Validation of caries risk assessment methods in orthodontic patients

Introduction Dental caries is an undesirable side effect of orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances. Caries lesions can result in long-term esthetic disturbance, costly interventions, and even interrupted treatment. Therefore, it is crucial to assess accurately both a patient's caries risk before treatment and their suitability for orthodontic treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the validity of 5 caries risk assessment methods for predicting caries outcome during orthodontic treatment: Cariogram, Caries Management by Risk Assessment (CAMBRA), R2, decayed filled teeth (DFT), and decayed initial filled surfaces (DiFS). Methods A prospective longitudinal clinical study of 270 adolescents who were referred to the Specialist Clinic for Orthodontics, Molndal Hospital, Sweden for treatment with fixed orthodontic appliances. The following data were collected before treatment: plaque index, radiographs to determine caries prevalence (DFT, DiFS), photographs to determine white-spot lesions, saliva samples (Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli), and responses to a questionnaire (regarding diet and oral hygiene). The variables were compiled to assess caries risk according to Cariogram, CAMBRA, and R2. Radiographs were also taken posttreatment to assess caries incidence. The caries outcomes after treatment were analyzed and compared with the caries risk, assessed by the caries risk assessment methods at baseline. Results DiFS proved to be the most reliable method for predicting caries during orthodontic treatment, presenting the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for both manifest caries (0.77) and initial caries (0.71). Conclusions The DiFS prevalence index was demonstrated to be useful in identifying patients who are at risk for developing manifest and initial caries during orthodontic treatment.