FLUORESCENCE-ENHANCED “THERAGNOSIS” for Minimally Invasive Caries Management

Categories: Cosmetic Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, Restorative Dentistry

Author(s): Liviu Steier, Prof. Dr. med. dent.

Course Type: Self-instruction journal and web based activity

Target Audience: Dental Assistants, Dental Hygienist, Dentists from novice to advanced

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Educational Objectives

The overall goal of this course is to provide an introduction to fluorescence-enhanced therapy and diagnosis for minimally invasive caries management to maximize hard tissue preservation in the patients’ best interest. The tool, called Reveal, which visualizes the phases of caries, is a loupe and light combination that shines fluorescent light onto teeth under a specified magnification so probing and radiography no longer need to be the only methods of diagnosis. At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:
 

1. Understand the difference between “classic” caries lesion diagnosis and fluorescence-enhanced therapy and diagnosis
2. Conceptualize minimally invasive caries management and caries therapy combined with diagnosis (theragnosis)
3. Visually differentiate various phases of active caries lesions
4. Identify hard tissue worth preserving during minimally invasive caries management
5. Follow a step-by-step protocol for diagnosis, subsequent differential diagnosis, and then treatment option selection.

 

Abstract

Diagnosis of caries is the prerequisite for treatment choice selection. Management of caries lesions adopted the concept of minimal invasiveness with the goal to conserve as much dental tissue as possible. Classic caries removal does not support the actual concept of minimal invasiveness. New, proven, and evidence-based devices have stepped in, ensuring that the diagnostic process is able to gather all needed information related to any given caries lesion in question to grant a minimally invasive treatment option, leaving as much tooth structure intact as possible and, thereby, facilitating restorative material choice in accordance with the diagnosed caries specifi city. “Theragnosis” combines therapy and diagnosis through fl uorescence-enhanced magnification, making true minimally invasive caries management possible.

COMMERCIAL SUPPORTER: This course has been made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from Designs for Visions, Inc