Validity of Digital Imaging of Fiber-Optic Transillumination in Caries Detection on Proximal Tooth Surfaces

Table 1

Distribution of surfaces with different stages of dental caries. Findings of the clinical visual method (CV), bitewing (BW) radiographs, and fiber-optic transillumination (DIFOTI) are presented separately for upper and lower premolars and molars. The total number of analyzed tooth surfaces was .

Proportions (%) of tooth surfaces with different stages of caries lesions
	Sound			Initial			Manifested
	CV	BW	DIFOTI	CV	BW	DIFOTI	CV	BW	DIFOTI
Upper premolars	89.2	78.3	69.4	6.4	13.3	20.5	4.4	8.5	10.1
Lower premolars	95.6	87.3	82.1	3.6	10.7	13.6	0.8	1.9	3.6
Upper molars	90.7	76.1	60.4	7.5	16.8	28.0	1.8	7.1	11.6
Lower molars	91.2	79.4	66.4	7.3	16.1	23.0	1.6	4.5	10.6
Total; ,103	91.6	80.3	69.8	6.2	14.1	21.2	2.2	5.6	9.0