Caries risk/susceptibility assessment: its value in minimum intervention oral healthcare

Abstract

This narrative review describes the intimate connection between minimum intervention (MI) oral healthcare and caries risk/susceptibility assessment (CRA). Indeed CRA is the corner stone of an MI care plan, allowing the determination of the appropriate interventions (non-invasive as well as invasive [restorative]) and recall consultation strategies. Various CRA protocols/models have been developed to assist the oral healthcare practitioner/team in a logical systematic approach to synthesising information about a disease that has a multifactorial aetiology. Despite the criticisms toward the lack of clear-cut validation of the proposed protocols/models, CRA still has great potential to enhance patient care by allowing the oral healthcare practitioner/team and the patient to understand the specific reasons for their caries activity and to tailor their care plans and recall intervals accordingly.

Validation of different Cariogram settings and factor combinations in preschool children from areas with high caries risk

“…We found that three categories performed better than five for caries prediction in the present population. In the original Cariogram manual, five risk categories are advocated, but in general practice, three levels (low, moderate, high) seem more common . For the country setting, the “standard set” was selected according to the manual as the “most suitable setting for an industrialized country without water fluoridation”, like Greece.…”

“…In the original Cariogram manual, five risk categories are advocated, 5 but in general practice, three levels (low, moderate, high) seem more common. 2 For the country setting, the "standard set" was selected according to the manual as the "most suitable setting for an industrialized country without water fluoridation", like Greece. Concerning the "group setting" only one study 26 has used "high set" for Cariogram calculation but this was for a special group of mentally challenged and visually impaired individuals.…”

“…As such, caries risk assessment is a cornerstone in the management and care of the disease. The objective of risk assessment on a population level is to allocate limited resources to those with the greatest need and on individual level to assist clinical decision‐making and to establish appropriate recall intervals . There are several risk assessment tools available for the general practitioner, most of them relying on reasoning‐based manual checklists such as CAT and CAMBRA .…”

“…The objective of risk assessment on a population level is to allocate limited resources to those with the greatest need and on individual level to assist clinical decision-making and to establish appropriate recall intervals. 2 There are several risk assessment tools available for the general practitioner, most of them relying on reasoning-based manual checklists such as CAT 3 and CAMBRA. 4 Cariogram is an algorithm-based programme, using nine different caries-related risk factors that along with the clinical judgement of the examiner, calculates the "chance to avoid caries".…”

Dental caries: Caries risk assessment tools

“…3 Different caries risk assessment models have been developed to help dental professionals assess patients' caries risk. 2 While many dentists apparently do some type of informal caries risk assessment, there remains the need for broadly adopted ideally electronic caries risk assessment tools that can help dental professionals in establishing and documenting the caries risk status of their patients as well as tracking changes over time. …”