European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Scientific advances in cariology, dental products, and diagnostic
systems have altered dentistry's approach to the diagnosis and management of dental caries
over the last few decades. The review was undertaken to discuss the scientific rationale for
early diagnosis, a modified classification of caries based on the location and size of lesion
remineralization, the reduction of cariogenic bacteria, and the design, techniques, and
material selection for minimally invasive cavity preparation. Materials and Methods:
Literature survey was carried out in April 2021 in electronic databases such as PubMed,
SCOPUS, EMBASE, COCHRANRE library, Science Direct and manually using key words
such as “Minimally Invasive Dentistry,” “ART,” “MID,” “Minimum Intervention Dentistry”.
The searches revealed 911 articles out of which 34 were selected after reading the full text
articles. Conclusions and Practice Implications: Scientific advancements have led to the
development of minimally invasive dentistry. Emerging technology will aid the transition to
primary caries prevention, but there are still technological, cultural, and economic barriers to
their full adoption in clinical practice.