Olga Tymofiyeva1, Julian Boldt2, Kurt Rottner2, Ernst-Juergen Richter2, Peter Michael Jakob1
1Dept. of Experimental Physics 5, University of Wrzburg, Wrzburg, Bavaria, Germany; 2Dept. of Prosthodontics, Dental School, University of Wrzburg, Wrzburg, Bavaria, Germany
Quantification of carious lesions and measurement of the distance to the pulp is an important task in conservative dentistry. This information can improve identification of cases with the potential for maintaining pulp vitality and monitor treatment success of indirect pulp capping. The presented results demonstrate feasibility of dental MRI to visualize and quantify the distance between the carious cavity and dental pulp in all three spatial directions. To the authors knowledge, MRI is the only modality that can perform this task non-invasively.