Comparison of the clinical detection and the biological detection of dental caries

: Different methods can be used to detect dental caries. The comparison of the clinical detection by the use of explorer and mirror to the biological detection by the measurement of alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) in 107 men of 19 to 25 years old was performed. Biological detection reveals more active caries(APL activity > 116 Ul/L) than the clinical one. Absence of caries activity is expressed by an ALP activity between 86 and 116 Ul/L. The Chi 2 test shows that alkaline phosphatase is a statistically significant marker of dental caries and more it reveals its carious activity.