Diagnostic performance of a new red light LED device for approximal caries detection

The aim of this study was to test a newly developed LED-based fluorescence device for approximal caries detection in vitro. We assembled 120 extracted molars without frank cavitations or fillings pairwise in order to create contact areas. The teeth were independently assessed by two examiners using visual caries detection (International Caries Detection and Assessment System, ICDAS), bitewing radiography (BW), laser fluorescence (LFpen), and LED fluorescence (Midwest Caries I.D., MW). The measurements were repeated at least 1 week later. The diagnostic performance was calculated with Bayesian analyses. Post-test probabilities were calculated in order to judge the diagnostic performance of combined methods. Reliability analyses were performed using kappa statistics for nominal data and intraclass correlation (ICC) for absolute data. Histology served as the gold standard. Sensitivities/specificities at the enamel threshold were 0.33/0.84 for ICDAS, 0.23/0.86 for BW, 0.47/0.78 for LFpen, and 0.32/0.87 for MW. Sensitivities/specificities at the dentine threshold were 0.04/0.89 for ICDAS, 0.27/0.94 for BW, 0.39/0.84 for LFpen, and 0.07/0.96 for MW. Reliability data were fair to moderate for MW and good for BW and LFpen. The combination of ICDAS and radiography yielded the best diagnostic performance (post-test probability of 0.73 at the dentine threshold). The newly developed LED device is not able to be recommended for approximal caries detection. There might be too much signal loss during signal transduction from the occlusal aspect to the proximal lesion site and the reverse.