title: Rationale for the partial removal of carious tissue in primary teeth.
abstract: No consensus exists regarding the need for a second clinical session to remove carious dentin that remains in the pulp wall after partial caries removal. The purpose of the present article was to review studies that evaluated the effect of partial caries removal as provisional or definitive  treatment on the dentinal microflora, the pulp response, or the progression of carious lesions in primary teeth. The results showed that partial caries removal performed in 1 session is more advantageous than removal in stages over 2 visits. This treatment, in addition to permitting the inactivation  of caries lesions and reducing cariogenic micro-organisms in dentin, reduces the risk of pulp exposure caused by cavity reopening and excavation of remnant carious dentin. The favorable outcomes of partial caries removal in a single session support the indication of this modality as a definitive  alternative restorative treatment for the primary dentition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry II, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. cecilia_ribeiro@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Cecilia Claudia Costa
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Estevam Carlos
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: de Oliveira Lula
authors.forename: Raquel Coelho Netto
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: Ana Margarida Melo
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nunes
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000379:methods*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy*; D003789:Dental Pulp Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000379:methods*; D003794:Dental Restoration, Temporary / Q000379:methods*; D003804:Dentin / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D009819:Office Visits; D057872:Pulp Capping and Pulpectomy Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous
chemical_list: D057872:Pulp Capping and Pulpectomy Agents