Mandibular motion monitoring system

Mandibular movement monitoring apparatus for detecting, monitoring, and analyzing movement of a person's mandible in relation to the person's cranium as the cranium and the mandible move in space, said apparatus comprising:

• two photo detector means for detecting light spots incident on photo-sensitive surfaces in a manner indicative of the specific position of the incident light spot on the photo detector surfaces, said photodetector means including lens means for focusing incident light onto said photo-sensitive surfaces, and signal output means for outputting data signals;
• processing means for processing said incident spot data signals from said detector means to determine three-dimensional spatial coordinates of the sources of the incident light spots;
• four upper light source means for producing light to be detected by said detector means;
• four lower light source means for producing light to be detected by said detector means;
• harness means for mounting said upper light source means in immovable relation to the person's cranium and for mounting the lower light source means in immovable relation to the person's mandible, said four upper light source means being mounted in at least two different planes that are different distances from said detector means, and said four lower light source means being mounted in at least two different planes that are different distances from said detector means;
• pointer means for establishing spacial relationships of selected points on the person's mandible and cranium in relation to said upper and lower light source means, said pointer means including a rigid body with a designated pointer tip thereon, first pointer light-emitting means positioned immediately adjacent said pointer tip for emitting light from a location close to said tip, and second, third, and fourth pointer light-emitting means positioned more remotely from said pointer tip and in precisely measured spaced-apart relation to each other, to said first pointer light-emitting means, and to said pointer tip;
• and
• displaying means for displaying selected points in terms of three-dimensional coordinate reference systems.

Harness apparatus for mounting LED's on a person's head, some of which LED's are mounted in immovable relation to the person's cranium and some of which LED's are mounted in immovable relation to the person's mandible, comprising:

• an upper frame comprised of an elongated upper cross bar, a nose piece attached to the upper cross bar for supporting the upper frame on the person's nose, two elongated ear bow members, one of which extends rearwardly from one end of the upper cross bar and the other of which extends rearwardly from the other end of the upper cross bar;
• a lower frame comprised of an elongated lower cross bar, and a chin cup attached to the lower cross bar for positioning under the person's chin;
• two spaced-apart left side elastic bands, one of which extends between the proximal end of the left ear bow and the lower cross bar and the other of which extends from the distal end of the left ear bow to the left rear corner of the chin cup;
• two spaced-apart right side elastic bands, one of which extends between the proximal end of the right ear bow and the lower cross bar and the other of which extends from the distal end of the right ear bow to the right rear corner of the chin cup;
• a first upper LED bracket extending upwardly and forwardly from the left end of the upper cross bar, a second upper LED bracket extending upwardly and forwardly from the right end of the upper cross bar, a third upper LED bracket extending laterally outward from the left ear bow, a fourth LED bracket extending laterally outward from the right ear bow, and an LED mounted on the distal end of each of said first, second, third, and fourth upper LED brackets;
• and
• a first lower LED bracket extending forwardly from the left end of said lower cross bar, as second lower LED bracket extending forwardly from the right end of said lower cross bar, a third lower LED bracket extending upwardly from the left end of said lower cross bar, a fourth lower LED bracket extending upwardly from the right end of said lower cross bar, and an LED mounted on the distal end of each of said first, second, third, and fourth lower LED brackets.