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Can dentists patch a failing baby tooth instead of drilling it out?

NCT ID NCT07813065

Disease control Sponsor: University of Sao Paulo Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 10, 2026 · Last updated Sep 21, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

Dentists often replace a failed filling in a baby tooth by drilling it out and starting over. This trial tests a gentler option: repairing just the broken part and leaving the healthy filling in place. Researchers will assign 824 baby molars from children aged 4 to 8 to either repair or full replacement, then check how well each filling holds up over 24 months. They will also compare costs.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
repair of a failed dental restoration using high-viscosity glass ionomer cement
What this could lead to
If repair holds up as well as replacement, children could keep more of their natural tooth structure and need fewer invasive dental visits.
What could go wrong
Repaired fillings might fail sooner than replaced ones, and results in baby teeth may not match those seen in adult teeth. The trial runs two years, so longer-term durability stays unknown.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 382 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Oct 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Apr 2029

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

4 to 8 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Children aged 4 to 8 years; * Presence of at least one defective restoration in a primary molar, involving no more than 3 surfaces; * Absence of clinical and radiographic signs of pulp involvement; Exclusion Criteria: * Tooth without pulp vitality or requiring endodontic treatment; * Loose or mobile restoration; * Presence of fistula, abscess, or history of pain; * Tooth mobility incompatible with the physiological exfoliation timeline; * Parents/guardians who do not consent to participation by signing the ICF, or children who do not assent to participate in the study.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

dental caries

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Dental caries Primary teeth Restoration defects

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of São Paulo, School of Dentistry

    São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil

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