[Efficacy of therapeutic and preventive measures with the help of bite wing radiographs].

The effectiveness of caries diagnosis as seen in bite-wing pictures in the lateral dental segments was evaluated with reference to therapeutic and preventive control. Bite-wing x-rays of 328 patients aged 15-18 were included in the evaluation. The approximal segments from the ist premolars to the 2nd molars were taken into consideration. Further treatment was found to be necessary in 110 patients on the basis of the diagnoses exposed filling edge/split edge (45%), caries in dentine not adjacent to pulp (30%), secondary caries (15%) and caries in dentine adjacent to pulp (10%). Following an initial diagnosis of enamel lesions, preventive measures were necessary in 180 patients. The results document the importance of radiological checks of the permanent teeth in the approximal segments in youths. Bite-wing x-rays are also an effective means of monitoring the effectiveness of preventive measures.