Why is this work important?
Two-dimensional radiographs and cone beam computed tomography are commonly used for evaluating sub-surface hard structures of teeth. While radiographs are the current standard of care for diagnostic dental imaging, they have low sensitivity for early caries lesions, particularly those on tooth occlusal surfaces. They are also frequently refused by patients over safety concerns about exposure to ionizing radiation. Medical image acquisition without ionizing radiation can expand the use of important diagnostic tools and decrease safety concerns.
What has been done before?
NIR light can be transmitted across healthy dental enamel with marginal scattering, allowing for imaging dental features. NIR light at 850 nm and 1310 nm, which strike a balance between enamel and water attenuation, have been shown to provide helpful diagnostics that visual examination alone lacks. Our previous work has demonstrated the sensitivity of 850 nm NIR images to early caries lesions and demineralization, but if NIR is to synergistically augment or eventually replace ionizing radiation as the standard of care, we must extend their clinical expressiveness deeper to other clinical features that exist beyond the surface of the tooth.
What are our contributions?
This is ongoing research. Preliminary work shows promise for augmenting the diagnostic power of NIR by modeling scattering.
What are the next steps?
Large-scale screenings can evaluate the effectiveness of our new imaging process.
Example of a three-dimensional reconstruction of a tooth illuminated by near-infrared light. Normalized intensity scale.