Biomaterial Database

Monitoring the caries process. Optical methods for clinical diagnosis and quantification of enamel caries. 1996

B Angmar-Mànsson, and S al-Khateeb, and S Tranaeus

Department of Cariology, School of Dentistry, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.

Early detection of a caries lesion would enable the dentist, by using effective prophylactic measures, to enhance remineralization and conservation of the tooth substance rather than restoration of the dentition. The presently-used diagnostic methods of detecting early lesions require visual observation. Reflected light is used to detect changes in color, texture, and translucency of the tooth substance. Attempts to improve the traditional methods or to develop new ones have been numerous. For clinical use, only 2 quantitative methods are presently available: (i) a method based on the scattering of light by enamel crystals in relation to their surrounding environment, and (ii) a method that uses visible laser light within the blue-green region as the light source to excite the autofluorescence of enamel. The possibilities and limitations of these methods are evaluated, and clinical applications are presented and discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007834	Lasers	An optical source that emits photons in a coherent beam. Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (LASER) is brought about using devices that transform light of varying frequencies into a single intense, nearly nondivergent beam of monochromatic radiation. Lasers operate in the infrared, visible, ultraviolet, or X-ray regions of the spectrum.	Masers,Continuous Wave Lasers,Pulsed Lasers,Q-Switched Lasers,Continuous Wave Laser,Laser,Laser, Continuous Wave,Laser, Pulsed,Laser, Q-Switched,Lasers, Continuous Wave,Lasers, Pulsed,Lasers, Q-Switched,Maser,Pulsed Laser,Q Switched Lasers,Q-Switched Laser
D008027	Light	That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared range.	Light, Visible,Photoradiation,Radiation, Visible,Visible Radiation,Photoradiations,Radiations, Visible,Visible Light,Visible Radiations
D008903	Minerals	Native, inorganic or fossilized organic substances having a definite chemical composition and formed by inorganic reactions. They may occur as individual crystals or may be disseminated in some other mineral or rock. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed; McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Mineral
D003116	Color	The visually perceived property of objects created by absorption or reflection of specific wavelengths of light.	Colors
D003461	Crystallography	The branch of science that deals with the geometric description of crystals and their internal arrangement. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Crystallographies
D003731	Dental Caries	Localized destruction of the tooth surface initiated by decalcification of the enamel followed by enzymatic lysis of organic structures and leading to cavity formation. If left unchecked, the cavity may penetrate the enamel and dentin and reach the pulp.	Caries, Dental,Carious Lesions,Dental Cavities,Dental Cavity,Dental Decay,Dental White Spots,Carious Dentin,Decay, Dental,Dental White Spot,White Spot, Dental,White Spots, Dental,Carious Dentins,Carious Lesion,Cavities, Dental,Cavity, Dental,Dentin, Carious,Dentins, Carious,Lesion, Carious,Lesions, Carious,Spot, Dental White,Spots, Dental White
D003743	Dental Enamel	A hard thin translucent layer of calcified substance which envelops and protects the dentin of the crown of the tooth. It is the hardest substance in the body and is almost entirely composed of calcium salts. Under the microscope, it is composed of thin rods (enamel prisms) held together by cementing substance, and surrounded by an enamel sheath. (From Jablonski, Dictionary of Dentistry, 1992, p286)	Enamel,Enamel Cuticle,Dental Enamels,Enamel, Dental,Enamels, Dental,Cuticle, Enamel,Cuticles, Enamel,Enamel Cuticles,Enamels
D003777	Dental Prophylaxis	Treatment for the prevention of periodontal diseases or other dental diseases by the cleaning of the teeth in the dental office using the procedures of DENTAL SCALING and DENTAL POLISHING. The treatment may include plaque detection, removal of supra- and subgingival plaque and calculus, application of caries-preventing agents, checking of restorations and prostheses and correcting overhanging margins and proximal contours of restorations, and checking for signs of food impaction.	Prophylaxis, Dental
D003793	Dental Restoration, Permanent	A restoration designed to remain in service for not less than 20 to 30 years, usually made of gold casting, cohesive gold, or amalgam. (Jablonski, Dictionary of Dentistry, 1992)	Dental Fillings, Permanent,Dental Filling, Permanent,Dental Permanent Filling,Dental Permanent Fillings,Dental Restorations, Permanent,Filling, Dental Permanent,Filling, Permanent Dental,Fillings, Dental Permanent,Fillings, Permanent Dental,Permanent Dental Filling,Permanent Dental Fillings,Permanent Dental Restoration,Permanent Dental Restorations,Permanent Filling, Dental,Permanent Fillings, Dental,Restoration, Permanent Dental,Restorations, Permanent Dental
D005453	Fluorescence	The property of emitting radiation while being irradiated. The radiation emitted is usually of longer wavelength than that incident or absorbed, e.g., a substance can be irradiated with invisible radiation and emit visible light. X-ray fluorescence is used in diagnosis.