# US 9,750,589 B2 · Plaque detection using a stream probe

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- Number: US 9,750,589 B2
- Document ID: US9750589B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/650,882
- Filed: 2013-12-20
- Published: 2015-11-19
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-21
- Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Inventors: Johannes Hendrikus Maria Spruit; Mark Thomas Johnson; Menno Willem Jose Prins; Okke Ouweltjes; Steven Charles Deane; Edgar Martinus Van Gool
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9750589B2

## CPC

- A61C 19/04: Measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry ({A61C5/44 takes precedence; testing vitality of teeth A61B5/0534;} radiation diagnosis specially adapted for dentistry A61B6/51)
- A46B 15/0036: {with a lighting means, e.g. laser, bulb (A46B15/0034 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/0013: {Medical image data (A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence)}
- A61B 5/0088: {for oral or dental tissue}
- A61B 5/4547: {Evaluating teeth}
- A61B 5/4552: {Evaluating soft tissue within the mouth, e.g. gums or tongue}
- A61B 5/6891: {Furniture}
- A61B 5/7405: {using sound}
- A61B 5/742: {using visual displays (displays for heart-related electrical signals, e.g. ECG, A61B5/339)}
- A61B 5/746: {Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms}
- A61C 17/22: with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like (brush bodies, e.g. arrangements of the bristles A46B)
- A61C 17/227: {with reservoirs, e.g. for toothpaste}
- G01N 7/00: Analysing materials by measuring the pressure or volume of a gas or vapour
- A61B 2562/0233: Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
- A61B 2562/0247: Pressure sensors
- A61B 2562/0261: Strain gauges
- A61B 2576/02: specially adapted for a particular organ or body part
- A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00)
- A46B: BRUSHES (handles not integral with brushware B25G)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

An apparatus is configured such that passage of a fluid through an open port of a distal probe tip enables detection of a substance that may be present on a surface, e.g., a surface of a tooth, based on measurement of a signal correlating to a substance at least partially obstructing the passage of fluid through the open port. The apparatus includes a proximal pump portion and at least one distal probe portion configured to be immersed in another fluid, e.g., water in toothpaste foam. A corresponding system includes one or two such apparatuses. A method of detecting the presence of a substance on a surface includes probing an interaction zone for at least partial obstruction of flow of the fluid through the distal probe tip. The distal probe tip may have a structural configuration for preventing blocking of the open port. The distal probe tip may also have a non-uniform wear profile. The at least one distal probe portion may include two or multiple components to improve performance and reliability.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electric toothbrush comprising:
an oral insertion portion;
a body portion containing gas supply apparatus and detection electronics;
at least one parameter sensor in electrical communication with the detection electronics for measuring a change in a parameter;
a stream probe detection apparatus configured to detect the presence of a substance on a dental surface, the apparatus comprising:
a distal probe portion in the oral insertion portion configured to be immersed in a first fluid,
the distal probe portion defining a distal tip having an open port to enable the passage of a gas therethrough;
the at least one parameter sensor configured such that passage of the gas through the distal tip enables detection of a substance that may be present on the dental surface based on measurement by the detection electronics of a change in the pressure signal detected by the at least one parameter sensor, correlating to a substance at least partially obstructing the passage of fluid through the open port of the distal tip, the detection electronics configured to determine, based on the change in the pressure signal, whether the substance present on the dental surface is more hydrophilic than the dental surface, wherein the distal tip has a structural configuration for preventing blocking of said open port by the substance,
wherein the detection electronics, based on the change in pressure signal, is configured to determine if the substance present on the dental surface is plaque.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the structural configuration of the distal tip is one of a castle-shape, a round-shape, a trumpet shape, an inverse trumpet shape or chamfered.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the structural configuration of the distal tip includes a plurality of holes at a proximal location from said open port.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the structural configuration of the distal tip includes at least one bumper element extending from the distal tip.

### Claim 5

A method for detecting the presence of a substance on a dental surface, the method comprising:
immersing in a first fluid a distal probe portion, the distal probe portion defining a distal tip having an open port to enable the passage of a gas therethrough, and
due to passage of the gas through the distal tip, detecting by means of a parameter sensor a substance that may be present on the dental surface based on measurement by detection electronics of a change in a pressure signal detected by the parameter sensor, correlating to a substance at least partially obstructing the passage of fluid through the open port of the distal tip, and determining by means of the detection electronics, based on the change in the pressure signal, whether the substance present on the dental surface is more hydrophilic than the dental surface,
wherein the detection electronics, based on the change in pressure signal, determines if the substance present on the dental surface is plaque.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electric toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein the detection electronics is configured to determine if the level of plaque exceeds a predetermined level of plaque.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electric toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein the detection electronics is configured to provide feedback to a user to clean the dental surface in the area where the plaque level exceeded the predetermined level of plaque.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5, wherein if the detection electronics determines that the level of plaque exceeds a predetermined maximum permissible level of plaque, the detection electronics provides feedback to a user to clean the dental surface in the area where the plaque level exceeded the predetermined maximum permissible level of plaque.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5 wherein if the detection electronics determine that the substance present on the dental surface is plaque, the detection electronics determines if the level of plaque exceeds a predetermined maximum permissible level of plaque.