Fluoride-Containing Materials and the Prevention of Demineralization During Orthodontic Treatment—Which Research Method Should We Now Use?

With time, cariologists have changed their understanding of the effects of fluoride on the caries process. These findings have been discovered predominantly through work carried out in laboratories. Although cariologists perform laboratory studies to explain the mechanisms of action of fluoride and material scientists to test the properties and biocompatibility of materials, as orthodontists we are more interested in determining how useful a product is in clinical practice. In this article, I will outline the advantages and disadvantages of laboratory methods designed to determine whether a fluoride-containing material is effective in reducing demineralization during orthodontic treatment. I will argue that the only way to test a material is to undertake a randomized clinical trial, with a parallel group design, over the full-length of orthodontic treatment.