Sending in the canary to save young teeth

Tooth decay is a growing problem for Canadian children. In Manitoba alone, more than 2,300 children under the age of six every year undergo dental surgery, at an average cost of $3,500 each. And in some Canadian aboriginal communities, more than 90 percent of young children suffer from severe tooth decay.

Conventional X-ray diagnostic tools can’t detect tooth decay early enough to prevent fillings, but a University of Toronto spin-off company recently launched a product that has proven to be more effective in early diagnosis and prevention. Quantum Dental Technologies (QDT) is now marketing its Canary System, a small device that uses low-power, pulsating laser light to scan teeth for the presence of tooth decay. QDT is now training dentists on how their system can be easily integrated in their clinics.