Thematic Evolution of Caries Prevention and Non-Operative Caries Management in Pediatric Dentistry: A Bibliometric Analysis (2000–2025)

Background Dental caries remains one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in children despite long-standing emphasis on preventive strategies. In recent years, non-operative approaches for arresting caries lesions have gained increasing attention. However, the relationship between traditional prevention-oriented strategies and emerging non-operative approaches remains conceptually unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the temporal trends, conceptual structure, and thematic evolution of research on caries prevention and non-operative caries management. Methods A bibliometric analysis was performed using the Web of Science Core Collection database. English-language articles and reviews published between 2000 and 2025 were included. After screening and data cleaning, 1066 documents were analyzed. Bibliometric analyses were conducted using the Bibliometrix package in R and its Biblioshiny interface. Annual scientific production, source distribution, keyword co-occurrence, trend topics, and thematic evolution were examined. Results Scientific output increased steadily over time, reflecting growing interest in the field. Caries prevention remained the dominant and continuous theme throughout the study period. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified three main conceptual clusters: prevention-oriented strategies, non-operative caries arrest approaches, and restorative/risk-based strategies. In recent years, silver diamine fluoride has emerged as a prominent topic within the non-operative cluster. Thematic evolution analysis showed that non-operative approaches developed alongside, rather than replacing, traditional preventive strategies. Conclusion The field has evolved through conceptual expansion rather than a paradigm shift. Prevention and non-operative caries arrest appear to coexist as complementary components of contemporary caries management.