Apparatus and method for recommending when to discard a used dental file during use

An apparatus for recommending whether to discard a dental file after use, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• a plurality of laser profilometers spaced from one another and oriented to direct their respective laser beams toward a first spatial region where a dental file is configured to travel along;
• a plurality of cameras spaced apart from one another and oriented toward a second spatial region where the dental file is configured to travel along;
• at least one selected from the group consisting of a display screen and a speaker;
• and
• a non-transitory, tangible program storage medium, embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform method steps for determining to discard the dental file, the method comprising:
• inserting the dental file through the first and second spatial regions a first time;
• scanning the dental file during the first time insertion of the dental file through the first and second spatial regions, by using the plurality of laser profilometers, to create a first three-dimensional (3D) surface profile of the dental file;
• scanning the dental file during the first time insertion of the dental file through the first and second spatial regions, by using the plurality of cameras, to create a first image of the dental file;
• using the dental file on a patient for a dental procedure;
• inserting the dental file through the first and second spatial regions a second time;
• scanning the dental file during the second time insertion of the dental file through the first and second spatial regions, by using the plurality of laser profilometers, to create a second 3D surface profile of the dental file;
• scanning the dental file during the second time insertion of the dental file through the first and second spatial regions, by using the plurality of cameras, to create a second image of the dental file;
• either comparing the first and second 3D surface profiles with one another to determine a difference between the first and second 3D surface profiles, or comparing the first and second images with one another to determine a difference between the first and second images;
• either determining if the difference between the first and second 3D surface profiles is equal to or greater than a predetermined 3D surface profile difference threshold value, or determining if the difference between the first and second images is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold image difference value;
• and
• issuing an alert through the at least one selected from the group consisting of the display screen and the speaker, the alert being indicative that the file should be discarded as a result of:
• a) determining that the difference between the first and second 3D surface profiles is equal to or greater than the predetermined 3D surface profile difference threshold value, or b) determining that the difference between the first and second images is greater than the predetermined threshold image difference value.