Diagnosis tools and Minimally invasive dentistry

MI is now accepted for caries management. Adjunctive technologies to assist early lesion detection have led to widespread marketing of various devices. A thorough understanding of the clinical relevance and limitations of such devices is required to make valid interpretation of their results.

The new diagnostic technologies combining images, magnification and photonic signals completely modify the paradigms of the Minimally invasive dentistry.  The 3 steps recommended by the MI Board are IDENTIFY, PREVENT and RESTORE if necessary.

• Learning Objective 1: describe the framework and philosophy advocated by the MI Board to address these 3 steps. It starts with the determination of the Patient Caries Risk which is an indispensable step before any idea of therapeutics. This assessment is the key factor as all the therapies and materials used, will be influenced by the Patient Caries Risk Assessment: High caries or Low caries risk patients.
• Learning Objective 2:l detail how to use these different detection tools to facilitate these 3 essential steps based on the patient’s individual risk. Therefore, Non-Invasive, Micro invasive and Invasive therapeutics will be deeply dependent on magnification tools coupled with photonic signals such as fluorescence or infrared signals.
• Learning Objective 3: give the keys to simplify the clinical procedures in order to democratize Minimally Invasive Dentistry to all general practitioners. How and when to intervene using non-invasive, micro-invasive and invasive techniques according to the patient’s individual caries risk. Many clinical cases and videos will allow you to become familiar with this modern and passionate approach to restorative dentistry.

Clinicians have to keep in mind that appropriate and thorough training on the use of any detection device is necessary to ensure appropriate interpretation.