Biosensor performance indicator for intraoral appliances
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsYaser SHANJANI, Bruce CAM, John Y. MORTON, Jun SATO
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for monitoring either or both the performance of an orthodontic appliance for repositioning a patient's teeth and/or the user compliance in wearing the appliance using a biosensor. The apparatuses described herein may include one or more sensors, including biosensors, electrical sensors, or both, configured to generate sensor data related to user compliance and/or repositioning of the patient's teeth by an orthodontic appliance.
Claims20
A method of determining oral health of a patient, the method comprising:
- receiving sensor data captured by at least one electrochemical sensor positioned on a dental appliance worn in an oral cavity of the patient, wherein the sensor data includes one or more sensed pH values that are indicative of a pH of an oral fluid within the oral cavity of the patient;
- comparing the one or more sensed pH values to a target pH value or range;
- determining, based on determining that the one or more sensed pH values are outside the target pH value or range, a status associated with a condition of dental tissue of the patient;
- and
- outputting a notification indicating the status associated with the condition.
A system for determining oral health of a patient, the system comprising:
- one or more processors operably coupled to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:
- receive sensor data captured by at least one electrochemical sensor positioned on a dental appliance worn in an oral cavity of the patient, wherein the sensor data includes one or more sensed pH values that are indicative of a pH of an oral fluid within the oral cavity of the patient;
- compare the one or more sensed pH values to a target pH value or range;
- determine, based on determining that the one or more sensed pH values are outside the target pH value or range, a status associated with a condition of dental tissue of the patient;
- and
- output a notification indicating the status associated with the condition.
A dental appliance, comprising:
- a body configured for placement on one or more teeth within a patient's oral cavity;
- at least one electrochemical sensor disposed on or in the body, the at least one electrochemical sensor configured to contact an oral fluid within the patient's oral cavity and to generate sensor data including one or more sensed pH values indicative of a pH of the oral fluid;
- and
- a transmitter configured to transmit data related to sensor data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.