The Development And Implementation Of Low-Cost Caries Detection Device Utilizing A Near-Infrared Method

Abstract

One of the most common oral health problems in recent years is caries. Caused by bacteria available in the mouth. When there is food on the tooth surface, especially sugar and starch, the bacteria will break down the food to create acid that erodes tooth enamel, forming a cavity. It has an impact on patients' physical and mental health, make them lose their confidence. Numerous medical procedures such as: clinical methods, X-rays, Fluorescence, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), and in particular the near-infrared (NIR) technique, have been developed for the identification of dental abnormalities. In the meanwhile, NIR light technology uses extremely precise infrared imaging of tooth structures to detect anomalies early. In a previous version of this device, Mr. Dac Can has efficiently used near infrared light's characteristics to detect tooth disease at an early stage, but it has certain limitations. So, in this version, my project has resolved the aforementioned issues by applying two Near-Infrared SMD led, which can emit the beam directly to the teeth without the optical fiber due to the small size. Then, I remove the box controller, which means I don’t need the raspberry processor anymore, and put all the result transfer to the app on the computer by coding the app in python languages. After testing on approximately 30 teeth with decay and without decay, the result gives the clear image and high resolutions, hence this version is superior to compare with the previous version, duo to significant changes and upgrades. Despite coming across various, seemingly insurmountable challenges while developing the project, such as bugs in the coding and a lack of resources. In the end, the gadget fulfilled the requirements of the project and was getting closer to customers' homes as well as clinical and dental.