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The management of incipient or suspicious occlusal caries: a decision‐tree analysis
Author(s) -
Balevi Ben
Publication year - 2008
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.1600-0528.2007.00419.x
Subject(s) - medicine , decision tree , decision analysis , value (mathematics) , dentistry , tree (set theory) , decision tree model , visual inspection , orthodontics , data mining , artificial intelligence , computer science , machine learning , statistics , mathematics , mathematical analysis
– Objective: To perform a comprehensive decision‐tree analysis for the management of the suspicious/incipient occlusal lesion on a molar tooth. Methods: A quantitative decision tree was constructed to assess the expected utility value of three global strategies to dentally manage the incipient or suspicious occlusal carious lesion. Result: A preventive strategy offered an optimal expected utility value (0.98 utile) compared with the other two strategies of visual inspection (0.84 utile) or referring to one of four diagnostic tests (0.74–0.82 utile). Conclusion: Although the general conclusion of this analysis agrees with current recommendations, this analysis offers a more complete mathematical model that provides a unified value for each strategy (i.e. expected utility value) thus allowing for complex quantitative comparison between strategies. This paper provides a specific example of how decision‐tree analysis can be a powerful tool in guiding dental practice.