DIAGNOdent Dental Caries Detection

Lyndhurst's Early Cavity Detection

For years dentists relied only upon the use of a dental explorer or radiographs (x-ray pictures) to detect decay in a tooth. Unfortunately using these two methods required a lot of decay to be present in a tooth to be detectible.

No longer! Our office still utilizes the older techniques but has added to them a Dental Laser Decay Detection System.

We use a device called the DIAGNOdent to detect dental caries (cavities). It is a laser-probe handpiece that uses a specific wavelength of light. The laser light of a specific wavelength is pulsed onto the tooth surface via specially-designed tips. When a cavity is present, the laser light fluoresces at a different wavelength and bounces back to a sensor, which is translates the amount of decay to a digital read-out. In general, the higher the number read by the DIAGNOdent, the greater the amount of decay in the tooth. When a cavity is present, the DIAGNOdent also produces an audible signal.

An almost undetectable cavity can aggressively penetrate a deep groove in the tooth or through the enamel inward towards the soft surfaces of the middle of the tooth. Using the Diagnodent Laser we can find decay when it is much small and has done less damage to the tooth. This also allows us to do much smaller fillings.

For the first time, we can also measure the caries activity over time. The DIAGNOdent allows us to detect early pathological changes that are going on in the pits and grooves of your teeth. We can watch smaller pits in your teeth and be sure we are only treating your tooth when it needs to be treated.

If you wish more information regarding Diagnodent or wish to find out how our highly trained staff might assist you please call us to schedule an evaluation and consultation. 440-461-8200. You may also email us though the “contact us” page on this website.