Digital enhancement of radiographs: can it improve caries diagnosis?

Unlike traditional radiographs, digital images are electronically alterable and offer the potential for enhancing diagnostic information. The authors conducted a small-scale study to examine differences in clinicians' diagnoses of caries using traditional radiographs and digitized images vs. microscopic diagnosis. Two general dentists and one oral-maxillofacial radiologist scored the images for caries. This study suggests that digital enhancements may aid some clinicians in caries diagnosis.