A new guideline from the American Dental Association suggests conservative methods to treat tooth decay could lead to better outcomes when used with common restorative materials.
Four things to know:
- The guideline, published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, includes recommendations from an expert panel on the treatment of moderate and advanced tooth decay in primary and permanent teeth that have not received endodontic treatment.
- The guideline indicates that conservative carious tissue removal is less likely to result in adverse outcomes such as nerve exposure or a failed filling.
- The guideline also affirms the efficacy of common restorative materials for treating tooth decay, including tooth-colored fillings, silver-colored fillings and preformed caps in children.
- This is the first-ever guideline on this topic, developed after a review of more than 300 studies, according to a June 26 news release.