Clinical Reversal of Primary Occlusal Fissure Carious Lesions (POFCLs) Using Ozone in General Dental Practice

Occlusal and root surface caries forms the largest percentage, up to 70%, of new carious lesions seen in general dental practice, with interdental caries forming some 15% of all new cases. Traditional approaches to the diagnosis, management and treatment of occlusal caries have changed over the last 20 years, but diseased tissue is cut out, and replaced with some type of filing material or restoration. Every advance in the material technology has started from the premise of prior caries removal, or tissue amputation. The dental profession has never had a system where caries can be left to remineralise predictably before some type of restorative system is placed, that would minimise tissue loss and patient trauma. Current research with ozone has opened up a whole range of potential treatment protocols. The new treatment protocols do not require removal of the diseased or carious tissue. Published papers have shown that after ozone treatment for just 10 seconds, debris and bacteria impacted in a fissure can mineralise, ‘sealing’ a fissure against potential decay. The Aims of this Study To assess the reliability of using the DIAGNOdent (KaVo, Germany) to assess the presence of decay, and the safety & efficacy of a novel ozone delivery system (HeaIOzone, CurOzone USA) with or without a final restoration for the management of POFCLs in general dental practice. The study data was collected over a 4-month period.