title: Dental optical coherence tomography: a comparison of two in vitro systems.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the imaging results obtained with two different in vitro prototype dental optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two prototypes were evaluated: an 850 nm wavelength, 700 microW OCT system with a relatively low numerical aperture (0.03) and a 1310 nm wavelength, 140 microW system with a higher numerical aperture (0.20).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using the 850 nm system a characteristic scattering signal was observed that correlated with the depth of a periodontal probe. There was, however, insufficient light penetration to create images with adequate resolution. Improved image quality was achieved with the 1310 nm OCT system; these images had sufficient resolution to allow identification of anatomical structures important for the diagnostic assessment of oral structures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results illustrate the improvement in imaging dental structures that can be obtained with a prototype 1310 nm OCT system. The feasibility of OCT as a dental imaging technique is verified.
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, Department of Oral Diagnosis, 263 Farmington Avenue MC-1606, Farmington, CT 06030, USA.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Otis
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Colston
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Everett
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nathel
mesh_terms: D000669:Amplifiers, Electronic; D000818:Animals; D003945:Diagnosis, Oral / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004581:Electronics / Q000295:instrumentation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005881:Gingiva / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007834:Lasers; D023421:Models, Animal; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation; D010517:Periodontics / Q000295:instrumentation; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation; D013552:Swine; D014054:Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014070:Tooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D019237:Tooth Cervix / Q000033:anatomy & histology