Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the predictive value of the Cariostat(Rt)e st for approximal caries in primary molars. The subjects were sixty-two children aged 3 to 4 years having sound approximal surfaces on all of the primary molars, who had received regular recall at a pediatric dental clinic. The Cariostat score for the whole mouth, debris index in primary molars and the Cariostat score in approximal surface of primary molars were examined as baseline date. The number of approximal caries in the same primary molars was examined 4 to 6 months later.
The following results were obtained;
1) There was no significant relationship between the Cariostat score for the whole mouth at the baseline and whether approximal caries in primary molars had occurred or not by the second examination. Similarly, the debris index for the primary molars showed no significant relationship at the time of the second examination.
2) The Cariostat score on the approximal surface of the primary molars at the baseline showed a significant relationship with approximal caries in the primary molars at the time of the second examination.
3) Sixty percent of the children whose Cariostat score for the approximal surface was more than 2.0had approximal caries in the primary molars at the time of the second examination. These results suggested that Cariostat of approximal surface had predictive value for approximal caries in. primary molars in the near future.
