Evaluation of visual, explorer, and a laser device for detection of early occlusal caries

Reliable early diagnosis represents the keystone in modern dental care. This study aimed at disclosing a correlation between length of experience by the dentist and accuracy of caries diagnosis, by tradi-tional clinical technique, that included visual and explorer examination, and evaluating the accuracy of the DIAGNOdent laser device. Histological sections confirmed clinical data obtained. Results showed that a reverse relationship between length of experience and accuracy of caries diagnosis i.e. younger dentist could achieve more accurate diagnosis. Laser diagnosis was superior to clinical diag-nosis, whether by vision or explorer. It is concluded that DIAGNOdent laser is a promising instrument that can represent a valuable contribution to the dental practice.

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