Development of software for image segmentation of tooth enamel microstructure

• Grant number: 20/07401-4
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2021
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science - Computing Methodologies and Techniques
• Principal researcher: Sergio Roberto Peres Line
• Grantee: Giovani Bressan Fogalli
• Supervisor abroad: Daniel Baum
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba (FOP). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB), Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/23038-7 - Development of softwares for images optimization of the tooth enamel microstructure in whole teeth and fingerprints obtained from distance, BP.DR

Abstract

Tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in the organism, formed by prism layers in regularly alternating directions. These prisms form the Hunter-Schreger Bands (HSB) pattern when under side illumination, which is composed of light and dark stripes resembling fingerprints. We showed in previous works that HSB pattern is highly variable, seems to be unique for each tooth and can be used as a biometric method for human identification. Since this pattern cannot be acquired with sensors, the HSB region in the digital photograph must be identified and correctly segmented from the rest of the tooth and background. Although these areas can be manually removed, this process is not reliable as excluded areas can vary according to the individual's subjective impression. Therefore, the aim of this project is to develop a software that automatically selects the region of interest (ROI), thus, making the entire biometric process straightforward. (AU)