Use of quantitative light-induced fluorescence to monitor tooth whitening

Bennett T. Amaechi; Susan M. Higham

doi:10.1117/12.424494

27 April 2001 Use of quantitative light-induced fluorescence to monitor tooth whitening

Bennett T. Amaechi, Susan M. Higham

Proceedings Volume 4249, Lasers in Dentistry VII; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.424494
Event: BiOS 2001 The International Symposium on Biomedical Optics, 2001, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

The changing of tooth shade by whitening agents occurs gradually. Apart from being subjective and affected by the conditions of the surroundings, visual observation cannot detect a very slight change in tooth color. An electronic method, which can communicate the color change quantitatively, would be more reliable. Quantitative Light- induced Fluorescence (QLF) was developed to detect and assess dental caries based on the phenomenon of change of autofluorescence of a tooth by demineralization. However, stains on the tooth surface exhibit the same phenomenon, and therefore QLF can be used to measure the percentage fluorescence change of stained enamel with respect to surrounding unstained enamel. The present study described a technique of assessing the effect of a tooth-whitening agent using QLF. This was demonstrated in two experiments in which either wholly or partially stained teeth were whitened by intermittent immersion in sodium hypochlorite. Following each immersion, the integrated fluorescence change due to the stain was quantified using QLF. In either situation, the value of (Delta) Q decreased linearly as the tooth regained its natural shade. It was concluded that gradual changing of the shade of discolored teeth by a whitening agent could be quantified using QLF.

Citation Download Citation

Bennett T. Amaechi and Susan M. Higham "Use of quantitative light-induced fluorescence to monitor tooth whitening", Proc. SPIE 4249, Lasers in Dentistry VII, (27 April 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.424494

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