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Clinical Decision‐Making for Coronal Caries Management in the Permanent Dentition
Author(s) -
Anusavice Kenneth
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of dental education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.53
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1930-7837
pISSN - 0022-0337
DOI - 10.1002/j.0022-0337.2001.65.10.tb03463.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dentistry , dentition , chlorhexidine , coronal plane , permanent dentition , intervention (counseling) , psychiatry , radiology
Optimal conservative treatment decisions to prevent, arrest, and reverse tooth demineralization caused by caries require probability estimates on caries risk and treatment outcomes. This review is focused on the use of the best scientific evidence to recommend treatment strategies for management of coronal caries in permanent teeth as a function of caries risk. Evidence suggests that assigning therapeutic regimens to individuals according to their risk levels should yield a significantly greater probability of success and better cost effectiveness than applying identical treatments to all patients independent of risk. Depending on caries risk levels, treatment decisions based on risk can minimize unnecessary surgical intervention by incorporating the best evidence to prescribe treatment regimens for the use of fluoride‐releasing agents, sealants, chlorhexidine, or combinations of these products.