This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 7884, including the Title Page, Copyright information, Table of Contents, Introduction, and the Conference Committee listing.

Diode lasers are used in dentistry mainly for oral surgery and disinfection of root canals in endodontic treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate and to improve the laser induced bacteria inactivation in endodontic treatment. An essential prerequisite of the optimization of the irradiation process and device is the knowledge about the determinative factors of bacteria killing: light intensity? light dosis? temperature? In order to find out whether high power NIR laser bacterial killing is caused by a photochemical or a photothermal process we heated bacteria suspensions of E. coli K12 by a water bath and by a diode laser (940 nm) with the same temporal temperature course. Furthermore, bacteria suspensions were irradiated while the temperature was fixed by ice water. Killing of bacteria was measured via fluorescence labeling. In order to optimize the irradiation of the root canal, we designed special fiber tips with radial light emission characteristic by optical ray tracing simulations. Also, we calculated the resulting light distribution in dentin by voxelbased Monte Carlo simulations. Furthermore, we irradiated root canals of extracted human teeth using different fiber tip geometries and measured the resulting light and heat distribution by CCD-camera and thermography. Comparison of killing rates between laser and water based heating shows no significant differences, and irradiation of ice cooled suspensions has no substantial killing effect. Thus, the most important parameter for bacterial killing is the maximum temperature. Irradiation of root canals using fiber tips with radial light emission results in a more defined irradiated area with minor irradiation of the apex and higher intensity and therefore higher temperature increase on root canal surface. In conclusion, our experiments show that at least for E. coli bacteria inactivation by NIR laser irradiation is solely based on a thermal process and that heat distribution in root canal can be significantly improved by specially designed fiber tips.

Complications that arise during endodontic procedures pose serious threats to the long-term integrity and health of the tooth. Potential complexities of root canals include residual pulpal tissue, cracks, mesial-buccal 2 and accessory canals. In the case of a failed root canal, a successful apicoectomy can be jeopardized by isthmuses, accessory canals, and root microfracture. Confirming diagnosis using a small imaging probe would allow proper treatment and prevent retreatment of endodontic procedures. An ultrathin and flexible laser scanning endoscope of 1.2 to 1.6mm outer diameter was used in vitro to image extracted teeth with varied root configurations. Teeth were opened using a conventional bur and high speed drill. Imaging within the opened access cavity clarified the location of the roots where canal filing would initiate. Although radiographs are commonly used to determine the root canal size, position, and shape, the limited 2D image perspective leaves ambiguity that could be clarified if used in conjunction with a direct visual imaging tool. Direct visualization may avoid difficulties in locating the root canal and reduce the number of radiographs needed. A transillumination imaging device with the separated illumination and light collection functions rendered cracks visible in the prepared teeth that were otherwise indiscernible using reflected visible light. Our work demonstrates that a small diameter endoscope with high spatial resolution may significantly increase the efficiency and success of endodontic procedures.

The investigation of tensile strength needed for bracket debonding was the aim of study. A diode pumped Tm: YAP microchip laser generating a continuous 2um radiation with the maximum output power of 4W was used for debonding purposes. The group of 60 brackets was debonded using classical and laser irradiation methods - the doze from 1W to 4 W, 60s. The tensile strength without laser irradiation was in the range from 39.6 N (full ceramic bracket group) to 63.7 N (ceramic bracket with metal slot group). After irradiation the tensile strength was decreased from 35.1 N (full ceramic bracket group) to 48.8 N (ceramic bracket with metal slot group). The results of our study generally agree with the previous studies, substantiating the fact that lasers can be used effectively to thermally soften the adhesive resin for removal of ceramic brackets. From the practical point of view is conclusion that during laser irradiation, thermal ablation occurs and the bracket is removed from the enamel together with the rest of the adhesive resin. Laser debonding is easier and little heat diffusion occurred.

The aim of this study was to assess the difference of fluorescence signals of cement and calculus using a 405 nm excitation wavelength. A total number of 20 freshly extracted teeth was used. The light source used for this study was a blue LED with a wavelength of 405nm. For each tooth the spectra of calculus and cementum were measured separately. Fluorescence light was collimated into an optical fibre and spectrally analyzed using an echelle spectrometer (aryelle 200, Lasertechnik Berlin, Germany) with an additionally bandpass (fgb 67, Edmund Industrial Optics, Karlsruhe, Germany). From these 40 measurements the median values were calculated over the whole spectrum, leading to two different median spectra, one for calculus and one for cementum. For further statistical analysis we defined 8 areas of interest (AOI) in wavelength regions, showing remarkable differences in signal strength. In 7 AOIs the intensity of the calculus spectrum differed statistically significant from the intensity of the cementum spectrum (p < 0.05). A spectral difference could be shown between calculus and cement between 600nm and 700nm. Thus, we can conclude that fluorescence of calculus shows a significant difference to the fluorescence of cement. A differentiation over the intensity is possible as well as over the spectrum. Using a wavelength of 405nm, it is possible to distinguish between calculus and cement. These results could be used for further devices to develop a method for feedback controlled calculus removal.

The aim of this study was to assess the detection of calculus by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). The study was performed with an Nd:YVO4 laser, emitting pulses with a duration of 8 ps at a wavelength of 1064 nm. A repetition rate of 500 kHz at an average power of 5 W was used. Employing a focusing lense, intensities of the order of 10¹¹ W/cm² were reached on the tooth surface. These high intensities led to the generation of a plasma. The light emitted by the plasma was collimated into a fibre and then analyzed by an echelle spectroscope in the wavelength region from 220 nm - 900 nm. A total number of 15 freshly extracted teeth was used for this study. For each tooth the spectra of calculus and cementum were assessed separately. Comprising all single measurements median values were calculated for the whole spectrum, leading to two specific spectra, one for calculus and one for cementum. For further statistical analysis 28 areas of interest were defined as wavelength regions, in which the signal strength differed regarding the material. In 7 areas the intensity of the calculus spectrum differed statistically significant from the intensity of the cementum spectrum (p < 0.05). Thus it can be concluded that Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy is well suited as method for a reliable diagnostic of calculus. Further studies are necessary to verify that LIBS is a minimally invasive method allowing a safe application in laser-guided dentistry.

In this study, the dental calculus was characterized and imaged by means of swept-source optical coherence tomography (SSOCT). The refractive indices of enamel, dentin, cementum and calculus were measured as 1.625±0.024, 1.534±0.029, 1.570±0.021 and 1.896±0.085, respectively. The dental calculus lead strong scattering property and thus the region can be identified under enamel with SSOCT imaging. An extracted human tooth with calculus was covered by gingiva tissue as in vitro sample for SSOCT imaging.

Using photothermal wave principles and as an extension to the frequency-domain photothermal radiometry, a novel dental imaging modality, thermophotonic lock-in imaging (TPLI), is introduced. In order to assess the capabilities of the proposed methodology samples with natural and artificially-generated caries were examined and the results were compared with the destructive transverse microradiography density profiles. It was found that the increased light scattering and absorption within early carious lesions increases the thermal-wave amplitude and shifts the thermal-wave centroid, producing contrast between the carious lesion and the intact enamel in both amplitude and phase images. Phase images are emissivity normalized and therefore insensitive to the presence of stain. Amplitude images provide integrated information from deeper enamel regions. It was concluded that the results of our non-invasive, non-contacting imaging methodology exhibit significantly higher sensitivity to very early demineralization than dental radiographs and are in agreement with the destructive transverse microradiography mineral density profiles.

Several in vitro studies have demonstrated the potential for transillumination imaging and optical coherence tomography operating at 1310-nm for imaging caries lesions on tooth proximal and occlusal surfaces. Recently, we demonstrated that lesions on proximal surfaces could be imaged in vivo using NIR transillumination and that PS-OCT can be used in vivo to measure early demineralization on tooth buccal and occlusal surfaces. In this paper we report the first in vivo measurements using OCT and NIR imaging of occlusal lesions that have been scheduled for restoration. Occlusal lesions were chosen that were scheduled for restoration based on conventional diagnosis that consists of visual and tactile examination. Occlusal lesions were visible in the NIR. OCT looks promising for confirming the lateral spread of occlusal caries under the dentinal-enamel junction adjacent to fissures. These studies suggest that both near infrared transillumination imaging at 1310-nm and OCT provide valuable information about the severity of caries lesions.

