PROPOSED METHODS FOR IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE DMFS INDEX IN ASSESSING INITIATION AND PROGRESSION OF DENTAL-CARIES

Recent changes in the epidemiology of dental caries and advances in th e development of new diagnostic measurement techniques have stimulated interest in improved methods of assessing changes in dental caries st atus. Traditional methods for assessing change focus primarily on the development of new lesions at the cavitation level and incorporate inc omplete information on the progression of existing cavitated lesions. A methodology to expand the clinical recording of dental caries in cli nical studies to include 1) both non-cavitated and cavitated lesions a nd 2) the surface area affected for restorations is suggested. New ind ices are proposed to estimate changes in the number of new lesions, th e progression of existing carious lesions, and the total change in car ies status for a subject. It is anticipated that the new indices will produce more efficient methods of assessing change in caries status in longitudinal clinical studies, The degree of improvement can be estim ated directly Improvements in efficiency may reduce the duration or nu mber of subjects required in caries clinical trials.