Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
This
article aimed to evaluate: (a) the agreement between a near-infrared
light transillumination device and clinical and radiographic
examinations in caries lesion detection and (b) the reliability of
images captured by the transillumination device.
METHODS:
Two
calibrated examiners evaluated the caries status in premolars and
molars on 52 randomly selected subjects by comparing the
transillumination device with a clinical examination for the occlusal
surfaces and by comparing the transillumination device with a
radiographic examination (bitewing radiographs) for the approximal
surfaces. Forty-eight trained dental hygienists evaluated and
reevaluated 30 randomly selected images 1-month later.
RESULTS:
A
high concordance between transillumination method and clinical
examination (kappa = 0.99) was detected for occlusal caries lesions,
while for approximal surfaces, the transillumination device identified a
higher number of lesions with respect to bitewing (kappa = 0.91). At
the dentinal level, the two methods identified the same number of caries
lesions (kappa = 1), whereas more approximal lesions were recorded
using the transillumination device in the enamel (kappa = 0.24). The
intraexaminer reliability was substantial/almost perfect in 59.4% of the
participants.
CONCLUSIONS:
The
transillumination method showed a high concordance compared with
traditional methods (clinical examination and bitewing radiographs).
Caries detection reliability using the transillumination device images
showed a high intraexaminer agreement. Transillumination showed to be a
reliable method and as effective as traditional methods in caries
detection.
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