Two alternative methods of restoring primary teeth that had multisurface lesions were examined in a clinical longitudinal study. In a paired comparison, stainless steel crowns proved far superior to multisurface amalgam restorations with respect to both lifespan and replacement rate. Stainless steel crowns are not only more acceptable to the patient and more cost effective, but also more acceptable to the dentist because of the comparatively simple procedures involved in restoring even severely affected primary molars.