Reproducibility of Adjunct Techniques for Diagnosis of Dental Caries in an Epidemiological Situation

Author(s)

da Silva, Renato Pereira ; Assaf, Andrea Videira ^[1] ; Pereira, Stela Marcia ^[2] ; Bovi Ambrosano, Glaucia Maria ^[3] ; Mialhe, Fabio Luiz ^[3] ; Pereira, Antonio Carlos ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Fluminense, Dept Community Serv, Niteroi, RJ - Brazil

^[2] Univ Ctr Lavras, Lavras, MG - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadual Campinas, Dent Sch Piracicaba, Dept Community Dent, Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ORAL HEALTH & PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY; v. 9, n. 3, p. 251-259, 2011.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the reproducibility of visual exams under natural light (VE1), visual exams under artificial light (VE2), radiographic bitewing exams (BW), fibre optic transillumination exams (FOTI) and DIAGNOdent exams (DD) in epidemiological settings. Materials and Methods: Three examiners and one benchmark examiner examined thirteen 12-year-old schoolchildren under epidemiological conditions for the D3 (carious lesions in dentin) and D1+D3 (carious lesions in enamel or dentin) diagnostic criteria. Results: The reproducibility (intra/interexaminer agreement) under both diagnostic criteria was `almost perfect' for the exams VE1 (D3: K(intra) = 0.91/K(inter) = 0.85; D1+D3: K(intra) = 0.89/K(inter) = 0.84), VE2 (D3: K(intra) = 0.91/K(inter) = 0.85; D1+D3: k(intra) = 0.88/Kim, = 0.83), BW (D3: K(intra) = 0.95/K(inter) = 0.92; D1+D3: K(intra) = 0.99/ K(inter) = 0.90) and FOTI (D3: K(intra) = 0.97/K(inter) = 0.93; D1+D3: k(intra) = 0.87/K(inter) = 0.83) exams and `fair' for the DD exam (D3: K(intra) = 0.36/K(inter) = 0.35; D1+D3: K(intra) = 0.30/K(inter) = 0.32). Conclusion: It was concluded that the VE1, VE2, BW, and FOTI exams presented good reproducibility under epidemiological conditions, and can be used accurately in epidemiological surveys. (AU)