Non-Cochrane · DTA · PM42232239
Comparative diagnostic accuracy of laser fluorescence and conventional caries detection methods in children: a systematic review and meta analysis.
Sharma Pratyasha, Joshi Nishi, Bhandary Srikala · Frontiers in dental medicine · 2026 · PubMed · doi:10.3389/fdmed.2026.1798996
Findings
8 findings
| Population | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enamel and early dentinal caries lesions (D1 threshold) in children and adolescents (<18 years), primary, permanent or mixed dentition | Laser fluorescence devices (DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent Pen) | Reference standard (histological, operative, temporary tooth separation, or combined visual and radiographic assessment) | Pooled specificity Clinical studies in children; some with histological validation of extracted teeth · D1 (enamel and early dentinal) threshold | Specificity 0.77 [0.67, 0.84] GRADE not reported 8 studies |
| Enamel and early dentinal caries lesions (D1 threshold) in children and adolescents (<18 years), primary, permanent or mixed dentition | Laser fluorescence devices (DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent Pen) | Reference standard (histological, operative, temporary tooth separation, or combined visual and radiographic assessment) | Pooled log diagnostic odds ratio Clinical studies in children; some with histological validation of extracted teeth · D1 (enamel and early dentinal) threshold | log diagnostic odds ratio 2.94 [2.15, 3.74] GRADE not reported 8 studies |
| Enamel and early dentinal caries lesions (D1 threshold) in children and adolescents (<18 years), primary, permanent or mixed dentition | Laser fluorescence devices (DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent Pen) | Reference standard (histological, operative, temporary tooth separation, or combined visual and radiographic assessment) | Area under the HSROC curve (AUC) Clinical studies in children; some with histological validation of extracted teeth · D1 (enamel and early dentinal) threshold | AUC 0.86 GRADE not reported 8 studies |
| Enamel and early dentinal caries lesions (D1 threshold) in children and adolescents (<18 years), primary, permanent or mixed dentition | Laser fluorescence devices (DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent Pen) | Reference standard (histological, operative, temporary tooth separation, or combined visual and radiographic assessment) | Pooled sensitivity Clinical studies in children; some with histological validation of extracted teeth · D1 (enamel and early dentinal) threshold | Sensitivity 0.84 [0.80, 0.87] GRADE not reported 8 studies |
| Dentinal and cavitated caries lesions (D3 threshold) in children and adolescents (<18 years), primary, permanent or mixed dentition | Laser fluorescence devices (DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent Pen) | Reference standard (histological, operative, temporary tooth separation, or combined visual and radiographic assessment) | Area under the HSROC curve (AUC) Clinical studies in children; some with histological validation of extracted teeth · D3 (dentinal) threshold | AUC 0.81 GRADE not reported 10 studies |
| Dentinal and cavitated caries lesions (D3 threshold) in children and adolescents (<18 years), primary, permanent or mixed dentition | Laser fluorescence devices (DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent Pen) | Reference standard (histological, operative, temporary tooth separation, or combined visual and radiographic assessment) | Pooled sensitivity Clinical studies in children; some with histological validation of extracted teeth · D3 (dentinal) threshold | Sensitivity 0.81 [0.77, 0.85] GRADE not reported 10 studies |
| Dentinal and cavitated caries lesions (D3 threshold) in children and adolescents (<18 years), primary, permanent or mixed dentition | Laser fluorescence devices (DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent Pen) | Reference standard (histological, operative, temporary tooth separation, or combined visual and radiographic assessment) | Pooled log diagnostic odds ratio Clinical studies in children; some with histological validation of extracted teeth · D3 (dentinal) threshold | log diagnostic odds ratio 3.55 [3.14, 3.96] GRADE not reported 10 studies |
| Dentinal and cavitated caries lesions (D3 threshold) in children and adolescents (<18 years), primary, permanent or mixed dentition | Laser fluorescence devices (DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent Pen) | Reference standard (histological, operative, temporary tooth separation, or combined visual and radiographic assessment) | Pooled specificity Clinical studies in children; some with histological validation of extracted teeth · D3 (dentinal) threshold | Specificity 0.89 [0.84, 0.92] GRADE not reported 10 studies |
