Abstract: Objective: To assess the efficacy of the Hall technique on carious primary molars. Methods: The Cochrane Library, PUBMED, Embase, CNKI, CBM, VIP and Wanfang Database (from the date of establishment of the databases to March 20, 2018) were searched for RCTs on the Hall technique for carious primary molars. References of the included studies were also checked. Quality assessment and data extraction were performed by two reviewers independently. Meta-analysis was performed by RevMan5.3, and the evidences were graded by GRADEpro3.6. Results: Six studies involving the Hall technique and the other 4 methods were included. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference of efficacy between the Hall technique and traditional crown technique or the improved Hall technique (P>0.05). The results showed the efficacy of the Hall technique was better than conventional restorations and nonrestorative caries treatment (P<0.05). The qualities of evidence for outcomes of the four groups were rated as moderate or low. Conclusion: The Hall technique with no local anesthesia, no caries removal, and no teeth preparation has excellent curative effects, and it has some advantages in clinical application. But more high-quality RCTs are needed.

Key words: Hall technique, Primary molar, Dental caries, Systematic review