A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF VARIOUS LASER-BASED SYSTEMS USED IN EARLY
DETECTION OF DENTAL CARIES
(a)
(b)
Figure 1a-b. (a) Classic DIAGNOdent system (b) DIAGNOdent (pen)
(Source of image: http://cariology.wikifoundry.com/page/Laser+Fluorescence+and+Quantitative+Light+Fluorescence)
and have also been developed to diagnose early
caries lesions.13
In an in-vitro study, Rodrigues et al. 14 investigated
the efficacy of LED and two LF-based devices in
detecting occlusal caries. The results demonstrated
that LED and LF based devices allow good
reproducibility and are more useful tools for
detecting early signs of caries than conventional
caries diagnosing methods. 14 However, the role of
the examiners’ experience in detecting early caries
using lasers cannot be overruled.
Early diagnosis of caries may help reduce pain,
inflammation and economic burden and contribute
to enhancing oral health related quality of life15-17.
Moreover, it allows application of preventive
measures to arrest the lesion by avoiding invasive
restorative procedures.
Therefore, the aim of the present study was to
comprehensively review the various laser-based
systems used in early detection of dental caries.
Materials and methods
Focused question
The addressed focused question was “Which
lasers-based caries detecting systems are currently
available for early diagnosis of caries?”
Study eligibility criteria
The following eligibility criteria were imposed:
Clinical studies, case-reports, intervention: efficacy
of LF in diagnosing early carious lesions compared
to tradition [