Intraoral ambient sensing device

A method for modifying a Hawley appliance to mount a sensor and a telemetry unit for measurement of parametric changes throughout the oral cavity comprising the steps of:

• attaching a sensor having means for measuring parametric changes throughout the oral cavity to the Hawley appliance so as to measure one or more of said parametric changes;
• forming channels on the lingual side of said appliance for a radio telemetry unit, a power pack, an antenna, and wire interconnection placements;
• interconnecting said sensors, telemetry unit, antenna, power pack by wires into a discrete package;
• attaching telemetry unit, antenna, power pack and wire connections to the Hawley appliance;
• and
• sealing all sensors, telemetry unit, antenna, power pack and wire conncetions against moisture migration.

A method for remote monitoring of parametric changes throughout the oral cavity comprising the steps of

• monitoring said parametric changes by one or more sensors having means for measuring parametric changes throughout the oral cavity and being mounted on a Hawley appliance within a patient's mouth and capable of generating a signal proportional to the instantaneously measured parametric changes;
• converting said monitored signals to proportional amplified and filtered signals;
• modulating said signals for radio telemetry transmission;
• broadcasting said modulated signal from the patient's mouth upon a radio frequency carrier;
• and
• receiving and demodulating said broadcast signal to obtain a signal whose waveform is similar to the electrical signals form the intraoral sensors.

A method for fabricating a thin film hybrid micro-circuit for telemetry of electric signals from intraoral sensing devices comprising the steps of:

• depositing a chromium layer on the substrate;
• depositing a gold layer on the substrate;
• placing a first layer of negative-acting photoresist on the substrate;
• placing a first mask containing a negative impression of the telemetry conducting line and bonding pad layout on the substrate;
• exposing the photoresist layer through the mask to ultraviolet light;
• removing the first mask;
• developing and removing the unexposed portions of the photoresist;
• etching the gold layer with a gold etchant;
• removing the exposed photoresist, leaving bare the surface of the substrate except for the gold region covered by the conducting line and bonding pad
• placing a second layer of positive-acting photoresist on the substrate;
• placing a second mask containing a positive impression of the telemetry circuit conducting line layout on the substrate;
• exposing the photoresist layer through the mask to ultraviolet light;
• developing and removing the exposed portions of the photoresist;
• baking the photoresist mask;
• expoxying an integrated circuit with the telemetry circuit onto grounding pads epoxied to the substrate;
• mounting at least one capacitor or resistor on the substrate;
• connecting the integrated circuit to the substrate;
• mounting at least one insulated wire onto the bonding pads for an external connection;
• and
• covering the entire thin film hybrid micro-circuit with dental acrylic.

A dental assembly useful for the measurement of chemical or ionic species throughout the oral cavity comprising:

• a Hawley appliance;
• a sensor assembly having means for measuring parametric changes throughout the oral cavity and being mounted on said Hawley appliance comprising one or more electrochemical sensors and a reference electrode, said electrochemical sensors providing an electrical output signal in response to changes in one or more chemical or ionic properties;
• a lead to each sensor and reference electrode;
• means mounted on said Hawley appliance for transmitting said electrical output signal from the oral cavity using only a modulated radio frequency carrier;
• and
• means for hermetically sealing said sensor assembly, said lead and said transmitting means.