Clinical performance of fluorescence-based methods for detection of occlusal caries lesions in primary teeth

Abstract We aimed to investigate the performance of fluorescence-based methods (FBMs), compared to visual inspection after histological validation, in detecting and assessing the activity status of occlusal carious lesions in primary teeth. One examiner evaluated 50 primary molars close to exfoliation in 24 children. Teeth were assessed using quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) and pen-type laser fluorescence (LFpen). After exfoliation, histological validation was performed. Teeth were cut and sections were evaluated for lesion depth and activity status (after utilization of a pH indicator) under a stereomicroscope. Parameters related to the performance of the methods in detecting caries lesions at two thresholds (initial and dentin lesions) were calculated. Regarding the activity status, lesions were classified into sound+inactive or active, and the area under the ROC curve and the diagnostic odds ratio values of the methods were calculated and compared. Evaluation of red fluorescence using QLF presented higher sensitivity but lower specificity than visual inspection in detecting dentin caries lesions. However, QLF considering different parameters and LFpen had similar performance to that obtained with visual inspection. Regarding activity assessment, all FBMs and visual inspection also presented similar performance. In conclusion, FBMs did not prove advantageous for the detection and activity assessment of occlusal caries lesions in primary molars when compared to visual inspection.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: PONTES,Laura Regina Antunes, NOVAES,Tatiane Fernandes, MORO,Bruna Lorena Pereira, BRAGA,Mariana Minatel, MENDES,Fausto Medeiros
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Pesquisa Odontológica - SBPqO 2017
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-83242017000100274
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