The diagnosis and therapeutic protocols of approximal caries by final-year dental students at Al-Quds University, Palestine

Abstract

Introduction: In this study, the major criterion used by 69 final-year dental students of Al-Quds University, Palestine, to ascertain the presence of approximal carious lesions through radiographs, and their subsequent treatment plan is outlined. Methods: This study was designed to be cross-sectional, whereby a questionnaire containing schematic radiographic diagrams of approximal carious lesions in molars of deciduous and permanent dentition were depicted. Th e extent of caries was divided into fi ve groups indicating different levels of enamel and dentin involvement: Caries extending to the external one-third of enamel, external two-thirds of enamel, up to the dentino-enamel junction (DEJ), external one-third of dentin, and two-thirds of dentin. Results: The absolute and relative frequencies of the study group′s responses were recorded. Th e treatment decisions taken for caries in deciduous and permanent dentition were neither affected by age nor gender. Of the 69 subjects, 26.1% (18/69) chose to treat the approximal caries when it had spread to the DEJ in the deciduous dentition and 39.1% (27/69) chose to treat caries at the DEJ in the permanent dentition, showing a significant statistical variation in response. When studying the difference in response to treating deciduous and permanent dentitions, treating a lesion at the DEJ and within the outer third of dentin in deciduous dentition was lower than the latter in permanent dentition, with a treatment response of 26.1% (18/69) for deciduous and 39.1% (27/69) for permanent dentition for a lesion at the DEJ, and 24.3% (17/69) in deciduous and 33.3% (23/69) for permanent dentition for a lesion in the outer third of dentin. Conclusion: These results show a significant difference in the choice to treat approximal caries in deciduous and permanent dentitions, indicating a greater preference for treating caries within dentin in permanent dentition than in deciduous dentition.

Keywords

Approximal caries - dental students - Palestinian dental students - therapeutic protocol

• References

• 1 Bervian J, Tovo MF, Feldens CA, Brusco LC, Rosa FM. Evaluation of final-year dental students concerning therapeutic decision making for proximal caries. Braz Oral Res 2009;23:54-60.
• 2 Bille J, Thylstrup A. Radiographic diagnosis and clinical tissue changes in relation to treatment of approximal carious lesions. Caries Res 1982;16:1-6.
• 3 Zamir T, Fisher D, Fishel D, Sharav Y. A longitudinal radiographic study of the rate of spread of human approximal dental caries. Arch Oral Biol 1976;21:523-6.
• 4 Gröndahl HG, Hollender L, Malmcrona E, Sundquist B. Dental caries and restorations in teenargers. II. A longitudinal radiographic study of the caries increment of proximal surfaces among urban teenagers in Sweden. Swed Dent J 1977;1:51-7.
• 5 Gröndahl HG, Hollender L, Malmcrona E, Sundquist B. Dental caries and restorations in teenagers. I. Index and score system for radiographic studies of proximal surfaces. Swed Dent J 1977;1:45-50.
• 6 Pitts NB. Monitoring of caries progression in permanent and primary posterior approximal enamel by bitewing radiography. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 1983;11:228-35.
• 7 Nuttall NM. Letter to editor. Br Dent J 1983;155:370.
• 8 White BA, Maupomé G. Clinical decision-making for dental caries management. J Dent Educ 2001;65:1121-5.
• 9 Elderton RJ, Duthie N. Opinions on the undergraduate dental education in Scotland received by recently qualified dentists. Med Sci Res 1987;15:751-8.
• 10 Maupomé G, Sheiham A. Radiographic criteria employed to diagnose and treat approximal caries by final-year dental students in Mexico City. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 1997;25:242-6.
• 11 Maupomé G, Sheiham A. Decisions on diagnosis and management of approximal caries by final-year dental students. Dentomaxillofac Radiol 1997;26:107-11.
• 12 Tveit AB, Espelid I, Skodje F. Restorative treatment decisions on approximal caries in Norway. Int Dent J 1999;49:165-72.
• 13 Kay EJ, Watts A, Paterson RC, Blinkhorn AS. Preliminary investigation into the validity of dentists′ decisions to restore occlusal surfaces of permanent teeth. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 1988;16:91-4.
• 14 Elderton RJ, Nuttall NM. Variation among dentists in planning treatment. Br Dent J 1983;154:201-6.
• 15 De Araujo FB, de Araujo DR, dos Santos CK, de Souza MA. Diagnosis of approximal caries in primary teeth: Radiographic versus clinical examination using tooth separation. Am J Dent 1996;9:54-6.
• 16 Flack VF, Atchison KA, Hewlett ER, White SC. Relationships between clinician variability and radiographic guidelines. J Dent Res 1996;75:775-82.