Thermography: A New Diagnostic Tool in Dentistry

The various biochemical processes in the human body generate heat, which must be dissipated. Skin is the major route for heat dissipation using blood as the heat exchange fluid. Skin temperature is an indicator of aberrations in metabolism, hemodynamis or in neuronal thermoregulatory processes. Since most of the heat dissipation of skin is by infrared black body emission skin temperature should be measured without contact, by monitoring the emitted infrared radiation. This has been the basis of telethermography Thermography is being used to detect various pathological conditions in the medical field. There are also various orofacial conditions in which thermography can be used. This paper deals with the history of thermography and its various uses in dentistry.