Method and device to adjust a cephalometric extra oral dental imaging devices

A method for servicing a cephalometric imaging unit to an extra-oral imaging system, the method comprising:

• mounting a cephalometric imaging unit to a system base, the system base adjustable in at least one direction and configured to support an x-ray source, the cephalometric imaging unit configured to mount a cephalometric sensor, the cephalometric imaging unit comprising the cephalometric sensor and a cephalometric patient positioning unit positioned between the x-ray source and the cephalometric sensor so that x-rays impinge the cephalometric sensor after radiating the cephalometric patient positioning unit;
• mounting a cephalometric alignment device to the extra-oral imaging system;
• and
• aligning the cephalometric imaging unit in real-time using a visual indication of alignment to the x-ray source provided by the cephalometric alignment device, where (i) the x-ray source comprises a target and the cephalometric alignment device is mounted to the cephalometric imaging unit to hold a remote projection unit pointed toward the target, or (ii) the cephalometric imaging unit comprises the target and the remote projection device is mounted at the x-ray source.

An extra-oral imaging system, the extra-oral imaging system comprising:

• a base adjustable in at least one dimension;
• a cephalometric support mounted to the base and configured to position a cephalometric sensor about a cephalometric imaging area so that x-rays impinge the cephalometric sensor after radiating the cephalometric imaging area;
• a cephalometric patient positioning unit mounted to the cephalometric support, the cephalometric patient positioning unit positioned between an x-ray source and the cephalometric sensor, the cephalometric patient positioning unit comprising:
• at least one patient support having a controllable position relative to the cephalometric sensor or the x-ray source;
• and
• an alignment sight detachably mounted to the at least one patient support or the cephalometric sensor to provide a visual indication of alignment between the x-ray source and the mounted alignment sight, where the visual indication of alignment is a displayed rendition of an electromagnetic beam, an ultraviolet beam, an ultrasonic beam or an infrared beam.

An extra-oral imaging system, the extra-oral imaging system comprising:

• a base adjustable in at least one dimension;
• a cephalometric support mounted to the base and configured to position a cephalometric sensor about a cephalometric imaging area so that x-rays impinge the cephalometric sensor after radiating the cephalometric imaging area;
• a cephalometric patient positioning unit mounted to the cephalometric support, the cephalometric patient positioning unit positioned between an x-ray source and the cephalometric sensor, the cephalometric patient positioning unit comprising:
• at least one patient support having a controllable position relative to the cephalometric sensor or the x-ray source;
• and
• an alignment sight detachably mounted to the at least one patient support or the cephalometric sensor to provide a visual indication of alignment between the x-ray source and the mounted alignment sight, where the alignment sight comprises a display to display the x-ray source, the visual indication, or the visual indication and the x-ray source.