A new concept in restorative dentistry: LIFEDT-light-induced fluorescence evaluator for diagnosis and treatment: part 2 - treatment of dentinal caries

Abstract

Aim: A new and innovative therapeutic concept using a light-induced fluorescence evaluator for diagnosis and treatment (LIFEDT) of dental caries based on the imaging and autofluorescence of dental tissues is proposed. The aims of this series of in vivo experiments are to compare and analyze the brightness variations of sound dentin and active and arrested carious dentin illuminated with an intraoral LED camera and to determine if this new device could be helpful in daily practice to discriminate between caries and sound dentin.

Methods and materials: A new intraoral LED camera that emits visible blue light was used in this in vivo study to illuminate and photograph 15 teeth at high magnification. The magnified images were examined using the free Image J V version 1.41 software. Four standardized rectangular areas were drawn on each picture that included both healthy and pathologic areas to analyze variations in brightness using a brightness formula: L = 0.299 Red + 0.587 Green + 0.114 Blue.

Results: Statistically significant differences in the brightness were found between active and arrested caries processes in an area of infected dentin designated Z2. Within the limitations of this in vivo study, the images created with the intraoral LED camera revealed significant variations in fluorescence between sound dentin and active and arrested caries processes.

Conclusions: The LIFEDT concept provides a therapeutic concept based on these findings of variations in fluorescence between healthy and pathologic tissue.

Clinical significance: This concept defines a pragmatic clinical and therapeutic approach for treating active and arrested carious lesions based on the interpretation of variations of a fluorescence signal and applying the LIFEDT concept to the treatment of dentin carious lesions.