IADR Abstract Archives
Radiographic Estimation Of Remaining Dentine Thickness In Carious Primary Molars
Objectives: To investigate the relationship between the histologic remaining dentine thickness RDT beneath deep caries and its radiographic appearance in primary molar teeth.
Methods: Following ethical approval, primary molars with deep carious lesions were collected from children aged 5-12 years (median= 7 ±1.9) undergoing routine dental extractions under general anaesthesia. Pre-extraction digital bitewing was available for each tooth and demonstrated the presence of occlusal or proximal lesion extending into middle and inner third of dentin. Following extraction, caries (soft dentine only) was excavated and each tooth was sectioned to measure the histologic RDT. Radiographic and histologic RDT were measured in millimetres from the deepest point of the lesion to the outermost border of the pulp chamber.
Results: In total, 50 primary molars were collected with a mixture of: first and second primary molars (21:29), maxillary to mandibular teeth (23:27), and proximal to occlusal caries (28:22). The median radiographic RDT was 0.9mm compared to a median histological RDT of 0.6mm. Radiographic RDT over-estimated the histologic RDT by approximately 0.4± 0.1mm. The overestimation was consistent across all primary molars, both proximal and occlusal lesions.
Conclusions: In primary carious molars, digital bitewing radiographs overestimate the remaining dentine thickness. This is an important finding when considering different treatment options for deep carious in primary molars.
Methods: Following ethical approval, primary molars with deep carious lesions were collected from children aged 5-12 years (median= 7 ±1.9) undergoing routine dental extractions under general anaesthesia. Pre-extraction digital bitewing was available for each tooth and demonstrated the presence of occlusal or proximal lesion extending into middle and inner third of dentin. Following extraction, caries (soft dentine only) was excavated and each tooth was sectioned to measure the histologic RDT. Radiographic and histologic RDT were measured in millimetres from the deepest point of the lesion to the outermost border of the pulp chamber.
Results: In total, 50 primary molars were collected with a mixture of: first and second primary molars (21:29), maxillary to mandibular teeth (23:27), and proximal to occlusal caries (28:22). The median radiographic RDT was 0.9mm compared to a median histological RDT of 0.6mm. Radiographic RDT over-estimated the histologic RDT by approximately 0.4± 0.1mm. The overestimation was consistent across all primary molars, both proximal and occlusal lesions.
Conclusions: In primary carious molars, digital bitewing radiographs overestimate the remaining dentine thickness. This is an important finding when considering different treatment options for deep carious in primary molars.