AIM: This was to evaluate the accuracy of the different methods for diagnosing occlusal caries in vivo, and to compare their performance in primary and permanent teeth. STUDY DESIGN: Permanent teeth (199) and primary molars (65) with macroscopically intact occlusal surface, with caries lesions without cavitation (white spot) or with a darkened sulcus were selected. The teeth were examined by the following methods: visual inspection, bite-wing radiographs and DIAGNOdent. The validation method employed for asserting the existence of carious lesion was cavity preparation. RESULTS: When the total sample was taken into consideration, laser (DIAGNOdent) provided the highest accuracy (74.8%). Even when the total sample was stratified, the laser accuracy was still high for both primary (88.4%) and permanent molars (70.4%). Visual inspection also provided a high accuracy for primary teeth (83.9%). The chi-square test showed a statistically significant difference between permanent and primary teeth considering occlusal caries diagnosis (p=0.0001). The Kappa coefficient showed good inter-examiner reproducibility for all methods. McNemar test revealed that the degree of intra-examiner agreement for visual inspection was lower than for the other methods. CONCLUSIONS: As visual inspection also showed a high degree of accuracy, the laser method should be used as a complementary method in doubtful cases. Diagnostic methods of occlusal caries, in general, are more efficient in deciduous than in permanent teeth.
AIM: This was to evaluate the accuracy of the different methods for diagnosing occlusal caries in vivo, and to compare their performance in primary and permanent teeth. STUDY DESIGN: Permanent teeth (199) and primary molars (65) with macroscopically intact occlusal surface, with caries lesions without cavitation (white spot) or with a darkened sulcus were selected. The teeth were examined by the following methods: visual inspection, bite-wing radiographs and DIAGNOdent. The validation method employed for asserting the existence of carious lesion was cavity preparation. RESULTS: When the total sample was taken into consideration, laser (DIAGNOdent) provided the highest accuracy (74.8%). Even when the total sample was stratified, the laser accuracy was still high for both primary (88.4%) and permanent molars (70.4%). Visual inspection also provided a high accuracy for primary teeth (83.9%). The chi-square test showed a statistically significant difference between permanent and primary teeth considering occlusal caries diagnosis (p=0.0001). The Kappa coefficient showed good inter-examiner reproducibility for all methods. McNemar test revealed that the degree of intra-examiner agreement for visual inspection was lower than for the other methods. CONCLUSIONS: As visual inspection also showed a high degree of accuracy, the laser method should be used as a complementary method in doubtful cases. Diagnostic methods of occlusal caries, in general, are more efficient in deciduous than in permanent teeth.
Authors: Michele Baffi Diniz; Jonas Almeida Rodrigues; Jonas de Almeida Rodrigues; Andréia Bolzan de Paula; Rita de Cássia Loiola Cordeiro Journal: Lasers Med Sci Date: 2008-03-01 Impact factor: 3.161
Authors: Richard Macey; Tanya Walsh; Philip Riley; Anne-Marie Glenny; Helen V Worthington; Patrick A Fee; Janet E Clarkson; David Ricketts Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2020-12-08
Authors: Richard Macey; Tanya Walsh; Philip Riley; Anne-Marie Glenny; Helen V Worthington; Lucy O'Malley; Janet E Clarkson; David Ricketts Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2021-06-14