Researchers are developing an ultrasound device that could be used routinely in pediatrics, which would provide 3D images of teeth, soft tissue, blood flow and bone without exposing patients to radiation.
A team of researchers from the University of Alberta has received funding to develop a 3D ultrasound device that would allow dentists to diagnose periodontal disease without the use of radiographic technology. This device is more portable and affordable than CBCT imaging devices, and the team hopes to eventually make it commercially available to dentists.
Ultrasound technology has long been widely used in medical settings, but in dentistry it is used primarily for cleaning teeth. Dr. Paul Major, professor and chair of the Department of Dentistry at the University of Alberta and an orthodontist, began using a medical ultrasound machine to study bone position in patients with malocclusion. However, he and his team soon began developing their own ultrasound device due to the lack of a commercially available device with a probe small enough to fit comfortably in the mouth. The team has already developed a handheld ultrasound device that produces two-dimensional images.
Principal investigator Professor Lawrence Le, from the university's Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, said the 3D imaging will allow dentists to examine a patient's teeth and gums from different angles and see soft tissue, blood flow and bone.
In addition to being portable and more affordable than CBCT technology, the ultrasound device does not expose patients to radiation and therefore can be used in pediatrics. Artificial intelligence will be introduced into the ultrasound device to help operators who are not trained to evaluate ultrasound images.
Professor Major said that early feedback from dentists was positive. He explained how this device works. An intraoral probe is similar in size to a toothbrush or dental handpiece and is significantly smaller than optical imaging instruments in dentistry. The entire scanner is a portable device that connects wirelessly to a laptop computer for viewing, processing and storing images. The ability to image tissue without irradiation is seen as a major achievement. This technology can provide information about both soft and hard tissues that is not available with traditional imaging devices.
“We did focus groups with various private practitioners, and 3D imaging was top of the list for most,” Prof. Major says in a press release. However, he noted: “As dentists, we are not really trained in ultrasound imaging assessment, so there is a bit of a learning curve. Artificial intelligence can help with this.”
Researchers hope that the system will be available to dentists for diagnosing gum disease once it has passed clinical trials, and that it will be used in the future for developing dental implants, monitoring oral lesions, and possibly diagnosing caries .
An additional research project is underway at the university in which researchers are using ultrasound technology to help orthodontists track treatment progress and evaluate the level of skeletal support in the mouth.