title: Digital image analysis method to assess the performance of conventional and self-limiting concepts in dentine caries removal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess dentine caries removal effectiveness (CRE) and minimal invasiveness potential (MIP) of carbide and polymer burs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sectioned carious molars were photographed. Digital images were taken, before and after caries removal, using a Digital Single Lens Reflex camera. The following regions of interest were measured using visual criteria: Residual Infected Dentine (RI), Residual Affected Dentine (RA), Removal Sound Dentine (RA), Prepared Cavity (PC) and Removed Sound Dentine (RS). CRE was determined on basis of: relative residual infected dentine (RI/II), relative residual carious-affected dentine (RA/IA) and total relative residual dentine (RI+RA/II-IA). MIP was determined on basis of: infected dentine cavity size (PC/II), total relative cavity size (PC/II+IA), and corrected relative cavity size (PC-RS/II+IA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The polymer bur showed the highest preservation of carious-affected dentine after excavation, when the RA/IA ratio was studied. Both kind of burs showed similar values after assessing the RI/II and RI+RA/II-IA ratios. The infected dentine relative cavity size (PC/II) was higher when the carbide bur was used. Both burs attained similar PC/II+IA and PC-RS/II+IA ratios.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polymer burs accomplished the concept of minimal-invasive dentistry, showing its self-limiting ability. The minimal-invasiveness potential showed that carbide burs resulted in the worst compromise between effective and selective infected-caries removal.
authors.affiliation: University of Granada, School of Dentistry, Dental Materials, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain. toledano@ugr.es
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toledano
authors.forename: Razvan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghinea
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cardona
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cabello
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamauti
authors.forename: María M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Osorio
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy*; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D010781:Photography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D002244:Carbon
keywords: Affected; Bur; Carbide; Caries; Dentine; Digital; Excavation; Infected; Polymer