Fiber Optic spectrophotometry to monitor early enamel remineralization and remineralization in vitro

Abstract

In this study Fiber Optic Backscatter Spectroscopic Sensor (FOBSS) is used to monitor the demineralization and remineralization induced changes in the enamel. Application of visible light spectroscopy offers different advantages such as rapid sensing, high spatial resolution, sensitivity, simultaneous examination of wide wavelengths, and permits the application of fiber optic probes. A bifurcated fiber optic bundle probe connected to a visible light source and a high resolution spectrophotometer was used to acquire the backscattered light from the specimen surface. These experiments showed that demineralization and remineralization processes induced a linear decrease in the backscatter light intensity and linear increase in the backscatter light intensity respectively. These experiments highlight the potential advantage of using fiber optic backscatter spectroscopy to determine early enamel demineralization and remineralization.