Episode Details

Should we really restore primary molars without local anaesthetic or injections?

When should we start taking radiographs for child patients?

Is it time to say goodbye to traditional anterior strip crowns and embrace preformed zirconia crowns?

And seriously – how do you get a wiggly, fidgety child to sit still long enough for a solid restoration?! The secret lies in choosing a technique that’s both quick and effective!

In this episode, Dr. Tim Keys unpacks the real challenges of restoring primary teeth, breaking down the pros and cons of popular approaches like the Hall Crown technique, Pediatric Zirconia crowns, and conventional stainless steel crowns (SSCs).

Tune in for practical insights to make pediatric crown work less stressful and more successful – helping you find the best fit for your little patients.

Dr. Keys is also involved in dental education and offers courses through his platform, Kids Dental Tips. One of his upcoming courses is titled “Restorative Paediatric Dentistry,” a two-day event scheduled to be held in Brisbane.

Protrusive Dental Pearl: One of our best ever Protrusive Infographics! This week’s Pearl is a handy downloadable PDF infographic summarising the key points from this episode on Children’s Crowns Techniques. Grab your copy here!

Need to Read it? Check out the Full Episode Transcript below!

Key Takeaways:

• The Hall crown technique is a non-invasive approach to treating pediatric teeth.
• Radiographs are essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning in children.
• Case selection is crucial for the success of pediatric dental treatments.
• Zirconia crowns have superior aesthetics over stainless steel crowns.
• The success rate of intra-coronal fillings in primary molars is lower compared to crowns.
• Zirconia crowns rarely fracture compared to strip crowns.
• Mild supra-occlusion is acceptable in pediatric dentistry.
• Hands-on experience is crucial for mastering crown techniques.

Highlights of this episode:

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:32 The Protrusive Dental Pearl
• 04:19 Dr. Tim Keys
• 06:26 Work-life balance & parenting
• 12:05 Hall crowns Vs Zirconia crowns
• 13:12 Pediatric crowns and caries management
• 15:40 Failure rates and clinical implications
• 17:51 Stainless steel crowns: conventional vs Hall technique
• 21:03 Case selection and radiographs
• 25:31 Radiographic criteria
• 27:04 The Hall Technique
• 29:59 Technique tips
• 38:00 Zirconia crowns vs strip crowns
• 46:55 Education, resources, and further learning
• 51:02 Outro

Key Article mentioned in this episode: Effectiveness, Costs and Patient Acceptance of a Conventional and a Biological Treatment Approach for Carious Primary Teeth in Children | Caries Research | Karger Publishers

#PDPMainEpisodes #BreadandButterDentistry

If you enjoyed this episode, you should check out PDP159 – How to Manage Children in Dental Pain.

This episode is eligible for 1 CE credit via the quiz on

Listen Now