Description

Ultrasound is well suited for imaging of teeth and
their internal structures due to its high
resolution, its ability to detect small variations
in acoustic impedance, its ability to penetrate hard
tissues and restorations, and its non-ionizing
nature. Of particular clinical interest are those
structures that are difficult to detect with
radiography, including microcracks, subsurface
caries and fractures, occlusal caries, and defects
that are adjacent to restorations. This book
outlines the challenges and advantages associated
with dental ultrasound, details existing dental
imaging and dental ultrasound techniques, and
presents a novel approach to the detection of
subsurface dental structures. This book is a revised
and reformatted version of the Ph.D. dissertation,
submitted to the Biomedical Engineering
Interdepartmental Program at the University of
California, Los Angeles in 2005, originally
entitled Development of an ultrasound imaging
system for the detection of subsurface fractures and
caries in human teeth.