Clinical and radiographic diagnosis of approximal and occlusal dental caries in a low risk population.

OBJECTIVE Determine the agreement between visual detection, conventional radiology and digital radiology methods in the diagnosis of interproximal and occlusal caries in the posterior teeth of a group of patients with low caries prevalence. MATERIALS AND METHODS Visual, conventional radiographic and digital radiographic (Digora, Soredex, Sweden) caries diagnosis was performed in a group of patients (n=30) of both sexes with ages ranging from 15 to 65 years (x = 34 years). Agreement was estimated by the linear weighted kappa index. RESULTS Kappa = 0.17 was obtained between the visual examination and the conventional radiographic examination and Kappa = 0.16 between the visual examination and the radiovisiography. Between conventional and digital radiography the Kappa indices were 0.81 overall, 0.87 in the dentine and 0.66 in the enamel. Compared to visual examination, 3.23 times more caries lesions were diagnosed with digital radiology and 2.88 times more with conventional radiography. 94% of the new caries detected were interproximal. CONCLUSIONS The use of radiographic techniques, whether conventional or digital, increases the number of caries diagnosed in comparison with conventional clinical examination. The two radiographic techniques show high agreement in lesion diagnosis.