Patient Education
DIAGNOdent
Finding Decay The Easy Way
 One of the most important things we do for
our patients is to identify and fill cavities. Since any spot of decay
can threaten the integrity
of an entire tooth, this is key to preventing a host of future problems.
Historically, that's why lengthy poking and prodding sessions have
been an acceptable, if not very comfortable, part of dental exams. However,
such methods of decay detection are only 50% to 75% successful: cavities
can hide along fissure lines, or inside biting or occlusal surfaces.
Further, mechanical exploratory methods are limited to finding only
those
cavities that are equal to or larger than the probe head. Enter DIAGNOdent:
a revolutionary, thorough means of detecting cavities.
Laser Reflection
Spots Imperfection
DIAGNOdent technology uses a laser diode to inspect
your teeth, comparing reflection wavelength against a healthy baseline
wavelength to uncover
decay. First, we take a benchmark reading by aiming the laser onto
one of your healthy enamel tooth surfaces, shining the laser into
all suspect
areas. As it pulses into grooves, fissures and cracks, the laser
reflects fluorescent light of a specific wavelength which is measured
by receptors,
converted to an acoustic signal, evaluated electronically to reveal
a value between one and 100, and then displayed on a screen. Any
variation from the healthy baseline value stimulates emission of
a different
wavelength
and alerts us to a weakened area of decay. Not surprisingly, this
technology quickly and precisely identifies even the tiniest bit
of decay. This
means shallower, simpler fillings, preserving more tooth structure,
and providing a specific mean of monitoring suspicious areas without
repeated
x-rays.
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