Surface area and volume determination of subgingival calculus using laser fluorescence

Abstract

Abstract:Visible red (655 nm) laser fluorescence (LF) devices have potential use for identifying deposits of subgingival calculus on the root surfaces of teeth during dental examination and treatment, however the performance of commercially available LF systems has not been examined in detail. This laboratory study explored the correlation between LF digital readings and the surface area and volume of subgingival calculus deposits on teeth. A collection of 30 extracted human posterior teeth with various levels of subgingival deposits of calculus across 240 sites were used in a clinical simulation, with silicone impression material used to replicate periodontal soft tissues. The teeth were scored by two examiners using three LF systems (DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent Pen and KEY3). The silicone was removed and the teeth removed for photography at 20X magnification under white or ultraviolet light. The surface area, thickness and volume were calculated, and both linear least squares regression and non-linear (Spearman's rank method) correlation coefficients determined. Visible red LF digital readings showed better correlation to calculus volume than to surface area. Overall, the best performance was found for the KEY3 system (Spearman coefficient 0.59), compared to the classic DIAGNOdent (0.56) and the DIAGNOdent pen (0.49). These results indicate that visible red LF systems vary somewhat in performance, but all can provide a useful estimation of the volume of subgingival calculus present on teeth. Powered by Editorial Manager® and Preprint Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation

Fluorescence properties of human teeth and dental calculus for clinical applications

“…In each system, near-infrared fluorescence emissions from bacterial products are collected using rigid sapphire tips which are placed inside periodontal pockets and slid along the root surfaces of teeth. 68 These results indicate that while visible red laser-fluorescence systems vary somewhat in performance, their laser-fluorescence readings provide a useful estimation of the volume of subgingival calculus deposits present on teeth.…”

Dental calculus detection using the VistaCam

“…As supragingival calculus may have a similar color to teeth, thin deposits of this may be overlooked during clinical examination. A range of methods have been suggested to assist in the detection of calculus deposits, including fluorescence imaging and differential reflectometry (Shakibaie & Walsh, 2012; Shakibaie & Walsh, 2014; Shakibaie & Walsh, 2015c; Walsh & Shakibaie, 2007; Shakibaie & Walsh, 2016). These same methods can be used to help determine the endpoint of successful debridement (Shakibaie, George, & Walsh, 2011; Shakibaie & Walsh, 2015a).…”

Application of Fluorescence Spectroscopy for Microbial Detection to Enhance Clinical Investigations

“…The principles can be applied directly to clinical devices that use fluorescence principles for improved diagnosis and clinical care [47,58] in detection and diagnosis of bacterial biofilms from target biological samples. Fluorescence has particular applications for detecting bacteria because of their porphyrin derivatives, both within planktonic bacteria and within bacterial biofilms, and there already is good support for the presence of porphyrins within target tissue samples [59][60][61].…”