A comparison of two methods for evaluating primary class II cavity preparations.

An analytical system for evaluating class II cavity preparations in primary teeth was developed and tested and then compared with the traditional global (glance and grade) evaluation method with respect to intraexaminer and interexaminer reliability. Fifteen examiners with varied experience in clinical evaluation rated 24 class II cavity preparations in ivorine¿ primary teeth mounted in dentoforms¿ in a simulated clinical setting. The global method of scoring was compared to an analytical system consisting of a rating scale with five operationally-defined points for each of 10 specifically-defined performance criteria. Interexaminer reliability was improved with the analytical system which also provides a means for facilitating student feedback and learning. The gain in reliability was not tested for statistical significance.