The monograph entitled “Clinical-therapeutic management of deep dental caries” written by Prof. Dr. Sorin Andrian, PhD and published by the “Gr. T. Popa” Iași Publishing House in 2021 analyzes and presents a topic of great interest for current dental practice, because morphological, clinical and therapeutic features characteristic of deep dental caries are challenging areas for every dentist. Extensive documentation allowed the author to judiciously structure the content of the book by harmonizing the presentation of general data with personal clinical and experimental observations, which allowed the formulation of relevant conclusions of important practical value.
The book aims to present in the clearest and most accessible form a strictly actual subject that is still in a gray area both in terms of scientific evidence and clinical applicability to the patient.
Let’s not forget that the deep untreated cavity carious lesion in the permanent teeth according to the latest epidemiological studies is the most common pathology that affects humans worldwide. This is why the topic is very important and, once logically and pertinently explained, it will certainly change the paradigm of approaching the patient with carious disease.
The monograph proposed for publication is the fully successful attempt to approach a pathology as frequent as it is current. I particularly appreciated the development and implementation of a complex and customized treatment algorithm for this pathology whose morbidity is unfortunately increasing all over the globe.
The aim of the author is to change the traditional, operative / restorative therapeutic paradigm in the management of carious disease in which the complete removal of decayed tissues was indicated towards a more conservative, minimally invasive, even selective attitude in which the risk of opening the pulp chamber and the irreversible damage to the pulp-dentin complex are eliminated.
As the author points out, increasing the accuracy of physical and chemical methods of identifying the extent to which we need to remove decayed tissue, the defense mechanisms of pulp-dentin complex and the possibility of sealed lesions to stop evolving allow us today to treat deep carious lesions with less invasive techniques.
From the dentist’ point of view, the achievement of success in the management of dental caries will be conditioned by the control of the factors involved in the appearance and progression of caries at the individual level which in turn can modulate the presence and / or progression of carious lesions.
As the author very well pointed out, the traditional point of view that considers carious disease as an infectious disease where the therapeutic strategy requires the complete removal of bacteria and tissue affected by the lesion is no longer valid today. Alternative therapies that involve controlling causal factors or rebalancing the balance between de- and remineralization have become the “cornerstone” of dental caries management.
The final conclusions and recommendations are the result of a long medical, research and university activity whose national and international visibility is appreciable and which will certainly be fundamental milestones in the clinical activity of students, residents, PhD students and last but not least dentists.
The data presented will also be true guides of good practice for students, PhD students, residents and dentists, by applying the guidelines according to which the best restorative materials remain hard dental tissues!