Optical Coherence Tomography - An Update

Abstract

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a non invasive, real time imaging technology capable of producing high-resolution cross-sectional images of the internal architecture of materials and tissues (1 – 2 mm in depth). OCT gives quantitative and qualitative information of both hard and soft tissue. The reviewed studies include images of normal and abnormal dental hard tissue structures and also teeth after several treatment methods. These are performed in order to assess the material defects and micro leakage at the tooth filling interface, as well as to evaluate the quality of bracket bonding on dental hard tissue. OCT can also be used for evaluation of prosthetic restorations and micro leakage at prosthetic interfaces, for imaging root canals and root dentin and the presence or absence of apical micro leakage and to detect osteointegration of dental implants. This imaging method has emerged as one of the forefront imaging modality because of the wide variety of information and the three dimensional data it can provide. This review focuses on the basic sciences of OCT with its potential dental applications.