Caries detection with DIAGNOdent and ultrasound

Area of Science:

• Dental diagnostics
• Caries detection technology
• Non-destructive testing

Background:

• Accurate detection of approximal caries is crucial for timely intervention.
• Nondestructive methods offer advantages over traditional radiographic techniques.
• Evaluating the performance of emerging diagnostic tools is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the repeatability of ultrasound (ULS) and DIAGNOdent for approximal caries detection.
• To compare the efficacy of two different DIAGNOdent tips (A and B).
• To evaluate the accuracy and reliability of these nondestructive methods.

Main Methods:

• Forty-two white/brown-spot lesions were analyzed using digital photography and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM).
• Measurements were taken using ultrasound (ULS) and DIAGNOdent with two distinct tips.
• Intra- and inter-observer reliability, accuracy, Cohen's kappa, and Spearman's rho statistics were calculated.

Main Results:

• Ultrasound (ULS) measurements demonstrated high accuracy, reliability, and significant inter-examiner correlation.
• DIAGNOdent showed variable intra-observer agreement; the A tip generally performed better than the B tip.
• Accuracy for DIAGNOdent varied between examiners and tips, with the A tip showing slightly higher accuracy.

Conclusions:

• Both ultrasound (ULS) and DIAGNOdent methods exhibit high repeatability and accuracy for detecting enamel caries.
• The DIAGNOdent A tip is more effective than the B tip for diagnosing enamel caries.
• Nondestructive methods like ULS and DIAGNOdent are reliable tools for approximal caries detection.