A review of quantitative methods for studies of mineral content of intra-oral caries lesions.

Modern prospective caries studies require the measurement of small changes in tooth mineral content. Quantitative measurements of changes in mineral content in a single caries lesion is desirable. Quantitative methods can be either destructive or non-destructive. The latter type permits longitudinal studies to be conducted. Various methods available for the analysis of lesion parameters are reviewed. The basic principle of each method is summarized, and its characteristics are discussed. For each method, the correlation between the measured parameter and mineral loss, the useful range of mineral loss, the discrimination threshold, and the repeatability, are presented. Where such quantities were not available in the original papers, they were calculated from literature data. A comprehensive table of specifications of all methods is given.