A new ultrasound for the mouth could help clinicians ‘monitor treatments and diagnose earlier’.
The team at the American Chemical Society developed a small, non-invasive ultrasound method capable of imaging teeth and gums – even hard-to-reach molars and premolars at the back of the mouth.
Published in ACS Sensors, the toothbrush-shaped ultrasound transducer provides a less invasive screening for gum disease. Following demonstrations on animal tissues, the device produced measurements similar to those of a manual probe.
How do ultrasounds work?
Ultrasounds work by sending sound waves into the body.
When the sound waves encounter a structure, like gum tissue or a tooth, they are reflected and detected by a transducer. The transducer then converts the reflected sound waves into an image.
Currently, most ultrasound transducers have large heads that are about the same size as a wireless earbuds case.
Smaller transducers that are about half the length and width of traditional devices are available. However, researchers say current models have limited image resolution because they are only able to produce and detect low frequencies.
To overcome these limitations, the team created an even smaller toothbrush-shaped transducer. This operates at a higher frequency and can produce high-quality images of teeth and gums.
To test its accuracy, the researchers used the new instrument to measure the gum thickness and gum height of pig teeth. These measurements were repeated using a manual metal periodontal probe.
After analysing the correlation between the two sets of measurements, the team found that the ultrasound measurements were statistically similar to those of the manual technique. The results support the reliability of the toothbrush-shaped transducer as a less invasive technique for monitoring gum health.
Author Jesse Jokerst said: ‘We designed this tool to meet the realities of clinical dentistry. It is miniaturised, accurate and easy to use.
‘Future work will use this device with patients to image below the gumline, where we will monitor treatments and diagnose earlier to reduce dental pain and help patients keep a healthy smile.’
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