Cavity Detection With DIAGNOdent

DIAGNOdent is an instrument used in our office that uses lasers to detect any signs of tooth decay. The benefit of such a device is that it is able to identify signs of tooth decay earlier than many other diagnostic techniques. This is a positive step in the treatment of teeth, as the sooner signs of tooth decay are found the better prepared we are to deal with them.  Because the decay is detected earlier, the number of dental procedures - and hence, the cost - can often be reduced. It's a great way to keep little problems from becoming big problems.

In the past tooth decay predominated in between teeth. With the widespread use of fluoride, the very nature of tooth decay has changed. The outer surfaces of teeth are strengthened and more resistant.

Today most tooth decay starts in the hard-to-see valleys and canyon-like anatomy of the tooth surface. Pit and valley cavities are traditionally the most difficult to detect using x-rays due to the direction the images are taken from. Images are taken from the side of the tooth, which essentially hides the cavity from the dentists view. An almost undetectable area of decay can aggressively penetrate inward towards the soft surfaces of the tooth and literally destroy the tooth from the inside out. This can happen before a cavity is even visible to the naked eye.

X-rays and DIAGNOdent complement each other. X-rays are good at finding cavities in between teeth and on the roots. DIAGNOdent is good at finding cavities on the biting surfaces of the teeth.

DIAGNOdent works by way of a laser which is calibrated to each individuals teeth.
The light of the laser is shone onto the teeth and a numerical reading appears on the unit. Teeth that are of good quality will show little to no reading (0 to 24 in our office), but those that are showing signs of decay will show a reading of 25 or higher. The DIAGNOdent measures laser fluorescence within the tooth structure. As the incident laser light is propagated into the site, two-way handpiece optics allows the unit to simultaneously quantify the reflected laser light energy. At the specific wavelength that the DIAGNOdent laser operates, clean healthy tooth structure exhibits little or no fluorescence, resulting in very low scale readings on the display. However, carious tooth structure will exhibit fluorescence, proportionate to the degree of caries, resulting in elevated scale readings on the display. Studies have shown the unit is equally accurate in both primary and permanent teeth.

DIAGNOdent is completely painless  and takes only a few minutes. It's energy level similar to that of a laser pointer, the laser beam is harmless to surrounding tissues. The DIAGNOdent laser is used as a routine part of exams and there is no additional fee associated with the scan.