Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) was proposed as a new and effective method in the 1990s to provide conservative dental treatment to the people living in economically underdeveloped countries, due to lack of dental treatment facilities. In the technique, after the carious dentin is removed by excavation with hand instruments, the powder-liquid system conventional glass ionomer cement (GIC) which does not require special devices for mixing and hardening is used as a filling material. Because of these advantages of the treatment, the usage fields of ART have been expanded considering that it can be applied in the cases that working with rotary instruments is difficult or even impossible. But only a few research has been conducted on ART in adults and it must be investigated in terms of the clinical safety of ART by the studies focused on the counts and activities of the microorganisms in carious dentin left on the cavity floor. The purpose of this study is to investigate the reliability of ART in adult individuals related to the marginal adaptation of the restorations and the microbiological changes in the left carious dentin using in vitro and in vivo methods. In the in vivo part of the study, occlusal dentin carious of 25 participants at high risk of caries were removed with hand instruments and microorganisms of the last removed carious dentin were evaluated quantitatively concerning the bacterias playing a major role in caries lesions. The restorations of the teeth were carried out using ART technique with a GIC which has been proven its effectiveness in preventing the caries progression and recurrent caries in the practice of dentistry for many years. After six months, the microbiological assessment was repeated such as baseline. Marginal adaptation and the presence of the gaps in the ART restorations on the replicas created with the impression materials at the baseline and sixth month were investigated under scanning electron microscope. At the end of the study, the teeth were restored by the conventional methods and using composite material.
Age range
19 Years – 35 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Evaluation of microbiological parameters
Timeframe: 6 months
Microscopic analyses of the marginal gap formation
Timeframe: 6 months