DIAGNOdent (Kavo America) is a clinical caries detection apparatus that has displayed acceptable sensitivity. Laboratory methods, such as Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy, have also displayed excellent reliability in carious lesions in extracted teeth (Mukhin et al. Abstract 2002, AADR 2006). Objectives: To compare DIAGNOdent measurements on extracted teeth with data from laboratory spectroscopic analyses. Methods: Human teeth, extracted for therapeutic purposes and exhibiting varying degrees of caries, were utilized. Digital photographs of occlusal surfaces of the teeth were obtained. Three dentists with varying clinical experience and a second-year pre-doctoral student independently examined the teeth with a dental explorer and qualitatively noted the carious areas on the photographs. They also used DIAGNOdent to measure in the areas selected as “definite” and “questionable”, before and after using prophylactic spray on them. The numeric data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. One millimeter thick bucco-lingual or mesio-distal sections, parallel to the long axis of the carious areas were obtained for spectroscopic analyses. Using Raman microscope (Reinshaw 2000), Raman spectra were collected in a backscattering confocal geometry with 633 nm line of He-Ne laser excitation. For fluoresecence microscopy, Fluorolog 3 (Jobin-Yvon, Inc.) was utilized with excitation and emission wavelength ranges of 270-600 nm and 300-900 nm, respectively. Results: There was limited agreement on the identification of “definite” and “questionable” areas among the participants. There was no significant difference between the DIAGNOdent data collected by the four participants (p > 0.05) before or after prophylactic spray. For the “definite” lesions, the Raman and fluorescence spectra showed decreased intensity of peaks and also features associated with the healthy tissue. The healthy and “questionable” regions displayed varying degrees of reduction in spectra intensity. Conclusion: DIAGNOdent is helpful for detection of caries but its use would need validation with clinical experience especially in questionable areas.

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