title: Reliability of a Fluorescence-aided Identification Technique (FIT) for detecting tooth-colored restorations: an ex vivo comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to compare the diagnostic predictive values of a Fluorescence-aided Identification Technique (FIT) with those of the conventional diagnostic method regarding the identification of resin composite restorations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty examiners, 10 students, and 10 dentists were asked to identify composite restorations in a full-mouth model using both the FIT (405-nm light source) and the conventional method in combination with a common diagnostic light source. Each dental examination was repeated three times to calculate inter-/intra-operator agreement, repeatability, and reproducibility using kappa statistics. Predictive values were calculated using a filling prevalence of 42 % and the sensitivity and specificity of each method. Pearson's test and the 99 % confidence interval (CI) were used for comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sensitivity (97 %, CI 94-99 %) and specificity (100 %, CI 98-100 %) of the FIT were significantly higher than those of the conventional method (27 %, CI 21-31 %, and 65 %, CI 58-72 %, respectively). Consequently, the positive (100 %) and negative (98 %) predictive values of the FIT were significantly higher than those of the conventional method (35 and 55 %, respectively). As expressed by the kappa statistics, the repeatability (0.96) and reproducibility (0.95) of the FIT were significantly better than those of the conventional method (0.49, CI 0.42-0.56, and 0.34, CI 0.26-0.43, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to the conventional technique, the FIT was significantly more reliable as shown by higher sensitivity, specificity, repeatability, and reproducibility values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The FIT should be considered as a reliable and practicable alternative in contrast to the conventional method, which was hardly sufficient as a diagnostic procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Periodontology, Endodontology and Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany. christian.meller@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meller
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Periodontology, Endodontology and Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.|Department of Periodontology, Endodontology and Cariology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Connert
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Periodontology, Endodontology and Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Löst
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Periodontology, Endodontology and Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: ElAyouti
mesh_terms: D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D003765:Models, Dental; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D003188:Composite Resins
keywords: Composite resin; Diagnosis; Filling; Fluorescence; Restoration