Advancements in Technology Application
OCT is a new diagnostic imaging technology that is based on the application of advanced photonics and fiber optics.  It enables the capture of cross-sectional images of tissue with an axial resolution of up to ten times that of x-ray, providing tissue characterization and images that cannot be obtained by any other means, including x-ray.  Information is captured by shining a near-infrared light through a single optical fiber, only .006” in diameter, deep into the internal structures of the subject tissue, using a handpiece like scanner.
 
While the light becomes scattered in the dense biological tissue, a certain component of the reflected light remains unscattered and thus contains good quantitative and structural image information.  The OCT technology maps the changing intensities of reflections from the tissue to form an image of the subject area.  This image, displayed on a monitor, has an unprecedented amount of diagnostic information and can be viewed, manipulated, printed out and stored in a digital format.  OCT is ideal for application in imaging of the dental structures as it has the following characteristics:

High Resolution: Current OCT systems have resolutions at
10-30um compared with 50 microns for dental x-ray and
110 um for high frequency ultrasound.
 
Tissue Characterization: Using information inherent to the
returning photon signals, OCT can perform both spectroscopic
and polarization imaging to better evaluate the composition of
tissues and lesions.

Small Size: The fiber-based design allows easy integration
with small handpiece size scanners for easy access to the mouth.

 

No Ionization (Radiation): Frequency of light used is safe for
biological tissue.                                                                  
 

No Imaging Preparation: No time wasted preparing a dry field or  

removing stain/plaque to perform imaging.  

                                                                    
Portable and Upgradeable: System is PC based, portable, easily upgraded and can be integrated with existing office applications.             
 

Real Time Imaging:  Imaging is at or near real time.                        

 

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