Affiliation: | 1.Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Dental School,Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences,Ahwaz,Iran;2.Department of Restorative Dentistry, Dental School,Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences,Tehran,Iran;3.Department of Pediatric Dentistry,Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences,Ahwaz,Iran;4.Department of Periodontology, Dental School,Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences,Tehran,Iran;5.Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery,Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences,Ahwaz,Iran |
Abstract: | ObjectivesEarly detection of proximal caries can result in less-invasive treatments. This study aimed to assess the effects of education and experience on accurate detection of proximal caries on digital radiographs.MethodsThird-year and sixth-year dental students, maxillofacial radiology postgraduate students, and general dentists comprised the study population (total, 28). Standard digital bitewing radiographs were obtained for 50 extracted teeth, and evaluated for proximal caries on a monitor. All assessments were performed under ambient light (<50 lux). The teeth were subsequently sectioned into 1-mm-thick slices. After reaching the lesion, it was visually inspected, and then determined for its depth in each slice using a caries detector solution. A four-scale grading system for assessment of lesion depth. These results were considered to be the gold standard, and compared with the opinions of the observers. Data were analyzed using SPSS16 software for kappa, sensitivity, specificity, false-negative, false-positive, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value statistics. The kappa coefficients were used to compare the accuracy of diagnoses of the observers and the extents of involvement of tooth structures.ResultsThe diagnostic accuracy for grade I caries was 21.9 % among third-year dental students, 17.4 % among sixth-year dental students, 34.5 % among maxillofacial radiology postgraduate students, and 14.3 % among general dentists. The respective diagnostic accuracies were 16.2, 15.2, 5.7, and 7.6 % for grade II caries and 3.5, 32.1, 25, and 14.2 % for grade III caries.ConclusionsAlthough education played a great role in improving caries detection skill, it failed to raise it to an acceptable range. |