«Ozone therapy is recommended in the management of deep dental caries, early childhood caries (ECC), hypomineralization of molar incisors (MIH), root canal therapy, remineralization, dental hygiene and dental prophylaxis, in young children and in all pediatric patients. 

The study explains that, currently, dental caries and early loss of primary teeth are the most common childhood diseases affecting the quality of life of children around the world. 

Ozone application is a simple and painless technique. Last but not least is the advantage of its ability to reduce the patient's anxiety and stress level by improving cooperation. All the researchers agree on this point». 

These are the conclusions contained in the specialist study “Application of Ozone Therapy in Pediatric Dentistry”:

The study was conducted by:

- Maurizio D'Amario, Mariachiara Di Carlo, Giuseppe Marzo, Mario Capogreco, of the University of L'Aquila (Dental Unit, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences) et al; 

- published on November 2 by “Applied Science” in a special issue entitled “New Advances in Clinical Dentistry”:

The authors explain that the therapeutic use of ozone has long been suggested in general dentistry and in pediatrics for its antimicrobial, virucidal, disinfectant and biostimulatory properties.

Ozone also has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and immunostimulating effects, and promotes tissue regeneration.

The study explores the recent literature and also suggests fields of application for future randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

The positive therapeutic effects of ozone and its derivatives, oils and ozonated water, have been studied in various fields of medicine since the nineteenth century.

The main health benefits of ozone therapy include:

• inactivation and elimination of pathogens: Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi and viruses;

• stimulation of the immune system and improvement of circulation;

• decrease in inflammation and pain;

• stimulation of the humoral antioxidant system;

• restoration of physiologic oxygen metabolism;

• prevention of shock and stroke injuries;

• induction of a friendly ecological environment;

• increased brain function and memory retention

Ozone has shown positive effects in general dentistry for equipment sterilization, management of surgical wound healing, dental caries and conservative prevention, gingivitis and periodontitis, oral lichen planus, halitosis, post-surgical pain, osteonecrosis of the jaw and prevention of alveolitis post-extraction, plaque and biofilm formation, root canal disinfection, reduction of dentinal hypersensitivity, control of temporomandibular joint disorders and improvement of teeth whitening.

Ozone therapy is a conservative and minimally invasive method, a relatively low-cost and painless treatment that could improve patient acceptability and compliance with a low risk of adverse effects.

The purpose of this narrative review is to summarize the available literature on the applications of ozone in pediatric dentistry and to suggest possible fields of application, which should be further studied with randomized controlled trials (RCT).

The study projects of the articles of the last decade have mainly focused on the prevention of dental caries, the management of dental caries and the management of pulpectomy.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) defines early childhood caries (ECC) as the presence of one or more deciduous teeth that are decayed, missing (due to caries) or restored before 71 months of age.

Several studies have found that ECC is more prevalent among children with a low socioeconomic background, and that high percentages of cavitated carious primary teeth in preschool children are not treated.

In this context, ozone therapy is the most efficient and safest for health simple and painless.

Matteo Beretta and F. Federici Canova, in the article “A new method for deep caries treatment in primary teeth using ozone: a retrospective study”, suggest using ozone therapy as part of a possible ultraconservative atraumatic treatment of deciduous teeth with lesions deep caries, with partial dentin excavation:

The goal of these procedures is to kill the bacteria involved in the carious process such as S. mutans, L. acidophilus and E. faecalis.

Ozone has also been shown to shut down production of matrix metalloproteinase enzymes that are triggered by acids to dissolve the collagen making up the structure of the dentin.

In the article “Ozone Therapy for Early Childhood Caries (ECC) Treatment: An In Vivo Prospective Study” Dr. Valentina Luppieri et al have practiced ozone therapy for non-cooperative patients with primary teeth affected by ECC. The results were positive:

The proposed protocol was easy to use for the operators and well accepted by all patients, even the less cooperative ones.

Other advantages of ozone are: ease of handling, biocompatibility, lack of mutagenicity, rapid microbicidal effects and remineralization.

Other contributors to the research report included:

- Lucia Memé, from the Polytechnic University of Marche (Department of Odontostomatological Sciences and Specialized Clinics);

- Giorgio Matarazzo, of the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in Rome (Dentistry Unit);

- Salvatore Massimo Natale, Independent Researcher (Rome).