The aim of this work was to explore the utility of swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) for quantitative evaluation of dental composite restorations. The system (Santec, Japan) with a center wavelength of around 1300 nm and axial resolution of 12 μm was used to record data during and after placement of light-cured composites. The Fresnel phenomenon at the interfacial defects resulted in brighter areas indicating gaps as small as a few micrometers. The gap extension at the interface was quantified and compared to the observation by confocal laser scanning microscope after trimming the specimen to the same cross-section. Also, video imaging of the composite during polymerization could provide information about real-time kinetics of contraction stress and resulting gaps, distinguishing them from those gaps resulting from poor adaptation of composite to the cavity prior to polymerization. Some samples were also subjected to a high resolution microfocus X-ray computed tomography (μCT) assessment; it was found that differentiation of smaller gaps from the radiolucent bonding layer was difficult with 3D μCT. Finally, a clinical imaging example using a newly developed dental SS-OCT system with an intra-oral scanning probe (Panasonic Healthcare, Japan) is presented. SS-OCT is a unique tool for clinical assessment and laboratory research on resin-based dental restorations. Supported by GCOE at TMDU and NCGG.

Recently, it has become more important to objectively analyze teeth color in terms of esthetical point of view. In the evaluation of tooth color, the specular reflection caused by saliva on tooth may cause artifacts in analysis. In this study, a polarization dental imaging modality (PDIM) was developed to address the specular reflection problems. Clinical validity was evaluated by performing three studies such as shade-guide selection for implant, plaque distribution detection, and evaluation of tooth whitening. In the selection of shade-guide, in-vivo human teeth and shade-guide color images were obtained. The minimum color difference between shade-guide and tooth was calculated using Euclidian distance. In the plaque distribution detection, teeth disclosing agent was used to differentiate plaque from teeth and images were taken. In the evaluation of whitening, whiteness indices were calculated using 29 shade-guide images. Results presented that the new imaging modality could provide reproducible images by effectively removing the specular reflection on teeth surface and therefore, minimize artifacts in the quantitatively analysis of shade-guide selection, plaque detection, and tooth whitening. In conclusion, the PDIM potentially proved its clinical efficacy as a new imaging modality.

Dental caries is a disease characterized by demineralization of enamel crystals leading to the penetration of bacteria into the dentin and pulp. If left untreated, the disease can lead to pain, infection and tooth loss. Early detection of enamel demineralization resulting in increased enamel porosity, commonly known as white spots, is a difficult diagnostic task. Several papers reported on near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to be a potentially useful noninvasive spectroscopic technique for early detection of caries lesions. However, the conducted studies were mostly qualitative and did not include the critical assessment of the spectral variability of the sound and carious dental tissues and influence of the water content. Such assessment is essential for development and validation of reliable qualitative and especially quantitative diagnostic tools based on NIR spectroscopy. In order to characterize the described spectral variability, a standardized diffuse reflectance hyper-spectral database was constructed by imaging 12 extracted human teeth with natural lesions of various degrees in the spectral range from 900 to 1700 nm with spectral resolution of 10 nm. Additionally, all the teeth were imaged by digital color camera. The influence of water content on the acquired spectra was characterized by monitoring the teeth during the drying process. The images were assessed by an expert, thereby obtaining the gold standard. By analyzing the acquired spectra we were able to accurately model the spectral variability of the sound dental tissues and identify the advantages and limitations of NIR hyper-spectral imaging.

Dental implantation has become popular in dental treatments. Although careful planning is made to identify vital structures such as the inferior alveolar nerve or the sinus, as well as dimensions of the bone, prior to commencement of surgery, dental implantation is not fully free from risks. If a diagnostic tool is available to objectively measure bone feature before surgery and dimensions during surgery, considerable fraction of the risks may be avoided. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a candidate for the purpose, which enables cross-sectional imaging of bone. In this work, we performed in vitro cross-sectional imaging of extracted pig's jawbone with swept source OCT using superstructure-grating distributed Bragg reflector (SSG-DBR) laser as the source. The relatively long wavelength range of 1600nm of the laser is suitable for deeper bone imaging. We confirmed an image penetration depth of about 3 mm in physical length, which satisfies one of the criterions to apply OCT for in vivo diagnosis of bone during surgery.

