• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.169-179
• /
• 2000

The purpose of this study is to develop the system which convert the optical difference of teeth texture between intact enamel and incipient caries lesion into shade difference by laser fluorescence and to develop new and simple caries activity test using laser fluorescence. The experimental design of this study consists of three parts. In first part, a new method for the in vitro assessment of changes in initial enamel caries lesion of Bovine teeth using laser fluorescence is tested. In second part, in vivo assessment undertaken. Number of teeth which showed incipient carious lesion on buccal surface examined by laser fluorescence was compared with the caries activity test of $Cariescreen^{(R)}$ test and other oral environmental test of dDfFtT. In third part, new caries activity test measured by laser fluorescence was developed on the basis of above results and evaluated the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic power. Optical density measured by laser fluorescence was increased as increasing the depth of incipient carious lesion and showed high correlation$(\gamma=0.7015)$ with lesion depth. Optical density showed direct proportion to lesion depth. Linear equation was obtained between the optical density and the lesion depth by regression analysis. The result of caries activity test with laser fluorescence showed high correlation with those of $Cariescreen^{(R)}$ test and dDfFtT examination. Caries activity test with laser fluorescence showed 48% of sensitivity, 52% of specificity, and 45% of diagnostic power on the basis of dDfFtT examination, and also showed 48% of sensitivity, 51% of specificity, and 36% of diagnostic power on the basis of $Cariescreen^{(R)}$ test. In regard above result, caries activity test with laser fluorescence considered to be reliable for caries activity test compared with other oral environmental test. and it was also considered to be practical because it would be simple, inexpensive, and time saving method.