Three-dimensional diagnosis of dentin caries beneath composite restorations using swept-source optical coherence tomography

The aims of this study were to assess the diagnostic accuracy of swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) for detection of caries beneath composite restorations and to compare the results with those obtained by radiography. Flat dentin surfaces with and without natural caries were bonded with 1-or 2-mm thick composite restorations. SS-OCT scanning was performed over the composite restorations to construct three-dimensional (3D) images of the resin-dentin interface. Images were chosen from the 3D constructions to detect caries beneath the restorations. The sensitivity, specificity, false positive and negative predictive values for caries detection, and Az values from receiver-operating characteristic analysis were calculated and compared with those of digital dental radiography at a significance level of α=0.05. Intraexaminer and interexaminer reproducibility was compared between SSOCT and radiography. SS-OCT could detect caries, which appeared as a bright zone beneath composite up to 2-mm thick. SS-OCT provided greater diagnostic accuracy than radiography.