Description
Conservative dentistry involves procedures for eliminating caries and closing cavities after the elimination of the enamel and decayed dentine.
Caries may be either superficial or deep. With the former, it is necessary to remove only part of the dentine and enamel and fill the tooth with suitable materials (silver or compound amalgam). Silver amalgams have now been replaced with compound materials which, thanks to their adhesive qualities, make it possible to prepare smaller cavities than with the amalgams, which required special retentive features.
With deep caries the tooth pulp which also contains nerve endings may be involved, therefore suitable canal treatment must be carried out.
The term conservative indicates the goal of these treatments, that is the conservation of teeth which would otherwise be destroyed by caries.