title: Light propagation in dentin: influence of microstructure on anisotropy.
abstract: We investigated the dependence of light propagation in human dentin on its microstructure. The main scatterers in dentin are the tubules, the shape of which can be approximated as long cylinders. We calculated the scattering of electromagnetic waves by an infinitely long cylinder and applied the results in a Monte Carlo code that simulates the light propagation in a dentin slab considering multi-scattering. The theory was compared with goniometric measurements. A pronounced anisotropic scattering pattern was found experimentally and theoretically. In addition, intensity peaks were measured which are shown to be caused by light diffraction by the tubules.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Lasertechnologien in der Medizin und Messtechnik, Helmholtzstr. 12, D-89081 Ulm, Germany. alwin.kienle@ilm.uni-ulm.de
authors.forename: Alwin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kienle
authors.forename: Florian K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Forster
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Diebolder
authors.forename: Raimund
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hibst
mesh_terms: D016880:Anisotropy; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003804:Dentin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008954:Models, Biological; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D012542:Scattering, Radiation