Included primary studies 41
Open in Studies| Study | Year | Also included by | Outcomes it informs here | Trial data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costa 2007 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 1 other review | Pooled sensitivity; Pooled specificity; Area under the HSROC curve (AUC); Pooled log diagnostic odds ratio | not extracted yet |
| Souza 2013 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 1 other review | Pooled sensitivity; Pooled specificity; Area under the HSROC curve (AUC); Pooled log diagnostic odds ratio | not extracted yet |
| Anttonen 2004 A follow‐up study of the use of DIAGNOdent for monitoring fissure caries in children DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0528.2004.00168.x | 2004 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Anttonen 2004 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | PM42232239-P1-O5; PM42232239-P1-O6; PM42232239-P1-O7; PM42232239-P1-O8 | not extracted yet |
| Bussaneli 2015 Proximal caries lesion detection in primary teeth: does this justify the association of diagnostic methods? DOI:10.1007/s10103-015-1798-2 | 2015 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Bussaneli 2015 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | PM42232239-P1-O5; PM42232239-P1-O6; PM42232239-P1-O7; PM42232239-P1-O8 | not extracted yet |
| Cinar 2013 Comparison of laser fluorescence devices for detection of caries in primary teeth DOI:10.1111/idj.12024 | 2013 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Cinar 2013 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Pooled sensitivity; Pooled specificity; Area under the HSROC curve (AUC); Pooled log diagnostic odds ratio | not extracted yet |
| Costa 2007 Assessment of the accuracy of visual examination, bite-wing radiographs and DIAGNOdent® on the diagnosis of occlusal caries DOI:10.1007/bf03262580 | 2007 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Costa 2008 Use of diagnodent<FONT FACE=Symbol>â </FONT>for diagnosis of non-cavitated occlusal dentin caries DOI:10.1590/s1678-77572008000100005 | 2008 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Costa 2008 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Duruturk 2011 Clinical Evaluation of DIAGNOdent in Detection of Occlusal Caries in Newly Erupted Noncavitated First Permanent Molars in Caries-Active… DOI:10.2341/10-309-c | 2011 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Duruturk 2011 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | PM42232239-P1-O5; PM42232239-P1-O6; PM42232239-P1-O7; PM42232239-P1-O8 | not extracted yet |
| Goswami 2015 Evaluation of cavitated and non-cavitated carious lesions using the WHO basic methods, ICDAS-II and laser fluorescence measurements DOI:10.4103/0970-4388.148961 | 2015 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Goswami 2015 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Pooled sensitivity; Pooled specificity; Area under the HSROC curve (AUC); Pooled log diagnostic odds ratio | not extracted yet |
| Kavvadia 2008 Clinical performance of a diode laser fluorescence device for the detection of occlusal caries in primary teeth DOI:10.1111/j.1365-263x.2007.00913.x | 2008 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Kavvadia 2008 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | PM42232239-P1-O5; PM42232239-P1-O6; PM42232239-P1-O7; PM42232239-P1-O8 | not extracted yet |
| Kockanat 2017 DOI:10.23804/ejpd.2017.18.02.03 | NR | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Kockanat 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Pooled sensitivity; Pooled specificity; Area under the HSROC curve (AUC); Pooled log diagnostic odds ratio | not extracted yet |
| Kuhnisch 2008 Occlusal caries detection in permanent molars according to WHO basic methods, ICDAS II and laser fluorescence measurements DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0528.2008.00436.x | 2008 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Kuhnisch 2008 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | PM42232239-P1-O5; PM42232239-P1-O6; PM42232239-P1-O7; PM42232239-P1-O8 | not extracted yet |
| Mepparambath 2014 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | PM42232239-P1-O5; PM42232239-P1-O6; PM42232239-P1-O7; PM42232239-P1-O8 | not extracted yet |
| Mepparambath 2014 Comparison of Proximal Caries Detection in Primary Teeth between Laser Fluorescence and Bitewing Radiography: An in vivo Study. PMID:25709294 | 2014 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Monea 2021 In vivo effectiveness of visual inspection and laser fluorescence in the diagnosis of early pit-and-fissure carious lesions DOI:10.1097/md.0000000000027811 | 2021 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Monea 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | PM42232239-P1-O5; PM42232239-P1-O6; PM42232239-P1-O7; PM42232239-P1-O8 | not extracted yet |
