Lasers in caries diagnosis and prevention

Issue title: Proceedings of the twelfth International Symposium on Interdisciplinary Electromagnetic, Mechanic and Biomedical Problems, ISEM Bad Gastein

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Zezell, Denise M.^{a; *} | da Ana, Patricia A.^a | Ribeiro, Adriana C.^{a; b} | Bachmann, Luciano^{a; c} | Freitas, Anderson Z.^a | Vieira Jr., Nilson Dias^a

Affiliations: [a] Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, IPEN/CNEN-SP, São Paulo, Brazil | [b] Departamento de Endodontia, Faculdade de Odontologia, USP, São Paulo, Brazil | [c] Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras, USP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Tel.: +55 11 3816 9313; Fax: +55 11 3816 9315; E-mail: zezell@usp.br

Abstract: This study evaluated the potential of Erbium lasers in caries prevention and optical methods for diagnosis. Temperature rise was measured by an infrared thermographic camera. Chemical and structural changes were identified by FTIR. Natural and artificial lesions were examined by optical coherence tomography. Laser irradiation resulted in surface temperature rises around 400°C, loss of water, change of the collagen, increase of the OH^{-} radical and a small change in the mineral matrix. OCT analysis produced a dentin-enamel tomogram with 10 μm resolution. Fluorescence spectroscopy and OCT system were able to detect and differentiate early caries in its structure.

Keywords: Caries diagnosis, caries prevention, FTIR, optical coherence tomography

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-2007-818

Journal: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 25, no. 1-4, pp. 627-633, 2007