Issue Two 2015
2015, Vol. 2, issue 2, (July)
Literature Review
Application of ultraviolet light (UV) in dental medicine
Abstract:
Ultraviolet (UV) light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, that is, in the range between 400 nm and 100 nm. Because of its ability to cause chemical reactions and excite fluorescence in materials, ultraviolet light has a huge number of useful applications in modern medicine, for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. UV rays are the oldest method humans have used for decontamination; it is used for inactivating viruses, bacteria and fungi.
In dental medicine, the diagnostic uses are concerned with the fluorescence of teeth with radiation exposures to small areas and doses no more than 5 J/cm2. A number of dental procedures involve the use of Ultraviolet radiation in the oral cavity.
Authors:
Vladimir Panov; Department of Conservative Dentistry and Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Medical University – Varna, Bulgaria;Tsvetelina Borisova-Papancheva; Department of Conservative Dentistry and Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Medical University – Varna, Bulgaria;