Diagnostic Technology
When I first started practicing dentistry, radiographs (x-rays) were about as big as a Toonie and took 10 minutes to develop. Thanks to developments in technology, we now have more and better tools to help us screen, identify, and diagnose dental problems. However, the best diagnostic instrument is still the mind of the clinician who uses the clinical history, signs/symptoms, and the tools available to arrive at a diagnosis. Dentistry is still an art and a science. Here are a few of the diagnostic tools which we use to gather information to arrive at a diagnosis.
Digital Radiography (X-rays)
The development of Intraoral and Panoramic digital radiography was one of the biggest advances in dentistry. The radiographs are instantly available in high resolution without using chemicals while reducing radiation exposure by 70-80%. High resolution images which can be manipulated for better contrast or definition makes for high quality care.
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This is a Panoramic x-ray of my mouth. Yes, that is an impacted wisdom tooth!
VELscope
The VELscope is a device that is used as an adjunct to the Comprehensive Oral Examination (COE), aiding the dentist or hygienist in visualizing oral mucosal abnormalities, including infections, trauma, oral cancer and pre-cancerous dysplasia. The Velscope exam is quick, painless, radiation-free, and basically tells us if there are suspicious areas which warrant closer examination.
Diagnodent
The Diagnodent is another screening tool which looks for cavities in the little grooves and pits of your teeth. The standard of a “cavity” used to be when the explorer would “stick” in a hole in your tooth – cavities cause the dentin to become soft, so the pointy explorer would stick in the soft dentin and a diagnosis of a cavity was made. The problem is that the cavity inside your tooth can get quite big before the hole on the surface is big enough for an explorer to find the cavity. Cavities on the biting surfaces of your teeth also do not show up on x-rays until they are very big.
Developmental Grooves in a molar
Groove smaller than a toothbrush bristle
The Diagnodent is a useful diagnostic tool which tells the dentist where to look for cavities.
The tooth on the right had an obvious cavity the other teeth were clinically fine
The cavity in the tooth on the left was found by the Diagnodent – the middle tooth was fine
CarVu Camera
DEXIS CariVu is a portable caries detection device that uses patented transillumination technology to support the identification of occlusal, interproximal and recurrent carious lesions and cracks. The camera uses non-ionizing radiation which is ideal for children, pregnant women, and patients who are X‑ray averse
T Scan
T-Scan Novus is an objective assessment tool used to evaluate the occlusion of a patient. Unlike articulating paper, which can only determine location, T-Scan Novus can identify both force and timing, two of the most fundamental parameters for measuring occlusion.
