Visual and radiographic merged-ICDAS caries progression pattern in 2-6 years old Colombian children: Two-year follow-up.

AIM: To describe the two-year clinical and combined with radiographic caries progression pattern in three cohorts of 2-(a), 4-(b), and 6-yr-old children (c).

DESIGN: Baseline sample comprised 600 children (each-cohort: n=200). Children's dental surfaces were clinically assessed at schools without air-drying (epi) in terms of: Clinical (C) caries lesions (d/D) with ICDASepi-merged system (C-ICDASepi-d/D:Sound/Initial-epi/Moderate/Extensive); fillings (f/F), and missing teeth (m/M). Clinical ICDAS (C) and Radiographic ICDAS (R) indexes were combined (C+R). Caries experience (dmf+DMF) was expressed as: C-dmfs+DMFS (Moderate/Extensive-d/D); C-ICDASepi-dmfs+DMFS (including Initial-epi-d); C+R-dmfs+DMFS, and C+R-ICDASepi-dmfs+DMFS. Follow-up caries progression corresponded to a more severe caries score.

RESULTS: Two-year follow-up sample was n=352 (58.7%-baseline sample): a: n=81; b: n=131; c: n=140. Around 100% of children presented C+R-ICDASepi-dmf+DMF≥1, with following C+R-ICDASepi-dmfs+DMFS means: a: 7.3±14.1; b: 12.2±19.5; c: 13.3±16.9. Progression was about 60% in all cohorts, mainly corresponding, in cohort b and c, to occlusal and distal surfaces of lower first/second-molar-primary teeth, and in cohort a to buccal surfaces of upper primary-incisor teeth. The addition of radiographs increased caries mean and prevalence in 10% as compared to only visual examination.

CONCLUSIONS: Children showed a high C+R caries experience progression rate, mainly related to occlusal and proximal surfaces in lower-molar teeth and buccal in upper-incisor teeth. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.