In May Sirona Dental will launch SIROInspect, a battery-operated, rechargeable caries-detection probe that utilizes optical technology to help dentists determine where caries does or does not exist prior to excavation.
SIROInspect is based on fluorescence-aided caries excavation technology (FACE), which exploits the fluorescence characteristics of teeth. If teeth are illuminated with violet light in the spectrum of around 405 nm, it causes dentin to fluoresce. Healthy dental tissue lights up green, while carious areas are visibly red.
A pair of accompanying diagnostic glasses filter short wavelengths below 500 nm, while light components at higher wavelengths remain visible.
Scientific studies have shown that FACE works more reliably than other check-up methods for preventing secondary caries, according to Heike Forell, product manager at Sirona (Pediatric Dentistry, July/August 2009, Vol. 31:4, pp. 316-319; Operative Dentistry, June 2007, Vol. 32:3, pp. 236-241; Op Dent, September 2006, Vol. 31:5, pp. 551-555; and Op Dent, July 2003, Vol. 28:4, pp. 341-345).
The FACE technology was originally developed by researchers from the University of Zurich.
