Open Access
1 May 2009 Measurement of the refractive index of human teeth by optical coherence tomography
Zhuo Meng, X. Steve Yao, Hui Yao, Yan Liang, Tiegen Liu, Yanni Li, Guanhua Wang, Shoufeng Lan
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Abstract
We describe a novel method based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) for the accurate measurement of the refractive index of in vitro human teeth. We obtain the refractive indices of enamel, dentin, and cementum to be 1.631±0.007, 1.540±0.013, and 1.582±0.010, respectively. The profile of the refractive index is readily obtained via an OCT B scan across a tooth. This method can be used to study the refractive index changes caused by dental decay and therefore has great potential for the clinical diagnosis of early dental caries.
©(2009) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)
Zhuo Meng, X. Steve Yao, Hui Yao, Yan Liang, Tiegen Liu, Yanni Li, Guanhua Wang, and Shoufeng Lan "Measurement of the refractive index of human teeth by optical coherence tomography," Journal of Biomedical Optics 14(3), 034010 (1 May 2009). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3130322
Published: 1 May 2009
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CITATIONS
Cited by 139 scholarly publications and 1 patent.
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KEYWORDS
Refractive index

Optical coherence tomography

Teeth

Glasses

Metals

Cements

In vitro testing

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