Oratek-ECD caries detection system now available in US

Ortek Therapeutics, Inc. announced the official U.S. commercial launch of the Ortek-ECD™, an electronic early cavity detection system that has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for professional use. The ECD can detect cavity lesions on the surfaces of teeth that are too small to be detected by X-rays. Dental professionals can now treat cavities before it can severely damage tooth structure.

"Dental cavities affect 60–90 percent of school-age children worldwide, and approximately 3 billion people suffer from untreated dental cavities," said Mitchell Goldberg, president of Ortek Therapeutics, Inc. "The ECD is a major technological advancement and will significantly improve patient outcomes by conserving tooth structure and helping avoid the unwanted consequences of more advanced tooth decay."

Powered by a 9-volt battery, the ECD is a small portable device that has a base unit with a digital display, a handpiece with a novel dimensionally configured conductive stainless steel tip that painlessly touches the bottom of a pit or fissure surface and a reference lip hook. The system measures the conductivity of enamel and is designed to instantly detect very early tooth decay on the biting surfaces of molars and premolars.

The ECD was developed and tested at Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine and demonstrated 100 percent sensitivity and 93 percent specificity in a peer-reviewed clinical study published in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry. The ECD is said to be fast and easy to use, painless, and does not use ionizing radiation. The stainless steel tip is gently placed in the grooves of molars and premolars, which are tooth surfaces most affected by decay. The unit measures the conductivity of enamel and instantly displays a digital cavities score allowing dental professionals to recommended appropriate treatments, including minimally invasive procedures.

For more information, visit ecddetect.com.