Rationale and treatment approach in minimally invasive dentistry.

Background: Current methods of detecting caries, especially fissure caries, are inaccurate, causing some caries to go undetected until it has reached more advanced stages. Minimally invasive dentistry is a philosophy in which the goal of intervention to conserve healthy tooth structure. The authors review the rationale and role of air abrasion in successful practice in the 21st century that includes the philosophy of minimal intervention.

Bonded amalgam sealants: two-year clinical results.

The authors used bonded amalgams as pit and fissure sealants without mechanical preparation. They compared the two-year retention of the bonded amalgams with that of resin-based pit and fissure sealants. Clinical examinations at six months, one year and two years revealed no difference between the retention of the two sealants.

Microleakage of endodontic access cavities restored with composites.

A proper seal of restorative composites in endodontic access cavities is mandatory to prevent ingress of microorganisms and debris into the tooth-restoration interface. Chemically cured composites tend to have less polymerization shrinkage than photopolymerization composites. This study compared in vitro sealing performance of a chemically cured and a photopolymerization composite for access cavity restorations in endodontically treated teeth.