[Fissure caries: the correlation of clinical and radiological data]

The goal of this research was to evaluate the conventional means of clinical (mirror and probe examination) and radiological diagnosis (bitewing radiographs) of occlusal caries of first permanent molars during the post eruptive period. These teeth showed colored or non-colored fissures, and none of them had conservative or preventive obturations, or dentinal caries. Four experienced dentists independently evaluated the trials, diagnosed the lesions and advised a treatment. The effective lesions were shown by opening minimal preventive cavities, which were then obturated with amalgam. The results showed the lack of precision for the early diagnostic means of initial pit- and fissures-caries, and differences and errors of evaluation performed by the dental professional with respect to their diagnosis and proposed therapeutic choice. The effective lesions demonstrated the high incidence of pit- and fissure-caries in permanent molars during the post eruptive period.