| Newer Technologies Find Tooth Decay Early
Sometimes it's all too obvious that you have tooth decay: You're in pain or you can see a dark spot on your tooth. But in other cases, you may not even know there's a problem until you see your dentist.
That's because your dentist often can find early changes in your teeth that happen before a cavity develops. At first, the tooth 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. This exam usually will use an explorer, a metal tool that ends in a point. If the explorer "sticks" in a tooth, there may be early damage.
Now some dentists are using newer technologies. 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?
DIFOTI 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. This allows dentists to locate early problems. The technique is similar to X-ray but does not use radiation.
Collecting images with DIFOTI takes more time than with X-rays. That's because the camera has to be placed accurately on each tooth to collect the image. The technology is relatively simple to use. However, a dentist still must interpret the images. This leaves room for differences of opinion.
DIAGNOdent uses a laser. A handheld laser probe is shined on each tooth. The tooth absorbs the laser beam, which leaves the tooth again as fluorescent light. If the tooth is solid, it gives off very little fluorescent light. However, damaged parts of a tooth and bacteria give off more. Information from each tooth is sent to a control unit. This 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). Decay usually develops in the dentin layer below the outer enamel. The enamel will break to form a cavity when the underlying dentin is severely decayed. DIAGNOdent can also be used to keep track of a suspicious tooth or teeth over time. Its manufacturer says the device is 90% accurate.
Of these three technologies, QLF is the newest. It uses a light source, camera, fluorescent dye and computer software. The camera makes images of each tooth. The florescent dye that is used with this camera enables the light source to see areas that have mineral loss. The software analyzes the images. Then it provides information about possible mineral loss. Mineral loss is related to tooth decay.
The technology can detect early decay in primary (baby) and permanent teeth. It also can find early decay that is close to fillings, crowns or braces.
QLF is useful for finding caries in people at high risk of decay. It also can confirm that teeth are healthy in people at low risk. However, QLF is not always correct. It can miss early decay in high-risk people. It also can identify low-risk people as having decay when they really don't.
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