• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.199-205
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of changing the kilovoltage peak (kVp) on the radiographic assessment of dental caries. Materials and Methods: Seventy-five extracted posterior teeth with proximal caries or apparently sound proximal surfaces were radiographed with conventional E-speed films and a photostimulable phosphor system using 60 kVp and 70 kVp for the caries assessment. The images were evaluated by three oral radiologists and compared with the results of the stereomicroscope analysis. Results: No statistically significant difference was found between 60 kVp and 70 kVp for the caries detection, determination of caries extension into dentin, and caries severity in either the conventional or the digital images. Good to very good inter-observer and intra-observer agreements were found for both kilovoltage values on the conventional and digital images. Conclusion: Changing the kilovoltage between 60 kVp and 70 kVp had no obvious effect on the detection of proximal caries or determination of its extension or severity.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2013

Recently, there have been improvements in diagnostic methods for the assessment of early caries lesions. The reason is that dental professionals are seeking methods to reliably detect incipient dental caries and to remineralize them. This review examines the literature on principles, theoretical background, and history of the Quantitative Light-Induced Fluorescence (QLF) system (Inspektor Research Systems BV, The Netherlands). Furthermore, this paper discusses the potential application of QLF system to clinical practice for educational purpose, enabling dental hygiene students to perform oral health assessment using the QLF system. In addition, the clinical application of QLF system can motivate patients by providing additional visual information about caries and bacterial activity. The evidences on validity and reliability of the QLF system for detection of longitudinal changes in de/remineralization and caries were examined. The QLF system is capable of monitoring and quantifying mineral changes in early caries lesions. Therefore, it can be used to assess the impacts of caries preventive measures on the remineralization and reversal of the caries process. And the QLF system is a very promising equipment to assess educational effectiveness for dental hygiene students in their learning process. In conclusion, the QLF system is the most effective technology for more sensitive staging of caries and treatment without surgical intervention.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2000

Purpose : To compare the diagnostic performance of clinical and radiologic examination for the interproximal caries on intraoral periapical radiographs and to evaluate the value of periapical radiographs. Methods: One hundred seven dental patients were examined clinically, with a mouth mirror and an explorer, by a dentist at the department of oral medicine, and the presence or absence of interproximal caries lesion was recorded. The patients were prescribed one or more dental periapical radiographs. Radiographs were assessed for the presence of interproximal caries by three oral and maxillofacial radiologists independantly. Two thousand sixty interproximal surfaces were included in this study. The diagnostic accuracies of clinical and radiologic examinations for interproximal caries were calculated. To assess the degree of agreement between clinical and radiologic examinations, Cohen's coefficient of agreement was computed. Results: The specificity of clinical and radiologic examination was 0.991, 0.997 and the sensitivity was 0.279, 0.985 respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of radiologic examination was statistically significantly higher than that of clinical examination (P<0.05). Cohen's kappa value of clinical and radiologic examination was 0.335, 0.942 respectively. These results suggested that clinical examination show only fair agreement, whereas radiologic examination show perfect agreement. Conclusion: The diagnositic performance of the dental periapical radiographs on interproximal caries were higher than that of clinical examination, thus this study showed the validity of periapical radiographs for detecting interproximal caries lesion without bitewing radiograph.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.206-213
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• 1992

The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of radiographic diagnosis of secondary carious lesions adjacent to composite filling materials with different radiopacity. The level of radiopacity that is most compatible with the radiographic diagnosis of secondary caries was studied in a two part experiment. In the first part, the radiopacity of 6 posterior composites CBP, CF, HM, LF, PQ, P50), enamel and dentin were measured by desitometer and 6 posterior composites divided into 3 groups based on their level of radiopacity compared with enamel and dentin. In the seocnd part, class II composite fillings with or without secondary caries were made in extracted premolar and radiographs of the teeth were examined by 10 dentists to diagnose simulated carious lesion. The following results were obtained: 1. The radiopacity of 6 posterior composites varied between 1.76(PQ) and 6.78(P50)mm Al equivalent. 2. For 4 composites the radiopacity exeeded that of an equal thickness of enamel, and for two the radiopacity was lower than that of dentin. 3. The detection of secondary caries was facillitated when the radiopacity of a composite resin was similar to or slightly greater than that of enamel.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.443-450
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• 2011

The leading paradigm of dentistry had been focused on the rehabilitation treatment that identifies active caries, manages them surgically, and restores their original functions. However, changes in the external environment including the current disease prevalence require dentistry to have a paradigm shift. The new paradigm suggests the detection of caries in their earlier stages over the visual diagnosis of cavities, and the reversal of the incipient caries by non-surgical approach. For this to be achieved, a high-technology detection device recognizing changes in the earlier stages which can not he visually observed is needed. Development of early caries detection device has recently become a major issue in preventive dentistry on account of this need, and QLF(Quantitified Light induced Fluorescence) conspicuously stands out among the newly released devices. In this study, the fundamental concept of QLF(Quantitified Light induced Fluorescence) and the possible clinical applications of the earlier intraoral camera model as well as the recently designed digital camera model will be discussed.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2000

