Eficácia do tratamento restaurador atraumático: revisão sistemática

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) in children, seeking to understand its clinical applicability, benefits, and limitations in the management of dental caries. A systematic review was conducted of studies published between 2020 and 2025 in the BVS, PubMed, CAPES Journals, and Google Scholar databases, using the PICOS strategy to define the selection criteria and following the PRISMA protocol recommendations. Thirteen articles that met the eligibility criteria were included, encompassing different methodological designs such as controlled clinical trials, longitudinal studies, observational, descriptive, and qualitative research. The literature review showed that dental caries is a chronic and multifactorial disease of high prevalence, strongly associated with sugar consumption, biofilm accumulation, and socioeconomic factors, representing an important public health issue. In this context, ART emerges as an alternative based on the philosophy of Minimal Intervention Dentistry, aiming to preserve healthy dental structure and reduce the need for complex technological resources. The technique consists of selective removal of decayed dentin with manual instruments, followed by restoration with high-viscosity glass ionomer cement, which in addition to being biocompatible, has adhesive and anticariogenic properties. The reviewed studies reported consistent results regarding the effectiveness of ART, especially in single-surface restorations in primary teeth, which showed success rates comparable to conventional techniques. Additional benefits observed included greater acceptance by children, reduction of pain, fear, and anxiety, ease of application in resource-limited contexts, low operational cost, and a positive impact on oral health-related quality of life. Furthermore, ART proved to be applicable in vulnerable populations and in patients with special needs, such as children with autism spectrum disorder, demonstrating effectiveness even in the face of behavioral challenges. It is concluded that ART is an effective, safe, and low-cost alternative capable of expanding access to dental care, particularly in public health and pediatric dentistry settings. Its clinical efficacy, combined with logistical and psychosocial advantages, consolidates it as an essential strategy in the promotion of contemporary oral health.