Ozone has been shown to clinically reverse early pit and fissure as well as early root carious lesions.

J. HOLMES, and E. LYNCH, Queen's University of Belfast, United Kingdom

Objectives: To assess the hardness of ozone-treated dentinal caries 3 months after sealing and to compare the incidence of sensitivity associated with this technique with a conventional restoration technique.

Methods: 38 Subjects were recruited in a general dental practice, each with two non-cavitated occlusal carious lesions with radiographic radiolucencies extending 2-4mm into dentine, In each Subject, lesions were randomly assigned to either; Group 1; where air abrasion was used to remove the unsupported enamel over the lesion and remove soft dentinal caries until the hardness was scored as leathery after probing. Approximately 1 mm of leathery caries at the advancing front of lesions was not removed. Ozone was then delivered for 40 seconds, a mineral wash applied and each lesion was sealed with a mineral-releasing glass ionomer. After 3 months, the glass ionomer was carefully dissected and the floor of the cavity again probed, and then restored with a posterior composite; or Group 2; to drill and fill conventionally using a posterior composite. Subjects daily used a re-mineralising toothpaste, spray and rinse. Subjects were telephoned one week after each treatment and questioned about related symptoms and also recalled at 6 months.

Results: 35 patients attended all recall visits. 6 Subjects receiving the posterior composite restoration at baseline complained of some post-operative sensitivity whilst no sensitivity was reported associated with any of the Ozone treated teeth (P<0.05). At 3 months all Ozone-treated dentine caries was hard and required no additional removal.

Conclusions: This treatment using air abrasion, Ozone and sealing was associated with reversal of caries, more conservation of tooth structure and less sensitivity pain than conventional drilling and filling. PrepStart, Danville, USA, HealOzone, CurOzone USA and KaVo. FujiVII, GC Japan