Laser induced fluorescence with 2-D Hilbert transform edge detection algorithm and 3D fluorescence images for white...

Area of Science:

• Biophotonics
• Dental Diagnostics
• Optical Imaging

Background:

• Traditional dental caries assessment relies on visual inspection, which may miss early-stage lesions.
• There is a need for non-invasive methods to detect caries before invasive treatment is required.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a non-invasive optical imaging system for early dental caries detection.
• To utilize laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy for caries diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Human tooth samples were illuminated with a 633 nm He-Ne laser.
• Hyperspectral imaging captured reflected and emitted spectra to create multispectral images.
• Analysis of spectral variations identified characteristic signatures of tooth tissues and caries states.

Main Results:

• The hyperspectral imaging system successfully diagnosed and classified different caries types and stages non-invasively.
• 3D fluorescence images distinguished between enamel and dentin caries using 633 nm illumination.
• White spot lesions were detected and recognized across visible and infrared wavelengths.

Conclusions:

• A customized optical imaging system offers high sensitivity and resolution for caries detection.
• The optimal stimulating wavelength for early caries detection was identified as 633 nm.
• This novel approach provides a comprehensive map of caries severity.