Reflected near-infrared light versus bite-wing radiography for the detection of proximal caries: A multicenter prospective clinical study conducted in private practices

• Published in: Journal of dentistry 2022-01, Vol.116, p.103861, Article 103861
• Main Authors: Metzger, Zvi, Colson, Dana G., Bown, Peggy, Weihard, Timo, Baresel, Ingo, Nolting, Tim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accuracy; Bitewing radiography; Caries detection; Chi-square test; Clinics; Dental caries; Dental Caries - pathology; Dental Caries Susceptibility; Dental enamel; Dental materials; Dentin; Dentistry; Dentists; Enamel; Excavation; Humans; I.R. radiation; Infrared detectors; Infrared imagery; Infrared reflection; Intraoral scan; Ionizing radiation; Lesions; Light; Light reflection; Light sources; Mathematical analysis; Medical imaging; Molars; Near-infrared; Near-infrared light reflection; Premolars; Private Practice; Prospective Studies; Proximal caries; Radiography; Radiography, Bitewing - methods; Reproducibility of Results; Scanners; Sensitivity and Specificity; Statistical analysis; Statistical tests; Teeth; Transillumination - methods
• ISSN: 0300-5712; 1879-176X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103861

The aim of the present prospective multicenter clinical study was to compare the detection of proximal caries with near-infrared light reflection (NILR) versus bitewing radiography (BWR). Intraoral scans were performed on 100 patients in five dental clinics using an intraoral scanner (iTero Element 5D, Align Technology, Tempe, AZ, USA) that includes a near-infrared light source (850 nm) and sensor. Reflected near-infrared light images of posterior teeth were used by the individual dentists to detect proximal caries and the results were compared to the BWRs. In a total of 3499 proximal surfaces of molars and premolars which were examined, 223 carious lesions were detected by BWR, while NILR detected 549 carious lesions. Caries detection using both methods was also done by an expert team of five dentists, highly experienced in NILR image interpretation, who used the same sets of clinically-obtained data. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated for caries detection by both the dentists and the expert team. Fifty-nine of the detected carious lesions were clinically treated and the observations during caries excavation were compared with those done with NILR and BWR. Statistical analysis to compare between NILR and BWR diagnosis was performed using non-parametric two-sided McNemar's Chi-Square test with the significance level set at p