Characterization of transparent dentin in attrited teeth using optical coherence tomography

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Biomedical Optics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Tooth wear and attrition are common with aging, leading to enamel loss and dentin changes.
• Restoring attrited teeth presents clinical challenges due to exposed and altered dentin.
• Transparent dentin formation is a physiological response to wear, impacting tooth structure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize transparent dentin in attrited teeth using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
• To compare OCT findings of transparent dentin with sound and carious dentin.
• To assess OCT's potential as a clinical tool for diagnosing attrited teeth.

Main Methods:

• Human teeth with natural attrition were imaged using OCT.
• OCT B-scans were correlated with light microscopy images of cross-sectioned teeth.
• An OCT attenuation coefficient (μt) was calculated using the Beer-Lambert law.

Main Results:

• OCT imaging revealed distinct changes in transparent dentin compared to sound and carious dentin.
• Mean attenuation coefficients (μt) were significantly different across sound (1.05±0.3 mm⁻¹), carious (2.23±0.4 mm⁻¹), and transparent (0.61±0.27 mm⁻¹) dentin groups (p<0.05).
• Lower OCT signal attenuation in transparent dentin is attributed to mineral deposition within dentinal tubules.

Conclusions:

• OCT can effectively detect and characterize transparent dentin.
• Physiological changes in transparent dentin influence OCT signal properties.
• OCT shows promise as a non-invasive clinical adjunct for evaluating attrited teeth.