Introduction
The ability to accurately characterize tooth surfaces, including micro-roughness and 3D surface topography at the nanometer scale, enables advanced research and applications in orthodontics and dental materials science. Non-contact optical profilometry provides a precise method for measuring dental surface roughness and analyzing tooth surface morphology without damaging delicate structures. These measurements support the development of composite dental materials that replicate the natural surface roughness of enamel, as well as the design and fabrication of patient-specific dental casts and restorative components.
Low surface roughness plays a primary role in limiting bacterial adhesion and plaque formation, thereby reducing the risk of cavities. An increase in average roughness (Ra) above 2 µm leads to a steep increase in biofilm formation in vivo.¹ An Ra of 0.2 µm is considered the threshold value below which no further reduction in bacterial adhesion can be expected.²
Reconstruction of the tooth’s 3D surface topography enables the fabrication of dental casts, which are essential for accurate diagnosis, treatment planning, and the fabrication of dental appliances.
Non-Contact Optical Profilometry for Dental Surface Analysis
The present study illustrates the potential of NANOVEA’s high-precision non-contact optical profilometers for dental surface roughness measurement and 3D tooth topography analysis. Chromatic Light technology offers significant advantages over classical touch probe techniques. It acquires data points from deep crevices and complex geometries without introducing measurement errors or artifacts caused by local plastic deformation and without requiring extensive data manipulation.
Compared to focus variation systems, single-point optical sensing provides superior lateral and height accuracy, with X/Y resolution below 0.5 µm, maximum vertical resolution of 1.9 nm, and the ability to measure surface angles up to 87°. The technique is effective on transparent, opaque, specular, diffusive, polished, and rough dental surfaces, making it well suited for comprehensive dental surface characterization.
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