Root canal length measuring apparatus and root canal therapy apparatus

• US 20080241783A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J Morita Manufacturing
• Original Assignee: J Morita Manufacturing
• Inventors: Matoba, Kazunari, Yamashita, Seiichiro, Ito, Tetsuzo, Kusakabe, Hiroaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,920,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/041 for measuring the length of the root canal of a tooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/042 for determining the position of a root apex

Abstract

The present invention provides a root canal length measuring apparatus and a root canal treatment apparatus which can acquire a position of a measurement electrode with high reproducibility in the same root canal. The root canal length measuring apparatus includes a measurement electrode which is inserted into a root canal, an oral electrode which is held in an oral cavity, a measuring section which applies an electric measuring signal between the measurement electrode and the oral electrode and specifies an apex position so as to measure a root canal length, a memory means which stores position data corresponding to a position of the measurement electrode in a root canal acquired by the measuring section, and an operating means which instructs the memory means to store the position data.

Claims

1. A root canal length measuring apparatus comprising:

a measurement electrode which is inserted into a root canal;

an oral electrode which is held in an oral cavity;

a measuring section which applies an electric measuring signal between said measurement electrode and said oral electrode and specifies an apex position so as to measure a root canal length;

a memory means which stores position data corresponding to a position of said measurement electrode in said root canal acquired by said measuring section; and

an operating means which instructs said memory means to store said position data.

2. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display section which displays information based on said position data.

4. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a display means which sets said position data or said display data stored in said memory means by said operating means on a predetermined position of said measurement electrode in said root canal as a reference position and displays said reference position on said display section.

6. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said reference position is used as position information at the time of root canal enlargement.

7. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said measurement electrode on a position of said apex is pulled up by a predetermined distance, and said reference position stored in said memory means on said position is used as distance information of said measurement electrode from said apex.

8. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein distance of said measurement electrode from said apex is displayed on said display section based on said reference position.

9. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a display information arithmetic means which rescales a scale of said display section based on said reference position.

10. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said display section superimposes to display the distance of said measurement electrode from said apex on an X-ray picture of said root canal to be measured.

11. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a selecting means which can select whether or not said reference position is displayed on said display section.

12. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory means stores, in addition to said position data or said display data, position content information corresponding to said position data or display data to be stored in relation with said position data or display data.

13. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a saving means which saves said position data or display data stored in said memory means.

14. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said saving means saves said position data or said display data stored in said memory means as well as in a management means, and reads said position data or said display data saved based on said management means.

15. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication means which transmits said position data or said display data stored in said memory means to outside.

16. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said operating means has at least one of a foot pedal, a manual operating section and an audio input section.

3. A root canal length measuring apparatus comprising:

a measurement electrode which is inserted into a root canal;

an oral electrode which is held in an oral cavity;

a measuring section which applies an electric measuring signal between said measurement electrode and said oral electrode and specifies an apex position so as to measure a root canal length;

a display section which displays display data corresponding to a position of said measurement electrode in said root canal based on a value obtained from said measuring section;

a memory means which stores said display data; and

an operating means which instructs said memory means to store said display data.

5. The root canal length measuring apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a display means which sets said position data or said display data stored in said memory means by said operating means on a predetermined position of said measurement electrode in said root canal as a reference position and displays said reference position on said display section.

17. A root canal treatment apparatus, comprising:

a root canal length measuring apparatus which has a measurement electrode inserted into a root canal, an oral electrode held in an oral cavity, a measuring section for applying an electric measuring signal between said measurement electrode and said oral electrode and specifying an apex position so as to measure a root canal length, a memory means for storing position data corresponding to a position of said measurement electrode in said root canal obtained by said measurement electrode, and an operating means for instructing said memory means to store said position data;

a root canal treatment tool which has a function of said measurement electrode and treats a root canal;

a driving section which drives said root canal treatment tool; and

a control section which controls said driving section based on said position data or said display data stored in said memory means.

19. The root canal treatment apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said control section controls said driving section so that a driving force is changed on a position corresponding to said position data or said display data stored in said memory section.

20. The root canal treatment apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

said driving section is any one of an electric motor and an air motor and drives to rotate said root canal treatment tool,

said control section controls said driving section so that at least any one of a rotating force and a rotating direction is changed on a position corresponding to said position data or said display data stored in said memory section.

18. A root canal treatment apparatus, comprising:

a root canal length measuring apparatus which has a measurement electrode inserted into a root canal, an oral electrode held in an oral cavity, a measuring section for applying an electric measuring signal between said measurement electrode and said oral electrode and specifying an apex position so as to measure a root canal length, a display section which displays display data corresponding to a position of said measurement electrode in said root canal based on a value acquired from said measuring section, a memory means for storing said display data, and an operating means for instructing said memory means to store said display data;

a root canal treatment tool which has a function of said measurement electrode and treats a root canal;

a driving section which drives said root canal treatment tool; and

a control section which controls said driving section based on said position data or said display data stored in said memory means.