Quantification of Dental Electrical Parameters to Measure the Caries Depth

Dental caries is the most common cause of tooth loss and early detection of dental caries is a major step towards dental health. Carious lesions is a fundamental step in preserving dental health. Tooth decay could change tooth electrical conductivity. The porosity of the enamel tissue as well as the electrical conductivity of teeth can be altered by tooth decay. Therefore، the aim of this study was to measure the electrical resistance of teeth and its relation to the degree of dental caries. In this experimental study to investigate the structural differences in dental caries، electrical parameters such as resistance and capacitance of teeth were measured for sound enamel and dentin، superficial caries، deep caries، and extensive caries. The resistance and capacitance of teeth with various degrees of decay were compared with sound teeth. The relationship between the electrical parameters and the decay rate was evaluated using ANOVA Test. The results showed that the electrical resistances changed significantly by decay (p<0. 05) By increasing the depth of tooth decay، the electrical resistance decreased based on a linear relationship. It also revealed there was a significant association between capacitance and deep and superficial decay. (P=0. 01) The capacitance and decay changed based on a non-linear relationship. Quantification of dental resistance can be a useful tool for detection of caries، and it is proposed as a method for detecting deep caries with high accuracy.