That's because your dentist often
can find early changes in your teeth that happen before a cavity develops. At
first, the tooth structure softens. Sometime, a white spot appears.
How can your dentist find these
early changes in your teeth that could lead to cavities? The traditional ways
are to use X-rays or to examine your teeth and use an explorer, a metal tool
that ends in a point. If the explorer "sticks" in a tooth, there may
be early damage to the tooth structure.
Now, newer technologies are on the market
and are being used by some dentists. Do these devices really do a better job
than a pair of experienced eyes, an explorer and an X-ray? And if your dentist
finds a sign of early decay, does it need to be treated right away?
Digital
Imaging Fiber-Optic Trans-Illumination (DIFOTI)®
DIFOTI technology uses computers to
collect images of your teeth while a light is shined behind them. Softened
(demineralized) tooth areas can appear darker than healthy areas, so dentists
can use the images to help them find early problems. The technique is similar
to X-ray but does not use radiation.
*ozident.com |
Collecting images with DIFOTI takes
more time than with X-rays because the camera has to be placed accurately on
each tooth to collect the image. The technology is relatively simple to use,
but the images must still be interpreted by a dentist, which leaves room for
differences of opinion.
Digital
Imaging: DIAGNOdent®
DIAGNOdent uses a laser to collect
information. A handheld laser probe is shined on each tooth. The laser beam is
absorbed by each tooth and then leaves the tooth again as fluorescent light.
Solid tooth structure gives off very little fluorescent light, but damaged
parts of a tooth and bacteria give off more. Information from each tooth is
transmitted to a control unit, which looks something like a digital clock
radio.
Studies have found that this
technique helps diagnose early decay in the underlayer of the tooth (the
dentin) whbefore a cavity develops in the outer, visible layer (enamel).
DIAGNOdent can also be used to follow a suspicious tooth or teeth over time and
see if the values change. Its manufacturer claims the device is 90% accurate.
Quantitative
Light-Induced Fluorescence (QLF)™
Of these three technologies, QLF is
the newest. It uses a light source, camera, fluorescent dye and computer
software. The camera acquires images of each tooth, and the software analyzes
the images and provides information about possible mineral loss.
The technology can detect early
decay in primary (baby) and permanent teeth, as well as early decay that is
close to fillings, crowns or orthodontic hardware.
QLF is useful for finding caries in
people at high risk of decay and for confirming that teeth are healthy in
people at low risk. However, it can miss early decay in high-risk people and
can identify low-risk people as having decay when they really don't.
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