LASER-Assisted Monitoring of Dental Caries in Early Childhood Caries Prevention

Objectives: Early childhood caries (ECC) is of the most common health problems in children under 6 years old. Periodical monitoring of caries risk assessment (CRA) and the oral care measurements can be one of the effective methods for prevention of ECC. Unfortunately visual and tactile periodical examinations cannot be confident as an index concerning CRA management and caries process prevention. It seems that laser assisted monitoring of caries process progression can be an effective adjunct tool to evaluate CRA management in children for prevention of ECC.

Methods: 20 children took part in this study and were divided into two groups. Laser group received CRA management, periodical visual and tactile examination and laser assisted caries process progression with Diagnodent device. Non-laser group received CRA management, periodical visual and tactile examination. For Diagnodent scanning, at first, the flat surface was divided into four portions and the midpoint of each quadrant was chosen for Diagnodent scanning. The midpoint of each proximal surface was chosen for Diagnodent scanning of the proximal surfaces. Finally, the mean score of Diagnodent scale was chosen as an index to determine the patient cooperation in control of dental caries progression.

Results: Diagnodent scale after 1 year and 2 years of the study in the two groups were different, so that in the laser group the Diagnodent scales for both proximal and flat surfaces were better than non-laser group (P=0.00). DMFS index in the two groups after 1 year was not significantly different, but after 2 years follow-up the DMFS index was significantly different (P=0.02).

Conclusions: Diagnodent scanning for monitoring of dental caries progression is an effective device in management of CRA.