Original scientific paper

Visual - Tactile Caries Detection in Comparison with Laser Fluorescence

Josipa Dičak
Zrinka Tarle
Alena Knežević

Abstract

Modern concepts in caries treatment require highly specific and sensitive methods of caries detection opposed to the conventional visual – tactile method. Unnecessary removal of sound dental tissue is quite often due to false – positive caries diagnosis. On the other hand, lesion can be undetected for a long period of time. DIAGNOdent (KaVo, Dental GmbH, Germany), a laser fluorescence – based device, presents an important turnover in diagnostic procedure. DIAGNOdent reading is highly accurate, repeatable, simple, safe, and ensures a long-term lesion monitoring because the result is quantified. The purpose of the study was the comparison of visual - tactile method of caries detection with laser fluorescence. Out of 960 teeth, caries was diagnosed in 90 teeth (9,4%) by DIAGNOdent. Using the visual – tactile method, dental caries was diagnosed in 58 teeth (6%). Absolute disagreement was found in 3,54% cases. More than half of lesions that have remained undetected were in the category of enamel surface caries (DIAGNOdent values 14-20). McNamar’s test showed statistically significant differences between DIAGNOdent based caries detection and visual – tactile method.

Keywords

Dental Caries; Lasers

Hrčak ID:

12544

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/12544

Publication date:

15.6.2007.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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