JADA December 2017
A lesion on an
occlusal tooth surface with no cavitation and no radiographic radiolucency but
in which caries is suspected owing to surface roughness, opacities, or staining
can be defined as a suspicious occlusal carious lesion (SOCL). The authors’
objective was to quantify the characteristics of SOCLs and their relationship to
lesion depth and activity after these lesions were opened surgically.
Ninety-three dentists participated in the study. When a consenting patient had
an SOCL, information was recorded about the tooth, lesion, treatment provided,
and, if the SOCL was opened surgically, its lesion depth. The Rao-Scott
cluster-adjusted c2 test was used to evaluate associations between lesion depth
and color, roughness, patient risk, and luster.
Key Words: Evidence-based dentistry; carious lesions;
dentin.