Compact mouth camera to find cavities and cracked teeth
Official title: Multimodal intraoral camera
Funded at Light Research, INC. · NIH-11195597 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small handheld mouth camera that uses several light-based scans to help dentists spot cavities and cracked teeth earlier in children and adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Light Research, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $783,218 |
| NIH project number | 5R44DE033307-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195597 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people (children or adults) with tooth pain, visible spots or cracks, or anyone coming in for a dental exam where early detection of decay or cracks is a concern.
✕Less likely to help
People without natural teeth (fully edentulous) or those whose teeth are completely covered by large metal restorations that block imaging may not benefit from this device.
What this research studies
If I went for a checkup, the dentist could use a single compact camera that switches between four imaging modes to look at my teeth inside and out. The device combines polarized white light photos, tooth autofluorescence, near-infrared transillumination, and optical coherence tomography to show surface and internal tooth structure. Those different images are meant to give clearer, more quantitative information about decay and cracks than a regular visual exam or X-ray alone. The company plans to refine the device design and bring it into clinical use so dentists can monitor problems and treatment progress more precisely.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This could let dentists find and monitor cavities and cracked teeth sooner and more accurately, possibly avoiding bigger procedures and preserving more natural tooth structure.
How similar studies have gone: Individual imaging methods like autofluorescence, NIR transillumination, and OCT have shown promise for detecting decay and cracks, but combining all four modalities into one compact handheld device is a newer approach with limited prior testing.
Where this research is happening
-
Light Research, INC.
Tucson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilder-Smith, Petra E — Light Research, INC.
- Study coordinator: Wilder-Smith, Petra E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Multimodal intraoral camera to help detect tooth decay and cracks
A compact imaging tool for dental clinics aims to better detect caries and cracked teeth by using four imaging methods in one device.
-
Developing a mobile system for early detection and treatment of oral cancer
This study is working on a mobile system to help find and treat oral cancer early, especially for people in areas with fewer resources, so they can get better care and improve their chances of recovery.
-
A new camera for better detection of dental issues.
This study is testing a new, small camera that uses different imaging techniques to help dentists find tooth decay and cracks more accurately, so patients can get better diagnoses and personalized treatment plans for their dental health.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.