A team of researchers from the American Chemical Society has developed a small, non-invasive ultrasound method that can image teeth and gums, even hard-to-reach molars and premolars in the back of the mouth.
Published in the journal ACS Sensors, the toothbrush-shaped ultrasonic transducer offers a less invasive way to screen for gum disease. Demonstrated on animal tissue, the device produced measurements similar to those produced by a manual probe.
Smaller transducers are already available, about half the length and width of conventional devices. However, researchers say current transducers have limited image resolution because they can only produce and detect low frequencies.
To overcome these limitations, the team created a smaller toothbrush-shaped transducer. It operates at a higher frequency, producing high-quality images of teeth and gums.
To test its accuracy, the researchers used the new instrument to measure gum thickness and gum height in pig teeth. The researchers then repeated these measurements using a manual metal periodontal probe.
After analyzing the correlation between the two sets of measurements, the team found that the ultrasound measurements were statistically similar to the manual measurements. The results support the reliability of the toothbrush-shaped transducer as a minimally invasive gum health monitoring technology.
“We designed this tool to meet the realities of clinical dentistry. It is small, accurate, and easy to use,” said author Jesse Jokerst.
“Future work will use the device to image below a patient’s gum line, where we will monitor treatment and diagnose early to reduce tooth pain and help patients maintain a healthy smile.”
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