"Longitudinal evaluation of selective carious tissue removal methods in vital and asymptomatic primary molars with deep carious lesions"
"Dental Caries; Survival Analysis, Dental Cavity Preparation; Public Health Dentistry"
"Introduction: Selective carious tissue removal is advocated to treat cavitated carious lesions not accessible to cleaning instruments and with signs of activity. This technique has different clinical approaches, depending on the depth of the carious lesion. The management of deep lesions is usually associated with professional therapeutic insecurity and with immediate or long-term pulpal complications. Objective: regarding the need for scientific evidence that favors therapeutic assertiveness in the intervention of deep lesions, the primary objective of this thesis was to compare, based on data from 1 and 2 years of follow-up, subjective versus objective criteria for selective removal of carious tissue in deep lesions. Method: This thesis is based on a community-based singleblind randomized controlled clinical trial. The sample consisted of vital and asymptomatic primary molars with deep caries lesions of students from six public schools in Paranoá - Federal District. The sample was randomized into (1) objective protocol (O) – selective removal with polymer burs and (2) subjective protocol (S) – selective removal using hand excavation. The treatment was carried out in a mobile dental unit by two previously trained dentists and the evaluation by two calibrated examiners. Results: 115 children were treated (177 restorations, 91S, 85O). Generalized linear models (GLM) and multi-level Cox-regression analysis were applied. After two years, out of 136 restorations (71S, 65O), 50S and 48O were successful (ART criteria 0/1, no pulpal complications, no re-intervention needed, or tooth extraction) and 70 S and 65 O survived (tooth retained with or without further retreatments being needed, or tooth exfoliated). There were 9 cases of pulpal complications (7S, 2O). There was no significant difference in treatment time, immediate patient satisfaction and risk of failure between O and S. The majority of failures were restorative, not pulpal, and distribution of ART codes was not significant differences between groups. Risk of failure was not significantly associated with the removal protocol, age, gender or dental arch. Greater risk of restorative failure was statistically associated with restorations involving multiple surfaces. Conclusion: Both protocols can be considered for the management of deep caries lesions"