Radiographic diagnoses and treatment decisions on approximal caries.

The purpose of the study was to examine the quality of radiographic caries diagnosis by dentists; the frequency of operative treatment decisions; and the frequency and pattern of proposals to fill sound surfaces. Radiographs of 68 approximal surfaces of extracted teeth were duplicated and examined by 243 dentists. A "true" diagnosis was established by direct inspection and probing. Great variation existed in diagnostic quality between dentists. Restoration therapy made up 15.6 of surfaces on average (SD = 6.5, range 0-66). Fillings were proposed for about 5% of the sound surfaces. About 25% of the dentists accounted for more than 80% of the treatment proposed for sound surfaces.