Atraumatic Restorative Treatment for Managing Dental Caries - A Review

Abstract

The study aims to create awareness about the newly developing atraumatic treatment and its benefits.
Atraumatic restorative treatment is an alternative treatment that is used for the removal of caries using
hand instruments only, so therefore no electricity or anaesthesia is required and the pain experienced is
minimum. This technique is very useful for children, elderly, special needs patients and patients who feel
fear and anxiety about dental treatment as in atraumatic restorative treatment that is more conservation of
tooth structure, minimise in trauma and so there is reduced amount of pain due to small cavity preparations.
Atraumatic restorative treatment is less painful and is more patient-friendly than that of conventional caries
treatment. The fundamental instruments for ART are mouth mirror, explorer, pair of tweezers, dental hatchet,
small and medium-size excavator, spatula, amalgam carrier/applier. ART uses only hand instruments for
opening/enlarging the cavity and for removing carious tissue. The amount of carious tissue that should be
removed depends mainly on the cavity depth. In cavities of shallow and medium depth, carious tissue is
removed up to firm dentine. In deep/very deep cavities, in which there is no sign of pulp exposure, pulp
inflammation and/or history of spontaneous pain, some soft dentine can be left in the pulpal floor/wall to
avoid pulp exposure. This method of treatment is more useful for people in underexposed areas where they
are also able to maintain good oral health.