X-ray tube and receiver inside mouth
AssigneesSamuel Soonho Lee, Moxtek, Inc.
InventorsSamuel Soonho Lee, Victor Armando Tirado, David S. Crawford
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and a device for low x-ray radiation dosage while taking x-ray images of a patient's teeth is disclosed. The method includes use of an x-ray source and receiver positioned at least partially inside the patient's mouth. The device includes an x-ray source and receiver attached together by a bite holder and configured to both be disposed at least partially inside the patient's mouth across a tooth while taking x-ray images of a patient's tooth.
Claims20
A method of taking x-rays of a patient's tooth, the method comprising:
- a. placing an x-ray emission portion of an x-ray source on one side of the tooth inside of a mouth of the patient and an x-ray image receiving portion of an x-ray receiver on an opposite side of the tooth inside the mouth, wherein:
- i. the source or the receiver is between a cheek or lip of the mouth and the tooth;
- and
- ii. the other of the source or the receiver is on an opposite side of the tooth;
- and
- b. emitting x-rays from the source through the tooth and onto the receiver.
An x-ray device for dental x-rays, the device comprising:
- a. an x-ray source sized and configured to have at least an x-ray emission portion of the x-ray source disposed in a patient's mouth;
- b. an x-ray receiver sized and configured to have at least an x-ray image receiving portion of the x-ray receiver disposed in the patient's mouth;
- c. a bite holder attached to the x-ray source and to the x-ray receiver such that an x-ray emission window of the x-ray source faces the x-ray image receiving portion of the x-ray receiver;
- and
- d. a gap created by the bite holder between the x-ray source and the x-ray receiver;
- e. wherein the gap is sized and configured to extend across a tooth in the patient's mouth and to hold the x-ray source on one side of the tooth and the x-ray receiver on an opposite side of the patient's tooth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.