Diagnostic accuracy of proximal caries by digital radiographs: an in vivo and in vitro comparative study

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate if the diagnostic accuracy of proximal dental caries in digital radiographs was similar when obtained in in vivo and in vitro conditions.Study designThirty-nine noncavitated teeth were collected from 11 subjects who had part of upper or lower jaws excised owing to cyst or neoplasm. Before operation, radiographs of the teeth involved were taken with the digital imaging system Digora Optime (Soredex, Helsinki, Finland), and after operation, the same extracted teeth were mounted in plaster blocks and exposed with the same digital imaging system. The teeth were subsequently sectioned for histologic validation of the lesions. Six observers evaluated all of the radiographs according to a 5-category scale. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed. Repeated-measure analysis of variance was used for the statistical analysis.ResultsThere were no significant differences between digital radiographs taken in in vivo and in vitro conditions for diagnosis of proximal dental caries (P = .286).ConclusionDetection accuracy of proximal dental caries obtained from an in vitro study can be considered to be representative of diagnostic accuracy of proximal dental caries obtained in the real clinical situation.