One of France’s most highly qualified dental professionals with an interest in caries detection and treatment, Professor Herve Tassery, has given an interesting and informative lecture tour in Australia, hosted by A-dec and Acteon.

Professor Tassery, Professor of Odontology from University of Mediterranean (Marseille), was involved in the design of the Light Induced Fluorescence Evaluator technology used in the breakthrough caries detection device, SoproLIFE, which was launched at the International Dental Show (IDS), Cologne in 2009.

The professor was well received at three lectures held at A-dec Australia’s head office in Sydney, the University of Queensland’s School of Dentistry in Brisbane and at the Novotel in St Kilda, Melbourne during early December.

Although a pioneer of the Light Induced Fluorescence Evaluation technology used in SoproLIFE, Prof Tassery gave acknowledgement of the concept of Minimally Invasive Dentistry, which he said largely began in Australia.

This approach has inspired him to develop ways of treating caries without unnecessary excavation or restoration of dentine, and to instead seal carious lesions with glass ionomers and encourage natural healing of the tooth structure where possible.

He said SoproLIFE was the ideal tool to assist and support dentists wanting to make the most accurate diagnosis, and had the added advantage of involving patients in treatment options, by clearly displaying the image on a monitor for them to view.

“With SoproLIFE you can see the shape and activity of a potentially carious lesion without having to drill the area. This makes the technology ideal for those practicing minimally invasive dentistry,” Prof Tassery said.

“SoproLIFE supplements visual inspection by allowing dentists to better see healthy and diseased tooth tissue and make a better judgment. When used in daylight macro mode it gives a much better view of the tooth; and in diagnostic mode clearly distinguishes between healthy dentine, and both active and arrested sclerotic dentine.”

SoproLIFE is now widely used in Europe’s leading universities as part of formal Dental studies and has also been trialed in Australia by Sydney University andadopted by a number of leading practitioners of Minimally Invasive Dentistry.

More information on the breakthrough SoproLIFE caries detector is available from A-dec dealers around Australia.

For a list of Acteon stockists, contact Leni Vilivili at A-dec Toll Free on 1800 025 010 or Sandy Junior at Acteon Australia Ph 02 9662 4400.