title: Xenon light has effectiveness on the detection of incipient carious lesions on bovine enamel in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Filtered 325-nm xenon light was used to test its effectiveness in the detection of incipient carious lesions on bovine enamel by measuring the fluorescence spectrum.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The combination of early detection with new interventional methodology and caries management will be the preferred dental practice in the future.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specimens of bovine tooth enamel were embedded in resin, polished, exposed to a lactate carbopol buffer system for 71 hours, and randomly divided into one control and three test groups of 10 specimens each, with Vickers hardness number (VHN) stratification. The surface changes were characterized by atomic force microscopy. All specimens were irradiated with xenon light, and a fluorescence spectrum was produced. Characteristics of fluorescence among the demineralized tooth groups were measured using an optical multichannel analyzer and a confocal laser scanning microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The VHNs were significantly different among the four groups (p < 0.05). The fluorescence had a peak intensity of approximately 425 nm, and the slope value between 450 and 550 nm was significantly decreased in all test groups (groups II-IV) compared to the control group (group I), as the VHN decreased (p < 0.05). Demineralized lesion depth gradually increased to 30-40 microm in groups II-IV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 325-nm xenon light resulted in high efficacy for detecting incipient carious lesions. By evaluating the highest peak and slope value, the incipient carious lesion may be detected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Eun
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seong-Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Chang-Hyeon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Suk-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jong-Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Keun-Bae
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D054020:Lasers, Gas; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D014978:Xenon
chemical_list: D014978:Xenon