Non-invasive method of checking teeth for cavities

Dental x-rays could be a thing of the past thanks to a new knowledge transfer partnership between the University of Abertay Dundee and pioneering research firm IDMoS.

A team of scientists from the university’s SIMBIOS (Scottish Informatics and Mathematics Biology and Statistics) Centre will use sophisticated CAT (Computerised Axial Tomography) scanning equipment to verify that the company’s newly developed equipment for detecting dental cavities works.

Chair of the Environmental Sciences School, Professor Iain Young said: “IDMoS have developed a non-invasive method of checking teeth for cavities.

“That means dentists will soon be able to check patients for tooth decay without resorting to x-rays which can be harmful and are often uncomfortable.

“Our role will be to verify that this new technology works by using CAT scans to check sample teeth for cavities and decay.”

His colleague Dr Dmitri Grinev added: “Knowledge transfer partnerships (KTPs) like this provide Government funding to help commercial businesses gain direct access to university knowledge and expertise.

“Abertay runs proportionately more KTPs with individual companies than any other university in Scotland and we’ve been involved in a lot of new discoveries and new techniques.

“This project is particularly exciting because it has such great potential to change the way we all think about visiting the dentist.”