Restorative Treatments for Caries Lesions Clinical Practice Guideline (2023)

This clinical practice guideline will recommend which direct restorative materials and caries removal approaches to use for primary and permanent teeth.

Call for comments is now closed.

The ADA Science & Research Institute, working with an expert panel convened by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs, is writing a clinical practice guideline on restorative treatments for caries lesions. To help inform the guideline's development, public comments were collected in summer 2022 on the guideline's drafted recommendations. 

Frequently asked questions

When were public comments collected for the guideline's drafted recommendations?

The National Academy of Medicine cites public comment periods as a hallmark of "trustworthy" clinical practice guidelines. As a result, in summer 2022, comments were sought from the public regarding the drafted recommendations for the guideline on restorative treatments for caries lesions. Submitted comments will be considered by the guideline's authors in the finalization of their manuscript.

How was this guideline developed?

The upcoming guideline on restorative treatments for caries lesions was informed by a systematic review of the best available scientific evidence considered by the clinical and translation research team at the ADA Science & Research Institute. This review was developed in consultation with an expert panel chaired by Dr. Vineet Dhar of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry.

Where will this guideline ultimately be published?

The guideline on restorative treatments for caries lesions will be submitted for publication in the Journal of the American Dental Association. Publication is anticipated in 2023.