Even though some instruments and methods exhibited good to excellent reliability and validity and can be recommended for research and clinical practice , they do not allow assessing all components of physical oral health .
OBJECTIVE This study aim ed at exploring available clinical instruments and methods for assessing physical oral health , and at identifying those with sufficient diagnostic performance .
In vivo performance of a laser fluorescence device for the approximal detection of caries in permanent molars.
OBJECTIVES The aim of this r and omised clinical trial was to investigate if a laser fluorescence device is able to discriminate between sound and carious approximal sites and between enamel and dentinal lesions , as well as to find appropriate cut-off values . METHODS One hundred and seventeen sound or uncavitated carious sites in permanent molars were visually and radiographically examined , then either opened or not , after which their laser fluorescence was measured . Forty-three lesions were opened , the caries removed and the clinical ly identified caries depths were registered in addition to the radiographical scoring . Seventy-four sites were radiographically deemed sound or had enamel caries and were not opened . Here , the radiographical scorings were registered . RESULTS Taking the radiographic  scoring as gold st and ard for all investigated approximal sites , sound sites ( D(0 ) , n=40 ) showed significantly lower laser fluorescence measurements than carious sites ( D(1 - 4 ) , n=77 ) ( Mann-Whitney test , P<0.025 ) suggesting a cut-off at 7 ( sensitivity=0.68 , specificity=0.7 ) . Comparing measurements of D(0 - 2 ) ( n=74 ) and D(3,4 ) ( n=43 ) , the results were also different by a statistically significant amount ( P<0.025 ) and the cut-off calculated to be 16 ( sensitivity=0.6 , specificity=0.84 ) . A fair positive correlation between laser fluorescence values and radiographical scoring was found ( rho=+0.47 , P<0.01 ) . Analysing the 43 opened lesions with their clinical ly found lesion depths as gold st and ard , there was a fair positive correlation to the laser fluorescence values ( rho=+0.34 , P=0.03 ) and a moderately strong correlation to the radiographic scoring ( rho=+0.67 , P<0.01 ) . CONCLUSION The device may be an adjunct tool in the approximal detection of caries along with established procedures
Even though some instruments and methods exhibited good to excellent reliability and validity and can be recommended for research and clinical practice , they do not allow assessing all components of physical oral health .
OBJECTIVE This study aim ed at exploring available clinical instruments and methods for assessing physical oral health , and at identifying those with sufficient diagnostic performance .