Assessment of root caries under wet and dry conditions using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).

The purpose of this study was to compare optical properties of root caries under two observing conditions using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). In vitro and natural root caries were observed by SS-OCT under wet and dry conditions, followed by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) and transverse microradiography (TMR). Signal intensity (SI), distance between SI peaks (SI-distance) and optical lesion depth were obtained from OCT. Lesion depth was measured from CLSM; lesion depth (LD) and mineral loss (ML) were obtained from TMR. In vitro root caries under wet and dry conditions showed different OCT images and SI patterns. Lesion depth of OCT and that of CLSM, SI-distance and LD, LD and ML significantly correlated. Under dry conditions, half natural root caries showed similar OCT images and SI patterns as in vitro root caries. The base of demineralized dentin could be detected more clearly under dry conditions than under wet conditions.