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Dentistry Journal
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Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in Dentistry
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Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in Dentistry

A special issue of Dentistry Journal (ISSN 2304-6767). This special issue belongs to the section "Digital Technologies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 11 January 2027 | Viewed by 5472

Editor

Dr. Alessio Gambino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Surgical Sciences, CIR Dental School, University of Turin, 1023 Turin, Italy
Interests: oral diseases; oral pathology; oral medicine; oral and maxillofacial pathology; dental medicine; stomatology; bone pathology; salivation; preventive dentistry; laser in dentistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Currently, lasers and digital dentistry have seen remarkable progress in recent years, using high-tech devices in research with a strong clinical impact. In this context, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is among the most innovative in the field. This Special Issue aims to provide a specialized overview of the latest trends in clinical and laboratory research on the use of OCT in the diagnosis and monitoring of oral hard and soft tissue diseases. The integration of this technology into the dentistry team can revolutionize dental care by improving non-invasive and operator-friendly diagnostic performance. I invite you to contribute your valuable research to this Special Issue.

Dr. Alessio Gambino
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Dentistry Journal is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • optical choerence tomography
  • laser in dentistry
  • oral pathology
  • digital dentistry
  • oral medicine
  • oral hystopathology
  • biophotonics
  • photomedicine
  • photodentistry
  • laser surgery
  • optical diagnostics
  • photointeraction—tissue
  • light applications and interactions with oral tissues
  • laser and prevention
  • laser and conservative medicine

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 1275 KB  
Article
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Evaluation of Thermal Tissue Alterations After Diode Laser Excision of Oral Leukoplakia (OL)
by Alessio Gambino, Alessandro Magliano, Giorgia El Haddad, Marta Bezzi, Adriana Cafaro, Dora Karimi, Roberto Broccoletti and Paolo Giacomo Arduino
Dent. J. 2026, 14(3), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/dj14030168 - 12 Mar 2026
Viewed by 397
Abstract
Objectives: Oral leukoplakia (OL) is the most prevalent oral potentially malignant disorder and requires accurate diagnosis, safe excision, and reliable margin evaluation to minimize recurrence and malignant transformation. Diode laser excision is increasingly adopted due to its precision and favorable clinical outcomes; however, [...] Read more.
Objectives: Oral leukoplakia (OL) is the most prevalent oral potentially malignant disorder and requires accurate diagnosis, safe excision, and reliable margin evaluation to minimize recurrence and malignant transformation. Diode laser excision is increasingly adopted due to its precision and favorable clinical outcomes; however, laser-induced thermal effects at surgical margins raise concerns regarding tissue integrity and histopathological reliability. This study aimed to evaluate optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a real-time, high-resolution, non-invasive imaging modality for assessing peri-incisional thermal effects during diode laser excision of non-dysplastic OL. The primary objective was to validate OCT for ultrastructural and morphometric tissue analysis while ensuring preservation of diagnostic readability. Methods: A single-center observational case series was conducted at the University of Turin. Thirty patients with clinically and histopathologically confirmed oral leukoplakia without epithelial dysplasia were enrolled and allocated to two groups: 15 lesions excised using a 980 nm diode laser in continuous-wave contact mode (laser group) and 15 lesions removed by conventional scalpel biopsy (control group). Laser excisions were performed with standardized parameters and a circumferential safety margin of 5 mm. Immediately after excision, specimens underwent ex vivo spectral-domain OCT (SD-OCT) imaging to evaluate the epithelial and connective tissue microarchitecture at surgical margins and central lesion areas. OCT acquisition sites were precisely correlated with histological sections. Quantitative OCT measurements of epithelial thickness, lamina propria thickness, and laser-induced thermal alterations were compared with corresponding histological findings. Results: OCT consistently provided high-resolution visualization of oral mucosal microarchitecture in both groups, allowing clear identification of epithelial stratification, basement membrane continuity, and lamina propria organization. In the laser group, OCT detected superficial optical alterations at the surgical margins consistent with laser-induced thermal effects, while deeper tissue layers remained structurally readable. Histological analysis revealed mean epithelial and connective tissue thermal alterations of 288.9 μm and 430.3 μm, respectively. OCT-derived measurements showed high concordance with histology, with an overall agreement of 88.5% and no statistically significant differences between OCT and histological assessments. Importantly, laser-induced thermal effects did not impair definitive histopathological diagnosis in any specimen. Comparison with the control group confirmed preserved tissue architecture in scalpel-excised samples and highlighted OCT sensitivity in detecting laser-related structural remodeling. Conclusions: OCT proved to be a reliable, non-invasive imaging technique for real-time assessment of diode laser-induced thermal effects during OL excision. The technique accurately delineated tissue microstructure and surgical margins without compromising histopathological interpretation. Integration of OCT into the laser-assisted management of oral potentially malignant disorders may enhance surgical precision, optimize margin control, reduce diagnostic uncertainty, and support individualized follow-up strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in Dentistry)
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16 pages, 21899 KB  
Article
Discrepancy Between Surface Wear and Subsurface Fatigue Damage in CAD/CAM Composite Crowns: A Comparative Study of Intraoral Scans and Optical Coherence Tomography
by Julie-Jacqueline Kuhl, Maximiliane Amelie Schlenz, Bernd Wöstmann, Christin Grill, Ralf Brinkmann and Christoph Moos
Dent. J. 2026, 14(2), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/dj14020084 - 3 Feb 2026
Viewed by 527
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether surface wear, identified through the superimposition of intraoral scans (IOS), can predict subsurface damage progression detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT) during fatigue testing of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) composite crowns. Methods: Monolithic CAD/CAM composite crowns [...] Read more.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether surface wear, identified through the superimposition of intraoral scans (IOS), can predict subsurface damage progression detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT) during fatigue testing of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) composite crowns. Methods: Monolithic CAD/CAM composite crowns (Brilliant Crios; n=8) were adhesively luted to standardized prepared human teeth and artificially aged by cyclic loading in a mouth-motion simulator (50–500 N, 2 Hz, 37 °C). Under phantom-head condition, IOS (surface wear) and handheld swept-source (SS)-OCT (subsurface damage) were performed before loading and after every 250,000 cycles. OCT crack depth/width were normalized to local thickness and cusp-tip distance; correspondence between IOS- and OCT-derived metrics at each timepoint was assessed with Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (ρ) to test whether surface wear can predict subsurface damage under the given conditions. Results: All specimens survived without catastrophic failure, and both modalities revealed progressive damage from the earliest observation interval. OCT consistently showed higher defect percentages and larger dispersion (e.g., mean vertical defects (25.47 ± 4.97)% OCT vs. (4.36 ± 0.91)% IOS at T1 and (66.79 ± 19.53)% OCT vs. (7.78 ± 3.19)% IOS at T5). Across all timepoints, no statistically significant associations between IOS and OCT were observed (p = 0.146 to 0.955). Conclusions: Within the limitations of this exploratory, single-material in vitro study, restricted to a CAD/CAM composite (Brilliant Crios), surface-based monitoring alone did not reliably reflect subsurface damage progression. Clinically, this suggests that surface wear assessment may underestimate subsurface fatigue damage. Intraoral OCT may provide complementary, non-invasive information alongside routine IOS for individualized monitoring, but its added value needs to be confirmed in larger studies and other CAD/CAM composite materials and additional restorative material classes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in Dentistry)
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Review

