Managing caries in the high-risk child

Dentists often report that treating children in their practices is either the most rewarding or the most challenging of all their professional experiences. Special considerations must be made for the biology of the caries process, the psychological development of the child, parental involvement, the complex environmental factors that contribute to caries, and the wide variety of clinical treatment options available. Caries management by risk assessment (CAMBRA) is becoming the standard of care for dental professionals. Although significant progress has been made against caries in the past 30 years, very resistant pockets of disease remain in certain demographics. This article presents a number of different clinical scenarios, which will explore diagnostic and restorative protocols that apply to children who are at risk for caries.