In vitro performance of a pen-type laser fluorescence device and bitewing radiographs for approximal caries detection in permanent and primary teeth.

Aim: To evaluate the performance of a pen‑type laser fluorescence device (DIAGNOdent 2190; LFpen, KaVo, Germany) and bitewing radiographs (BW) for approximal caries detection in permanent and primary teeth. Materials and Methods: A total of 246 anterior approximal surfaces (102 permanent and 144 primary) were selected. Contact points were simulated using sound teeth. Two examiners assessed all approximal surfaces using LFpen and BW. The teeth were histologically assessed for the reference standard. Optimal cut‑off limits were calculated for LFpen for primary and permanent teeth. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (Az) were calculated for D1 (enamel and dentin lesions) and D3 (dentin lesions) thresholds. The reproducibility was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cohen’s weighted kappa values. Results: For permanent teeth, the LFpen cut‑off were 0–27 (sound), 28–33 (enamel caries) and >33 (dentin caries). For primary teeth, the LFpen cut‑off were 0–7 (sound), 8–32 (enamel caries) and >32 (dentin caries). The LFpen presented higher sensitivity values than BW for primary teeth (0.58 vs. 0.32 at D1 and 0.80 vs. 0.47 at D3) and permanent teeth (0.80 vs. 0.57 at D1 and 0.94 vs. 0.51 at D3). Specificity did not show a significant difference between the methods. Rank correlations with histology were 0.59 and 0.83 (LFpen) and 0.36 and 0.70 (BW) for primary and permanent teeth, respectively, considering all lesions. ICC values for LFpen were 0.71 (inter) and 0.86 (intra) for permanent teeth and 0.94 (inter) and 0.90/0.99 for primary teeth. Kappa values for BW were 0.69 (inter) and 0.68/0.90 (intra) for permanent teeth and 0.64 (inter) and 0.89/0.89 for primary teeth. Conclusion: LFpen presented better reproducibility for primary and permanent teeth and higher accuracy in detecting caries lesions at D1 threshold than BW for permanent teeth. LFpen should be used as an adjunct method for approximal caries detection.

Dimensión Vertical de la Región Anterior de la Mandíbula / Vertical Dimension in the Anterior Region of the Mandible

Realizamos mediciones de la región de la sínfisis mentoniana, en 308 mandíbulas secas: 247 pertenecientes a la colección del museo de cráneos de disciplina de Anatomía de la UNIFESP- Escuela Paulista de Medicina- EPM y 61 pertenecientes al laboratorio didáctico de la disciplina de Anatomía de la Facultad de Odontología de Araraquara- UNESP. En las mandíbulas dentadas, el mayor valor encontrado fue de 43,46 mm y el menor de 22,67 mm. En las mandíbulas desdentadas, el mayor valor encontrado fue de 37,24 mm y el menor de 6,22 mm.Esperamos poder contribuir para el mejor conocimiento de la región de la sínfisis mentoniana, tanto para los profesionales de las áreas de Cirugía e Implantología, como para los industriales de áreas afines, para la confección de instrumentales utilizados en estas prácticas.

We made some measurements from the region of the symphysis menti in 308 dried mandibles; 247 belong to the collection of the cranial museum of the discipline of Anatomy of the UNIFESP- Escola Paulista de Medicina- EPM and 61 belong to the didactic laboratory of the discipline of Anatomy from the Faculdade de Odontologia de Araraquara- UNESP, Brasil. On the dentate mandibles, the highest value founded was of 43,46 mm and the lowest of 22,67 mm. On the edentate mandibles, the highest value founded was of 37,24 mm and the lowest of 6,22mm. We hope that with the following discoveries we could contribute to a better knowledge of the symphysis menti region, not only to the professionals in Surgery and Implantology areas, but the industrials of related areas, to the confection of instruments used in these practices.