Rationale for restoration of carious primary teeth: a review.

Early childhood caries (ECC) has consequences, affectng both the child's dental health and his/her general health. This paper reviews the literature regarding ECC and its consequences (pain, sepsis, space loss, disruption to quality of life, failure to thrive, effects on intellectual development, greater risk of new carious Iesions in both primary and permanent dentitions, higher incidence of hospitailisation and emergency visits, and increased treatment costs and time). The effects of treatment of ECC are aIso reviewed, and concerns regarding purported associations between treatment of ECC and dental anxiety are addressed.