Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39865218›Full record

ArticleBMC oral health2025

Near-infrared light reflection for the early detection of proximal caries in posterior teeth: an in vivo study.

Liheng Shen, Xiqun Yang, Chengzhi Dong, Xiaodong Tang, Simin Zheng, Tingting Wang, Linhong Wang, Fan Yang, Yuchen Zheng

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC oral health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Liheng Shen *Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Xiqun Yang *Central Sterile Supply Department, Nursing Department, Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Chengzhi DongSchool of Stomatology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Xiaodong TangSchool of Stomatology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Simin ZhengSchool of Stomatology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Tingting WangCenter for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Linhong WangCenter for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Fan YangCenter for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. yangfan@hmc.edu.cn.
Yuchen ZhengCenter for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. zhengyuchen@hmc.edu.cn.

Funding

Zhejiang Province Medicine and Health Research Plan No. 2024ky008
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of near-infrared light reflection for detecting different depths of proximal caries in posterior teeth and to compare it with commonly used clinical oral examinations and bitewing radiography images.

methodsTwenty-six patients with a total of 516 proximal surfaces were included in this study. The ground truth of the proximal caries was determined through a consensus reached by two experienced dentists after an intraoral examination assisted by bitewing radiographs. Two general dentists assessed the condition of proximal caries on posterior teeth on near-infrared light reflection images. Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were evaluated to determine the diagnostic efficacy of near-infrared light reflection for detecting proximal caries in posterior teeth.

resultsFor posterior teeth, the accuracy of near-infrared light reflection was 0.78, with a sensitivity of 0.44 and a specificity of 0.83. Cohen's kappa showed poor consistency between the two diagnostic methods, near-infrared light reflection and bitewing radiography.

conclusionNear-infrared light reflection is an effective clinical tool for detecting proximal caries in posterior teeth, yet this method does not demonstrate superiority over traditional methods such as bitewing radiography.

trial registrationThe clinical trial was registered with the China Clinical Trial Registry ( https://www.chictr.org.cn/ ) on 18 August 2023 under the trial number ChiCTR2300074877.

Indexed as

Dental CariesInfrared RaysAdultEarly DiagnosisFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRadiography, BitewingSensitivity and SpecificityBitewing radiographyCaries detectionIntraoral scanningNear-infrared light reflectionProximal caries

Identifiers

PMID39865218
PMCPMC11765916

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.