[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF CARIES IN
TEETH USING VISIBLE LIGHT
[76] Inventor: Robert R. Alfano, 3777 Independence Ave., Bronx, N.Y. 10463
[21] Appl. No.: 343,874
[22] Filed: Jan. 29, 1982
[51] Int. a.3 A61B6/00
[52] U.S. CI 128/665; 433/29;
356/317; 356/341
[58] Field of Search 128/665; 433/25, 29,
433/32; 356/317, 341
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,290,433 9/1981 Alfano 128/665
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Alfano et a)., Journal of Dental Research, vol. 60, Feb., 1981, pp. 120-122.
Primary Examiner—Kyle L. Howell
Assistant Examiner—John C. Hanley
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Irving M. Kriegsman
[57] ABSTRACT
A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of caries in human teeth using visible light. The tooth is exposed to light of relatively narrow bandwidths. The light from the tooth is preferably examined by two photomultipliers or visually each examining a different wavelength. Caries are detected when the difference in the intensity of the light from the tooth at those two wavelengths changes in a predetermined manner.
2 Claims, 20 Drawing Figures
