title: Clinical decision-making for coronal caries management in the permanent dentition.
abstract: Optimal conservative treatment decisions to prevent, arrest, and reverse tooth demineralization caused by caries require probability estimates on caries risk and treatment outcomes. This review is focused on the use of the best scientific evidence to recommend treatment strategies for management of coronal caries in permanent teeth as a function of caries risk. Evidence suggests that assigning therapeutic regimens to individuals according to their risk levels should yield a significantly greater probability of success and better cost effectiveness than applying identical treatments to all patients independent of risk. Depending on caries risk levels, treatment decisions based on risk can minimize unnecessary surgical intervention by incorporating the best evidence to prescribe treatment regimens for the use of fluoride-releasing agents, sealants, chlorhexidine, or combinations of these products.
authors.affiliation: University of Florida College of Dentistry, Gainesville 32610-0446, USA. kanusavice@dental.ufl.edu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anusavice
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003657:Decision Making; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D019229:Dentition, Permanent; D018450:Disease Progression; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D005459:Fluorides; D002710:Chlorhexidine