Hatfield, PA DEXIS is pleased to announce the introduction of CariVu, a compact, portable caries detection device that uses unique, patented transillumination technology. This exciting new product provides the ability to easily detect a range of carious lesions (occlusal, interproximal, secondary/recurrent,) and cracks, and yields an easily interpreted image that is stored with the patient’s other images. Incorporating easily into current workflow, CariVu serves as a valuable adjunct tool for the identification of tooth decay when used with clinical and radiographic examinations.
CariVu embodies a modern version of transillumination technology that has been evolving for over a decade and has been shown, in some cases, to both find lesions earlier than with X-ray, as well as represent the lesion’s structure very accurately. Also, design improvements have led to a product where the light source and other electronics needed for image capture are housed sleekly in a light-weight handpiece that can interact with the DEXIS software. The system also utilizes flexible, autoclavable tips. This improved usability speaks to the hallmarks of DEXIS imaging solutions of ease-of-use and patient comfort.
This new system employs near-infrared light which, in images, turns the natural tooth transparent and the caries dark similar to radiographs, and thus, in a view that is familiar to clinicians. Not only are CariVu images easy to read and understand, they are captured and stored with the patient’s other images. Since all intra-oral X-rays, camera and CariVu images for the select tooth appear side-by-side, the clinician can quickly compare them to make a diagnosis and decide on a course of treatment. These images can be shared with patients so that they may better understand the need for preventive or restorative care.
The technology behind CariVu offers an advantage in diagnosis of caries over systems that rely on fluorescence reactions which is typically denoted by colors or numeric values. In laboratory testing on the comparison of these two technologies, this new transillumination device showed that the view of the lesions on the images correlated well with their actual physical conditions. Thus, with CariVu, the dentist gains a more accurate view of the actual carious lesion’s shape and size, not just an indication of the presence of decay.