Abstract
AIM: To assess the effect of minimal intervention on carious lesions in primary teeth through an umbrella review. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted in databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, SciELO, Google Scholar, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and OpenGrey, covering literature up to September 2025. Systematic reviews, with or without meta-analyses, that assessed the effect of minimal intervention on carious lesions in primary teeth were included. Narrative reviews, rapid reviews, clinical trials, observational or experimental studies, case reports, editorials, letters, protocols, and posters were excluded. The methodological quality of the reviews was assessed using the AMSTAR-2 tool, and the risk of bias was assessed using the ROBIS tool. RESULTS: From an initial retrieval of 498 records, 49 systematic reviews met the inclusion criteria. The data showed an impact of minimally invasive interventions on carious lesions in primary teeth. CONCLUSION: Based on high-confidence systematic reviews, among the minimally invasive interventions, the use of silver diamine fluoride, the Hall technique, and resin infiltration showed significant benefits for managing carious lesions in primary teeth. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/3T2GV, Open Science Framework (OSF): doi: 10.17605/OSF.IO/3T2GV.