Although this method of examination is well established and universally taught, clinicians and patients do not generally recognise that this method is imperfect.
A comprehensive review provides estimates of sensitivity of lesion detection of 39–59% in both the enamel and dentine of occlusal surfaces, dependent on study methodology.
Specificity was high (about 95% or greater), but no one overall estimate was provided.
Thus, examiners could miss half the lesions present on occlusal surfaces, although they are unlikely to misclassify any healthy occlusal surfaces as decayed using this method.
The use of the dental probe (or explorer) has been controversial for many years. Practice in the USA has long been to use
a sharp explorer tip to provide tactile feedback (ie, evidence of softness) as an adjunct to visual signs of disease, whereas in Europe this practice is believed to add little to diagnostic yield and might induceiatrogenic damage to the enamel surface and promote caries initiation or progression.
However, clinicians in many countries, including in Europe, still use dental probes for diagnosis.
Although this method of examination is well established and universally taught, clinicians and patients do not generally recognise that this method is imperfect. A comprehensive review provides estimates of sensitivity of lesion detection of 39–59% in both the enamel and dentine of occlusal surfaces, dependent on study methodology. Specificity was high (about 95% or greater), but no one overall estimate was provided. Thus, examiners could miss half the lesions present on occlusal surfaces, although they are unlikely to misclassify any healthy occlusal surfaces as decayed using this method. The use of the dental probe (or explorer) has been controversial for many years. Practice in the USA has long been to usea sharp explorer tip to provide tactile feedback (ie, evidence of softness) as an adjunct to visual signs of disease, whereas in Europe this practice is believed to add little to diagnostic yield and might induceiatrogenic damage to the enamel surface and promote caries initiation or progression. However, clinicians in many countries, including in Europe, still use dental probes for diagnosis.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..