Stainless steel crowns versus amalgams in the primary dentition and decision-making in clinical practice.

This article reviews scientific dental literature related to amalgam restorations versus stainless steel crowns (SSCs) in the primary dentition. An extensive literature search of clinical studies was conducted to address the use of amalgams and SSCs in the primary dentition. The scientific literature provides evidence that SSCs demonstrate greater longevity and reduced need for retreatment, compared to multi-surface amalgam restorations. There is high-level evidence for the use of SSCs because of their cost-effectiveness, ease of placement, and longevity.