Optical Coherence Tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive diagnostic technique providing cross-sectional images of biologic structures based on the differences in tissue optical properties. OCT has been widely used in numerous clinical applications and is becoming popular as a promising technology in dentistry. Today, dental hard (tooth) and soft (hard palate mucosa and gingiva mucosa) tissues are visualized with OCT. With new developments in technology, the applications of OCT are being investigated in various fields in dentistry, such as to detect microleakage around restoration, tooth cracks/fractures, examination of periodontal tissues/pockets, early detection of oral cancerous tissues, and in endodontics for location of pulp canal.