Comparison of Direct Digital and Conventional Imaging with Ektaspeed Plus and Insight Films for the Detection of Proximal Caries

Objective: The purpose this study was to evaluate the accuracy of proximal caries detection comparing enhanced and unenhanced Sidexis CCD-based digital image with Ektaspeed Plus and Insight films. Methods: Fifty-two extracted teeth posterior were imaged under identical standardized geometric and exposure conditions. Four observes, using five points confidence scale, rated 104 proximal surfaces for the presence or absence of carious lesions by means of four image modalities: 1) observer enhanced; 2) unenhanced Sidexis displays; 3) Ektaspeed Plus films; 4) Insight films. The ground truth was determined by microscopy analysis of sections. Receiver Operating Characteristic curves were generated analyzed with Kappa the according inter-observers. Results: The area difference under the Roc curve for observers 1 and 2 demonstrated significant differences between conventional radiographic and digital with modification of brightness and contrast 0,0018(Ektaspeed) 0,0030(Insight), 0,0296 (Ektaspeed), 0,0467 (Insight), respectively. The conventional radiographic was better than observer enhanced image for two observers. Conclusion: There wasn’t significant difference between the films image and direct digital image.