Caries prediction: a review of the literature

Abstract

For over a decade researchers have been looking for the formula that will allow caries prediction. The purpose of this summary is to review recent multifactorial prediction models for adults and children with the aim of identifying the most successful and consistent methods. Conclusions from this review include the following: Clinical variables, especially past caries experience, are confirmed as the most significant predictors of future caries development. The status of the most recently erupted/exposed surface is the most successful measure of past caries experience. Bacterial levels are included in the most accurate prediction models. Sociodemographic variables are most important to caries prediction models for young children and older adults.

Permanent dentition caries through the first half of life

“…1 The findings confirm an earlier review of caries prediction that found that previous caries experience was the strongest predictor of future caries development. 2 Reviews of epidemiological data indicate that caries experience at six years of age (whether that of individuals or groups) predicts caries experience to adulthood. 3,4 This has been substantiated in a long-standing prospective study of a birth cohort born in Dunedin (New Zealand) in 1972/1973.…”

A cluster randomised, controlled trial of the value of dental health educators in general dental practice

“…The reliability (intra-class correlation) value was 0.98 indicating a good level of together with its socio-economic background and its clinical status. [7][8][9][10] Some families had more than one child who fitted the criteria, and so there were more children than parents involved.…”

A Study on Assessing the Chance of Dental Caries Level using Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale in 5-yearold Children in Kandy District, Sri Lanka

“…[13][14][15] However, most of these caries prediction attempts are not noninvasive but minimally invasive and individual level studies. 13,20 The caries prediction model that was generated from our preliminary study is a totally noninvasive population level study as reported by others.…”

“…However, it further says that the logistic regression is a relatively new technique in this area of application, i.e., not limited by requiring predictor variable to be normally distributed. 14,15 Thus, our aim of the preliminary study was to evaluate the level of oral disease, especially dental caries, and to assess the chance of the dental caries status with the score of the ECOHIS in a group of 5+ years Sri Lankan schoolchildren using multivariable logistic regression.…”