The use of the autofluorescence diagnostics device for controlled сaries excavation

Abstract

The modern standard in dentistry is minimally invasive treatment, as it allows you to preserve the viability of teeth. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of using an autofluorescence diagnostic device (AFS) to determine the end-points of the carious cavity preparation. Material and methods. The study was conducted on ten third molars extracted for medical reasons. Autofluorescence with AFS device and caries-marker were used to visualize infected carious dentin at different stages of cavity preparation. Results. The method showed effectiveness for differentiating affected and infected dentin. Sound dentin, dense carious dentin, and soft infected dentin was characterized with green, orange, and red fluorescence, respectively. The data obtained from caries markers do not always coincide with the probing indicators and the AFS device. For the FACE method with AFS device sensitivity, specifity, and overall diagnostic accuracy were 81.8%, 88.9%, and 85%, respectively. For the caries-marker sensitivity, specifity, and overall diagnostic accuracy were 90%, 77.8%, and 80%, respectively. Conclusions. The AFS device allows selective removal of infected dentin more carefully compared to caries-marker staining as fluorescence allows us to visualize infected dentin and to preserve demineralized (affected) dentin.