Evaluating the performance of led based and lf based devices for the detection of caries under clear and opaque sealants

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the diagnostic ability of laser fluorescence (LF)-based device and a lightemitting diode (LED)-based device regarding the effects of different types of fissure sealants and etching modalities under in vitroconditions.Materials and Methods: All samples (n = 60) were divided into 4 groups. Opaque or clear sealants were applied to the surface ofextracted human molar teeth after etching the surface with either acid or laser pretreatment methods. Both the LF-based DIAGNOdentpen device (Kavo, Biberach, Germany) and an LED-based device (Midwest Caries I.D.; Dentsply Professional, York, PA, USA) were usedto measure decalcification scores both before and after sealant application and following thermocycling. The Statistical Package forthe Social Sciences (SPSS v16.0, IBM, Chicago, IL, USA) was used for statistical analyses. To examine the inter-observer and intraobserver agreements, an intraclass correlation was used. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare the effects of both the sealantsand the etching modalities. A p value of < 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant.Results: Statistically significant higher readings were achieved with the LED device after applying the opaque sealant in both the acidetched (p = 0.006) and laser treated groups (p = 0.001). The clear sealant did not affect the LF- and LED-based devices’ readingsafter etching with either acid or the laser. Thermocycling increased the LF readings in the laser etched/clear sealant group, but it didnot change the LED-based device’s results.Conclusion: The LF and LED results were not influenced by etching with either acid or a laser on the clear sealant. After theapplication of an opaque sealant, higher readings on the LED device were achieved for both the laser treated and acid etched groups.Thermocycling did not affect the LED device’s readings.