Traditionally, dentists have relied upon a visual-tactile radiographic  procedure  for  the detection  of  dental caries. This procedure involves the visual identification of demineralized  areas  (typically  white  spots)  or  suspicious pits or fissures and the use of the dental explorer to determine the  presence of a  loss of continuity  or breaks in the enamel and to assess the softness or resilience of the enamel. Caries lesions located on interproximal tooth surfaces  have  generally  been  detected  with  the  use  of  bitewing radiographs. These procedures have been used routinely in virtually every dental office in the United States for the past 50 years. Tactile probing with an explorer is no longer used for caries detection in most European countries, and this protocol has now been adopted by many U.S. dental schools. The primary concerns that led to the discontinuation of the probing procedure were as follows: 1. The  insertion  of  the  explorer  into  the  suspected lesion inevitably disrupts the surface layer covering very early lesions, thereby eliminating the possibility for remineralization of the decalcified area;  2. The probing of lesions and suspected lesions results in the transport of  cariogenic  bacteria  from  one area  to another;  and   3. Frank lesions requiring restoration are generally apparent visually  without  the  need  for  probing.