Question · asked by 1 review
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination): Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries
- Population
- Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted teeth of children or adults (in vitro studies); teeth apparently healthy or with suspected early caries. Studies intentionally including caries obviously into dentine or frank cavitation, or participants referred to secondary care for restorative treatment, were excluded. Target condition: early (non-cavitated enamel-only) coronal dental caries on occlusal, approximal, or smooth surfaces
- Intervention
- Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT)
- Comparison
- Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination)
- Outcome
- Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries
What each review found
Include earlier review versionsNo studies found 0 · 0%GRADE not reported 16 · 94.1%Very low 0 · 0%Low 1 · 5.9%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%
| Finding | Effect | Studies | GRADE certainty |
|---|---|---|---|
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Permanent dentition (non-CBCT) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.90 [0.85, 0.93] | Not reported | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Sensitivity analysis: low risk of bias for index test Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.88 [0.82, 0.92] | Not reported | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Dentine-caries (D3) prevalence high >=35% or unreported (non-CBCT) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.89 [0.82, 0.93] | Not reported | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Setting: in vitro (non-CBCT) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.89 [0.84, 0.92] | Not reported | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Proximal surfaces (non-CBCT) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.89 [0.84, 0.93] | Not reported | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Primary dentition (non-CBCT) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.87 [0.77, 0.93] | Not reported | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Occlusal surfaces (non-CBCT) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.88 [0.80, 0.93] | Not reported | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Sensitivity analysis: excluding high/unclear risk of bias reference standard Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.87 [0.83, 0.90] | Not reported | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Reference standard: excavation (non-CBCT) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.96 [0.80, 0.99] | 5 studies | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Dentine-caries (D3) prevalence medium 15-34% (non-CBCT) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.87 [0.78, 0.92] | Not reported | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.88 [0.84, 0.92] | 77 studies | Low |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Analogue and digital combined (non-CBCT); 97 datasets Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.89 [0.86, 0.92] | Not reported | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Sensitivity analysis: low dentine-caries prevalence <15% Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.91 [0.87, 0.94] | Not reported | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Dentine-caries (D3) prevalence low <15% (non-CBCT) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.91 [0.85, 0.95] | Not reported | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Setting: in vivo / clinical (non-CBCT) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.89 [0.78, 0.95] | 17 studies | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Reference standard: enhanced visual (non-CBCT) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.91 [0.77, 0.97] | 8 studies | GRADE not reported |
Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination) Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Reference standard: histology (non-CBCT) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane All outcomes | Specificity 0.88 [0.83, 0.92] | 64 studies | GRADE not reported |
Findings are shown side by side, never pooled across reviews.
The reviews
| Review | Searched up to | Included studies | AMSTAR 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes | 2018-12 | Not listed | Not assessed |
How reviews are matched to this question
Reviews word the same question differently. Four decision models (TypeSafe's Jev, Liquid AI's d1-ultra, SubQ Snap and Baseten's Elephant) judged each wording of the population, intervention, comparator and outcome against the others; two wordings count as the same when at least three of them agree and none clearly disagrees, and findings count as this question only when all four elements match. Timing, setting and subgroup never split a question: they are shown on each finding.