Dental tooth color detector apparatus and method

• US 5,690,486 A
• Filed: 07/28/1995
• Issued: 11/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dentalase Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dentalase Corporation
• Inventors: Zigelbaum, Sheldon D.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Cary E.
• Application Number:
  US08/508,868
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 433/26, 433/29, 433/203.1, 433/215, 364/413.28, 356/402, 356/405, 356/406, 356/408
• US Class Current: 433/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/10 Supports for artificial teeth for transport or for comparison of the colour
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0218 using optical fibers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0272 Handheld
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/50 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/501 Colorimeters using spectrally-selective light sources, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/508 measuring the colour of teeth
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/524 Calibration of colorimeters

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dental device which detects the color of a damaged tooth and automatically determines the proper restorative dental material to be used to repair the damaged tooth. The device illuminates the tooth with light and detects the various color components of light reflected off the tooth. Signals indicative of the various color components are then processed and compared against known reference signal values indicative of the color of various restorative materials in order to determine which of the plurality of restorative dental materials best matches the color of the tooth. The device then displays a message indicative of the chosen material. The detector is preferably a lightweight, hand-held, battery powered device, which includes a wand assembly which is placed against the tooth. A disposable, replaceable, protective sheath is placed over the wand to ensure the health and safety of the patient. The sheath includes a light absorbing dark material which reduces, and preferably eliminates, the amount of ambient light which is reflected off the tooth and detected by the device when the wand is being used.

Claims

1. A dental tooth color detector which detects the color of a tooth and determines the proper restorative dental material to be used to repair the tooth, said detector comprising:

A. means for illuminating the tooth with light including

a plurality of light emitting diodes each illuminated in a controlled manner;

a bifurcated fiber optic bundle having an output path which receives illuminating light from said light emitting diodes, and an input path disposed to provide detected light;

a light wand which receives the illuminating light from said output path and diffuses the light to provide a diffuse light beam which illuminates the tooth, and which receives reflected light from the tooth and routes said reflected light to said input path;

a disposable, protective sheath placed over said light wand and comprising a surface which is placed against said tooth, wherein said surface is formed of light absorbing, compressive material;

B. means for detecting a plurality of color components from said detected light which are reflected off the tooth, and for providing a plurality of light color component signal values indicative thereof;

C. means for processing said plurality of color component signal values to determine a desired restorative material which best matches the color of the tooth, wherein said means for processing includes a non-volatile electronic memory device comprising a database of a plurality of reference color signal values indicative of the color characteristics for a plurality of restorative materials, and means for comparing a detected color signal value indicative of said plurality of light color component signal values against said plurality of reference color signal values to determine said desired restorative material; and

D. a display for displaying a message indicative of said desired restorative material.

2. The dental tooth color detector of claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes includes a red light emitting diode, a green light emitting diode and a blue light emitting diode.

3. The dental tooth color detector of claim 1, wherein only said diodes of a similar color are illuminated at any given moment.

4. A dental tooth color detector which detects the color of a tooth and determines the proper restorative dental material to be used to repair the tooth, said detector comprising:

A. means for illuminating the tooth with light and capturing light reflected from the tooth, including

a light source;

means for receiving illuminating light from said light source and diffusing the light to provide a diffuse light beam which illuminates the tooth, and for receiving reflected light from the tooth;

a disposable, protective sheath placed over a tip portion of said means for receiving and comprising a surface which is placed against said tooth;

B. means for detecting a plurality of color components from said light which are reflected off the tooth, and for providing a plurality of light color component signal values indicative thereof;

C. means for processing said plurality of color component signal values to determine a desired restorative material which best matches the color of the tooth; and

D. a display for displaying a message indicative of said desired restorative material.

5. The dental tooth color detector of claim 4, wherein said surface of said disposable, protective sheath is formed of light absorbing, compressive material.

6. The dental tooth color detector of claim 5 wherein said means for processing includes a non-volatile electronic memory device comprising a database of a plurality of reference color signal values indicative of the color characteristics for a plurality of restorative materials, and means for comparing a detected color signal value indicative of said plurality of light color component signal values against said plurality of reference color signal values to determine said desired restorative material.

7. The dental tooth color detector of claim 5 wherein said light source comprises:

a plurality of light emitting diodes each illuminated in a controlled manner, such that only said diodes of a similar color are illuminated at any given moment; and

a fiber optic bundle having an output path which receives illuminating light from said light emitting diodes, and an input path disposed to provide light to said means for detecting.

8. The dental tooth color detector of claim 7, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes includes a red light emitting diode, a green light emitting diode and a blue light emitting diode.

9. The dental tooth color detector of claim 5 said plurality of light color component signal values include signal values indicative of the colors red, green and blue.

10. The dental tooth color detector of claim 5 further comprising:

E. means for receiving a signal value indicative of a selected manufacture'"'"'s restorative material to be compared against said detected color signal value to determine said desired restorative material.

11. The dental tooth color detector of claim 5 wherein said means for processing comprises a microprocessor.

12. The dental tooth color detector of claim 5 wherein said means for detecting includes a photodetector.

13. The dental tooth color detector of claim 5 wherein said means for processing comprises

C4. program memory containing executable software which processes said plurality of light color component signal values to compute a detected color signal value and compares said detected color signal value against said plurality of light color component signal values;

and

C5. a processor which executes said executable software.

14. The dental tooth color detector of claim 5 wherein said detector is a hand-held battery powered device.