Diagnodent - Early Dectection of Decay

Our continuing education has kept us at the forefront of current treatment modalities. We also believe that new arising technologies are just as important to integrate into our high level of care. We know that our patients place a high value on healthy and attractive teeth. In order to maintain them, the earliest possible care is essential. Our office now has a simple, fast and painless examination using the DIAGNOdent, a harmless laser scanner, which will help us with the early detection of decay. Even very small lesions are now detected at the earliest stage, enabling us to protect and preserve your teeth and smile.   The Diagnodent laser cavity detection system is the most significant breakthrough in diagnosing tooth decay since the dental x-ray. With the widespread use of fluoride in both drinking water and toothpastes, it is much harder to detect tooth decay than ever before. This is because the fluoride hardens the enamel so that most decay starts in microscopic defects in the hard surface, and can readily spread into the softer surface beneath. This destroys the tooth from the inside out.

The Diagnodent is a pen-like probe that sends a safe, painless laser beam into the tooth and checks its health. A number scale and an alarm will signal when there are signs of hidden decay. This allows us to determine if decay is lurking beneath the apparently healthy tooth surface. This technology allows us to catch tooth decay at an earlier stage, before the tooth is destroyed from the inside out. This will help prevent more extensive procedures.     A) Traditional Decay Model—Caries attack begins in the enamel with demineralization and cavitation. Easily diagnosed visually, with sharp explorers or radiographs. B) New Decay Model — Enamel does not cavitate because of protection from fluoride. Caries begins in dentin through fissures, pits, fractures, and enamel pores. Difficult to diagnose with traditional methods.   

HOW IT WORKS

The Diagnodent device measures laser fluorescence within 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 device 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.

The device is designed as an adjunct to a traditional oral examination in the detection of occlusal decay. Teeth that are suspicious for caries are ideal candidates for survey with the device.

The above pictures shows how the Diagnodent can find cavities that other dental instruments can miss.   Altered tooth substances and bacteria fluoresce when they are exposed to a specific wavelength of light.

The DIAGNOdent operates at a wavelength of 655 nm. At this specific wavelength, 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 of the DIAGNOdent.

An audio signal allows the operator to hear changes in the scale values. This enables the focus to be on our patient, not solely on the device.

In a study conducted by Dr. Lussi of Berne University, Switzerland, dentists correctly diagnosed hidden fissure areas by visual inspection in only 57% of all cases. The same group achieved an impressive success rate of 90% with the DIAGNOdent. In fact, DIAGNOdent was far more accurate than any other method in the study including bitewing x-rays (flossing x-rays).

Over 90% accurate...