Clinical Assessment of Tooth Demineralization & Remineralization with PS-OCT

描述(申请人提供)：这项拟议研究的总体目标是开发偏振敏感光学相干断层扫描(PS-OCT)，作为一种非侵入性光学设备，用于准确和早期的临床评估牙齿脱矿和再矿化。支持这一建议的中心假设是，在脱矿和再矿化时，牙齿硬组织在1310 nm处的光散射强度的深度分辨变化可以使用PS-OCT在体内进行成像和量化，并且这些变化可以与使用偏振光显微镜和显微放射照相测量的结构变化和相对矿物质损失相关联。该建议的总体目标将通过下列具体目标实现：(1)测试使用高速PS-OCT扫描系统在模拟体外龋齿模型和拔除牙齿的自然损伤中可自动评估病变体积和该体积的反射率的假设；(2)在扩大的临床研究中测试PS-OCT可用于纵向监测脱矿以及氟对脱矿的抑制作用的假设；(3)测试PS-OCT可用于检测暴露于体内再矿化剂后现有病变的结构和严重程度变化的假设。这些研究将进一步验证PS-OCT作为一种临床工具对牙齿脱矿和再矿化进行准确和早期的临床评估。这有望在临床上实现PS-OCT在不使用电离辐射的情况下评估和监测早期龋损的活动性和严重性，从而提高龋病临床试验的效率，并显著减少其范围和成本。 公共卫生相关性：这项拟议研究的总体目标是开发偏振敏感光学相干断层扫描(PS-OCT)，作为一种非侵入性光学设备，用于准确和早期的临床评估牙齿脱矿和再矿化。这有望在临床上实现PS-OCT在不使用电离辐射的情况下评估和监测早期龋损的活动性和严重性，从而提高龋病临床试验的效率，并显著减少其范围和成本。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall objective of this proposed research is to develop polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) as a non-invasive optical device for the accurate and early clinical assessment of tooth demineralization and remineralization. The central hypothesis underlying this proposal is that the depth-resolved changes in the magnitude of light scattering of dental hard tissues at 1310-nm, that occur upon demineralization and remineralization, can be imaged and quantified in vivo using PS-OCT and that those changes can be correlated with the structural changes and relative mineral loss measured using polarized-light microscopy and microradiography. The overall objectives of this proposal will be achieved through the following specific aims: (1) To test the hypothesis that the lesion volume and reflectivity from that volume can be automatically assessed in simulated in vitro caries models and natural lesions on extracted teeth using a high speed PS-OCT scanning system; (2) To test the hypothesis that PS-OCT can be used to longitudinally monitor demineralization and the inhibition of demineralization by fluoride in an extended clinical study; (3) To test the hypothesis that PS-OCT can be used to detect changes in the structure and severity of existing lesions after exposure to a remineralization agent in vivo. These studies will further validate PS-OCT as a clinical tool for the accurate and early clinical assessment of tooth demineralization and remineralization. This is expected to lead to the clinical implementation of PS-OCT for the assessment and monitoring of the activity and severity of early carious lesions without the use of ionizing radiation, leading to an increased efficiency of caries clinical trials and a marked reduction in their scope and cost. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The overall objective of this proposed research is to develop polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) as a non-invasive optical device for the accurate and early clinical assessment of tooth demineralization and remineralization. This is expected to lead to the clinical implementation of PS-OCT for the assessment and monitoring of the activity and severity of early carious lesions without the use of ionizing radiation, leading to an increased efficiency of caries clinical trials and a marked reduction in their scope and cost.