Quantitative Evaluation of Simulated Enamel Demineralization and Remineralization Using Photothermal Radiometry and Modulated Luminescence

• Main Author: Hellen, Adam
• Other Authors: Mandelis, Andreas
• Language: en_ca
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: Artificial enamel caries; photothermal radiometry; modulated luminescence; demineralization; remineralization; quantitative diagnostics; 0567
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1807/24578

Detection modalities that can evaluate the early stages of dental caries are indispensable. The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the efficacy of photothermal radiometry and modulated luminescence (PTR-LUM) to non-destructively detect and quantify simulated enamel caries. Two experiments were performed based on the PTR-LUM detection mode: back-propagation or transmission-mode. Artificial demineralized lesions were created in human molars and a subset was further exposed to an artificial remineralizing solution. PTR-LUM frequency scans were performed periodically during de/re-mineralization treatments. PTR data was fitted to a theoretical model based on optical and thermal fluxes in enamel to extract opto-thermophysical parameters. Lesion validation was performed using transverse microradiography (TMR). Optical and thermal properties changed with the development and repair of the caries lesions while theory-derived thicknesses paralleled those determined microradiographically. These trends coupled with the uniqueness-of-fit of the generated parameters illustrate the efficacy of PTR- LUM to non-destructively detect and quantify de/re-mineralized lesions.