Application of Optical Coherence Tomography in Endodontics

Abstract

Endodontic treatment is a procedure performed to preserve a tooth with pulpal and/or periapical diseases by controlling causative bacterial infection within the root canal system and preventing reinfection. Any attempt to perform endodontic treatment must be preceded with a three-dimensional understanding of the morphological complexity of the pulp chamber and the root canal system to be treated. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a medical imaging technique that can obtain a precise tomogram inside the tissue non-invasively using near infrared light. In this article, we will give an overview of possible application of OCT to various phases of endodontic treatment, including detection of the pulp chamber and root canal, inspection of the resected root surface during apicoectomy and diagnosis of vertical root fracture, based primarily on our experimental findings.