Resin Infiltration in the Conservative Management of Incipient Dental Caries: An Evidence-Based Review

Dental caries is a biofilm-mediated, non-communicable, multifactorial disease in which the balance between demineralization and remineralization determines whether an initial enamel lesion remains stable, arrests, or progresses toward cavitation. Contemporary caries management prioritizes preservation of tooth structure and emphasizes individualized decisions based on lesion activity, cavitation status, cleansability, radiographic depth, and patient's caries risk. Resin infiltration has emerged as a microinvasive approach positioned between noninvasive preventive strategies and conventional restorative treatment. This evidence-based narrative review summarizes the current literature on resin infiltration for incipient, non-cavitated proximal carious lesions in permanent teeth, with emphasis on diagnosis, case selection, clinical protocol, and current evidence. A structured search of three databases (PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) identified randomized clinical trials, observational clinical studies, systematic reviews, narrative reviews, and relevant in vitro investigations. The strongest clinical evidence supports resin infiltration for non-cavitated proximal lesions in permanent teeth, particularly enamel and selected outer dentin lesions, where long-term studies demonstrate reduced radiographic progression. In vitro studies indicate that lesion penetration, enamel hardness, and surface roughness depend on lesion characteristics, pretreatment, and technique, and help explain the caries-arresting effect. Current evidence shows that resin infiltration should be considered a selective microinvasive option for incipient proximal caries, guided by lesion assessment and patient's caries risk rather than a universal substitute for prevention or restoration.