-modified atraumatic restorative technique (SMART) with conventional stainless steel crowns for management of dental caries: a case series.

Stainless steel crowns (SSCs) consistently yield optimal outcomes for the treatment of dental caries and devel¬opmental defects in pediatric patients. These crowns provide a proper seal, thus preventing the advancement of dental caries. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) has also proven effective in halting the progression of dental caries, but it does not improve the functionality of the tooth. Thus, combining the remineralizing potential of SDF with an SSC as part of the silver-modified atrau¬matic restorative technique (SMART) can have a syner¬gistic effect, simultaneously treating dental caries and restoring the function of the tooth. This series of 3 cases describes application of SDF to carious primary molars and subsequent placement of SSCs using a conventional technique with local anesthesia and conventional tooth preparation. A 12-month follow-up of each patient showed the effectiveness of using SDF combined with a conventional SSC restoration.