Remoção seletiva de tecido cariado em dente decíduo: relato de caso

Abstract

The selective carious tissue removal technique (SCR) is a less invasive therapeutic alternative for deep caries lesions. The aim of this paper is to report a clinical case of SCR in a child, performed in the Pediatric Dentistry Clinic of the Federal University of Ceará - Sobral Campus, and to present an illustrative material for dental students about SCR in deciduous teeth. In the clinical case, a 5-year-old, male patient, presented with multiple caries lesions, including a deep caries lesion on tooth 85 without signs and symptoms of pulp degeneration. After clinical and radiographic evaluation, it was found that the best intervention for the case would be SCR on tooth 85, removing the carious tissue completely from the surrounding walls and partially from the back walls. After 6 months of follow-up, SCR was successful with no clinical or radiographic signs indicating pulpal compromise, corroborating with the evidence found in the literature. In addition, an informative booklet was prepared to disseminate the minimal intervention conduct to undergraduate students. Given the above, we conclude that the selective removal of decayed tissue is a conservative approach for the treatment of deep caries lesions in deciduous teeth, being a viable and preferable therapy in children's clinics since it allows the preservation of the pulp and a greater longevity of the tooth, considering the biological life of deciduous teeth.