METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING DENTAL MEASUREMENTS USING A BODY-CONTACTING ELECTRODE
First Claim
1. ) An apparatus for effecting dental measurements, the apparatus comprising:
- a) a root canal electrode insertable into the root canal of a tooth of a patient;
b) a control unit including;
i) a housing;
ii) a current generator having a first terminal and a second terminal, the current generator being operative to produce a time varying current having a frequency of at least about so KHz and at most about 300 KHz between the first and second terminals, the current generator being deployed within the housing of the control unit; and
iii) a detection element configured to sense an impedance-related parameter between the first and second terminals of the current generator, the detection element being deployed within the housing of the control unit; and
c) an electrode patch detachably attached to the control unit, the electrode patch having a body-contactable surface that;
i) is skin adhesive andii) includes an electrically conductive region, the electrically-conductive region being in electrical contact with the first terminal of the current generator; and
d) a wire connecting the root canal electrode to the control unit such that the root canal electrode is in electrical contact with the second terminal of the current generator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus comprising: a) a root canal electrode insertable into the root canal of a tooth of a patient; b) a control unit including: i) a housing; ii) a current generator having a first terminal and a second terminal, the current generator being operative to produce a time varying current having a frequency of at least about 50 KHz and at most about 300 KHz between the first and second terminals, the current generator being deployed within the housing of the control unit; and iii) a detection element configured to sense an impedance-related parameter between the first and second terminals of the current generator, the detection element being deployed within the housing of the control unit; and c) an electrode patch detachably attached to the control unit, the electrode patch having a body-contactable surface that: i) is skin adhesive and ii) includes an electrically conductive region, the electrically-conductive region being in electrical contact with the first terminal of the current generator; and d) a wire (for example, an insulated wire that is at least 10 cm or at least 20 cm long) connecting the root canal electrode to the control unit such that the root canal electrode is in electrical contact with the second terminal of the current generator.
36 Citations
16 Claims
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1. ) An apparatus for effecting dental measurements, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a root canal electrode insertable into the root canal of a tooth of a patient; b) a control unit including; i) a housing; ii) a current generator having a first terminal and a second terminal, the current generator being operative to produce a time varying current having a frequency of at least about so KHz and at most about 300 KHz between the first and second terminals, the current generator being deployed within the housing of the control unit; and iii) a detection element configured to sense an impedance-related parameter between the first and second terminals of the current generator, the detection element being deployed within the housing of the control unit; and c) an electrode patch detachably attached to the control unit, the electrode patch having a body-contactable surface that; i) is skin adhesive and ii) includes an electrically conductive region, the electrically-conductive region being in electrical contact with the first terminal of the current generator; and d) a wire connecting the root canal electrode to the control unit such that the root canal electrode is in electrical contact with the second terminal of the current generator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. ) An apparatus for effecting dental measurements, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a root canal electrode insertable into the root canal of a tooth of a patient; b) a control unit including; i) a housing; ii) a current generator having a first terminal and a second terminal, the current generator being operative to produce a time varying current having a frequency of at least about 50 KHz and at most about 300 KHz between the first and second terminals, the current generator being deployed within the housing of the control unit; and iii) a detection element configured to sense an impedance-related parameter between the first and second terminals of the current generator, the detection element being deployed within the housing of the control unit; and c) at least one of; i) an electrically conductive fastener that is mechanically integrated with the housing and in electrical contact with the first terminal of the current generator; ii) an electrically conductive female snap receptacle that is mechanically integrated with the housing and in electrical contact with the first terminal of the current generator and iii) a bracelet sized and dimensioned for a human wrist, the bracelet being mechanically integrated with the housing and including an electrically conductive portion that is in electrical contact with the first terminal of the current generator.
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14. ) A method of effecting dental measurements for a patient, the method comprising:
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a) providing a control unit including i) a housing; ii) a current generator deployed within or on the housing of the control unit; and iii) a detection element deployed within or on the housing b) attaching the housing to a patient'"'"'s arm such that the human arm is in electrical contact with the current generator via an electrically conductive element on the surface of the skin of the patient'"'"'s arm; c) inserting a root canal electrode that is in electrical contact with the current generator into a root canal of a tooth of the patient; d) using the current generator, generating a time varying current having a frequency of at least about 50 KHz and at most about 300 KHz between the root canal electrode and the electrically conductive element on the surface of the skin of the patient'"'"'s arm; e) at a time that the time varying current flows between the root canal electrode and the electrically conductive element on the surface of the skin of the patient'"'"'s arm, measuring an impedance-related parameter between the root canal electrode and the electrically conductive element on the surface of the skin of the patient'"'"'s arm. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification