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

这项研究的目的是检查变形链球菌(变形链球菌)是否与龋病皮损中检测到的自发荧光(AF)的产生有关。通过暴露在含有变形链球菌的培养液或乳酸缓冲液中，对拔除的人类牙齿的釉质表面和牙本质洞进行人工龋齿的形成。用不同激发波长的激光共聚焦扫描显微镜或荧光显微镜检测病变部位的房颤。结果表明，变形链球菌诱导的牙釉质和牙本质损伤在红光区和绿光区表现为AF增加，且在红光区信号较强。然而，在蓝色区域，相应区域的AF信号低于背景水平。在乳酸脱矿病变中，在任何激发波长下都检测到明显较弱的或几乎没有房颤强化。无论是细菌细胞还是培养液都没有产生任何房颤。这些结果表明，尽管变形链球菌的存在可能是龋损发出AF信号的先决条件，但变形链球菌与暴露的牙齿基质元素的某些相互作用也可能需要产生和/或揭示荧光团(S)。

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).