SURVIVAL OF FUJI IX ART FILLINGS IN PERMANENT TEETH OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN TANZANIA

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the clinical performance of atraumatic restorative treatment (ART)
filings using Fuji M as a filling material in field conditions.
Design: Longitudinal study of the ART filings in permanent teeth of primary school children
aged eight to fifteen years.
Setting: Primary schools in Morogoro municipality, Tanzania.
Subjects and methods: Standard 3 and 4 children in five primary schools randomly selected
from a list of 36 primary schools of Morogoro municipality were examined for dental caries
and periodontal conditions. All 296 carious lesions that were indicated for restoration were
treated using ART approach according to the instructions given in the manual for ART
approach for the control of dental caries. Essential measurements for treated teeth and
cavity were taken. The cavities were filed with Fuji IX glass ionomer cement as per
manufacturer's instructions. After one year, 238 restorations were evaluated using the
criteria for evaluating ART restorations.
Main outcome measure: Clinical appearance of the surface of the restorations.
Results: Ninety four per cent of the restorations evaluated were rated as good and intact,
while 1.7% were rated as having slight defects that needed no repair, giving a one year
survival rate of 96.1 %. Mean working time was 14.5 minutes.
Conclusions and recommendations: The one-year survival rate of 96.1% is high enough to
recommend wide use of ARTin Tanzania. Town and municipal councilsshould be encouraged
to adopt ART in their school oral health programmes.