Clinical, microbiological, and radiographic evaluation of sealed carious dentin after minimal intervention in primary molars.

Abstract

In continuation with the ultraconservative minimal intervention approach for carious lesions treatment, lesion sterilization and tissue repair (LSTR) is a novel concept of using antibacterial drugs to disinfect dentinal, pulpal, and periapical lesions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical, radiographic, and microbiologic success rate of indirect pulp treatment (IPT) using a new technique minimal excavation and LSTR with triple antibiotic paste (TAP), for primary molars. This was randomized controlled trial design. Forty-two healthy cooperative children aged 5-10 years having deep carious lesion in primary molars were randomly assigned to receive either traditional IPT with calcium hydroxide or minimal excavation and LSTR with TAP. Follow-up was done at 6 weeks, 3, 6, and 15-18 months intervals, and treatment success or failure was determined by a combination of clinical, microbiological, and radiographic findings. Qualitative data were analyzed using Pearson's Chi-square test. Mann-Whitney U nonparametric test was used for statistically significant differences between the bacterial counts (median values and percent reduction) between the two groups and the Wilcoxon sign rank test for the intragroup evaluation of bacterial counts. LSTR with TAP was found to be as effective as traditional indirect pulp treatment (P < 0.05). Minimal excavation and LSTR with TAP can be an effective treatment methodology for the management of deep carious lesions in primary molars.