LumiCare and BlueCheck effective for Early Detection of Caries, suggests study
A new study published in BMC Oral Health has validated the use of both LumiCare and BlueCheck as effective tools for visualizing early carious lesions. The findings indicate that both products are substantially equivalent in distinguishing demineralized enamel from sound enamel. Additionally, they offer value in patient education, monitoring lesion progression during re-mineralizing therapy, and training novice dentists in the ICDAS system.
The objective of this study was to compare two new non-cavitated caries lesion detector methods, LumiCare (LC) and BlueCheck (BC), to each other and to the traditional visual/tactile method (TM) of non-cavitated enamel caries lesion detection on smooth surface lesions.
In this non-inferiority study, forty extracted human teeth with International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) level 1 and 2 smooth-surface lesions were evaluated in standard operatory conditions by three ICDAS-trained dentists using the traditional visual and tactile method, the LumiCare method, and the BlueCheck method of detection. For each endpoint of Sensitivity (Se) and Specificity (Sp), a generalized mixed model was fitted with positive (negative) agreement (yes/no) as the outcome and method (LC or BC), evaluator and evaluator *method included as fixed effects.
Results: Statistical analysis shows that the LumiCare and BlueCheck methods of detection are substantially equivalent and compare favorably to the traditional method of lesion detection. Inter-rater reliability and intra-rater reliability ratings were moderate to good. This study supports the indications for use for both LumiCare and BlueCheck as aids to visualization of early carious lesions.
LumiCare and BlueCheck are substantially equivalent to each other in their ability to differentiate between demineralized enamel and sound enamel. Each may help to educate patients, monitor lesion progression following re-mineralizing therapy, and train beginning dentists in the use of ICDAS.
Reference:
White, J.M., Nahar, P., Kukreti, P. et al. Assessment of two novel methods for detecting non-cavitated, smooth surface enamel lesions: an in vitro study. BMC Oral Health 25, 843 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-06181-1