The purpose of study was to compare the laser fluorescence detection by Diagnodent(KaVo, Germany), visual inspection using dental explorers, and conventional dental radiography as diagnostic tests for dental caries. One hundred and three human premolars and molars which had no caries or fissure caries were tested by the three methods. Diagnodent scores increased as the scores of the other two tests increased(P<0.01) There were significant relationships between visual inspection scores and Diagnodent scores(Pearson 0.676, Spearman 0.694) and between radiography scores and Diagnodent scores(Pearson 0.623, Spearman 0.658) (P<0.01, all). Diagnodent test proved to have high sensitivity and low specificity and more studies are necessary to present the diagnostic criteria for progressive caries stages.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.310-316
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• 2012

A new method for early caries diagnosis was proposed and tested through a home-made optical examination system that used quantitative light fluorescence (QLF) and digital imaging fiber optic transillumination (FOTI) (DIFOTI), with light sources across a wide spectral range, from 350 nm to 1,000 nm. The front-illuminated infrared light scattering image (FIR) showed similar diagnostic abilities to that of DIFOTI. The FIR method was invented based on the observation that caries lesions lose the high transmittance and low scattering properties of benign enamel tissue. There are various methods for the early diagnosis of caries, such as visual examination, exploration, X-ray radiography, QLF, FOTI, and infrared fluorescence (diagnodent). Among them, methods based on optical properties are regarded as having the most potential. A comparative study was performed between the FOTI, QLF, diagnodent, optical coherence tomography, and FIR scattering image methods, using 20 extracted teeth samples with early caries. A scale of lesion measurement based on optical image contrast was proposed. The statistical analysis showed a significant correlation between the DIFOTI and FIR methods (r = 0.35, p < 0.05). However, the QLF and diagnodent methods showed little association with FIR images, as they have different detection principles as compared with FIR. Tomographic images obtained by OCT, using 1,330 nm super luminescent LED as a gold standard of tooth structure, verified that the FOTI and FIR results correctly represented the lack of homogeneity in dental tissue. The newly proposed FIR method attained similar diagnostic results to those of FOTI, but with an easier approach.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.23-25
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• 1976

The patient, 19 years old male, visited with complaints of trismus and consults for construction of denture. 4 years ago, he received /sup 60/Coteletherapy of left laryngeal area for treatment of throat tumor. Clinical apperance showed rampant dental caries, multiple root rests, xerostomia, disturbance of mandibular growth and asymmetry of face. Roentgenographic examination disclosed deep cervical caries, destruction of alveolar crest, punched out bone destruction of mandible and maxilla.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.668-672
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• 2001

The purpose of study was to measure the interrater reliability of the caries diagnostic instrument, Diagnodent(KaVo, Germany), using a new laser fluorescence technique. Occlusal surfaces and smooth surfaces of one hundred extracted human premolars and molars were examined by four dentists. Pearson correlation coeffcients were 0703 to 0.870 for occlusal surfaces and 0.764 to 0.932 for smooth surfaces (P<0.01, all). Reliability coefficients which were calculated by intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.9450 for occlusal surfaces and 0.9605 for smooth surfaces. Therefore, the interrater reliability of caries diagnosis by Diagnodent is very high, and the rater training would be necessary more for occlusal surfaces than for smooth surfaces.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.122-132
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• 1993

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of radiopacity of glass ionomer cements and to determine the optimum level of radiopacity that is the most compatible with the radiographic diagnosis of secondary caries. The experiments were performed in two parts. In the first part, the radiopacities of 9 glass ionomer cements (FI, FII, FI-LC, FII-LC, SI, SII, Vit, B-VLC, AC) and base materials(Ultra-Blend, Zinc phoaphate cements, Cavitec, Dycal) were measured by densitometer. Then all experimental materials were divided into 5 groups based on the level of radiopacity of enamel and dentin. In the second part, class III cavities with or without secondary caries were prepared in extracted anterior teeth. The representative materials of each group with different radiopacities were inserted into each cavity. The radiographs were interpreted by 15 dentists and seconsary caries were diagnosed according to a five-point confidence rating. Sensitivity and ROC analysis were used to compare observer performance. The following results were obtained : 1. The radipacity of glass ionomer cements varied between 1.111mm Al and 6.011mm Al equivalent. 2. Among experimental materials, three materials in group I had lower radiopacity than that of dentin. The radiopacity of two materials in group II slightly exeeded that of dentin. Three materials in group III had slightly lower radiopacity than that on enamel. The radiopacity of one material in group W was slightly higher than that of enamel. Four materals in group V had the radiopacity that exeeded over 2.0mm AI equivalent to that of enamel. 3. The group IV was the highest for sensitivity and the group V was the highest for ROC area. However, no significant differences were obtained among group II, III, IV and V (P<0.05) but only group I was significantly lower(P<0.01). 4. In comparison with the observer performance for the radiographic diagnosis of secondary caries, the group II, III, IV, and V were superior to the group I (P<0.01). And so the optimum level of radiopacity to detect the secondary caries was the radiopacity that is higher than that of dentin.