Effect of Biofilm Removal from the Occlusal Tooth Surfaces on Fluorescence Measurements. A Clinical Study

Abstract

Aim: early diagnosis and monitoring of caries lesions are the most important issues of primary and secondary prevention policies. The intraoral Vista Cam iX (Durr Dental, Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany) uses the fluorescence phenomenon for a non-invasive, quantitative caries diagnosis. In order to make a precise evaluation the tooth surface must be completely cleaned and without biofilm. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of biofilm removal, using air-polishing device (Combi, Mectron SpA) with glycine, on fluorescence VistaCam iX camera quantitative measurements of caries. Methods: Patients with complete permanent dentition without any kind of restorative treatments in the lateral and posterior section of upper and lower dental arches were enrolled. The occlusal surfaces of molars and premolars were photographed using the fluorescence terminal Proof of the intraoral camera VistaCam iX before and after air polishing glycine procedures, registering the highest value gained for each occlusal surface. Results: 133 cuspidate permanent teeth of patients aged between 13 and 25were analyzed. Descriptive analysis showed an average of 0.82 (SD= 0.65; Min= 0.00; Max= 1.80; Median= 1.20) and of 0.93 (SD= 0.60; Min= 0.00; Max= 1.70; Median=1.20) for values before and after treatment, respectively. The scores assigned by VistaCam iX Proof fluorescence based camera to the occlusal surfaces, after the air-polishing treatment, are averagely higher than those before treatment, especially in the diagnosis of initial tooth decay. Conclusions: Biofilm removal with glycine air-polishing improves the VistaCam camera accuracy in recognizing healthy tissue from the decayed one, due to the fact that air-polishing treatment increases the decayed tissue reaction to the fluorescence.

Keywords

• Occlusal caries
• Fluorescence-based camera
• air‐polishing
• VistaCam iX Proof