title: Multispectral Near-Infrared Imaging of Composite Restorations in Extracted Teeth.
abstract: One major advantage of composite restoration materials is that they can be color matched to the tooth. However, this presents a challenge when composites fail and they need to be replaced. Dentists typically spend more time repairing and replacing composites than placing new restorations. Previous studies have shown that near-infrared imaging can be used to distinguish between sound enamel and decay due to the differences in light scattering. The purpose of this study was to use a similar approach and exploit differences in light scattering to attain high contrast between composite and tooth structure. Extracted human teeth with composites (n=16) were imaged in occlusal transmission mode at wavelengths of 1300-nm, 1460-nm and 1550-nm using an InGaAs image sensor with a tungsten halogen light source with spectral filters. All samples were also imaged in the visible range using a high definition 3D digital microscope. Our results indicate that NIR wavelengths at 1460-nm and 1550-nm, coincident with higher water absorption yield the highest contrast between dental composites and tooth structure.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0758.
authors.forename: Cooper M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0758.
authors.forename: Katrina U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Co
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0758.
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Fried
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0758.
authors.forename: Jacob C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0758.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Staninec
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0758.
authors.forename: Daniel Fried
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: And
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0758.
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Darling
keywords: Near-IR imaging; composite restoration; dental enamel; dentin; transillumination