Proximal Caries Injuries in the Primary Dentition: Frequency of Homologous Injuries

Abstract

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the bilateral and adjacent occurrence of approximal caries on primary dentition. The study sample was comprised by patients’ files from children attended at the Pediatric Dental Clinic of the Faculty of Dentistry at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. From a total of 670 files, 208 had bilateral bitewing radiographs and were selected for the study. The children’s files with any approximal caries lesion/restoration, adequate brightness and contrast degree and without approximal superposition were selected for the analysis (kappa 0.84). Radiographs were evaluated at random and the approximal caries lesion and restoration were recorded. The occurrence of homologous and adjacent approximal caries lesions on deciduous molars was reported. 81% of the sample (64 pairs of bitewing radiographs) presented caries lesion in homologous approximal surfaces and 58% of these individuals showed more than one pair of these lesions. The most frequently affected surface (41%) was the distal surface of primary molars. 59% of the children presented caries lesion/restoration on both adjacent approximal surfaces. Considering the methodology of the present study, it can be concluded that caries lesions in deciduous molars present a bilateral pattern of occurrence in homologous and adjacent approximal surfaces. These findings must be considered during clinical investigation of caries lesions in children with past caries experience.