Studies investigating restorations placed in the primary dentition showed no significant differences between the groups after 12 and 24 months .
In the permanent dentition , the longevity of ART restorations is equal to or greater than that of equivalent amalgam restorations for up to 6.3 years and is site-dependent .
No difference was observed in primary teeth .
The aim was to report on the longevity of  restorations placed using the atraumatic restorative treatment ( ART ) approach  compared with that of  equivalent placed amalgam restorations .
Atraumatic restorative treatment (ART): a three-year clinical study in Malawi--comparison of conventional amalgam and ART restorations.
OBJECTIVE This study compares the quality of class I restorations  made with the atraumatic restorative treatment ( ART ) technique and conventional class I amalgam restorations . METHODS The study was carried out among secondary school students in Mzuzu , Malawi . First-year students in 1987 who needed at least two class I restorations were selected . Based on a split-mouth design , each participant received both ART and conventional restorations . The 89 pairs of class I cavities were divided r and omly into two groups , since two different cermet ionomer cement ( CIC ) filling material s were used . Impressions of the restorations and subsequent models were made shortly after restoration , after six months , one year , two years , and three years . The quality of the restorations was determined on the models following the US Public Health Service criteria . Bulk fracture , contour , marginal integrity , and surface texture of the restorations were recorded and evaluated separately . Survival rates were determined by the result ant score of all criteria . RESULTS Though conventional amalgam restorations performed better on all criteria , this difference was significant only for the contour criterion . The survival rates of ART restorations after three years ( 81.0 % ) were lower than those of amalgam restorations ( 90.4 % ) ( P=.067 ) . CONCLUSIONS The quality of ART class I restorations is competitive with that of conventional amalgam restorations
Studies investigating restorations placed in the primary dentition showed no significant differences between the groups after 12 and 24 months .
In the permanent dentition , the longevity of ART restorations is equal to or greater than that of equivalent amalgam restorations for up to 6.3 years and is site-dependent .
No difference was observed in primary teeth .
The aim was to report on the longevity of  restorations placed using the atraumatic restorative treatment ( ART ) approach  compared with that of  equivalent placed amalgam restorations .