Design and manufacture of supporting device for detection of dental caries using fluorescence technique

Dental caries and dental disease are one of the prevalent chronic diseases of people around the world in general and in Vietnam in particular. The detection of carious lesions has been primarily a visual process, based principally on clinical-tactile inspection, and radiographic examination. However, a major shortcoming of clinical-tactile inspection is very limited for detecting dental caries in the early stages, while X-ray based methods can cause damage to cells in the body, which in turn can increase the risk of developing cancer. Researchers are developing tools that are sensitive and specific enough for the current presentation of caries using fluorescence imaging techniques. The aim of this study was to design a dental camera based on the fluorescence technique for detection of dental caries and to apply this device in the analysis and diagnosis of different types of caries. Using 380-nm light for excitation, the obtained fluorescence images of carious teeth were different from of sound teeth due to the presence of bacteria Streptococcus mutans producing metabolites called porphyrins. The sound teeth showed the blue fluorescence while the carious regions illuminated the red light. Based on the fluorescence color, dental caries can be discovered even in the early stages.