Vroegdiagnostiek van cariës

Early detection of carious lesions enables the dental p rofessional to interfere
in caries development. Visual inspection in combination with bitewing radiographs
p erformed better than new quantitative methods in detecting early
non-cavitated carious lesions. Once a lesion has been detected assessment
of activity (diagnosis) is important in order to distinguish between an active
process and a scar developed in the past. The ‘clinical gaze’, an intellectual
interpretation of the dental condition, whereby the caries experience of the
recent past is used as an important caries p redictor, is better able to p roduce
a correct estimate of the caries risk than p rediction models based on risk
factors. A correct diagnosis of lesion activity in combination with the caries
risk of the patient gives us a tool to p redict caries development in the future.
Subsequently caries activity can be influenced by addressing the factors
which cause caries (causal therapy).