牙菌斑pH检测电极技术的研究进展

Research progress on electrode technology for dental plaque pH detection

牙菌斑pH检测技术可检测龋风险,辅助预防龋病,其理论成熟、操作相对简单。由于临床龋风险检测技术的需求提高,微电极技术迅速发展,目前可实现牙菌斑pH检测的微电极种类也逐渐增加。现有电极技术主要包括微型玻璃电极、金属氧化物微电极以及离子敏感场效应晶体管。微型玻璃电极首先被应用于牙菌斑pH值的检测,但其结构薄弱,其中氧化铱微电极以其高强度、响应性优良的特点,成为近年来最具有应用潜力的接触法龋风险检测电极。金属氧化物微电极可以有效弥补玻璃电极强度不足的问题。随着电极技术进一步发展,更加小型、灵敏的离子敏感场效应晶体管受到研究者的关注。另外,为了克服接触法破坏菌斑结构的问题,近年来也有学者提出了光学测定技术,该技术可以实现无接触牙菌斑pH检测。未来的研究将在保证微小化的前提下进一步提高电极的强度及性能,并向无接触检测方向发展。

Plaque pH detection technology can detect the risk of caries and assist in the prevention of caries, with a mature theory and a relatively simple operation. With the increasing demand for clinical caries risk detection technology and the rapid development of microelectrode techniques, there is an increasing variety of types of microelectrodes that can detect the pH of dental plaque, including glass microelectrodes, metal oxide microelectrodes and ion-sensitive field effect transistors. The glass microelectrode was the first microelectrode to be applied in this field, but its structure is weak. Among the various options, the iridium oxide microelectrode has become the most promising caries risk detection electrode in recent years because of its high strength and excellent response. Metal oxide microelectrodes can also effectively compensate for the insufficient strength of glass microelectrodes. With advances in electrode technology, miniaturized, sensitive ion-sensitive field effect transistors have attracted the attention of researchers. Scientists have also recently developed a way to detect the p H of dental plaque with an optical no-contact technique. Optical contactless detection technology will not damage the dental plaque structure, so it has great research and clinical prospects. Future research will further improve the strength and performance of these electrodes on the premise of ensuring miniaturization and achieving noncontact detection.