Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the carious dentin conditions on the values measured with a DIAGNOdenTM(K aVo Co. ), and to validate the effectivenesso f DIAGNOdent in judging the accurate removal of infected dentin.
Forty-three lesions from 41 carious primary teeth of 17 patients aged from 3 years and 3 months old to 11 years and 6 months old (average: 7 years and 4 months old) and 73 lesions from 70 carious permanent teeth of 41 patients aged from 7 years and 6 months old to 23 years and 11 months old (average: 13 years and 10 months old) were examined. Caries were detected by the visual, palpable and radiographice xaminationsa, nd diagnoseda s C0: incipiente namel caries, C1: enamel caries and C2: dentinal caries. Identical portions of all of the lesions were measured 5 times with a DIAGNOdent attached with a small type-A detector, and the average values were obtained. Adding to the visual, p alpabler, adiographica nd DIADNOdente xaminationsf, or the restoredt eeth, the infected area was directly validated, and a final diagnosis was made. Data was statistically analyzed using ANOVA with subsequent Fisher's PSLD or correlation coefficient at p<0.05.
The following results were obtained.
1. As the results of the correlationsb etweent he DIAGNOdentv alues and color, h ardness and dry/wet conditions of the carious dentin in which the final diagnosis was C2, for primary teeth, there was a significant correlation between the value and dry/wet condition of carious dentin, and the higher the dryness of the decayed dentin, the higher the values were, and for permanent teeth, there were significant correlations between the value and color, and value and hardness of the dentin, and the darker and harder of the decayed dentin, the higher the values were. No significant correlation was obtained between the values after the removal of infected dentin and the conditions of carious dentin.
2. The mean values of the dentin before and after the removal of infected dentin in the finally diagnosed C2 lesions were 28.3 and 6.3 for the primary teeth, and 22.5 and 6.4 for the permanent teeth. No significant difference was obtained between the values of the primary teeth and permanent teeth.
3. DIAGNOdenwt as useful in judging the accurater emoval of infectedd entin.
