Ultrasonic sensor for dental applications

• US 20070037125A1
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: University of Windsor
• Original Assignee: University of Windsor
• Inventors: Maev, Roman, Denisova, Liudmila, Seviaryn, Fedar, Grayson, George, Bakulin, Evgeny
• Application Number:
  US11/496,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20070037125A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/215
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0875 for diagnosis of bone A61B5/4504 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: 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

Abstract

This invention includes a method and a device for measuring a tooth. The method includes generating an ultrasonic impulse, which is echoed off of an area of the tooth. By analyzing the echo, the geometry of the tooth can be determined.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating the structure of a tooth including the steps of:

a) generating an ultrasonic impulse;

b) receiving at least one echo of said ultrasonic impulse from internal structures of the said tooth;

c) analyzing the at least one echo; and

d) determining a geometry of said tooth based on said step c).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step b) includes receiving a first echo from a first portion of said tooth and a second echo from a second portion of said tooth.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said first portion of said tooth is a boundary between two layers of a tooth.

4. The method of claim 1 including the step of receiving at least one echo of said ultrasonic impulse from an area other than said tooth.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) includes measuring the time delay between a first echo and a second echo.

6. The method of claim 5 including the step of measuring a layer of said tooth based on said reflection time.

7. The method of claim 5 including the step of measuring an area proximate said tooth based on said reflection time.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) includes graphically displaying said at least one echo.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein step d) includes determining said geometry based upon a graphical display of said at least one echo.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said ultrasonic impulse from said tooth includes an interface layer between said tooth and an adhesive.

11. A device for determining a tooth geometry comprising:

a transducer for generating an ultrasonic impulse;

a receiver for accepting at least one echo of said ultrasonic impulse from a portion of said tooth; and

a computer in communication with said receiver for generating a representation of said tooth geometry using said at least one echo.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein a handheld portion of said device includes said transducer and said receiver.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein said handheld portion includes an element for guiding said ultrasonic impulse.

14. The device of claim 13 including a sleeve for covering a portion of said element.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said sleeve is a sterile/aseptic sleeve.

16. The device of claim 11 wherein said representation is a graphical representation.

17. The device of claim 11 wherein said representation is a measurement.

18. The device of claim 11 including a display for displaying said representation.

19. The device of claim 11 wherein said portion of said tooth is an adhesive-enamel or adhesive-dentin interface.