The Additional Information of Bitewing Radiographs in the Detection of Established or Severe Dentinal Decay in 14-Year Olds: A Cross-Sectional Study in Low-Caries Population

Abstract EN

Aim.

To reveal the additional value of radiographic bitewings (BW) in detection of caries and in comparing the occurrence of clinically undetected severe decay between 14-year olds with and without clinically observed dentinal caries in a low-caries prevalence population.

Design.

The cross-sectional study used 363 pairs of radiographs read by one examiner without knowledge of the clinical findings.

The yield was analyzed on a tooth surface level by cross tabulating the clinical and radiographic information and on an individual level by counting the number of yield surfaces for all subjects.

Mann-Whitney U test was used.

Results.

On a tooth surface level, the contribution of BW was the greatest on the occlusal surfaces of the first molars, where established or severe dentinal decay was registered in BW in 11% of clinically sound surfaces and in 40% of established cavitated enamel lesions.

On an individual level, 53% of subjects benefited from BW.

The subjects clinically DMFS > 0 benefited more than the clinically DMFS = 0 subjects (P=.004), nearly 60% in relation to 47%, respectively.

Conclusions.

In a low-caries prevalence population a remarkable portion of both clinically DMFS = 0 and DMFS > 0 14-year olds benefit from BW examination.

Most of the benefit is obtained on the occlusal surfaces of the first and the second permanent molars.