Abstract
Data sources Sources used were Medline, reference lists of relevant papers and additional papers suggested by Dutch experts in the field.
Study selection Only papers written in English or Dutch and published after 1990 were included. Studies were selected only if they were conducted in patients <24 years of age and they included the use of bitewings and clinical examination. Studies of extracted teeth were excluded. Studies were assessed for quality.
Data extraction and synthesis A methodological quality-assessment checklist was completed to assess internal and external validity for each study. A two-by-two table of radiographic versus clinical data was constructed for each study. These data were used to assess figures for radiographic and clinical prevalence and to find a conversion factor to calculate the total prevalence from the clinical prevalence.
Results Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. In the approximal surfaces the radiographic prevalence was considerably higher than the clinical prevalence. The conversion factors required to calculate the total prevalence from the clinical prevalence varied considerably across studies. In the occlusal surfaces the radiographic and clinical prevalence was similar, but extra lesions were detected with both methods. The seven studies included in this review show that there is variation in the figures for radiographic and clinical prevalence of caries, depending on the type of surfaces examined. On the approximal surfaces figures for radiographic prevalence are substantially higher than those for clinical prevalence, but on the occlusal surfaces the radiographic and clinical prevalence is approximately the same for the caries into dentine.
Conclusions To study trends in the prevalence of caries, radiographic examinations are not necessary, but to assess the prevalence of caries they do have additional but unknown value.
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References
Machiuliskiene V, Nyvad B, Baelum V . A comparison of clinical and radiographic caries diagnoses in posterior teeth of 12 year old Lithuanian children. Caries Res 1999; 33:340–348.
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Address for correspondence: Henrica CW de Vet, Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, VU University Medical Centre, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: hcw.devet@vumc.nl
Bloemendal E, de Vet HC, Bouter LM. The value of bitewing radiographs in epidemiological caries research: a systematic review of the literature. J Dent 2004; 32:255–264
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Topping, G. Are bitewings of value in epidemiological studies of dental caries?. Evid Based Dent 5, 72 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ebd.6400264
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ebd.6400264
