Device and method for detecting plaque in the oral cavity
First Claim
1. A method for detecting plaque in the oral cavity, said method comprising:
- contacting a surface of said oral cavity with incident radiation, said surface comprising applied thereto a fluorescent agent capable of binding to plaque, whereby said contact provides reflected light having a first wavelength and a fluorescent emission emanating from said fluorescent agent having a second wavelength,collecting and conveying a first portion of said fluorescent emission resulting from said contact to a first means for converting an optical signal of said first fluorescent emission to an electrical signal of said first portion of fluorescent emission and converting said optical signal of said first portion of fluorescent emission to said electrical signal of said first portion of said fluorescent emission,collecting and conveying a first portion of said reflected light to a second means for converting an optical signal of said first portion of said reflected light to an electrical signal of said first portion of said reflected light and converting said optical signal of said first portion of said reflected light to said electrical signal of said first portion of said reflected light; and
mathematically manipulating said electrical signal of said first portion of said fluorescent emission and said first portion of said reflected light to provide a compensated plaque value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention regards methods and devices for detecting plaque on a surface in the oral cavity to which a fluorescent agent capable of binding to plaque has been applied, whereby a radiation source emits incident radiation for contacting the surface, reflected light and fluorescent emission resulting from contact of the radiation with the surface is collected by an optical collector and conveyed by an optical pathway in the device, where the optical light signal of the reflected light and fluorescent emission is converted to an electrical signal, and where the electrical signals of the fluorescent emission and the reflected light are then mathematically manipulated to provide a compensated plaque value as a function of the distance from the optical collector and the surface of the oral cavity to which the fluorescent agent has been applied.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for detecting plaque in the oral cavity, said method comprising:
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contacting a surface of said oral cavity with incident radiation, said surface comprising applied thereto a fluorescent agent capable of binding to plaque, whereby said contact provides reflected light having a first wavelength and a fluorescent emission emanating from said fluorescent agent having a second wavelength, collecting and conveying a first portion of said fluorescent emission resulting from said contact to a first means for converting an optical signal of said first fluorescent emission to an electrical signal of said first portion of fluorescent emission and converting said optical signal of said first portion of fluorescent emission to said electrical signal of said first portion of said fluorescent emission, collecting and conveying a first portion of said reflected light to a second means for converting an optical signal of said first portion of said reflected light to an electrical signal of said first portion of said reflected light and converting said optical signal of said first portion of said reflected light to said electrical signal of said first portion of said reflected light; and mathematically manipulating said electrical signal of said first portion of said fluorescent emission and said first portion of said reflected light to provide a compensated plaque value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A device for detecting plaque on a surface of the oral cavity, said device comprising:
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a radiation source for directing incident radiation onto said surface of said oral cavity, optical collectors for collecting reflected light and fluorescent emission, optical pathways for conveying said collected reflected light and said collected fluorescent emission in said device, means for converting an optical light signal of said reflected light and said fluorescent emission to an electrical signal; and means for mathematically manipulating said electrical signal of said reflected light and said fluorescent emission to determine a compensated plaque value. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification