APPLICABILITY OF ATRAUMATIC RESTORATIVE TREATMENT: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Abstract

THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DISCUSS, THROUGH A LITERATURE REVIEW, THE APPLICATION OF ATRAUMATIC RESTORATIVE TREATMENT (ART). THIS TECHNIQUE AIMS AT MINIMAL INTERVENTION AND MAXIMUM PRESERVATION, MINIMIZING THE EVOLUTION OF CARIES AND RESTORING THE ORAL HEALTH CONDITION OF THE INDIVIDUAL. ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF THE TREATMENT IS THAT IT DOES NOT REQUIRE ELECTRICITY, AND CAN BE PERFORMED IN ENVIRONMENTS WITH LITTLE OR NO STRUCTURE. THE USE OF ANESTHESIA IS DISPENSABLE AT TIMES, AND TOGETHER WITH THE ABSENCE OF ROTATIONAL INSTRUMENTAL LEADS TO GREATER PATIENT COMFORT AND DECREASED ANXIETY. IN ADDITION, THIS TECHNIQUE PRESENTS ANOTHER ADVANTAGE THAT IS ITS LOW COST, THUS MAKING THIS TREATMENT AN AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE IN HEALTH PROMOTION. ONE OF THE FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUCCESS OF THIS TECHNIQUE IS THE USE OF GLASS IONOMER CEMENT AS A RESTORATIVE MATERIAL DUE TO ITS NUMEROUS ADVANTAGES. THE ART NEEDS TO BE MONITORED THROUGH PERIODIC EXAMINATIONS, IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THE STATE OF HYGIENE OF THE DENTAL PULP AND THE CONDITION OF THE RESTORATIONS PERFORMED. IT IS A TECHNIQUE OF BROAD SOCIAL SCOPE, CAN PRESENT ITSELF AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE IN ORAL HEALTH CARE OF POPULATIONS AND CAN BE USED WITH A PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGY.