Risk of initial and moderate caries lesions in primary teeth to progress to dentine cavitation: a 2-year cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the risk of sound surfaces, and initial and moderate caries lesions to progress to dentine cavitation in preschool children.


METHODS
A cohort study was designed with 639 children (12-59 months old) who had been examined by visual inspection during a survey in 2010. After 2 years, 469 children were re-examined regarding the presence of dentine cavitations. The probability of progression was calculated for sound and carious (initial and moderate lesions) surfaces. Relative risk of progression and 95% confidence intervals for each condition compared with sound surfaces were calculated using multilevel Poisson regression analysis. Association with explanatory variables, including caries experience of the children, was also investigated.


RESULTS
The higher the initial score attributed to the dental surface, the more likely was the progression. Moreover, children with severe lesions at baseline had higher risk of having a sound surface or a non-cavitated caries lesion progressing to cavitation when compared with caries-free children; however, this increased risk was not observed in children with only initial caries lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
Initial caries lesions present a low frequency of progression. Moreover, sound surfaces and initial caries lesions in children already presenting cavitations are more likely to progress to more severe conditions.
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|School of Dentistry, Centro Universitário Franciscano, Santa Maria, Brazil.
Renata S
RS
Guedes
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|School of Dentistry, Centro Universitário Franciscano, Santa Maria, Brazil.
Chaiana
C
Piovesan
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Isabela
I
Floriano
Department of Stomatology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.
Bruno
B
Emmanuelli
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Mariana M
MM
Braga
Department of Cariology and Endodontics and Clinical Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Kim R
KR
Ekstrand
Department of Stomatology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.
Thiago M
TM
Ardenghi
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Fausto M
FM
Mendes
D001938:Brazil; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000473:pathology*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous