[Digital radiography in young children. Considerations based on experiences in practice]

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Digital Radiology
• Pediatric Oral Health

Background:

• Digital radiography techniques, such as charge-coupled device (CCD) and storage phosphor plates (SPP), are increasingly adopted in dentistry.
• Bitewing radiography is a common dental imaging technique, particularly for young children.
• Evaluating the comparative advantages and disadvantages of digital versus conventional film radiography in pediatric dentistry is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the importance of advantages and disadvantages of digital radiology techniques (CCD, SPP) compared to conventional film for bitewing radiography in young children.
• To determine dentists' practical experiences and preferences regarding these imaging modalities in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was distributed to dentists to gather their experiences with digital radiology techniques and conventional films in young children.
• The Simple Multi-Attributive Rating Technique (SMART) was employed to calculate weighted scores for each technique.
• Statistical significance of the differences in scores was analyzed (p > 0.47).

Main Results:

• Weighted scores for charge-coupled device, phosphor plate, and conventional film were 7.40, 7.38, and 6.98, respectively.
• The differences in scores among the three techniques were not statistically significant.
• Dentists' practical experiences did not reveal a statistically significant preference for digital techniques over conventional film for pediatric bitewing radiography.

Conclusions:

• Based on current clinical practice experiences, there is no statistically significant preference for using digital radiology techniques (CCD or SPP) over conventional film for bitewing radiography in young children.
• Further research may be warranted to explore other factors influencing the adoption of digital radiography in pediatric dentistry.