Advanced diagnostic aids in dental caries – A review

Abstract

Dental caries is a result of shift in the balance of mineral loss and gain, leading to more changes in the tooth structure, which cannot be accepted as healthy but should be considered as pathological. This change of dental caries from a physiological process to pathology is continuous and affected by numerous variables and also there is a lack of a definite boundary line between health and disease. The progression of non cavitated lesions seems to be slower, allowing preventive strategies to be implemented when the lesions have the greatest opportunity to arrest. Thus, early and accurate detection and diagnosis of dental caries are an important component of the overall management of dental patient. Advanced diagnostic modalities available to clinicians today expand greatly on the foundation of a comprehensive visual assessment, which has been and will be the cornerstone of the diagnostic process.