Beschreibung
The aim of the present work was to compare digital, teledental examination based on intraoral scanners with the goldstandard of analog, clinical examination of the oral cavi-ty as the reference method in senior dentistry.
To conduct this in vivo study, a total of 50 elderly were studied, separated into a first section, the proof-of-concept study (n = 10), and a subsequent second section, the main study (n = 40). A total of 14 test criteria for the reliability and six for sensitivity and specificity were examined. One rater (J.D.) first examined all subjects in analog form and digitized the oral situation using IOS. After this, the intraoral scans were digitally evaluated by an independent rater (M.A.S.) and, after a waiting period of six weeks, by the rater J.D. The goldstandard, or more precisely the results of analog reporting, always served as the established reference method.
Depending on the study section, between two and six test criteria achieved a considera-ble (AC1 = 0.610 - 0.800) and between six and eleven test criteria achieved an almost perfect (AC1 > 0.810) agreement. The most important criterion "treatment urgency" showed 100 % agreement in both study sections. The results for sensitivity and spec-ificity also predominantly achieved values above 75,0 %, in some cases even above 90,0 %. The criteria on the assessment of oral or prosthetic hygiene and occlusion control achieved the lowest reliability values with sufficient (AC1 = 0.210 - 0.400) or moderate (AC1 = 0.410 - 0.600) agreement. In the test criteria for sensitivity and specificity, den-ture assessment and occlusion control also showed the lowest values.
In conclusion, the presented study was able to demonstrate the great potential of this tele-dentistry method based on IOS. The oral health of these needing care elderly can be adequately assessed with the help of intraoral scans and a statement made about the urgency of treatment. This makes it easier to plan treatments for these patients, minimiz-ing potential risks and reducing the amount of treatment required. Consequently, the patient burden of multimorbid people in need of care can be reduced in the future and their oral health improved at the same time.