Atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) is a minimally invasive approach for treating caries lesions, using only hand instruments and high-viscosity glass ionomer as a restorative material. This literature review is based on a bibliographic search in the PubMed, SciELO, and Google Scholar databases, with articles in English and Portuguese that discuss the indications, contraindications, advantages, and limitations of the technique and the material used for its implementation. ART is a conservative technique that is well accepted by patients and should be associated with preventive and educational activities for health promotion. Its use has expanded, being indicated not only in Public Health but also in Pediatric Dentistry, care for special patients, Geriatric Dentistry, and the Family Health Program.