A Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of Minimally Invasive Mechanical and Chemomechanical Techniques for Dentinal Caries Removal in Primary Teeth: An In Vitro Study.

AIM: To compare the in vitro efficacy of minimally invasive mechanical and chemomechanical techniques for caries removal in primary molars.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the study are as follows: (1) To evaluate the time taken for caries removal; (2) To evaluate the remaining carious dentin using stereomicroscopic and polarized microscopic methods.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A total of 30 primary molars exhibiting active carious lesions extending into dentin, extracted due to normal physiological root resorption, were collected for the study. Each carious lesion was sectioned into two halves, and the samples were subsequently divided into two groups: Group I-cavities prepared using a Bromelain-based gel, and group II-cavities prepared using SmartBurs™. Caries excavation was performed using both the methods. For all the samples of both groups, the area of the remaining carious dentin was measured using a stereomicroscope and a polarized microscope. Further visualization of remaining caries was done using caries-detecting dye, followed by stereomicroscopic and polarized microscopic evaluation.

RESULTS

The mean time taken for caries removal was 8.1 minutes in group I (Bromelain gel) and 2.8 minutes in group II; the intergroup comparison of time difference for caries removal was statistically significant with p < 0.05. Group I (Bromelain gel) showing higher mean reduction efficacy of 5.96 mm2 than group II (SmartBurs™) with 1.56 mm2 mean reduction efficacy. The mean difference for the reduction of carious dentin between the two study groups was achieved as 4.40, with p < 0.001 that is statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

The chemomechanical caries removal (CMCR) method using Bromelain gel significantly reduced the remaining carious lesion in comparison to SmartBurs™ with time taken by Bromelain gel being more in comparison to SmartBurs™.

HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Kashani RN, Kaul B, Rajput S, et al. A Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of Minimally Invasive Mechanical and Chemomechanical Techniques for Dentinal Caries Removal in Primary Teeth: An In Vitro Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2026;19(3):285-291.