Monitoring silver diamine fluoride application with optical coherence tomography

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Dental Materials Science
• Cariology

Background:

• Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a minimally invasive treatment for dentin caries.
• Monitoring the structural evolution of treated lesions is crucial for effective management.
• Non-invasive imaging modalities are needed to track treatment response over time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for monitoring structural changes in dentin caries lesions post-SDF treatment.
• To assess the potential of OCT in determining the need for re-application of SDF.

Main Methods:

• Artificial dentin caries lesions were created on bovine enamel blocks.
• Lesions and sound surfaces were treated with varying applications of SDF or control.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used for weekly imaging over 12 weeks.
• High-resolution microscopy was employed for complementary analysis.

Main Results:

• OCT successfully detected significant structural changes in dentin lesions after SDF application.
• The imaging technique resolved dynamic structural alterations over the 12-week monitoring period.
• Microscopy confirmed SDF penetration, correlating with OCT findings.

Conclusions:

• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a viable tool for non-invasively monitoring dentin caries lesions treated with silver diamine fluoride (SDF).
• OCT-based monitoring can provide insights into lesion structural changes, potentially guiding re-treatment decisions.