SBIR Phase II: Brillouin Microscopy for Early Detection of Dental Caries

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力将是通过引入一种对脱矿高度敏感且对混杂因素强大的新工具，促进牙齿再矿化治疗的有效使用。如果患者遵循通常推荐的一年两次的牙科就诊计划，可以想象患者可能永远不需要再次进行初次充填。这一实践上的改变给患者、牙医和更广泛的经济带来了显著的好处。再矿化治疗可能会增加定期去看牙医的患者数量，因为他们可以避免可怕的充填。减少初诊申请所花费的时间所节省的费用将为牙医提供接受新患者和新程序的机会，同时减少更平凡的钻探活动。这个小型企业创新研究第二阶段项目将建立在为早期龋齿检测开发的技术基础上，并将开发供牙医临床使用和评估的技术。这项技术将使牙医和卫生员能够比以前更早地诊断龋齿，使早期治疗成为可能，并显著减少牙科钻探的工作量。这个第二阶段的项目将开发一种用于牙科办公室的探头，一种小型化和坚固型布里渊光谱仪。该项目还将进行实验室和用户测试，开发软件，并开发科学版本的光谱仪。在第二阶段的工作结束时，预计将有一个可用于临床试验的经过验证的原型。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to facilitate effective use of tooth remineralization treatments by introducing a new tool that is both highly sensitive to demineralization and robust to confounding factors. If patients are compliant with the generally recommended dental visit schedule of twice a year, it is conceivable that the patient may never need to have a primary filling again. This change in practice has significant patient, dentist and broader economic benefits. The remineralization treatment may increase the number of patients who visit their dentist on a regular basis as they can avoid dreaded fillings. The savings from reducing the time spent on primary filings will provide dentists with the opportunity to take on new patients and procedures, while reducing more mundane drilling activities. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will build on the technology developed for early dental caries detection and will develop the technology for clinical use and evaluation by dentists. This technology will enable dentists and hygienists to diagnose caries earlier than previously possible, enabling early treatment, and significantly reducing the amount of drilling in dentistry. This Phase II project will develop a probe designed for use in dental offices, a miniaturized and a ruggedized Brillouin spectrometer. The project will also conduct lab and user testing, develop software, and develop a scientific version of the spectrometer. At the end of this Phase II effort, a validated prototype that will be ready for a clinical trial is expected.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.