| Moriyama 2021 What diagnostic strategy performs better for caries lesion detection on proximal surfaces of adolescents? DOI:10.1007/s00784-020-03728-0 | 2021 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Moriyama 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | PM42232239-P1-O5; PM42232239-P1-O6; PM42232239-P1-O7; PM42232239-P1-O8 | not extracted yet |
| Novaes 2009 Performance of a Pen-Type Laser Fluorescence Device and Conventional Methods in Detecting Approximal Caries Lesions in Primary Teeth – in… DOI:10.1159/000189705 | 2009 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Novaes 2009 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Pooled sensitivity; Pooled specificity; Area under the HSROC curve (AUC); Pooled log diagnostic odds ratio | not extracted yet |
| Novaes 2017 Association between quantitative measures obtained using fluorescence‐based methods and activity status of occlusal caries lesions in… DOI:10.1111/ipd.12242 | 2016 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Novaes 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Pinelli 2002 Validity and Reproducibility of a Laser Fluorescence System for Detecting the Activity of White-Spot Lesions on Free Smooth Surfaces in vivo DOI:10.1159/000057585 | 2002 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Pinelli 2002 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Sheehy 2001 Comparison between Visual Examination and a Laser Fluorescence System for in vivo Diagnosis of Occlusal Caries DOI:10.1159/000047485 | 2001 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Sheehy 2001 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | PM42232239-P1-O5; PM42232239-P1-O6; PM42232239-P1-O7; PM42232239-P1-O8 | not extracted yet |
| Souza 2013 Traditional and novel methods for occlusal caries detection: performance on primary teeth DOI:10.1007/s10103-012-1154-8 | 2012 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Teo 2014 An in vivo and in vitro investigation of the use of ICDAS, DIAGNOdent pen and CarieScan PRO for the detection and assessment of occlusal… DOI:10.1007/s00784-013-1021-4 | 2013 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Toraman Alkurt 2008 In vivo comparison of laser fluorescence measurements with conventional methods for occlusal caries detection DOI:10.1007/s10103-007-0486-2 | 2007 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Toraman Alkurt 2008 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | PM42232239-P1-O5; PM42232239-P1-O6; PM42232239-P1-O7; PM42232239-P1-O8 | not extracted yet |
| Yehua 2024 Evaluation of DIAGNOdent pen for initial occlusal caries diagnosis in permanent teeth DOI:10.1186/s12903-024-04889-0 | 2024 | this review only | Pooled sensitivity | not extracted yet |
| Yehua 2024 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | Pooled sensitivity; Pooled specificity; Area under the HSROC curve (AUC); Pooled log diagnostic odds ratio | not extracted yet |
Overlap with other reviews
Reviews that include the same primary studies are not independent evidence. Shared counts match studies by PMID, DOI or NCT, and otherwise by author and year (a probable match). Only the non-Cochrane dental reviews have study lists, so overlap with Cochrane reviews is not counted yet.
Review question
| Element | Planned (methods) | Found (results) |
|---|---|---|
| Population | Children and adolescents (<18 years) with primary, permanent or mixed dentition | Children and adolescents (<18 years); primary, permanent and mixed dentition (n=21 studies) |
| Intervention | Laser fluorescence-based caries detection (DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent Pen, similar devices) | DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent Pen (KaVo) and other fluorescence devices |
| Comparison | Conventional caries detection (visual examination including ICDAS, visual-tactile assessment, bitewing radiography) | Visual examination, ICDAS, bitewing radiography; histological, operative or temporary separation reference standards |
| Outcomes | Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, ROC analysis, contingency tables | Pooled sensitivity, specificity and AUC at D1 (8 studies) and D3 (10 studies) thresholds |
| Study designs | Cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy studies, prospective or retrospective clinical studies, RCTs, comparative observational studies | In vivo diagnostic accuracy studies (21) |
| Timing | Not specified | Not specified |