Livia Bobu, Lucia Bârlean, Alice Murariu, Carina Balcoş, Magda Bârlean, Iulia Săveanu
ABSTRACT
Caries risk assessment is an essential element of diagnosis, constituting a basis for evidence-based treatment planning. The aim of the present study was to compare and order the predictive power of each caries risk factor in the Cariogram for the carious lesions of permanent teeth in schoolchildren. Material and methods: The cross-sectional, clinical and microbiological study included 533 children (50.47% males and 49.53% females) aged 7-10 years, who were assessed for caries risk factors required by the Cariogram. Further on, multiple regression analysis was used to compare and order the predictive power of Cariogram factors. Results: The ANOVA regression model showed that for predictors considered, the significance threshold was lower than 0.05, meaning that the model is efficient in predicting the values of the DMFS dependent variable. According to this model, the most significant predictors for the DMFS dependent variable, ordered decreasing by the predictive power, were the number of Streptococcus mutans on the mesial surface of 1.6; dmfs index on the mesial / distal surfaces; dmfs index on the occlusal surfaces and dmfs index on the mandibular molars, while the less significant predictors were salivary buffer capacity and dmfs index on the mandibular canines. Conclusion: The number of Streptococcus mutans on the proximal surfaces of first permanent molars and the caries index on the proximal surfaces of temporary teeth are the strongest predictors of carious lesions on permanent teeth among the studied schoolchildren.