Validation of quantitative light-induced fluorescence-digital (QLF-D) for the detection of approximal caries in vitro.
OBJECTIVE
Detection of approximal caries lesions can be difficult due to their anatomical position. This study aimed to assess the ability of the quantitative light-induced fluorescence-digital (QLF-D) in detecting approximal caries, and to compare the performance with those of the International Caries Detection and Assessment System II (ICDAS II) and digital radiography (DR).


METHODS
Extracted permanent teeth (n=100) were selected and mounted in pairs. The simulation pairs were assessed by one calibrated dentist using each detection method. After all the examinations, the teeth (n=95) were sectioned and examined histologically as gold standard. The modalities were compared in terms of sensitivity, specificity, areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) for enamel (D1) and dentine (D3) levels. The intra-examiner reliability was assessed for all modalities.


RESULTS
At D1 threshold, the ICDAS II presented the highest sensitivity (0.80) while the DR showed the highest specificity (0.89); however, the methods with the greatest AUC values at D1 threshold were DR and QLF-D (0.80 and 0.80 respectively). At D3 threshold, the methods with the highest sensitivity were ICDAS II and QLF-D (0.64 and 0.64 respectively) while the method with the lowest sensitivity was DR (0.50). However, with regard to the AUC values at D3 threshold, the QLF-D presented the highest value (0.76). All modalities showed to have excellent intra-examiner reliability.


CONCLUSIONS
The newly developed QLF-D was not only able to detect proximal caries, but also showed to have comparable performance to the visual inspection and radiography in detecting proximal caries.


CONCLUSIONS
QLF-D has the potential to be a useful detection method for proximal caries.
Department of Preventive Dentistry & Public Oral Health, Oral Science Research Institute, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project, Yonsei University, College of Dentistry, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea.
Hae-Youn
HY
Ko
Department of Preventive Dentistry & Public Oral Health, Oral Science Research Institute, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project, Yonsei University, College of Dentistry, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea.
Si-Mook
SM
Kang
Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Health Science, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Hee Eun
HE
Kim
Department of Preventive Dentistry & Public Oral Health, Oral Science Research Institute, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project, Yonsei University, College of Dentistry, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea.
Ho-Keun
HK
Kwon
Department of Preventive Dentistry & Public Oral Health, Oral Science Research Institute, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project, Yonsei University, College of Dentistry, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: drkbi@yuhs.ac.
Baek-Il
BI
Kim
D003731:Dental Caries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003732:Dental Caries Activity Tests / Q000379:methods; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D023861:Photography, Dental / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
Approximal caries; Caries detection; International Caries Detection and Assessment System; Quantitative light-induced fluorescence-digital; Radiography