Mineral loss in incipient caries lesions quantified with laser fluorescence and longitudinal microradiography. A methodologic study.

The laser fluorescence method (LAF) was validated with longitudinal microradiography (LMR) for assessment of mineral loss in incipient caries lesions in human enamel. Fluorescence radiance scans and LMR recordings were made of 36 enamel slabs with incipient lesions. Original sound values for fluorescence radiance and enamel amount (kg.m-2) at the lesion site were reconstructed by a computer algorithm. Changes in fluorescence radiance and amount of enamel in each measuring point were calculated. The reconstruction method was tested on 20 sound enamel surfaces. The differences between measured and reconstructed values were -0.13 +/- 0.17% with LAF and 0.002 +/- 0.005 kg.m-2 with LMR. The repeatability of the caries quantification was tested by measuring one lesion 20 times. The fluorescence loss in this lesion was 18.2 +/- 1.0%. The enamel loss was 0.09 +/- 0.02 kg.m-2. The correlation between measurements with the two methods was r = 0.73. The non-destructive laser fluorescence method was concluded to be a sensitive and valid method for quantification of mineral loss in enamel caries lesions.