PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and visually recognize peripheral parts of teeth without affecting image quality of a fluorescence image obtained by imaging faint fluorescence from a lesion part such as caries existing in the teeth.SOLUTION: A teeth observation device 1 includes: an excitation light source 6 that generates excitation light with a wavelength in a near-infrared region a visible light source 8 that generates visible light with a wavelength in a visible region a light illumination section 3 that irradiates the same positions of the teeth with the excitation light from the excitation light source 6 and the visible light from the visible light source 8 an excitation light cut filter 13 that transmits the fluorescence generated from a fluorescence probe applied to the teeth A by excitation light illumination, while blocking light of a band including the wavelength of the excitation light and equal to/shorter than the wavelength of the excitation light an imaging section 14 that operates in synchronization with the excitation light source 6 and that images the fluorescence transmitted through the excitation light cut filter 13 and a control section 5 that performs control so as not to irradiate the teeth A with the visible light from the visible light source 8 in an imaging period in which the fluorescence is imaged by the imaging section 14.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】歯牙に存在するう蝕等の病変部からの微弱な蛍光を撮影して得られる蛍光画像の画質に影響を与えることなく、歯牙周辺部を容易に視認する。【解決手段】近赤外領域の波長の励起光を発生する励起光源6と、可視領域の波長の可視光を発生する可視光源8と、これら励起光源6および可視光源8からの励起光および可視光を歯牙の同一位置に照射させる光照射部3と、励起光の波長を含みそれ以下の波長帯域の光を遮断する一方、励起光の照射により歯牙Aに付与した蛍光プローブから発生する蛍光を透過させる励起光カットフィルタ13と、励起光源6と同期して作動され、励起光カットフィルタ13を透過した蛍光を撮影する撮像部14と、該撮像部14による蛍光の撮影期間において可視光源8からの可視光が歯牙Aに対して照射されないように制御する制御部5とを備える歯牙観察装置1を提供する。【選択図】図1
