Paediatric aesthetic dentistry: a review

Aim A number of conditions can lead to aesthetically unacceptable dentitions like dental caries, discoloration, trauma, early loss of teeth, misalignment and any abnormality of shape and size. Today we have a large number of solutions available for aesthetic problems in paediatric dentistry. But the biggest dilemma is: How to choose what is best for a particular patient and that situation? Through this review we try to precisely highlight the various options for aesthetic restorations along with their indications, advantages and disadvantages. Methods A search and analysis of international works on aesthetics in paediatric dentistry is presented. Results A considerable number of studies have shown that people are more concerned about missing anterior teeth and their replacement than about posterior ones as aesthetics seems to be more important than function. Conclusion Dental caries, although not life threatening, causes nagging pain and physical as well as psychological discomfort. Nevertheless, it is clear that the condition is complex and multifactorial and hence it is important to review the various approaches available to restore the lost aesthetics.