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A comparison of the concurrent validity of two epidemiologic diagnostic systems for caries evaluation
Author(s) -
Downer Martin C.,
O'Mullane D. M.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1975.tb00274.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dentistry , medical diagnosis , diagnostic accuracy , orthodontics , fissure , posterior teeth , clinical diagnosis , blunt , radiology , clinical psychology , materials science , composite material
The concurrent validity of two methods of caries diagnosis was evaluated by comparing findings obtained by two observers in independent extraoral examinations of 109 posterior teeth with the histologic appearance of these teeth after sectioning. Diagnosis of pit and fissure caries predilection sites and approximal surfaces was carried out by the first examiner using a visual technique of clinical diagnosis (Method 1), and by the second using a visual‐tactile technique, aided by a standardized blunt probe (Method 2). Validity was expressed in terms of sensitivities and specificities of diagnosis. For Method 1, sensitivity was 0.91 for fissure sites and 0.94 for approximal surfaces, the corresponding estimates for Method 2 being 0.92 and 0.93. Specificity estimates for Method 1 were 0.81 for fissures and 0.92 for approximal surfaces, while the corresponding values for Method 2 were 0.85 and 0.97. Comparison of values between methods yielded no statistically significant differences except for the specificities of diagnosis at approximal surfaces. Method 1 returned a significantly higher frequency of false positive diagnoses at these sites than Method 2.