The Intraoral Ultrasonography in Dentistry

Abstract

Ultrasonography (USG) is a diagnostic method that the ultrasonic image is created by ultrahigh-frequency sound waves, which have an acoustic frequency above the threshold of human hearing. Compared to other medical imaging methods, USG has several advantages of being real time, portable, inexpensive, radiation free, and noninvasive. In the medicine, most of the USG applications are transcutaneous. However, intraoral USG has been a relatively rare application, it has recently been drawing more interest. Intraoral USG is also used in dentistry for examining the salivary glands and ducts, as well as the mouth floor, the buccal, labial, and palatal mucosa, the tongue, periodontal tissues, and periapical lesions. The main purpose of this review is to provide detailed information about intraoral USG applications in dentistry.

Keywords: Dentistry; intraoral; ultrasonography.