Diagnosis of dental problem by using terahertz technology

Recently the diagnoses of dental caries and other dental issues are in a queue as only X-ray-based techniques are available in most hospitals around the world. Terahertz (THz) parametric imaging (TPI) is the latest technology that can be applied for medical applications, especially dental caries. This technology is harmless and thus suitable for biological samples owing to the low energy of THz emission. In this paper, a developed TPI system is used to investigate the two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) images of different samples from human teeth. After analyzing the measured images of the human tooth, the results suggest that the novel THz parametric technology is capable of investigating the inner side structure of the teeth. The technique can be useful in detecting the defects in all types of human and animal teeth. The measurement and analytical calculations have been performed by using the TPI system and MATLAB, respectively, and both are in good agreement. The characteristics of THz waves and their interactions with the tooth samples are summarized. And the available THz-based technologies, such as TPI, and their potential applications of diagnoses are also presented.