Sensor holder and method for optimum positioning during intraoral imaging
AssigneeDENTSPLY SIRONA Inc.
InventorWolf Blecher
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for determining the optimum relative position of at least one sensor and/or at least one imaging source of an imaging device for at least one intraoral imaging, and for the non-overlapping imaging of at least two tooth root canals. The disclosure also relates to a sensor holder (1) for intraoral imaging including at least one biting device (2) that is insertable into the mouth of a patient, at least one holding device (3) at least indirectly engaged with the biting device (2) for fixing at least one sensor, and at least one centering device (4) for aligning at least one imaging device. The centering device (4) is at least indirectly in operative connection with the biting device (2) via at least one centering device holding portion (5).
Claims9
A computer-implemented method for determining the optimum relative position of at least one sensor or at least one imaging source of an imaging device for at least one intraoral imaging, and for the non-overlapping imaging of at least two tooth root canals, the method comprises:
- a) evaluating at least one digital image of a patient;
- b) computing an optimum position of the sensor and the imaging source based on the evaluation mentioned under a);
- and
- c) manually, semi-automatically or automatically adjusting, by at least one actuator, the optimum position or the optimum angle of the sensor or the imaging source, relative to at least one predetermined position of the patient, by at least one sensor holder,
- wherein the evaluating comprises an evaluation of a digital recording, namely a volumetric tomography (DVT) imaging, which comprises the simulation of a projection of at least one virtual sensor or at least one virtual imaging source from at least two different angles or positions for the imaging, or DVT imaging of the intraoral anatomy of the patient,
- wherein, the simulation is carried out several times, and wherein an optimum angle or the optimum position is computed so that overlapping of the root canals is minimized, and largely avoided, and
- wherein, to enable automatic positioning, for receiving or for displaying the positioning enabling data, the sensor holder is provided with at least one actuator, at least one motor receiver selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, RFID, NFC or a combination thereof, or a scale, of the sensor holder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.