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The Hall Technique and exfoliation of primary teeth: a retrospective cohort study

British Dental Journal volume 228, pages 213–217 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction There has been speculation about early exfoliation of carious primary molar teeth treated with the Hall Technique (HT).

Aim To investigate the hypothesis that there is a difference in exfoliation times between teeth treated with the HT and contralateral teeth not treated with the HT.

Methods Split-mouth retrospective cohort study of children treated in Dundee Dental Hospital and School (DDH&S). Radiographs and clinical records were assessed to compare children's ages at exfoliation for HT-treated primary molars and their contralateral teeth not treated with the HT. Primary molars' root resorption was also evaluated to assess whether the HT influenced the rate of root resorption.

Results Using DDH&S's clinical systems, children's records (n = 13,160) were screened for children's ages and sequential radiographs, with 192 children potentially eligible. After assessing radiographs and clinical records, 39 children met the inclusion criteria. Their mean age at time of HT treatment was 7.2 years (range = 4.0 to 11.0; SD = 1.5). There was no evidence of a difference (p = 0.41) between children's ages at exfoliation of HT teeth (10.7; SD = 1.2 years) and contralateral teeth (11.0; SD = 1.4 years).

Conclusion There is no evidence that use of the Hall Technique is associated with early exfoliation of primary molars.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge and thank the NHS records administrative staff in the Dental Hospital for making the patient records available and Professor McIntyre as the Clinical Lead for supporting this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Mariana P. Araujo, Fausto M. Mendes & Daniela P. Raggio

  2. School of Dentistry, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Sergio Uribe

  3. School of Dentistry, University of Dundee, Park Place, Dundee, DD1 4HR, UK

    Mark D. Robertson & Nicola P. T. Innes

Authors
  1. Mariana P. Araujo
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  2. Sergio Uribe
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  3. Mark D. Robertson
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  4. Fausto M. Mendes
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  5. Daniela P. Raggio
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  6. Nicola P. T. Innes
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Contributions

NPI, DPR, FMM and MPA conceived and designed this project. MPA and NPI wrote the protocol. MPA, MR and NPI carried out the data collection. SU and FMM carried out the statistical analysis. MPA, SU, MR, FMM, DPR and NPI took part in data interpretation, prepared, critically revised and approved this manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicola P. T. Innes.

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Funding

The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) granted an international fellowship (ref number 2018/12143-4) that supported this study. The authors' institutions also supported this study and no other external funding was received.

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Araujo, M., Uribe, S., Robertson, M. et al. The Hall Technique and exfoliation of primary teeth: a retrospective cohort study. Br Dent J 228, 213–217 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-020-1251-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-020-1251-1

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