CLINICAL AND RADIOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSIS OF OCCLUSAL CARIES - A STUDY IN-VITRO

Various methods of diagnosing occlusal caries have been described, but only visual, clinical examination and radiographic examination are co mmonly used in dental practice. This laboratory study investigated the ability of 12 examiners to detect the presence or absence of occlusal caries in 48 extracted molar teeth using these two techniques. The pr esence or absence of caries was subsequently verified by sectioning th e teeth. Diagnosis from visual examination was poor, only 48.7% of les ions in dentine being detected. Radiographic diagnosis was better with 62.2% of dentine lesions being found. However, this increase in sensi tivity of the diagnosis was accompanied by a decrease in specificity w ith the number of false positive diagnoses increasing when the radiogr aph was used. Therefore, although the bite-wing radiograph may be rega rded as a safety net for the diagnosis of occlusal caries, it must be interpreted with caution bearing in mind the possibility of false posi tive diagnoses.