Evaluation of the optimal radiological diagnosis of occult dental caries

Abstract

Advanced dental caries is the main cause that leads to tooth loss and extractions, therefore it is important to diagnose and treat this condition on time. Dental caries often differs from other diseases in that it can be diagnosed only when it requires surgical treatment. Detection and treatment of incipient carious lessions is very rare in practice. Radiography is an indispensable paraclinical examination in the detection of carious lesions because a thorough clinical examination is not possible for all dental surfaces. The relief of the occlusal surfaces and the limited access to the proximal surfaces make the detection of carious lesions during a clinical examination very difficult. Numerous clinical studies have shown that a radiological examination can reveal carious lesions that would otherwise remain undetected both in occlusal and proximal surfaces. About 50% of interproximal carious lessions cannot be identified during clinical examination and require radiological investigations.