Influence of the addition of restorations on the diagnosis of caries from digitized bitewing radiographs

Abstract

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of additional caries and restorations on the detection of caries on the same radiograph. Study design. Six participants examined five series of four radiographs in which natural carious lesions were present. Each series consisted of the same image with progressively more restorative treatment digitally painted on. The films were randomly presented to the observers who examined the films for the presence and depth of carious lesions. The observers were not informed that the 20 films were disguised versions of the same original five radiographs. Results. The number of carious lesions reported by the six observers did not increase despite the apparent increased restorative intervention viewed on the radiographs. Conclusions. The complexity of restorative care does not affect observers' ability to correctly detect approximal carious lesions.