Midwest Caries I.D.™ Intelligent Detection
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE TECHNOLOGY
The Midwest Caries I.D.™ Detection Handpiece uses a specific optic signature to detect the difference between healthy and decalcified teeth. To understand how this works, let’s examine how light reacts to enamel. The enamel structure of a tooth is made up of enamel “rods.” When healthy, these rods are straight, tall and closely packed together in a translucent, crystal-like structure that allows light to pass through. When decalcification occurs, this crystal structure breaks down, shortening the rods and allowing more spacing between them. As a result, the tooth becomes less translucent than healthy enamel. This creates a specific optic signature that is recognized by the Midwest Caries I.D.™ Detection Handpiece.
HEALTHY ENAMEL
DEMINERALIZED ENAMEL
HOW IT WORKS
To detect caries, the Midwest Caries I.D.™ Detection Handpiece emits the LED light, which passes through the enamel rods. It then uses three separate fibers – one emits a green light, the second emits a red light and the third fiber is a non-colored receiving fiber -- to collect light from the tooth. If the enamel is healthy, the LED light is absorbed into the tooth and the green light remains on. If the enamel is demineralized and decay is present, the LED light will be reflected, refracted or scattered. The non-colored receiving fiber captures this light—the green light is extinguished, the red light is illuminated and an audible tone is heard, alerting the clinician that there is a change in tooth structure. With the Midwest Caries I.D.™ Detection Handpiece, diagnosis is simple: a non-red, or greenish light indicates healthy tooth structure; presence of the red light with an audible tone indicates decalcification of tooth structure.
END OF TIP VIEW (3-D Model Rendering)
MORE ACCURATE THAN RADIOGRAPHS
The Midwest Caries I.D.™ is able to identify significantly more caries than traditional radiographs. ** In fact, clinical studies have shown that the Midwest Caries I.D.™ is 80%* accurate at detecting interproximal caries and 92% accurate at detecting occlusal caries. Compare these numbers with 50% and 39%*** for traditional radiograph detection and it’s easy to see how the Midwest Caries I.D.™ can dramatically improve your ability to detect caries in posterior teeth.
USING THE MIDWEST CARIES I.D.™
A rapid pulse indicates a high level of decalcification. A medium pulse indicates a medium level of decalcification and a slow pulse indicates a small amount of decalcification. When caries is detected, pivot the probe tip in all directions to determine the size and direction of the decay. To detect interproximal caries, scan from the occlusal surface on the mesial or distal marginal ridge, in the long axis of the tooth with a slight angle toward the interproximal area. In both cases, a large positive area corresponds to a large area of decay underneath the surface.
The Midwest Caries I.D.™ Detection Handpiece is a valuable adjunctive diagnostic tool that can help improve the detection of dental caries. It reduces the risk of caries misdiagnosis by identifying up to 92%** of occlusal and 80%* of interproximal caries in unrestored posterior teeth. Non-invasive and easy to use, the Midwest Caries I.D.™ Detection Handpiece enables you to provide a higher level of care to your patients. To help improve caries detection in your practice, choose the Midwest Caries I.D.™ Detection Handpiece from Dentsply Professional.
****Howard E. Strassler, DMD; and LuisGuitherme Sensi, DDS, MS, PHD Compendium Volume 29, No. 8