Current concepts and techniques for caries excavation and adhesion to residual dentin

The advent of "Adhesive Dentistry" has simplified the guidelines for cavity preparation enormously. The design and extent of the current preparations are basically defined by the extent and shape of the caries lesion, potentially slightly extended by bevelling the cavity margins in order to meet the modern concept of minimally invasive dentistry. New caries excavation techniques have been introduced, such as the use of plastic and ceramic burs, improved caries-disclosing dyes, enzymatic caries-dissolving agents, caries-selective sono/air abrasion and laser ablation. They all aim to remove or help remove caries-infected tissue as selectively as possible, while being minimally invasive through maximum preservation of caries-affected tissue. Each technique entails a specific caries-removal endpoint and produces residual dentin substrates of different natures and thus different receptiveness for adhesive procedures. This paper reviews the newest developments in caries excavation techniques and their effect on the remaining dentin tissue with regard to its bonding receptiveness.