Caries prediction is a modern direction of development of pediatric preventive dentistry

Abstract

Modern medicine has accumulated a huge amount of knowledge about the etiology and pathogenesis of the development of many diseases, so the medicine of the present and the future should have a pronounced preventive character. The aim of the study was to determine the most effective integrated approach in predicting dental caries in children at the prenosological stage of the disease development.
Materials and methods.
As a result of the examination, 4 clinical groups (111 people) of caries-resistant children were formed: 5—6 years old, 12 years old, 15 years old, 7—12 years old. A separate group of caries-resistant children with a removable bite (7—12 years old) was identified for a more in-depth study of metabolic processes in the oral cavity during the mineralization of the enamel of the teeth of permanent bite. The clinical part of the study included: anamnesis collection, examination of the oral cavity, determination of indices of the intensity of the carious process; PMA index; Green-Vermillion hygiene index; TER-test, COSRE-test. The laboratory part of the study included the determination of the following parameters of oral fluid: total calcium, phosphorus; active potassium and sodium; viscosity and saliva secretion rate; saliva pH; demineralizing activity and utilization capacity of the oral fluid sediment; specific electrical conductivity, type of microcrystallization of saliva and the mass of the oral fluid sediment; solubility product, the active concentration of calcium and phosphorus ions were calculated.
Results.
Using factor and cluster analysis, it was possible to systematize the obtained correlations between clinical and laboratory parameters in different age groups of children. Age-related factors have been identified that lead to disruption of homeostasis in the oral cavity during various periods of development of the child’s body. The data obtained made it possible to create mathematical models and computer programs for prenosological prediction of the carious process in children of preschool and school age, taking into account all clinical and laboratory parameters of oral cavity homeostasis.
Conclusion.
Preclinical prediction of the risk of developing dental caries in childhood is possible provided knowledge of clinical and laboratory indicators of the age norm. For each age there is a certain set of prognostically significant parameters of metabolic processes in the oral cavity of the child. Preclinical diagnosis of dental caries in children should be based only on prognostic parameters, which increases the prognostic significance of the expected result.