Objective: This systematic review addressed what the ideal limit is for removing carious tissue to address a caries lesion.
Method and materials: The Medline, Cochrane, and PubMed databases were searched for abstracts of English-language articles published between 2000 and 2010 as well as randomized clinical trials about the total, partial, and/or nonmechanical removal of carious tissue in primary teeth. The analysis of the abstracts was performed individually by two reviewers. The full text of potentially relevant studies was obtained, analyzed based on criteria for quality assessment of a randomized clinical trial, and placed in an evidence-based table.
Results: After reading the abstracts, 151 articles were excluded. Six references met the inclusion criteria and were selected for full reading. After the reviewers consulted with one another, three papers were considered potentially relevant to this review.
Conclusion: This analysis suggests that minimally invasive procedures for dental tissue are viable choices for stopping caries lesions. Partial or nonmechanical removal of carious tissue favors the arrest of dental caries lesions.