Treatment of occlusal surfaces with a short-pulsed CO2 9.6 μm wavelength laser has previously been proposed as a method for caries prevention. A sample of 20 extracted human molars were measured before and after demineralizationremineralization pH-cycling with ICDAS II visual inspection, DIAGNOdent, quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF), SoproLife in daylight and blue light-induced fluorescence mode, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and polarized Raman spectroscopy (PRS). Per tooth, one fissure was subjected to laser treatment using a short-pulsed CO2 laser at 9.6 μm wavelength with a fluence of 3.5 J/cm², 20 Hz pulse repetition rate, 20 μs pulse duration, angulated handpiece, and focus diameter of 600 μm, while the other fissure was left untreated as control. The teeth were subjected to a demineralization-remineralization pH-cycling for 9 days. Cross-sectional micro-hardness testing was done as a gold standard to compare results with findings from the other detection methods used. Due to the small sample size reported, the trend observed was that laser treated fissures demonstrated a smaller relative mineral loss ▵Z than the controls. QLF findings followed a similar trend. Using a rotary catheter probe, OCT measurements were acquired from the various fissures to generate circularly mapped OCT depth images. PRS measurements of parallel- and cross-polarized spectra were acquired with a Raman microscope system. Preliminary OCT images showed differences in the initial air-tooth interface, with PRS results indicating a change in the surface property along with biochemical alterations after pH-cycling. Following pH-cycling, an increase in the OCT subsurface light backscattering intensity in the control fissures was observed compared to the laser test fissures. Porphyrin based fluorescence methods like DIAGNOdent and SoproLife, respectively demonstrated only additional light scattering due to the demineralization process.

Bkgrounacd and Objective: The use of Excimer laser for the treatment of enamel and dentin surfaces has considerable potential because the combined characteristics of low wave length and short pulse result in limited heat diffusion and therefore tissue ablation without collateral damage. The Aim of this Work was to study the effect of XeCl Excimer laser 308 nm wave length on the mineral contents of human enamel and dentin surfaces. Materials and Methods: 12 lower anterior teeth were subjected to irradiation with 308 nm lambada: physik model optex excimer laser and XeCl fill, the effects created by laser application were assessed by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Results: laser treatment on both human enamel and dentin surfaces had positive effects as the spectrum of the laser treated surfaces appeared similar to the untreated surfaces.

Pantec Medical Laser presents a diode pumped Er:YAG laser for dental and hard tissue applications. The diode pumped laser is practically maintenance free and ensures reliable operation over several thousand hours. The high repetition rate with up to 15 W average output power, allows treatments otherwise not feasible with low repetition rate, lamp pumped Er:YAG systems. The variable pulse duration of 10 to 200 μs combined with the good beam quality ensures precise and fast treatment. First results on enamel ablation as well as the power scalability of the technology to 200 mJ and 30 W average power are also shown.

The aim of this study was to assess heat generation in dental restoration materials following laser ablation using an Ultra Short Pulse Laser (USPL) system. Specimens of phosphate cement (PC), ceramic (CE) and composite (C) were used. Ablation was performed with an Nd:YVO4 laser at 1064 nm and a pulse length of 8 ps. Heat generation during laser ablation depended on the thickness of the restoration material. A time delay for temperature increase was observed in the PC and C group. Employing the USPL system for removal of restorative materials, heat generation has to be considered.

Background: Laser etching of enamel for direct bonding can decrease the risk of surface enamel loss and demineralization which are the adverse effects of acid etching technique. However, in excess of +5.5°C can cause irreversible pulpal responses. In this study, a 1940- nm Thulium Fiber Laser in CW mode was used for laser etching. Aim: Determination of the suitable Laser parameters of enamel surface etching for direct bonding of ceramic brackets and keeping that intrapulpal temperature changes below the threshold value. Material and Method: Polycrystalline ceramic orthodontic brackets were bonded on bovine teeth by using 2 different kinds of etching techniques: Acid and Laser Etching. In addition to these 3 etched groups, there was also a group which was bonded without etching. Brackets were debonded with a material testing machine. Breaking time and the load at the breaking point were measured. Intrapulpal temperature changes were recorded by a K-type Thermocouple. For all laser groups, intrapulpal temperature rise was below the threshold value of 5.5°C. Results and Conclusion: Acid-etched group ( 11.73 MPa) significantly required more debonding force than 3- second- irradiated ( 5.03 MPa) and non-etched groups ( 3.4 MPa) but the results of acid etched group and 4- second- irradiated group (7.5 MPa) showed no significant difference. Moreover, 4- second irradiated group was over the minimum acceptable value for clinical use. Also, 3- second lasing caused a significant reduction in time according to acid-etch group. As a result, 1940- nm laser irradiation is a promising method for laser etching.

