Temporary elective tooth separation as a diagnostic aid in general dental practice

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Preventive Care

Background:

• Early detection of approximal dental lesions is crucial for effective preventive care.
• Traditional diagnostic methods may not identify all early-stage lesions, particularly in children.
• Elastomeric separators offer a potential adjunctive diagnostic tool.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and acceptability of using elastomeric separators as a diagnostic aid in general dental practice.
• To evaluate the diagnostic value of elastomeric separators in detecting approximal dental lesions in children.
• To compare the effectiveness of elastomeric separators combined with clinical examination against routine clinical examination alone.

Main Methods:

• A 'blanket' technique for placing elastomeric separators was employed in five general dental practices.
• 211 children aged 5-15 years underwent examination, including clinical assessment with and without separators, and radiographic examination where indicated.
• Acceptability was assessed among practitioners, parents, and patients.

Main Results:

• The elastomeric separator technique was acceptable to most participants, although some children refused radiographic or separator placement.
• The 'clinical with separators' method identified 703 lesions, significantly more than the 479 lesions found by routine clinical examination alone.
• Many additional lesions detected were in the precavitation stage, valuable for targeting preventive care.

Conclusions:

• Elastomeric separators are a feasible and acceptable diagnostic aid in general dental practice for detecting approximal dental lesions.
• This method reveals additional early-stage lesions, supporting targeted preventive strategies.
• Elastomeric separators are valuable as an adjunct to bitewing radiographs, not a replacement, especially for deciduous dentition.