RESUMEN
Remineralization treatment, which offers the advantage of being non-invasive, is increasingly being used as a minimal intervention treatment in managing incipient enamel caries. The aim of this review was to develop EBM guideline for optimized strategies for non-invasive treatment of incipient enamel caries. Japanese Society of Conservative Dentistry (JSCD) guideline committee formulated a Guideline for treating incipient enamel caries using the GRADE system, which is the global, mainstream standard for guideline development. The committee selected the most frequent clinical questions (CQs) in treating incipient enamel caries and identified clinically important outcomes in evaluating the efficacy of treatments. Using extensive electronic and manual searches, relevant randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials were identified. Based on evidence profiles produced by the committee, the panel discussed the effects, benefits and disadvantages of the selected treatments, as well as their cost effectiveness and feasibility, in order to achieve a consensus in treating incipient enamel caries non-invasively. A recommendation was made for each clinical question after voting by the panel members. Based on the evidence profile and panel discussions for each CQ, the experts strongly recommended application of topical fluoride to inhibit cavitation of incipient enamel caries, and to diminish white spot lesions.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: The best possible methods and materials in stepwise excavation for deep caries in permanent teeth were investigated. The review considers the questions from many aspects including clinical success, effects of reducing cariogenic bacteria, possibility of hardening softened dentin, and likelihood of generating tertiary dentin. DATA: This systematic review includes the use of data from randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials as well as from case series in which pulp exposure resulted following the treatment and removal of deep caries. Only studies of caries in permanent teeth were considered. Those involving treatment of primary teeth were excluded. SOURCES: An electronic search was conducted in the databases of MEDLINE and Igaku Chuo Zasshi (Japanese) from 1970 to 2008. The electronic search was supplemented by a manual search of the references lists of all the relevant studies. STUDY SELECTION: The electronic and manual searches of journals retrieved a total of 266 English and 130 Japanese papers. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 10 English and 3 Japanese studies were finally identified. CONCLUSION: Our research suggests that stepwise excavation is effective for pulp preservation in extremely deep caries that do not show clinical symptoms of irreversible pulpitis. Calcium hydroxide, as well as antimicrobials and polycarboxylate cement combined with tannin-fluoride preparation, is effective in reducing bacteria and promoting remineralization of the carious dentin that remained after stepwise excavation. Further clinical trials with a high level of study design should be conducted to identify the best methods of removing carious dentin using stepwise excavation.
