Caries diagnosis by observation of Autofluorecence of dental caries using a Laser Fluorescence System

本研究的目的是检查是否变形链球菌（S.mutans）是牵连在产生的自体荧光（AF）检测龋损。将人离体牙的牙釉质表面和牙本质腔暴露于含有S.变形菌或乳酸缓冲液。用激光共聚焦显微镜或荧光显微镜在不同的激发波长下检测病灶的AF。结果表明，S.突变体诱导的釉质和牙本质损伤在红色和绿色光谱区域中表现出增加的AF，其中红色区域中的信号更强。然而，在蓝色区域中，相应区域中的AF信号低于背景水平。在任何激发波长下，在乳酸脱矿病变中检测到明显较弱或几乎没有AF强化。细菌细胞和培养基均不产生任何AF。这些结果表明，尽管存在S。变形链球菌可能是龋损发出房颤信号的先决条件，变形链球菌的某些相互作用。还可能需要具有暴露的牙齿基质元件的变异体来产生和/或暴露荧光团。

The purpose of this study was to examine whether Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans) is implicated in the generation of autofluorescence (AF) detected in carious lesions. Enamel surfaces and dentin cavities of extracted human teeth were subjected to artificial caries generation by exposing either to a culture medium containing S. mutans or to a lactic acid buffer. AF from the lesions were detected with confocal laser scanning microscopy or fluorescence microscopy at various excitation wavelengths. Results demonstrated that S. mutans-induced enamel and dentin lesions exhibited increased AF in the red and green spectral regions, with the signal stronger in the red region. In the blue region, however, AF signals in the corresponding area was below the background level. Significantly weaker or virtually no AF intensification was detected in lactic acid-demineralized lesions at any excitation wavelengths. Neither bacterial cells nor culture media generated any AF. These results indicate that, although the presence of S. mutans may be a prerequisite for the emission of AF signals from carious lesions, certain interaction of S. mutans with exposed tooth matrix elements may also be required for generation and/or unmasking of fluorophore(s).