Terahertz Optical Characteristics of Enamel and Dentin Tissue (abstract)

Terahertz (THz) electromagnetic waves occupy the frequency region between 0.1 and 10 THz. They show promising application potential. THz waves have many advantages for biomaterial applications due to their nonionizing properties. One advantage is the non‐destructive image obtained for pharmaceutical inspection and medical diagnosis. We measured the frequency‐dependent electrical constants of enamel and dentin in the human tooth using THz time‐domain spectroscopy in the frequency range of 0.1–1 THz. The index of refraction of enamel was larger than that of dentin. The power absorptions of enamel and dentin were similar. We compared power absorptions of enamel and dentin with wet samples, which were observed to be greater than that of dry samples.