In spite of remarkable progresses in the prevention of dental caries, such as fluoridated communal water in the late 1940’s, professional topical fluoride applications in the early 1950’s and effective fluoride dentifrice in 1955, this disease continues to be the most prevalent dental disease afflicting more than 90% of the population. Unfortunately there have been no major advances in the development of more effective or efficient measures for the prevention of dental caries during the past 20 years. Dental caries is currently detected in the same manner that it was in the 1940’s --- a visual, tactile clinical examination that is supplemented with radiographs.

For at least two decades the need for improved methods for caries detection has been recognized for two major reasons. Firstly, it has been established that the caries process is reversible if intervention measures are implemented prior to cavitation and therefore there is a need to be able to detect and intercept the process at an early stage. Secondly, the availability of more efficient caries assessment measures would be expected to markedly improve the efficiency in clinical caries trials and thereby permit the clinical development of more effective measures for the prevention and control of dental caries.

Therametric Technologies, Inc.

 Ingenuity · Excellence · Simplicity

Caries Detection Instrument

It has been approved that Quantitative Light Fluorescence (QLF) is capable of monitoring changes in the mineral content of enamel and therefore had the greatest promise for detecting and monitoring the early caries process. Research conducted by our team at the Indiana University School of Dentistry during the 1990’s demonstrated that QLF is the most accurate instrument available but it still lacked the level of accuracy desired as well as critical user-friendly characteristics to support its use for anything beyond research.

 

Thus, in 2003 we initiated a research program at TTI supported by grants from the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research and finally developed an efficient caries detection instrument (right picture).

 

In October 2006, we decided to further continue our R&D work in this field. Our goal is to deliver a new dental caries detection system, called Tier-2 Professional Caries Detection System. We will realize some unique brand new concepts of design and thus bring a revolutionary technology, a user-friendly, inexpensive instrument to dentists.

 

 

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