PS-OCT Dental Imaging for Early Demineralization Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting early demineralization and caries in dental hard tissues are inadequate, as they often fail to accurately diagnose internal demineralization in the early stages of caries, leading to delayed detection and potential tooth damage, and existing technologies like X-ray imaging pose risks of radioactive contamination and unclear imaging.
Innovation Solution
A visual imaging device based on Polarization Sensitive-Optical Coherence Tomography (PS-OCT) that uses a laser light source, a coupler, reference and detection optical paths, a scanning galvanometer, and a computer acquisition and imaging system to perform three-dimensional reconstruction and cross-section analysis, allowing for quantitative evaluation of early demineralization and caries in dental hard tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If X-ray imaging technology is used to detect early demineralization of tooth enamel, then internal demineralization can be visualized, but radioactive contamination occurs and imaging clarity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces X-ray imaging technology with PS-OCT (Polarization Sensitive Optical Coherence Tomography) technology. This substitution eliminates radioactive contamination by using non-ionizing light waves instead of ionizing radiation, while maintaining or improving detection accuracy through optical coherence tomography that provides high-resolution cross-sectional images of dental hard tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameter from X-ray absorption to polarization-sensitive optical reflection. By measuring the polarization state changes of reflected light from demineralized enamel, the system achieves clear imaging of early carious lesions without radioactive exposure, fundamentally altering the physical basis of detection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional OCT technology is used for dental tissue imaging, then non-destructive and radiation-free detection is achieved, but the strong reflection from enamel surface masks the demineralized areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using orthogonal polarization specifically for detecting demineralized enamel regions. The system analyzes polarization state changes that occur when light interacts with demineralized areas, allowing selective enhancement of signals from carious lesions while suppressing strong reflections from healthy enamel surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite detection approach combining conventional OCT with polarization-sensitive detection. This composite system integrates multiple detection modalities - standard backscattering for general tissue structure and polarization analysis for specific demineralization detection - achieving both radiation-free operation and enhanced detection sensitivity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If clinical examination methods are used to detect early caries, then no radioactive exposure occurs, but internal demineralization without surface defects cannot be confirmed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional surface examination to three-dimensional internal imaging. PS-OCT generates cross-sectional and volumetric images of dental hard tissues, allowing visualization of internal demineralization processes that are not visible on the tooth surface, providing depth information and internal structural details that conventional clinical examination cannot obtain.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables high-resolution, non-invasive, and radiation-free detection of early demineralization and caries, providing accurate lesion depth and range evaluation for reliable clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Implementation Method 1
a laser light source for emitting a laser light
Implementation Method 2
a coupler for receiving and dividing the laser light emitted by the laser light source into a reference laser light and a detection laser light
Implementation Method 3
Polarization Sensitive Optical Coherence Tomography (PS-OCT) is an improved OCT system that involves use of polarized incident lights. The incident light of the orthogonal polarization can reduce the strong reflection by the enamel surface, and at the same time depolarize the scattering, thereby increasing the reflection by the demineralized enamel under the surface layer
Implementation Method 4
a scanning galvanometer, and the detection laser light through the scanning galvanometer pass through a convex lens to reach a tooth to be detected in vivo
Implementation Method 5
the detection laser light through the scanning galvanometer pass through a convex lens to reach a tooth to be detected in vivo
Implementation Method 6
a reference optical path, configured to let the reference laser light pass through a polarizer, an optical grating, and an optical path length adjuster to reach a reflecting mirror for reflecting the reference laser light, and the reference laser light reflected by the reflecting mirror backtrack to the coupler
Implementation Method 7
the reference laser light backtracking to the coupler and the detection laser light backtracking to the coupler are coupled and then passed through a transmission grating and a convex lens to input as an optical signal into a linear CCD detector for converting the optical signal into an electrical signal
Implementation Method 8
The OCT technology which integrates confocal microscopy technology and ultra-sensitive detection technology, combined with automatic control and computer graphics imaging processing technology, can realize non-destructive and radiation-free detection of human biological tissues, and finally obtain high-resolution tomographic images of the internal microstructure of the biological tissue in the body
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a visual imaging device based on PS-OCT for early demineralization and caries of dental hard tissues, comprising a laser light source for emitting a laser light, a coupler for receiving and dividing the laser light emitted by the laser light source into a reference laser light and a detection laser light; wherein the reference laser light backtracking to the coupler and the detection laser light backtracking to the coupler are coupled and then passed through a transmission grating and a convex lens to input as an optical signal into a linear CCD detector for converting the optical signal into an electrical signal which is then input to a computer control system and collected by a built-in capture card; and the computer is configured to perform a three-dimensional reconstruction of an image and perform two-dimensional cross-section image analysis; and the computer control system is connected to the scanning galvanometer to control a vibration of the scanning galvanometer. The device of the present application can be used for performing PS-OCT imaging detection of the dental hard tissue surface in the oral cavity of a subject. The computer control system automatically performs two-dimensional cross-section imaging and three-dimensional reconstruction imaging of the image, thereby completing a three-dimensional quantitative evaluation. The present application provides a new method for clinically detecting early demineralization of dental hard tissue with high resolution.