Clinical Performances of Dental Restorations after the Chemomechanical Caries Removal

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical performances of restorations comparing chemomechanical method and conventional rotary instruments for caries removal after 12 months.

Methods: Ninety patients aged 3-17 years were included in this study. Chemomechanical caries removal (CarisolvTM, MediTeam, Sweden) was performed in 60 patients and 30 patients received conventional treatment. Only one tooth of each individual was treated in the study. Glass-ionomer cement (GC Fuji IX GP Fast Capsules, GC Int, Japan), composite (Point 4, Kerr Dental, USA) or amalgam (Dentam Dental Amalgam Capsules, Dentam Scitem Ltd., UAE) was used to restore the cavity. Restorations were evaluated after 7 days, 6 and 12 months. After 7 days, possible adverse effects (postoperative sensitivity, soft tissue reaction) were noted. After 6 and 12 months, the integrity of the restorations, secondary caries and signs of pulp pathology were recorded. Fisher's exact test was used in the statistical analyses.

Results: No adverse reactions were observed during or after the contact with Carisolv gel. All re-examined teeth were without signs of endodontic complications. At the end of the 12-months experimental period, the success rate was 95% and 90%, respectively for chemo-mechanical and mechanical methods (p=1). No differences were observed between amalgam, glass-ionomer cement, or composite restorations (p>0.05).

Conclusion: This study indicates that there is no influence of the caries removal method on survival of the restorations. Further long-term studies are needed to confirm these findings.