Consistent, reliable and practical detection and assessment of dental caries lesions as an effect of dental caries disease has been a challenge for a long time. The caries can be observed on all surfaces of the primary, permanent, and mixed dentitions. Surface lesions can then be calculated according to the type of the teeth (molars, premolars, incisors and canines) or according to the surfaces (proximal, occlusal and free smooth surfaces) (Burt., 1997; Ismail., 2004; Pitts., 2004).
The lesions have to be assessed as to whether the caries is limited to enamel or if it has progressed to dentin. The activity of lesions need to be determined as cavitated lesions continue to trap bacterial plaque and need to be restored. A single observation will only tell the clinician about the condition of the tooth at that single point in time; but, it will not determine whether the demineralization increasing or, perhaps decreasing. The small lesion needs to be well examine than the larger lesion (Whitaker., 2006).
Most of dental caries detection research focused occlusal and smooth surface caries. A critical factor to consider is that
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The first tool that oral professionals use for caries detection is done visually by using their eyes. The oldest method for detecting the changes within the tooth structure is the microporosity of enamel, which is done with the transmission of light through the enamel. Next, would be color changes within the tooth enamel and dentin followed by defects within the enamel. These all can be detected with the direct vision by the clinician’s eyes or vision associated with a mirror and a standard dental light. In addition, by detecting a small dental defect a small, rounded-end dental explorer or probe can be used (Braga., 2010; Van Dorp., 1988; Ekstrand.,