[HTML][HTML] Photoacoustic imaging for monitoring periodontal health: A first human study

C Moore, Y Bai, A Hariri, JB Sanchez, CY Lin, S Koka… - Photoacoustics, 2018 - Elsevier
C Moore, Y Bai, A Hariri, JB Sanchez, CY Lin, S Koka, P Sedghizadeh, C Chen, JV Jokerst
Photoacoustics, 2018Elsevier
The gold-standard periodontal probe is an aging tool that can detect periodontitis and
monitor gingival health but is highly error-prone, does not fully characterize the periodontal
pocket, and causes pain. Photoacoustic imaging is a noninvasive technique that can
address these limitations. Here, a range of ultrasound frequencies between 16–40 MHz
were used to image the periodontium and a contrast medium based on cuttlefish ink was
used to label the pockets. A 40 MHz ultrasound frequency could spatially resolve the …
Abstract
The gold-standard periodontal probe is an aging tool that can detect periodontitis and monitor gingival health but is highly error-prone, does not fully characterize the periodontal pocket, and causes pain. Photoacoustic imaging is a noninvasive technique that can address these limitations. Here, a range of ultrasound frequencies between 16–40 MHz were used to image the periodontium and a contrast medium based on cuttlefish ink was used to label the pockets. A 40 MHz ultrasound frequency could spatially resolve the periodontal anatomy, including tooth, gum, gingival margin, and gingival thickness of tooth numbers 7–10 and 22–27. The photoacoustic-ultrasound measurements were more precise (0.01 mm) than those taken with physical probes by a dental hygienist. Furthermore, the full geometry of the pockets could be visualized with relative standard deviations of 10% (n = 5). This study shows the potential for non-invasive monitoring of periodontal health with photoacoustic-ultrasound imaging in the dental clinic.
Elsevier