Minimally Invasive Cavity Preparation by Bridging the Gap Between Conservation and Effectiveness
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36283/ziun-pjmd14-3/017Keywords:
Minimally Invasive, Cavity Preparation, Restorative Dentistry, Patient Comfort, Tooth Preservation.Abstract
Background: Minimally invasive cavity preparation (MIC) is an evolving restorative technique aimed at preserving sound tooth structure while ensuring effective caries removal. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of minimally invasive cavity preparation in terms of patient comfort, restoration success, and post-operative sensitivity by comparing it to the conventional cavity preparation method.
Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted involving 80 patients, randomly divided into two groups: MIC (n=40) and conventional (n=40), by a random sampling technique. The study took place at the Department of Operative Dentistry at BMDC and LUMHS, Karachi, from January to May 2023 (EC/Ref/812-23-2023). Sample size was determined with the help of OpenEpi 3.0.0 using a power of 80% and an alpha of 0.05. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. A chi-square test and an independent t-test were performed for the variables measured. A p-value was considered significant when less than 0.05.
Results: Patients in the MIC group showed significantly reduced cavity size (mean depth: 1.8 mm vs. 2.5 mm, p<0.001), lower discomfort scores (mean 3.2 vs. 6.5, p<0.001), and fewer reports of post-operative sensitivity (4 (10%) vs. 12 (30%), p=0.02) compared to the conventional group. Restoration success was higher in the MIC group (38 (95%)) than in the conventional group (33 (82.5%)), although this was not statistically significant (p=0.07).
Conclusion: MIC proved to be better for patients in terms of comfort and keeping tooth structures intact than conventional treatments. Although both techniques had the same rate of successful restorations, the MIC approach is more favorable.
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