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22 pages, 2988 KB  
Review
Impact of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for Periodontitis Diagnostics: Current Overview and Advances
by Pietro Rigotti, Alessandro Polizzi, Anna Elisa Verzì, Francesco Lacarrubba, Giuseppe Micali and Gaetano Isola
Dent. J. 2025, 13(7), 305; https://doi.org/10.3390/dj13070305 - 4 Jul 2025
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3620
Abstract
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging technique that provides high-resolution, real-time visualization of soft and hard periodontal tissues. It offers micrometer-level resolution (typically ~10–15 μm) and a scan depth ranging from approximately 0.5 to 2 mm, depending on tissue type and [...] Read more.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging technique that provides high-resolution, real-time visualization of soft and hard periodontal tissues. It offers micrometer-level resolution (typically ~10–15 μm) and a scan depth ranging from approximately 0.5 to 2 mm, depending on tissue type and system configuration. The field of view generally spans a few millimeters, which is sufficient for imaging gingiva, sulcus, and superficial bone contours. Over the past two decades, its application in periodontology has gained increasing attention due to its ability to detect structural changes in gingival and alveolar tissues without the need for ionizing radiation. Various OCT modalities, including time-domain, Fourier-domain, and swept-source OCT, have been explored for periodontal assessment, offering valuable insights into tissue morphology, disease progression, and treatment outcomes. Recent innovations include the development of three-dimensional (3D) OCT imaging and OCT angiography (OCTA), enabling the volumetric visualization of periodontal structures and microvascular patterns in vivo. Compared to conventional imaging techniques, such as radiography and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), OCT offers superior soft tissue contrast and the potential for dynamic in vivo monitoring of periodontal conditions. Recent advancements, including the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and the development of portable OCT systems, have further expanded its diagnostic capabilities. However, challenges, such as limited penetration depth, high costs, and the need for standardized clinical protocols, must be addressed before widespread clinical implementation. This narrative review provides an updated overview of the principles, applications, and technological advancements of OCT in periodontology. The current limitations and future perspectives of this technology are also discussed, with a focus on its potential role in improving periodontal diagnostics and personalized treatment approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in Dentistry)
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