Diagnosis of dental caries using quantitative light-induced fluorescence

Bennett T. Amaechi; Susan M. Higham

doi:10.1117/12.447125

31 October 2001 Diagnosis of dental caries using quantitative light-induced fluorescence

Bennett T. Amaechi, Susan M. Higham

Proceedings Volume 4432, Diagnostic Optical Spectroscopy in Biomedicine; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.447125
Event: European Conferences on Biomedical Optics, 2001, Munich, Germany

Abstract

Current dental diagnostic methods can detect caries but cannot quantify the mineral status of the lesion. Quantitative Light-induced Fluorescence (QLF) measures the percentage fluorescence radiance change of demineralised enamel with respect to surround sound enamel, and related it directly to the amount of mineral lost during demineralisation. Demineralisation of teeth to produce caries-like lesions and the subsequent remineralisation of the lesions were monitored quantitatively and longitudinally with QLF. The influence of factors such as presence of plaque or saliva, lesion staining, lesion magnification, tooth thickness and developmental hypomineralisation, on the reproducibility of QLF imaging and analysis were investigated, Results showed that the integrated fluorescence change (hence the mineral loss) increased linearly with demineralisation time and decreased with increasing remineralisation time. Caries detection was limited by saliva or plaque, but enhanced by staining. QLF could not discriminate between developmental hypomineralisation and caries. Neither the variation in tooth thickness nor lesion magnification within the limit of a sharp image made a significant difference in QLF analysis. It was concluded that QLF could detect and quantitatively monitor the mineral changes in an incipient caries on a longitudinal basis, however detection may be limited by the presence of saliva or plaque or enhanced by staining.

Citation Download Citation

Bennett T. Amaechi and Susan M. Higham "Diagnosis of dental caries using quantitative light-induced fluorescence", Proc. SPIE 4432, Diagnostic Optical Spectroscopy in Biomedicine, (31 October 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.447125

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