Participants
interradicular radiolucent lesions, pain, caries lesion, SE, oral impairment
SYSTEMIC DISEASE, PULP NECROSIS
Children aged between 4 and 9 years old from public and private dental clinics in 17 cities in the five regions of Brazil – Amargosa-BA, Aracajú–SE, Ariquemes-RO, Brasília-DF, Botucatu-SP, Cacoal-RO, Chopinzinho-PR, Curitiba-PR, Goiânia-GO, Gurupi-TO, Itagibá-BA, Livramento de Nossa Senhora-BA, Manaus-AM, Rio Branco-AC, São Félix do Xingu-PA, Uberlândia-MG, Umuarama-PR – were selected. Patients were recruited as they appeared for screening sessions. The selection of cities was by convenience, due to the patient selection sites being close to the researchers’ location. On average, each researcher included approximately 20 participants, since not all researchers could include all the requested children in the study.Children with at least one primary molar with multi-surface cavities lesions, who were cooperative during the screening, and 6 and/or 12-month follow-up, were included. Multi-surface cavities were defined as those involving more than two surfaces, including proximal, occlusal, and smooth surfaces (buccal or palatal/lingual surface), without pulp involvement. Patients with special needs or systemic diseases with oral impairment were excluded. In addition, teeth with spontaneous pain; pulp exposure, i.e., absence of dentin between caries lesion and pulp chamber; or other signs related to pulp necrosis, such as periapical or interradicular radiolucent lesions, or presenting restorations, sealants, or enamel developmental defects were excluded.