Laser fluorescence device does not perform well in detection of early caries lesions in primary teeth: an in vitro study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate if using the laser fluorescence (LF) device improves the detection of early or more advanced occlusal caries lesions in primary teeth.


METHODS
A total of 181 occlusal sites in primary teeth were assessed by one examiner using DIAGNOdent. The same examiner and a second examiner evaluated 72 of the sites again to assess intra- and inter-examiner reproducibility. After histological validation, lesions were divided at three thresholds according to the lesion depth: outer half of the enamel (D1), inner half of the enamel (D2) and dentine (D3). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and area under ROC curve were calculated for cut-off points for the sample considering the aforementioned thresholds. The parameters were compared using chi-square test and by comparison between unpaired ROC curves.


RESULTS
The overall LF performance was better at dentine threshold than at enamel threshold. The higher specificity was found at D3 and D2, and higher accuracy at D3 (P < 0.001). The intra- and inter-examiner agreements were classified as good or excellent for all thresholds.


CONCLUSIONS
The LF device performs better at the dentine threshold than at the enamel threshold. This method does not perform well in detecting initial enamel caries lesions.
Braga
Mariana
M
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Nicolau
José
J
Rodrigues
Célia Regina Martins Delgado
CR
Imparato
José Cartos Pettorossi
JC
Mendes
Fausto Medeiros
FM
D019540:Area Under Curve; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers / Q000592:standards; D015588:Observer Variation; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019228:Tooth Crown / Q000473:pathology; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology*