Detection of early dental caries using laser induced fluorescence with back-scattering enhancement

Abstract

Dental caries is the infectious oral disease affecting people worldwide. Early dental caries detection helps to prevent caries progression by non-surgical methods and promote tooth remineralization. A simple method based on laser induced fluorescence spectrum with backscattered enhancement is proposed for the detection of initial caries on vitro teeth. Fluorescence spectra of carious erosion on different status were given. The radiation of backscattering, reflection and autofluorescence from teeth was registered simultaneously. By the analysis the characteristics of auto-fluorescence and anti-stokes fluorescence, both chemical variations and structural and morphological alterations can be evaluated. After the intensity of fluorescence and backscattering light is normalized by the intensity of the reflection radiation, a measurable diagnostic criterion for various stages of carious lesion is put forward. For proving this opinion, contrastive study was given in healthy tooth, factitial caries, dental calculus and healthy enamel with surface breakdown. Preliminary results reveal that this new method has a high potential use to diagnose different levels of carious teeth and is reliable to the detection incipient carious erosion, calculus and filling teeth.