Influence of the addition of restorations on the diagnosis of caries from digitized bitewing radiographs.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of additional caries and restorations on the detection of caries on the same radiograph.


METHODS
Six participants examined five series of four radiographs in which natural carious lesions were present. Each series consisted of the same image with progressively more restorative treatment digitally painted on. The films were randomly presented to the observers who examined the films for the presence and depth of carious lesions. The observers were not informed that the 20 films were disguised versions of the same original five radiographs.


RESULTS
The number of carious lesions reported by the six observers did not increase despite the apparent increased restorative intervention viewed on the radiographs.


CONCLUSIONS
The complexity of restorative care does not affect observers' ability to correctly detect approximal carious lesions.
Sinton
J M
JM
Department of Oral Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Canada.
Wood
R E
RE
Pharoah
M J
MJ
Lewis
D W
DW
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003149:Community Dentistry; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D003804:Dentin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D016300:Radiography, Bitewing