Evidence-Based Deep Carious Lesion Management: From Concept to Application in Everyday Clinical Practice.

Abstract

This chapter aims to discuss the way dental practitioners manage deep carious lesions (DCL) in routine practice and the barriers and incentives/facilitators to changes in accepted practice. In concert with the philosophy of minimal intervention dentistry, the concept of quaternary prevention (actions taken to prevent overtreatment and reduce harm to the patient) emerges in dentistry. This can be applied to carious tissue removal (CTR) in DCL given the risks associated with this procedure (high risk of pulp exposure, pulpal complications, tooth substance loss, and unsuccessful invasive, expensive outcomes). Recently conducted questionnaire surveys show that a gap exists between research findings and professional practices in relation to DCL management. It is, therefore, important to identify the barriers to the implementation of evidence-based dentistry into dental practices for the management of DCL in order to create appropriate corrective interventions to encourage practitioners in the use of selective CTR as a procedure.