Dental Transillumination Technology

DEXIS CariVu™

Detecting decay in your teeth in its early stages is an important part of warding off more serious damage. To give you the best in diagnostic care, our Lynnwood dentistry clinic makes use of the DEXIS CariVu™.

This is a small, portable caries detection device that makes use of patented dental technology to quickly and effectively pinpoint occlusal, interproximal, and recurrent defects in your tooth enamel.

The CariVu™ works by bathing your teeth in a gentle, near-infrared light and projecting an image of the inside of your mouth onto a screen. Your enamel will appear transparent, while carious lesions absorb the light and appear clearly amid the healthy tooth structure.

It therefore is able to do much of the same work that would normally be done with a traditional dental x-ray machine, but without the use of x-rays.

You are not exposed to potentially harmful radiation, you don’t have to hold uncomfortable equipment in your mouth, and you can see everything that your dentist can see on an easy-to-read monitor.

Further, compared to other forms of fluorescent imaging technology, the device is highly simple to use and the results are highly intuitive. There is no need to even clean your teeth of bacteria before scanning them.


If you are uncomfortable with having dental x-rays taken, CariVu™ can serve as a reliable alternative diagnostic device. If you choose to take advantage of dental x-rays, CariVu™ can supplement your radiographs to provide for an even more comprehensive look at your oral health. One way or the other, this simple device promises to increase the chance of identifying even the more subtle threats to the integrity of your teeth, better assuring that you will be able to hold on to these teeth for many years to come.