Systematic review on alternative methods for caries removal in permanent teeth.

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Health
• Microbiology

Background:

• Dental caries is a prevalent chronic disease caused by multifactorial microbial infections.
• Caries involves tooth demineralization and destruction, requiring timely intervention to prevent pulpal damage.
• Various methods exist for caries removal, including minimally invasive techniques, rotary instruments, chemomechanical methods, and lasers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficiency of different caries removal methods in permanent teeth.
• To synthesize existing literature on the comparative effectiveness of various caries removal techniques.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PICO strategy in PubMed and Medline databases (1985-2018).
• Inclusion criteria focused on in vivo studies comparing multiple caries removal methods in permanent teeth.
• Selected articles underwent quality assessment and risk of bias evaluation.

Main Results:

• The search yielded 11 publications meeting the inclusion criteria after screening 338 initial records.
• A detailed analysis of the retrieved studies was performed.
• The review identified a limited number of studies for inclusion.

Conclusions:

• The available evidence indicates a high risk of bias in the studies reviewed.
• There is a lack of robust data comparing the efficiency of various caries removal methods in permanent teeth.
• Further high-quality research is recommended to guide clinical practice.