Fluorescence properties of human teeth and dental calculus for clinical applications

Abstract

Abstract. Fluorescent emission of human teeth and dental calculus is important for the esthetic rehabilitation of teeth, diagnosis of dental caries, and detection of dental calculus. The purposes of this review were to summarize the fluorescence and phosphorescence of human teeth by ambient ultraviolet (UV) light, to investigate the clinically relevant fluorescence measurement methods in dentistry, and to review the fluorescence of teeth and dental calculus by specific wavelength light. Dentine was three times more phosphorescent than enamel. When exposed to light sources containing UV components, the fluorescence of human teeth gives them the quality of vitality, and fluorescent emission with a peak of 440 nm is observed. Esthetic restorative materials should have fluorescence properties similar to those of natural teeth. Based on the fluorescence of teeth and restorative materials as determined with a spectrophotometer, a fluorescence parameter was defined. As to the fluorescence spectra by a specific wavelength, varied wavelengths were investigated for clinical applications, and several methods for the diagnosis of dental caries and the detection of dental calculus were developed. Since fluorescent properties of dental hard tissues have been used and would be expanded in diverse fields of clinical practice, these properties should be investigated further, embracing newly developed optical techniques.

Forensic applications: Fluorescence properties of tooth-coloured restorative materials using a fluorescence DSLR camera

“…Ultraviolet light elicits green fluorescence while blue light elicits yellow fluorescence from healthy tooth enamel. Alterations in these patterns can be used to detect missing or decalcified tooth structure (in the case of dental caries), as well as the presence of a restorative material [11][12][13]. Human enamel exhibits three distinct luminescence peaks in the regions of 350-360, 405-410 and 440-450nm [14,15].…”

Fluorescence of natural teeth and restorative materials, methods for analysis and quantification: A literature review

“…24,33 It is important to note that fluorescent emission by an ambient UV light is more commonly employed to assess the aesthetics of a restoration than that by an artificial UV light. However, the latter, besides helping to evaluate the aesthetics, has been shown to be effective in the identification of dental caries (white lesions that are almost nonfluorescent), 15,39,40 salivary calculus (emit red-orange fluorescence), 4 supra-and subgingival dental calculus (emit red-orange fluorescence), 41,42 and aesthetic restorative materials that are in contact with natural teeth (to assist in the removal of old and defective restorations). 42,43…”

Optical Polarimetric Detection for Dental Hard Tissue Diseases Characterization

“…Radiographic imaging also has low specificity in the case of the calculus being located on the lingual or buccal sides [11]. Although several methods, such as using smart ultrasonic devices [16], light-emitting diode-based optical probing [17], and laser-induced fluorescence [18,19], have been developed for detecting a dental calculus [20], the sensitivity and reliability are still insufficient for clinical practice. Cracked tooth syndrome is defined as an incomplete fracture of the tooth.…”