Studies on the changes in biomechanical properties of the gingiva are significant, since they are closely related to the pathological process of gingivitis and periodontitis. Although some research has been conducted, the currently used techniques are not feasible for in vivo and clinical measurements due to their disadvantages, such as the invasive nature and the requirement of thin sectioning. In this study, we developed a shaker-based optical coherence elastography system which provides noninvasive measurement, high axial resolution, high displacement sensitivity, and real-time imaging, and explored its potential for the detection of gingival elasticity. The system was tested by an agar phantom model and an in vivo rabbit model, where the shear wave propagations were visualized and the corresponding shear modulus and Yong’s modulus were quantified, suggesting the feasibility and reliability of our system. As far as we know, this is the first in vivo elasticity imaging of the gingiva, thus providing a powerful tool for rebuilding gingival elasticity, which may widely benefit clinical medicine in the future.

研究牙龈生物力学特性的变化意义重大，因为它们与牙龈炎和牙周炎的病理过程密切相关。尽管已经进行了一些研究，但由于其缺点，例如侵入性和薄切片的要求，目前使用的技术在体内和临床测量中不可行。在这项研究中，我们开发了一种基于振动台的光学相干弹性成像系统，该系统提供了无创测量、高轴向分辨率、高位移灵敏度和实时成像，并探索了其检测牙龈弹性的潜力。该系统通过琼脂模型和体内兔模型，其中剪切波传播可视化，并量化相应的剪切模量和永氏模量，表明我们系统的可行性和可靠性。据我们所知，这是首次对牙龈进行活体弹性成像，为重建牙龈弹性提供了有力工具，有望在未来广泛惠及临床医学。