Main Conclusions
Past caries experience is the single best factor for prediction of future caries (Evidence Grade 1).
It is possible to identify children and adolescents at very low risk of developing caries during the next 2–3 years (Evidence Grade 1). However, it is difficult to determine accurately which individuals are at risk of developing caries.
For caries diagnosis, a combination of visual-tactile and radiographic examination is more reliable than either method used separately (Evidence Grade 3). In general, accuracy in excluding the presence of caries is greater than in confirming its presence (Evidence Grade 3). The likelihood that radiation-induced cancer will develop because of exposure to dental radiography is considered to be very small, but greater than zero. There is inadequate scientific support for complementary diagnostic methods. There are no studies of the cost-effectiveness of the various diagnostic methods.
There is insufficient scientific support for any conclusion as to whether early caries lesions can be treated effectively by non-invasive methods.