OCT in cariology

Abstract

This chapter will review one of the main aspects of OCT applications in dentistry, which is the caries processes and wear. The changes in the mineral content during demineralization and remineralization of dental hard tissues alter the optical properties of enamel and dentin, such as refractive index, increase in scattering and changes in light polarization, which allows the quantification of demineralization degree by OCT, resulting in the possibility of quantitatively monitoring lesion progress or remineralization with better spatial resolution than the conventional radiographic imaging methods. The use of optical clearing agents on the surface of enamel and dentin can reduce the scattering and reflection of the surfaces, reaching deeper optical penetration, which improves the quality, contrast and sensitivity of OCT images. Clinical studies showed the possibility of evaluating the presence of subsurface lesions in different sites, as well as quantifying their severity, but the development of new probes that can image posterior interproximal regions and devices that allow the positioning of the probes in a standardized way are still in progress.