Non-invasive and Minimally Invasive Management of Carious Lesions in Children: A Scoping Review
Author(s): Latifa Alhowaish*
Abstract
Background: Dental caries is a major health problem affecting children in all areas of the world. Less-invasive treatment modalities are gaining popularity to avoid the burden of more conventional treatments.
Aim: To provide a comprehensive and focused review of available evidence on non-invasive and minimally invasive caries management options in children.
Materials and Methods: Relevant scientific research papers were retrieved by searching numerous databases, including MEDLINE, EBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane Library. The search was conducted up to the end of December 2020 using both free text and controlled vocabulary (MeSH) terms. The following search terms were used “Non-Invasive Dentistry”, “Minimally Invasive Dentistry”, “Stepwise Caries Excavation”, “Selective Caries Excavation”, “Partial Caries Excavation”, “Fluoride Varnish”, “SDF”, ‘Pit and Fissure Sealant”, “Atraumatic Restorative Treatment”, ‘Resin Infiltration”, and “Hall Crowns”. Studies published in English language in the period between 2000 and 2020 were considered for review. Systematic reviews with meta-analysis references’ lists were searched manually for possible missed articles in the preliminary search. Studies in English, published in the period between 2000 and 2020 and investigating one or more of the non-invasive and minimally invasive carious management techniques in children in regard to its survival/success, cost-effectiveness, and acceptability were included.
Results: The preliminary search resulted in 225 articles with topics in the searched terms. The Second filtering of the articles revealed 73 papers meeting the pre-specified criteria.
Conclusion: Success, cost-effectiveness, and acceptability of both non-invasive and minimally invasive treatments for children are supported by considerable evidence from randomized trials. Trials on broader scales and considering more than one aspect of caries management modalities in children will inform decision-making in pediatric dentistry.