Atraumatic restorative treatment and minimal intervention dentistry

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Health
• Preventive Care

Background:

• Untreated dentine carious lesions pose a significant global health burden.
• Traditional 'drill and fill' treatments are insufficient for managing these lesions effectively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the adoption of minimal intervention dentistry (MID) and minimally invasive operative skills in dental education.
• To highlight the atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) as a key component of MID.

Main Methods:

• ART involves a preventive (sealant) and restorative (restoration) component using high-viscosity glass-ionomer (HVGIC).
• Survival rates of ART sealants and restorations were compared to conventional resin and amalgam materials.

Main Results:

• ART sealants demonstrate a high preventive effect on dentine carious lesions.
• ART/HVGIC restorations show survival rates comparable to amalgam and resin composites in primary and permanent teeth.

Conclusions:

• ART aligns with the International Caries Consensus Collaboration principles for carious tissue removal.
• ART and similar atraumatic procedures should be the primary treatment for primary dentine carious lesions due to efficacy and patient comfort.