Past , Present & Future of Caries Diagnosis

Dental caries manifests itself in several different ways: sub clinical lesions; sub surface, initial lesions; and manifest caries in cases of a cavity formation. Traditional approach to treating such lesions required the drilling and filling method. One of the five principles of the Code of Ethics is non-malfeasance, which states that oral healthcare professionals should ¿do no harm¿ to his or her patients.(ADA 2012) By enhancing their caries detection skills, dental practitioners can detect areas of demineralization and caries at the earliest possible stages. These teeth can then be managed with fluorides and other conservative therapies.(BRAVO ET AL 1997, MARINHO ET AL 2003 , PETERSON ET AL 2005) Depending on the type of the lesion, a suitable treatment should be chosen.(HUTH KC ET AL 2010) A diagnostic method for dental caries should allow for detection of the disease in its earliest stages and for all pathologic changes attributed to the disease to be determined from early mineralization to cavitation.