Cavity Catcher

Numerous dentists are now examining patients with a new imaging tool called difoti (dye-foe-tee) or digital imaging fiber optic trans-illumination. Difoti spots cavities much earlier than traditional dental X-rays. Dentists shine a fiber optic light beam through each tooth. Tooth decay, or a crack in a tooth, will alter the light pattern and create a shadow. A computer then captures the information and creates an image for each tooth. The imaging process is a simple, painless, radiation-free way to catch problems sooner. Difoti can also catch tooth decay that may be hidden by metal fillings, which X-rays cannot penetrate.