Editor: Akhmetova Aigerim
Author: Akhmetova Aigerim
Caries is one of the most common and preventable diseases in the world. There are three categories of lighting devices used for the early diagnosis of dental caries, each primarily determined by different wavelengths, optical coherence tomography, near infrared radiation, and fiber optic technology, which includes the newly developed digital fiber optics.
Oral health professionals evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of various illumination tests to detect enamel caries in children or adults. The following databases were searched: MEDLINE (from 1946 to 15 February 2019), Embase (from 1980 to 15 February 2019).
24 datasets from 23 studies were included that evaluated 16,702 tooth surfaces. Of all the devices evaluated, OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) seems to show the greatest potential with superior sensitivity. It can be used as an additional tool for routine examination in cases of clinical uncertainty. OCT is not available to general practitioners at this time, so further research and development is needed. Near infrared and digital fiber optics are more affordable and easier to use; however, they show limitations in their ability to detect enamel caries, but can be considered successful in identifying healthy teeth.
Future research should aim to avoid unnecessary research by ensuring that recruitment is conducted in a manner that minimizes selection bias and that research is clearly and comprehensively reported.
Link: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013855/full
