Teeth Fluorescence

Introduction

Reflectance and fluorescence both affect how we perceive the appearance of an object when light falls upon it. Reflectance is the absorption of visible light (400-700nm) and spontaneous emission in the same wavelength region. People usually see objects based on the light that is reflected from the surface of the object. Fluorescence on the other hand, is the absorption of UV light (<=400nm) and spontaneous emission in a longer wavelength region such as 430-450nm. Human teeth exhibit a property known as autofluorescence, which is natural fluorescence by biological structures without the presence of any artificial fluorophores. This fluorescent property gives the teeth a look of vitality that we have grown accustomed to seeing. In the dentistry setting especially, it is important to understand more about teeth fluorescence to be able to properly "patch up" natural teeth with artificial components.

Background

Example of mismatch in fluorescence properties between a patient's teeth and their composite.

Cavities and other forms of teeth damage and breakdown are common in our lives but people place high value their perfect smile. Dentists use a variety of artificial materials to amend damaged teeth but must take into account many factors in order to provide the best restoration for their patient. The composites need to appear to be the same color under various lightings (as was researched by a previous project) and also have similar fluorescence properties. These two phenomena are uncorrelated so the study discussed here is focused on finding the location of and peak intensities of teeth fluorescence so that we can get a better sense of what kind of materials to consider when picking a composite, since they must fluoresce in a similar manner with natural teeth. This is especially relevant in recent years since more artificial lighting with blue or UV components are now in use.