OPTIMIZATION OF DIAGNOSTICS OF APPROXIMAL CARIES OF THE FIRST PERMANENT MOLARS IN CHILDREN IN THE MIXED DENTITION PERIOD
The nature of destructive changes of hard tissues on mesio-approximal surfaces of the first permanent molars in the mixed dentition period, using the method of separation of biological teeth and visual assessment using the criteria ICDAS (for smooth surfaces in close contact and approximal for single standing teeth) was studied. The 208 patients aged 7-8 years were examined. It was revealed that incidence of destructive changes increases as the eruption of the first permanent molars and at equal height of crowns of the first permanent molars and second primary molars accounts for 38%. The early stages of approximal caries on the molars is difficult to diagnose clinically, so the inspection of medial-approximal surface of the first permanent molars after preliminary biological separation of the teeth with the method developed by us, is recommended as an option.