Advancements in Minimally Invasive Techniques in Pediatric Dentistry: A Review
Open accessAbstract
Minimally invasive dentistry (MID) has revolutionized pediatric dental care by emphasizing the preservation of healthy tooth structures, reducing treatment-related trauma, and improving patient compliance. This narrative review explores advancements in MID techniques, including silver diamine fluoride (SDF), resin infiltration, atraumatic restorative treatment (ART), bioactive materials, laser-assisted therapies, and three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies. These approaches prioritize early diagnosis, prevention, and conservative management, aligning with patient-centered and sustainable practices. SDF demonstrates high efficacy in arresting caries progression but presents esthetic challenges due to discoloration. Resin infiltration provides esthetic and noninvasive treatment for white spot lesions, while ART offers cost-effective and child-friendly caries management in resource-limited settings. Bioactive materials support tissue regeneration, and laser technologies enable precise and painless procedures, although their adoption is limited by high costs and training requirements. Emerging tools, such as artificial intelligence and 3D printing, enhance diagnostic accuracy and treatment precision. Despite challenges related to cost, operator training, and infrastructure, MID techniques continue to evolve, offering promising solutions for pediatric dental care. Future research should focus on optimizing materials, improving accessibility, and integrating digital technologies to broaden the impact of minimally invasive approaches. This review highlights MID's transformative role in improving oral health outcomes and ensuring sustainable, patient-focused care for children.
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Resin infiltration is a preferred treatment option for pediatric patients due to its non-invasive characteristics, maintaining enamel integrity and reducing discomfort.
“Due to its non-invasive characteristics, resin infiltration has become a preferred treatment option for pediatric patients, effectively maintaining enamel integrity and reducing discomfort for the patient [54].”
From Minimally Invasive Techniques for Managing Dental Caries in Children: Efficacy, Applications, and Future Directions (2025) · cites this paper as [54]
The Review section describes resin infiltration as noninvasive and says it preserves enamel structure while minimizing discomfort, particularly for pediatric patients with early-stage or noncavitated lesions. It does not establish that resin infiltration has become a preferred treatment option for pediatric patients generally. (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredResin infiltration has achieved significant clinical acceptance due to its efficacy in treating non-cavitated lesions, especially among pediatric and orthodontic patients.
“Originally designed for the management of proximal caries, resin infiltration has achieved significant clinical acceptance due to its efficacy in treating non-cavitated lesions, especially among pediatric and orthodontic patients [54].”
From Minimally Invasive Techniques for Managing Dental Caries in Children: Efficacy, Applications, and Future Directions (2025) · cites this paper as [54]
The Review section reports that resin infiltration is effective for noncavitated lesions and particularly suitable for pediatric patients and post-orthodontic white spot lesions. It also reports efficacy for proximal caries, but does not say the technique was originally designed for that purpose or establish that it has achieved significant clinical acceptance. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredResin infiltration is a minimally invasive approach aimed at managing early enamel caries lesions and white spot lesions, eliminating the necessity for mechanical preparation or drilling.
“Resin infiltration represents a minimally invasive approach aimed at managing early enamel caries lesions and white spot lesions, eliminating the necessity for mechanical preparation or drilling [54].”
From Minimally Invasive Techniques for Managing Dental Caries in Children: Efficacy, Applications, and Future Directions (2025) · cites this paper as [54]
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Influential
- Authors
- Alqahtani, A. M., Alshihri, Y. D., Alhumaid, A. E., Al Nafaie, M. M., & Alnaim, A. A.
- Affiliations
- Qassim University (SA)
- Corresponding author
- Alqahtani, Abdulrahman M
- Venue
- Cureus
- Published
- 2025-01-05
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- e76929-e76929
- ISSN
- 2168-8184 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC11703647
- OpenAlex
- W4406071186
- Semantic Scholar
- 06e6e66a2c4f01bc111dd11bd4101b77a7763461
- Cited by
- 8
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5
- FWCI
- 1.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Cureus (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Orthodontics › Dental materials and restorations
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Dental Health and Care Utilization
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Oral Surgery › Endodontics and Root Canal Treatments
- Keywords
- minimally invasive dentistry, pediatric dentistry, silver diamine fluoride, resin infiltration, atraumatic restorative treatment, bioactive materials, dental lasers, 3D printing, artificial intelligence in dentistry, caries management, white spot lesions, tooth discoloration, patient-centered care
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