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Diagnostics & Imaging

daily dental journal

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Diagnostics & Imaging — Imaging and screening

How DDJ works

Evidence in 15 minutes Peer-reviewed studies prepared for daily practice.

Traffic-light rating See the strength of evidence at a glance.

Bias check We surface funding, conflicts, and methodological limits.

Practical takeaways Concise recommendations you can apply today.

For professionals Efficient, critical continuing education.

For patients Clear answers you can confidently share.

Latest evidence on Diagnostics & Imaging

TMD Diagnostics: When Is a Clinical Exam Enough—and When Isn't It?

DDJ maps when a structured clinical exam is enough for TMD and when imaging or device-based testing adds real diagnostic value.

CBCT in Dentistry: When Does It Add Diagnostic Value, and When Is It Overused?

DDJ analyzes where CBCT adds clinically relevant information beyond 2D imaging, and where indication creep outpaces the evidence.

Caries Diagnosis: Visual Inspection, Bitewing Radiographs, and AI—What the Evidence Really Supports

The DDJ orders the diagnostic service of visual inspection, bite wing, and AI along clinical decision axes. 9 systematic reviews and meta-analyses, Evidence Level A, Moderate strength of conclusion.

Oral Cancer Screening: High-Risk Benefit or Routine Without Hard Added Value?

Oral cancer screening helps high-risk groups (tobacco/alcohol users), but lacks proof for general screening or added tech benefits.

Dental X-rays in Pregnancy: Fetal Dose, Indications, and Anxiety Gaps

Fetal radiation doses from single dental exposures are far below the teratogenic threshold. Evidence is moderately supportive; decisions rely on dosimetry, indication logic, and treatment needs.

Oral Mucosa Changes: Early Detection of Potentially Malignant Lesions (OPMD)

Evidence review: Early detection, adjunct diagnostics, salivary biomarkers, AI for OPMD, & therapies. Based on 11 systematic reviews/meta-analyses.

Oral and Facial Pain: When is it the tooth, when isn't—and why diagnosis often fails

Local studies support structured orofacial pain diagnosis. They rate its certainty as moderate, guiding decisions across 5 areas: diagnosis, sensitization, differentials, pain control, and escalation.

HPV and Oral Carcinomas: Where the Evidence Supports and Where Signals Are Overestimated

Systematic evidence shows a strong HPV association with oropharyngeal cancers but a much weaker role in oral cancers specifically. This article organizes the evidence along clinical decision axes.

About us

Daily Dental Journal (DDJ) is an independent platform committed to transparency in dentistry. Our mission is to provide evidence-based knowledge that is free from industry bias and marketing influence.

Every article published on DDJ is:

Scientifically grounded — we analyze peer-reviewed studies and systematic reviews.
Efficiently summarized — evidence in 15 minutes, practice-focused and easy to understand.
Critically assessed — with our traffic-light system that shows the strength of evidence at a glance.
Independent — no advertising, no sponsored content.

Our vision

DDJ connects dentists and patients through a shared evidence base:

For professionals: important, efficient continuing education.
For patients: clear answers to important treatment questions.

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