Optical technologies have good potential for caries detection, prevention, excavation, and the realization of minimal intervention dentistry. This study aimed to develop a selective excavation technique of carious tissue using the specific absorption in 6 μm wavelength range. Bovine dentin demineralized with lactic acid solution was used as a carious dentin model. A mid-infrared tunable pulsed laser was obtained by difference-frequency generation technique. The wavelength was tuned to 6.02 and 6.42 μm which correspond to absorption bands called amide I and amide II, respectively. The laser delivers 5 ns pulse width at a repetition rate of 10 Hz. The morphological change after irradiation was observed with a scanning electron microscope, and the measurement of ablation depth was performed with a confocal laser microscope. At λ = 6.02 μm and the average power density of 15 W/cm², demineralized dentin was removed selectively with less-invasive effect on sound dentin. The wavelength of 6.42 μm also showed the possibility of selective removal. High ablation efficiency and low thermal side effect were observed using the nanosecond pulsed laser with λ = 6.02 μm. In the near future, development of compact laser device will open the minimal invasive laser treatment to the dental clinic.

The paper is focused on the description of a measurement procedure and image analysis technique able to easily estimate the exitance diffused by light-transmitting posts. The exitance has been measured by making use of a digital colour camera (DP20, Olympus) coupled to the optics of a microscope (SZX12, Olympus). Posts have been illuminated by using: a blue LED source (LS-450 Blue LED, Ocean Optics) with emission peak close to camphorquinone activator peak, an optical fibre and an ad-hoc realized post holder. The obtained results demonstrate that different translucent posts give rise to different exitance profiles, thus allowing to reach different polymerization depths along the post, providing different polymerization performances and, requiring different source powers and exposure times. Even though, other factors such us mechanical performances, biocompatibility and aesthetics have to be consider once choosing the more suitable post, the reported measurement procedure and data may help both in choosing the proper post and defining the optimum light-source power and exposure time.

A thorough understanding of how polarized near-IR light is reflected from and transmitted through sound and carious dental hard tissues is important for the development of optical imaging devices. New optical imaging tools employing non-ionizing radiation are needed for the detection and assessment of dental caries. In this investigation, an automated system was developed to collect images for the full 16-element Mueller Matrix. The polarized light was controlled by linear polarizers and liquid crystal retarders and the 36 images were acquired as the polarized near-IR light is reflected from the occlusal surface or transmitted through thin sections of extracted human whole teeth. Previous near-IR imaging studies suggest that polarization imaging can be exploited to obtain higher contrast images of early dental caries due to the rapid depolarization of incident polarized light by the highly scattering areas of decay. In this study, the reflectance from tooth occlusal surfaces with demineralization and transmitted light through tooth thin sections with caries lesions were investigated. Major differences in the Mueller matrix elements were observed in both sound and demineralized enamel. This study suggests that polarization resolved optical imaging can be exploited to obtain higher contrast images of dental decay.

It is difficult to completely remineralize carious lesions because diffusion into the interior of the lesion is inhibited as new mineral is deposited in the outermost layers. In previous remineralization studies employing polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT), two models of remineralization were employed and in both models there was preferential deposition of mineral in the outer most layer. In this study we attempted to remineralize the entire lesion using an acidic remineralization model and demonstrate that this remineralization can be monitored using PS-OCT. Artificial lesions approximately 100-150 μm in-depth were exposed to an acidic remineralization regimen and the integrated reflectivity from the lesions was measured before and after remineralization. Automated integration routines worked well for assessing the integrated reflectivity for the lesion areas after remineralization. Although there was a higher degree of remineralization, there was still incomplete remineralization of the body of the lesion.

Dental restorative materials are color matched to the tooth and are difficult to remove by mechanical means without excessive removal or damage to peripheral enamel and dentin. Lasers are ideally suited for selective ablation to minimize healthy tissue loss when replacing existing restorations, sealants or removing composite adhesives such as residual composite left after debonding orthodontic brackets. In this study a carbon dioxide laser operating at high laser pulse repetition rates integrated with a galvanometer based scanner was used to selectively remove composite from tooth surfaces. A diode array spectrometer was used to measure the plume emission after each laser pulse and determine if the ablated material was tooth mineral or composite. The composite was placed on tooth buccal and occlusal surfaces and the carbon dioxide laser was scanned across the surface to selectively remove the composite without excessive damage to the underlying sound enamel. The residual composite and the damage to the underlying enamel was evaluated using optical microscopy. The laser was able to rapidly remove the composites rapidly from both surfaces with minimal damage to the underlying sound enamel.

