135 - Model Validation of Size Guides for Fitting Molar Bands

Model Validation of Size Guides for Fitting Molar Bands, Nagy A, Helder C, Bodt B, Johnson L, (Nemours Children’s Hospital, Wilmington, DE)

Research supported by the ACCEL BERD program

Purpose: To create and validate size guides for fitting Denovo® space maintainer bands to 3M™ stainless steel crowned teeth. The objective is to decrease waste and increase efficiency as many hospital-based programs are not reprocessing tried in bands, and multiple trials can increase appointment duration for children.


Methods: Nemours’ IRB exemption #18809038 obtained. Two pediatric dentists created size guides for general purpose molar bands (BSG), and band and loops (BLSG). Blinded to the size guides, 8 volunteer pediatric dentists and residents fit bands of a randomized subset of stainless steel crowned primary molar typodont teeth, and the final size chosen was recorded (DBF). The number of fit attempts to obtained DBF was also recorded. Dentist “best fit” (DBF) was analyzed against the previously created size guides (BSG) and (BLSG).

Results: Volunteer dentists averaged 2.7 fit attempts to find their best fit molar band, with 1.1 attempts potentially to be saved when compared against using band guide. Volunteer dentists averaged 2.3 fit attempts to find their best fit band and loop, with 0.7 attempts to be potentially saved when compared against using band guide. Both molar band, and band and loop size guides were validated by volunteer dentists.


Conclusion: Using our size guides equated to an average savings of $5.27 and $5.46 per treated tooth, respectively, for programs that recognize these products as single-use. These guides have the potential to decrease chair-time by limiting fit attempts, and they have potential to assist providers with choosing a starting point for band sizes when stainless steel crowned teeth are the abutments