Near infrared dental transillumination is an imaging modality useful for detecting early interproximal caries, since enamel is highly transparent in the near-IR at 1300 nm. Studies demonstrate that a near-IR transillumination system has considerable potential for the imaging of early dental decay.

 

Dental imaging systems using near-infrared light can capture information about teeth and tissue microstructures that has been unobtainable through mechanical probing, visual inspection, or x-ray imaging. Using such imaging systems in lieu of other methods, dentists will be able to diagnose gum disease much more accurately, detect the extent of decay in a tooth and closely evaluate dental restorations and implants. The optical imaging system is noninvasive, painless, and safe.

 

Furthermore, Polarization Sensitive Optical Coherence Tomography (PS-OCT) is a nondestructive near-IR imaging method that has great potential for imaging carious pits and fissures.