Effect of different time intervals between examinations on the reproducibility of ICDAS-II for occlusal caries

• Published in: Caries research Vol. 44; no. 3; p. 267
• Main Authors: Jablonski-Momeni, A, Ricketts, D N J, Weber, K, Ziomek, O, Heinzel-Gutenbrunner, M, Schipper, H M, Stoll, R, Pieper, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 01-01-2010
• Subjects: Dental Caries - classification; Dental Caries - diagnosis; Dental Caries Activity Tests - standards; Humans; Observer Variation; Photography, Dental; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1421-976X
• DOI: 10.1159/000314674

To evaluate intra- and interexaminer reproducibility of ICDAS-II on occlusal caries diagnosis when different time intervals were allowed to elapse between examinations. A subsidiary aim was to determine whether collapsing the codes would influence this reproducibility.
The occlusal surfaces of 50 permanent posterior teeth were investigated by 3 trained examiners using ICDAS-II at baseline, 1 day, 1 week and 4 weeks after baseline.
Weighted kappa values for intra- and interexaminer reproducibility were 0.76-0.93.
The time span did not have a major impact on assessing intra- and interexaminer reproducibility. Collapsing ICDAS-II codes had no impact on examiner reproducibility.