The program objective is to develop and demonstrate Raman spectroscopy in the assessment of Dental health and chemistry. Raman chemical taxonomy in Dentistry has already been applied on prepared samples derived from extracted teeth. While demonstrating the utility of Raman in Dentistry, these studies used bench-top spectrometers or microscopes. The application proposes to further study, optimize, and develop Raman spectroscopy for caries detection by demonstrating a Raman probe designed for in vivo measurements. It is expected that the Raman probe will be an important research tool with eventual applications to patient care. Efforts will begin with selection of a safe and effective Raman excitation source from the spectrum of available lasers. The probe design study will include spectral signal-to noise ratio analyses, diagnostic ROC curves for demineralization, and characterization of the optical properties of teeth as they relate to Raman excitation. There are also plans to develop a spectral database from Dental materials, diseased teeth, and healthy teeth sampling the normal color and composition variations. A complete Raman spectrometer for clinical use will be built in the second phase of the proposed program. In the Phase 2 program the probe will be applied to in vivo measurement for diagnosis.
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