Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the family structure on the oral health status of socially vulnerable children in the Federal District of Brazil. A total of 471 schoolchildren with a mean age of 8.12 (± 0.90) years were examined for dental caries using the CAST instrument. Dental biofilm and oral pain were also registered. Children’s guardians were interviewed about socioeconomic variables and oral hygiene habits. The association between oral pain in the previous 30 days and the child’s maximum CAST score were analyzed using the Pearson chi-squared test. Multivariate Poisson regression models with robust variance were used to determine the predictors of presence of biofilm, oral pain, and caries severity. The prevalence of cavitated dentin lesions was 43.74% and, both dentin and enamel lesions, 52.87%; for both dentitions. An association between pain and severe nontreated carious lesions was found (p < 0.0001). The family structure was not related to the presence of dental caries, but a significant association was found between low maternal education and severe carious lesions (PR = 1.41; p = 0.0077) and oral pain (PR = 1.47; p = 0. 0335); not owning a residence and frequency of toothbrushing were also associated with the substantial presence of biofilm (PR = 1.13, p = 0.0493 and PR = 1.18, p = 0.0470; respectively). For socially vulnerable children, variables related to the socioeconomic status of the families were more relevant than the family structure in relation to their oral health status.

Abstract It is not uncommon that oral healthcare professionals and researchers interchange the use of the terms minimum/minimal intervention and minimally invasive dentistry. However, these terms apply to two different, but related, concepts. Minimum intervention dentistry, to be more appropriately addressed in this paper as minimum intervention oral care (MIOC), is an oral healthcare delivery framework that encompasses four interlinked clinical domains. These domains are: identifying disease - detection, longitudinal risk/susceptibility assessment, investigation, diagnosis and the development of a personalized care plan; prevention of lesions/control of disease – patient behaviour management, non-invasive remineralisation of the enamel and dentine, biofilm and diet control, micro-invasive sealants and infiltration techniques to arrest and reverse incipient lesions; minimally invasive operative procedures including selective carious dentine removal, the “5Rs” management of the tooth-restoration complex (review, refurbish, re-seal, repair and replace) amongst other restorative interventions; and tailored recall/review/re-assessment consultations. This framework includes that minimally invasive operative dentistry (MID), that although a critical operative clinical domain, should be viewed as one of the pillars of minimum intervention oral healthcare (MIOC), applied across all disciplines of restorative dentistry, not just caries management. The aim of this review is to clarify these differences and emphasize the importance of minimally invasive operative dentistry (MID) within the context of minimum intervention oral care (MIOC). MIOC is applicable to all disciplines within restorative dentistry, including clinical caries management.