In this study, we investigated the influence of different laser scanning patterns on the adhesive strength of laser irradiated enamel surfaces both with and without post ablation acid etching. Previous studies of dental enamel surfaces ablated by a rapidly scanned carbon dioxide laser indicated that the highly uniform smooth surfaces produced by the scanned laser beam yielded low bond strength and acid etching was required in order to attain a high bond strength. However, since the enamel surface after ablation by CO₂ lasers is more resistant to acid dissolution it is desirable to avoid acid etching before bonding. The overlap between adjacent laser spots was varied to modify the effective surface roughness. In addition, small retention holes were drilled at higher laser intensity with varying spacing to increase the adhesive strength without acid etching. Varying the degree of overlap between adjacent laser spots did not significantly influence the bond strength with post ablation acid etching. The bond strength was significantly higher without acid etching with retention holes spaced 250-μm apart.

Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) utilizes short laser pulses to deposit energy into light absorbers and sensitively detects the ultrasonic waves the absorbers generate in response. PAM directly renders a three-dimensional spatial distribution of sub-surface optical absorbers. Unlike other optical imaging technologies, PAM features label-free optical absorption contrast and excellent imaging depths. Standard dental imaging instruments are limited to X-ray and CCD cameras. Subsurface optical dental imaging is difficult due to the highly-scattering enamel and dentin tissue. Thus, very few imaging methods can detect dental decay or diagnose dental pulp, which is the innermost part of the tooth, containing the nerves, blood vessels, and other cells. Here, we conducted a feasibility study on imaging dental decay and dental pulp with PAM. Our results showed that PAM is sensitive to the color change associated with dental decay. Although the relative PA signal distribution may be affected by surface contours and subsurface reflections from deeper dental tissue, monitoring changes in the PA signals (at the same site) over time is necessary to identify the progress of dental decay. Our results also showed that deep-imaging, near-infrared (NIR) PAM can sensitively image blood in the dental pulp of an in vitro tooth. In conclusion, PAM is a promising tool for imaging both dental decay and dental pulp.

We consider the capabilities of cross-polarization OCT (CP OCT) focused on comparison of images resulting from cross-polarization and co-polarization scattering simultaneously for diagnosis of oral soft tissues. CP OCT was done for 35 patients with dental implants and 30 patients with inflammatory intestine diseases. Our study showed good diagnostic capabilities of CP OCT for detecting soft tissue pathology in the oral cavity. The cross-polarized images demonstrate the ability of tissue to depolarize. CP OCT demonstrates clinical capabilities for early diagnosis of inflammatory intestine diseases by the state of oral cavity mucosa and for early detection of gingivitis in patients above implant.

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of laser irradiation during antimicrobial photodynamic therapy. Test chambers containing each a salivary pellicle layer and a Stretococcus mutans culture were analyzed using confocal laser microscopy after adding a photosensitizer. Half of the chambers were irradiated with a diode laser. Comparing baseline fluorescence with the values after laser irradiation, a decrease of fluorescence could be observed. The non-irradiated group showed a slight increase of fluorescence. The present study indicates that laser irradiation is an essential part to reduce bacteria by antimicrobial photodynamic therapy.

Near-IR (NIR) imaging is a new technology that is currently being investigated for the detection and assessment of dental caries without the use of ionizing radiation. Several papers have been published on the use of transillumination and reflectance NIR imaging to detect early caries in enamel. The purpose of this study was to investigate alternative near infrared wavelengths besides 1300-nm in the range from 1200- 1600-nm to determine the wavelengths that yield the highest contrast in both transmission and reflectance imaging modes. Artificial lesions were created on thirty tooth sections of varying thickness for transillumination imaging. NIR images at wavelengths from the visible to 1600-nm were also acquired for fifty-four whole teeth with occlusal lesions using a tungsten halogen lamp with several spectral filters and a Ge-enhanced CMOS image sensor. Cavity preparations were also cut into whole teeth and Z250 composite was used as a restorative material to determine the contrast between composite and enamel at NIR wavelengths. Slightly longer NIR wavelengths are likely to have better performance for the transillumination of occlusal caries lesions while 1300-nm appears best for the transillumination of proximal surfaces. Significantly higher performance was attained at wavelengths that have higher water absorption, namely 1460-nm and wavelengths greater than 1500-nm and these wavelength regions are likely to be more effective for reflectance imaging. Wavelengths with higher water absorption also provided higher contrast of composite restorations.