Original Title: Tidlig diagnostik og behandling af approksimal caries i mælketandsættet – en medicinsk teknologivurdering

Authors' objectives: This health technology assessment's aim is to assess: 1) to what degree proximal caries in primary teeth are under diagnosed with current diagnostic methods; 2) whether it is possible to achieve a reduction in the development of caries with new treatment that involves early diagnosis and chemical-mechanical treatment; 3) to what extent the previous diagnostics and treatment cause a change in the use of resources; 4) whether benefits in dental health can bear comparison with the use of resources by implementing treatment; as well as 5) which organizational conditions must be present in order to implement the new treatment.

Authors' recommendations: Despite the diagnostic benefit of early and improved diagnostics, together with the benefits in dental health of the subsequent chemical-mechanical treatment, immediate implementation of the collective intervention, in the form which was used in the study, can not be recommended. The intervention is assessed to be resource demanding in relation to the benefits in dental health. The obvious largest cost item is the increased spending on personnel.If there is particular importance attached to the desire to protect children from damaging treatments, which in the first round protects children but in the long run reduces the risk of dental anxiety, the intervention can potentially be implemented in a modified form, so that the benefits are retained, but where the use of resources is reduced substantially. Costs can be reduced by, for example, caries free six year olds first having bitewing radiographs taken again when they are eight or nine, and by those who have most dental decay being treated chemically-mechanically, concurrently with another treatment. Furthermore, the design of calling in can be made more efficient by calling in groups, and time consumption by the prophylactic treatment ought to be reduced in relation to the procedure that is used in the report. Moreover, all prophylactic treatment could be performed by dental assistants, which reduces the use of dentist and dental hygienists.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2008

URL for published report: https://www.sst.dk/da/Udgivelser/2008/Tidlig-diagnostik-og-behandling-af-approksimal-caries-i-maelketandsaette---en-Medicinsk-Teknologi-Vu

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Denmark

Organisation Name: Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment

Contact Address: National Board of Health, PO Box 1881, Islands Brygge 67, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. Tel: 45 72 22 74 48; Fax: 45 72 22 74 07/67

Contact Name: dacehta@sst.dk

Contact Email: dacehta@sst.dk

Copyright: Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment (DACEHTA)