Characterization of tooth structure and the dentin-enamel zone based on the Stokes-Mueller calculation.

This is the first study of dentin-enamel zone (DEZ) identification with tooth structure characterization based on the optical Stokes-Mueller measurement. Stokes vectors of a cross-sectional tooth slice were measured using various polarization inputs. The direction of the DEZ is different in enamel and dentin structures; therefore, the Stokes profiles can specifically characterize the structures based on the DEZ. This optical method, using polarimetry, provides a useful tool for characterizing tooth. (c) 2012 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). [DOI: 10.1117/1.JBO.17.11.116026]