Portable TD-OCT Scanner for Dental Use

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Dental Imaging Technology
• Optical Coherence Tomography

Background:

• Traditional OCT systems can be limited by measurement speed, posing challenges for real-time dental applications.
• Existing dental imaging modalities may lack the resolution or depth penetration required for detailed subsurface analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a compact, portable optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanner for chairside dental applications.
• To enhance OCT measurement speed and range for efficient intraoral imaging.
• To demonstrate the evaluation of dental material properties using the developed OCT system.

Main Methods:

• Designed a portable OCT scanner with a compact, lightweight form factor for chairside and home use.
• Implemented a system using multiple rotating reflectors and a 3x3 fiber coupler to achieve high-speed (1000 scans/sec) and extended range (10 mm) measurements.
• Developed a small-diameter (6 mm), cylindrical intraoral probe for improved accessibility and positioning within the oral cavity.

Main Results:

• Achieved a measurement speed of 1000 scans per second and a measurement range exceeding 10 mm.
• The compact intraoral probe demonstrated high accessibility for free positioning during tooth measurements.
• Successfully demonstrated the evaluation of attenuation coefficients for dental materials, including caries and gums.

Conclusions:

• The developed portable OCT scanner is suitable for chairside dental applications, offering mobility and high-speed imaging.
• The system's design overcomes the speed limitations of traditional time-domain OCT (TD-OCT).
• The capability to assess material properties like attenuation coefficients opens new avenues for dental diagnostics and treatment monitoring.