Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine

Title abbreviation: Adv Clin Exp Med
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ISSN 1899–5276 (print)
ISSN 2451-2680 (online)
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Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine

2018, vol. 27, nr 7, July, p. 1009–1016

doi: 10.17219/acem/77022

Publication type: review

Language: English

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Evidence-based strategies for the minimally invasive treatment of carious lesions: Review of the literature

Rodrigo A. Giacaman1,A,C,D,F, Cecilia Muñoz-Sandoval1,B,D,F, Klaus W. Neuhaus2,E,F, Margherita Fontana3,E,F, Renata Chałas4,C,E,F

1 Cariology Unit, Department of Oral Rehabilitation and Interdisciplinary Excellence Research Program on Healthy Aging (PIEI-ES), University of Talca, Chile

2 Department of Preventive, Restorative and Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland

3 Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA

4 Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Medical University of Lublin, Poland

Abstract

Resulting in a high economic and biological cost, the traditional therapeutic approach to carious lesion management is still largely restorative. Minimally invasive (MI) treatment offers an attractive alternative to managing carious lesions in a more conservative and effective manner, resulting in enhanced preservation of tooth structure. The aim of this review was to summarize the evidence behind several MI alternatives for carious lesion management, including the use of sealants, infiltration, atraumatic restorative treatment (ART), and selective carious tissue removal (e.g., indirect pulp capping, stepwise removal, or selective removal to soft dentine). Relevant literature was screened, and articles reporting randomized controlled trials or systematic reviews of strategies to manage non-cavitated or cavitated carious lesions in adults and children were included. Fifty six articles met the inclusion criteria. For non-cavitated lesions, the use of sealants is supported by strong evidence, while the evidence for infiltration of proximal lesions is moderate. For deep cavitated lesions, selective removal to soft dentin and/or stepwise excavation is supported by strong evidence. The use of the ART technique to restore cavitated lesions is also supported by strong evidence as a suitable strategy that has been used extensively in the literature concerning non-dental settings. Preservation of tooth structure through the use of MI treatment for both non-cavitated and cavitated lesions is supported by moderatestrong evidence, which supports the paradigm shift towards routine use of more conservative strategies in the treatment of carious lesions.

Key words

dental caries, minimally invasive treatment, partial caries removal, stepwise technique, atraumatic restorative treatment

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