Abstract
Aim: To examine the efficacy of chemo–mechanical dentin removal method in vitro. Material and Methods: Forty eight extracted permanent teeth with occlusal caries. The dentin caries of each tooth was removed either with chemo–mechanical method using Carisolv™ or mechanically using round bur. Cutting and caries removal monitored by checking the hardness of dentin with a dental explorer and stopped when teeth in each group showed either a leather hard texture or a sharp scratching sound was heard. The caries activity of the remaining dentin was assessed by using an acid red as a caries indicator. The mean surface areas of the pink zone (caries active, pH <5.5) and yellow zone (caries inactive, pH >5.5), of each caries lesion was calculated using AutoCAD computer software. Result: Revealed that for teeth treated with Carisolv,™ the surface area of remaining carious dentin was significantly more when it compared with teeth that treated mechanically in each group, using unpaired t– test regardless of the clinical criterion for caries removal. Conclusion: Carisolv™ is effective in caries removal when used as chemomechanical caries removal than conventional mechanical method and the mean surface areas of remaining affected carious dentin was more in chemomechanical than conventional mechanical meaning that more tooth structure is preserved using chemomechanical method.
