Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography for the nondestructive assessment of the remineralization of dentin.

Previous studies have demonstrated that polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) can be used to image caries lesions in dentin, measure nondestructively the severity of dentin demineralization, and determine the efficacy of intervention with anticaries agents including fluoride and lasers. The objective of this study is to determine if PS-OCT can be used to nondestructively measure a reduction in the reflectivity of dentin lesions after exposure to a remineralization solution. Although studies have shown the ability of PS-OCT to image the remineralization of lesions in enamel, none have included dentin.

Pulpal effects of enamel ablation with a microsecond pulsed lambda = 9.3-microm CO2 laser.

Background And Objectives: In vitro studies have shown that CO2 lasers operating at the highly absorbed 9.3 and 9.6-microm wavelengths with a pulse duration in the range of 10-20-microsecond are well suited for the efficient ablation of enamel and dentin with minimal peripheral thermal damage.

Nondestructive assessment of dentin demineralization using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography after exposure to fluoride and laser irradiation.

Previous studies have demonstrated that polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) can be used to image natural and artificial caries in dentin. The purpose of this study was to measure nondestructively the severity of artificial caries lesions in dentin and determine the efficacy of intervention with anticaries agents including fluoride and lasers. Although several studies have assessed the utility of PS-OCT to image caries lesions in enamel and to quantify the lesion severity, only a few studies have focused on lesions in dentin.

Assessment of Dentin Remineralization with PS-OCT.

Previous studies have demonstrated that polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) can be used to image natural root caries lesions, measure non-destructively the severity of dentin demineralization and determine the efficacy of intervention with anti-caries agents including fluoride and lasers. The objective of this study was to determine if PS-OCT could be used to nondestructively measure the formation of a layer of remineralized dentin on the surface of dentin lesions after exposure to a remineralization solution. In this study images of artificial dentin lesions on extracted human teeth were acquired using PS-OCT after exposure to an artificial demineralizing solution at pH 4.

Weakening of dentin from cracks resulting from laser irradiation.

Unlabelled: Cracking of tooth structure is a frequent mechanism of clinical failure necessitating treatment. Some laser conditions, particularly those without sufficient water cooling, may cause surface cracking of dentin. Surface cracks may serve as initiation sites for the onset of catastrophic fracture under mechanical stress, resulting in failure of the dentin.

Imaging natural and artificial demineralization on dentin surfaces with polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography.

The purpose of this study was to assess the potential of polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) to measure non-destructively the severity of natural and artificial caries lesions in dentin and determine the efficacy of intervention with anti-caries agents. Although several studies have demonstrated the utility of PS-OCT to image caries lesions in enamel and to quantify the lesion severity, only a few studies have focused on lesions in dentin. In this study images of natural root caries lesions on extracted human teeth were acquired with PS-OCT.