The high level of dental caries in the child popu¬lation, with 55% of 5 year old children having visible decay into dentine and 16% having experienced dental extractions, imposes a considerable burden on chil¬dren, their parents, and the dental team looking after them. Many children have to accept toothache as a part of nor¬mal daily life. Alongside the extensive untreated caries, there has been intense debate on whether restorative care provided in general dental practice is an effective way of managing children with den¬tal caries in primary teeth. It is against this background of low levels of restorative treatment provision in Primary Care, and uncertainty as to the effectiveness of that treatment even if it is provided, that a novel, simplified method of using PMCs (Preformed Metal Crowns), the Hall Technique, has been investigated.3 This method uses PMCs, which are filled with glass-ionomer cement, and simply pushed onto the tooth with no caries removal, local anaesthesia or tooth preparation. Recently published audit data from Dr Hall's practice records has indicated that the technique might have similar survival rates to other, more conventional, restorative options currently being used in Primary Care.
