Handpiece for caries detection

• US 20050287490A1
• Filed: 06/29/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Therametric Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Therametric Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Ando, Masatoshi, Stookey, George Kenneth, Dunipace, Kenneth Robert, Blackwell, Bryan Ellis
• Granted Patent: US 7,270,543 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/247 with means for viewing areas outside the direct line of sight, e.g. dentists' mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0088 for oral or dental tissue

Abstract

A dental implement is provided including a housing, a light source, a light detecting device, and a translucent member.

Claims

1. A dental implement including:

a housing;

a light source;

a light detecting device; and

a translucent member, the translucent member including an internal reflective surface, the translucent member directing light from the light source and directing light to the light sensing device.

2. The dental implement of claim 1, further including a filter, the filter being positioned between the translucent member and the light sensing device.

3. The dental implement of claim 1, wherein the light source and the light sensing device are located within the housing.

4. The dental implement of claim 1, wherein the translucent member includes a proximal end coupled to the housing and a distal end, the distal end having a smaller circumference relative to the proximal end.

5. The dental implement of claim 1, wherein the translucent member includes a proximal end and a distal end, the internal reflective surface is proximate the distal end.

6. The dental implement of claim 5, wherein the distal end of the translucent member includes a tissue-abutment surface.

7. The dental implement of claim 1, wherein the translucent member includes a proximal end and a distal end, the light source being positioned to provide source light into the translucent member such that the reflective surface directs the light out the distal end to illuminate tissue abutting the distal end.

8. The dental implement of claim 7, wherein the light sensing device is positioned to receive light that is fluoresced from the tissue and reflected off the reflective surface.

9. The dental implement of claim 1, wherein the translucent member includes a proximal end and a distal end, and the reflecting surface is positioned to receive source light from the light source and direct the source light to tissue that abuts the distal end.

10. The dental implement of claim 9, wherein the reflective surface is positioned to receive fluoresced light from the tissue abutting the distal end and direct the fluoresced light to the light sensing device.

11. The dental implement of claim 1, wherein the translucent member includes a distal end including a tissue-abutment surface and the reflecting surface and the tissue-abutment surface cooperate to define a 45-degree angle therebetween.

12. The dental implement of claim 1, wherein the translucent member includes a tissue-abutment surface and a focal point of the light sensing device is substantially located in the tissue-abutment surface.

13. The dental implement of claim 1, wherein the light source is a laser.

14. A dental implement including:

a housing;

a light source;

a light sensing device; and

a conduit introducing an external compound.

15. The dental implement of claim 14, further including a translucent member.

16. The dental implement of claim 15, wherein the translucent member includes an internally reflective surface.

17. The dental implement of claim 15, wherein the translucent member includes a proximal end coupled to the housing and a distal end including a tissue-abutment surface.

18. The dental implement of claim 17, wherein the conduit introduces the external compound proximate the tissue abutment surface.

19. The dental implement of claim 14, wherein the external compound is at least one of air, oxygen, fluoride, and a fluorinated solution.

20. A dental implement including:

a housing;

a light source;

a light sensing device; and

a readily detachable light conductor including a tissue-abutment surface.

21. The dental implement of claim 20, wherein a focal point of the light sensing device is proximate the tissue-abutment surface.

22. The dental implement of claim 20, wherein the tissue-abutment surface is translucent.

23. The dental implement of claim 20, wherein the light conductor includes a proximal end and a distal end, the light conductor substantially tapering from the proximal end to the distal end.

24. A dental implement light conductor including:

a proximal end including a proximal light transfer plane;

distal end including a distal light transfer plane;

a translucent body; and

a reflector located near the distal end, the reflector sized, shaped, and positioned such that light input to the proximal end is output the distal end and light input the distal end is output the proximal end.

25. The light conductor of claim 24, wherein the body further includes a conduit support, the conduit support sized and shaped to secure a conduit therein.

26. A method of detecting dental caries including the steps of:

providing a handpiece including a light source, a light receiver, and a light conduit; and

abutting the light conduit to selected tissue.

27. The method of claim 26, further including the step of providing a stream of air to the tissue.

28. The method of claim 26, further including adjusting the light conduit while in abutment with the tissue to match a previously used position of the light conduit.

29. The method of claim 28, further including comparing an image received from the handpiece to a previously received image.

30. A method of detecting dental caries including the step of:

providing a light conductor including a proximal end, a distal end, a translucent body positioned between the proximal end and the distal end, and a reflector located internally to the body an near the distal end such that light input to the proximal end is output from the distal end and light input to the distal end is output from the proximal end.

31. The method of claim 30, further including the step of providing a channel sized and shaped to be attachable to the light conductor.