Method for use in an oral care system

Abstract

A remote dental method and system that facilitates communication of oral care suggestions, and a device for objectively analyzing patient's adherence to issued suggestions by standardizing an oral state entered by a dentist, standardizing a transition from the oral state to the suggestions, and converting the suggestions to sensor-detectable parameters, therefore, compliance monitoring is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of oral care, and in particular to the field of teledentistry. Background Art

[0002] The typical patient oral health care workflow includes a combination of home oral cleaning and regular checkups by a dentist and / or dental hygienist. The vast majority of oral cleaning and maintenance for patients is performed at home. During regular (e.g., twice a year) visits to a dental practitioner, the professional will assess the patient's oral health, perform immediate treatment if necessary (e.g., fill caries, remove calculus / tartar), and provide suggestions on how to improve home oral care. This advice is usually given verbally or in writing.

[0003] This standard approach has a number of weaknesses, including at least the following. First, the advice given by the professional may be forgotten by the patient (either immediately or over time). Second, the advice given by the professional may be misinterpreted (completely or partially) by the patient. Third, there is no reliable way to provide feedback to the dental practitioner during the period between scheduled checkups on how well the advice is being implemented at home.

[0004] As a result, oral cleaning between scheduled checkups can be suboptimal, resulting in suboptimal oral hygiene. Suboptimal oral care often results in suboptimal systemic care, patient discomfort, exacerbation of existing oral problems (e.g., development of gingivitis), and increased (oral and general) healthcare costs.

[0005] Developments in this field that could address one or more of the problems discussed above would be valuable. Summary of the invention

[0006] The invention is defined by the claims.

[0007] According to an example of one aspect of the present invention, a method for facilitating interaction between a primary user and a secondary user of an oral care system is provided. The primary user may be a user of an oral care device (i.e., a patient in the scenario discussed previously), and the secondary user may be a dental care professional. The method includes receiving an oral examination result corresponding to the primary user from the secondary user as a user input at an input device at a first location, wherein the result includes a user input value for a predefined standardized oral parameter set, and the predefined standardized oral parameter set jointly defines an examination result set. The method also includes applying a suggestion generation algorithm, which is suitable for converting the examination result set into an oral care suggestion including one or more oral care suggestion items, and the suggestion generation algorithm defines a mapping between different possible values ​​for a predefined standardized oral parameter set and an output oral care suggestion item. The method also includes uploading the oral care suggestion to a record in a user database, which is associated with the identity of the primary user. Each oral care suggestion item preferably includes an encoded representation of an acceptable parameter value for one or more oral cleaning parameters.

[0008] The method also includes, at a second location: the oral care device obtaining sensor data from a sensor integrated in the oral care device during one or more oral cleaning periods of a primary user; applying a sensor data conversion algorithm, the applied sensor data conversion algorithm being used to convert the sensor data into estimates of values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters for at least one oral cleaning period; comparing the estimated values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters with acceptable parameter values ​​encoded in an oral care recommendation; and generating an output based on the comparison.

[0009] Thus, the method has a portion that occurs at a first location and a portion that occurs at a second location, where the first location may be, for example, a dental clinic setting and the second location may be the home of the primary user (patient).

[0010] In practice, the method embodies three key elements: first, the dentist's input results are standardized and converted into templated recommended items that match the results; second, the recommended items encode cleaning parameters that can be understood and detected by the oral care device; and third, the oral care parameters are measured during use of the oral care device and compared to the recommended parameters. By standardizing the dentist's input results, this facilitates automatic conversion to recommended items. By relating the recommended items to well-defined and measurable oral care parameters, this facilitates automatic detection and monitoring of compliance with the recommendations at a second location in a manner that is not possible in traditional oral health monitoring workflows.

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention are intended to eliminate the above-mentioned shortcomings in the traditional oral healthcare workflow. The proposed method improves the efficiency of the oral care process and improves the effectiveness of regular visits, thereby improving oral health and reducing healthcare costs. It also assures the patient (in a seamless manner and without adding significant overhead) that his or her cleaning behavior is good.

[0012] In some embodiments, the application of the sensor data conversion algorithm and / or the comparison of the estimated values ​​of the cleaning parameters are performed by a processor of the oral care device. In some other embodiments, this is accomplished by a processor of a computing device that is communicatively linked to the oral care device. This can be, for example, a mobile computing device, such as a user's smartphone.

[0013] In some embodiments, one or more oral care recommendation items output from the recommendation generation algorithm are presented to a secondary user via a user interface, and the secondary user is prompted to confirm, reject, or improve one or more recommendation items using the user interface. In other words, a draft version of the recommendation is presented to the secondary user (who may be a dental practitioner who inputs the results), which will be released to the first user (the patient), and the secondary user can review it before finalizing it.

[0014] The method may include a computing device or oral care device of the primary user, in response to and downloading oral care recommendations to establish communication with the user database. This may be user-triggered or automatically triggered. If the computing device (e.g., a mobile computing device) does so, the recommendations may also be optionally communicated to the oral care device.

[0015] In some embodiments, the method includes transmitting a notification signal to a computing device in response to user activation of the oral care device, the computing device establishing communication with a user database in response to the activation signal and downloading the oral care recommendations. Also, the computing device may be a mobile computing device.

[0016] It would therefore be advantageous if upon turning on the oral care device, the suggestion items were automatically downloaded to the primary user's device, avoiding the possibility that the user might forget.

[0017] In some embodiments, the generated output may include a user-perceivable output.The generated output may additionally or alternatively include a data output indicating a result of the comparison.

[0018] In some cases, a user-perceivable output indicative of an oral care recommendation may be generated at a computing device or an oral care device.

[0019] In some embodiments, the oral care device is an electric toothbrush, and the aforementioned sensor includes one or more of the following: a pressure sensor for sensing brushing pressure, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) for determining the pose of the oral care device, and one or more optical sensors for optically interacting with the oral surface during use of the device. For example, a combination of acceleration and angular velocity measurements of the IMU can be used to determine the pose.

[0020] In some embodiments, the method further comprises presenting at said input device (at a first location) a graphical user interface defining discrete input fields, each input field corresponding to one of the standardized oral parameters, and wherein the oral examination results are received as user input to the graphical user interface. This advantageously provides an efficient means for facilitating input of standardized results. By providing only restricted fields into which results may be input, this ensures that the input data is in a form suitable for application of the suggestion generation algorithm and belongs to a set of fields.

[0021] In some embodiments, the method includes generating a user compliance report based on a comparison of the estimated values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters with the acceptable parameter values ​​encoded in the oral care recommendations, the report indicating the degree of compliance of the primary user to the oral care recommendations. This can be transmitted as data to another device. For example, the oral care device or computing device of the primary user can generate the compliance report. The method can also include uploading the compliance report to a server and storing it at the server so that the secondary user can access it via a computing device that is communicatively linked to the server. Therefore, this advantageously facilitates feedback to the dental practitioner on the degree of compliance of the user to the generated recommendations.

[0022] In some examples, the adherence report may also be communicated to health insurance companies.

[0023] In some embodiments, after the oral care recommendations are generated, they are uploaded to a digital patient record associated with the primary user in a patient record database. The digital patient record may also store more clinically relevant information about the primary user, such as personal details, and clinical / medical history including dental health history. Thus, the recommendations may be effectively stored in a single location along with the rest of the patient's clinical data.

[0024] In some embodiments, a user-perceivable output indicative of the oral care recommendation is generated. In some embodiments, this may be generated by the oral care device, such as by illuminating a subset of one or more LEDs included by the device to provide a coded indication of the recommendation, or by controlling a sound output device of the oral care device to play a spoken language indication of the recommendation. Other components or devices may additionally or alternatively be used to generate a user-perceivable output indicative of the oral care recommendation, such as, by way of non-limiting example, a charging station for a toothbrush or a mobile computing device.

[0025] In some examples, the user detectable output may be repeatedly generated until the user activates a user operable control. Thus, not only is the coded recommendation automatically compared to cleaning performance, but the user is informed of the recommendation in an understandable form so that they can actively seek to match their cleaning behavior to the recommendation.

[0026] In some embodiments, the one or more oral care suggestion items output from the suggestion generation algorithm may be items from a predetermined list of oral care suggestion items. In other words, the suggestion generation algorithm maps the input results to a predetermined set of suggestion items, rather than creatively generating new suggestion items, although the latter is also an option using, for example, an artificial intelligence solution.

[0027] In some embodiments, the suggestion generation algorithm includes a lookup table mapping between results and suggestion items.

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention have been described above in the form of methods. The present invention may also be embodied in a computer program product comprising code means. The code means may be configured to perform either of the two methods according to a selected mode when the code means is executed by a processor. For example, the first method may be used to be performed in a clinical environment in conjunction with a dental practitioner (secondary user), while the second mode may be used to be performed at home by a patient (first user).

[0029] The method according to the first mode comprises:

[0030] receiving, at an input device, from a secondary user as user input, oral examination results corresponding to the primary user, wherein the results include user input values ​​for a predefined set of standardized oral parameters that collectively define a set of examination results;

[0031] applying a recommendation generation algorithm adapted to convert the examination result set into an oral care recommendation comprising one or more oral care recommendation items, the recommendation generation algorithm defining a mapping between different possible values ​​for a predefined set of standardized oral parameters and output recommendation items;

[0032] uploading the oral care recommendations to a record in a user database, the record being associated with the identity of the primary user;

[0033] Each oral care recommendation item includes a coded representation of acceptable parameter values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters.

[0034] The method according to the second mode comprises:

[0035] receiving sensor data obtained by the oral care device during one or more oral cleaning sessions of a primary user from a sensor integrated in the oral care device,

[0036] applying a sensor data conversion algorithm for converting the sensor data into estimates of values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters for at least one oral cleaning session,

[0037] comparing the estimated values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters to acceptable parameter values ​​encoded in the oral care recommendations, and

[0038] An output is generated based on the comparison.

[0039] For example, when the application is run on a computing device or user input device at a dentist's office, the first mode may be implemented.

[0040] For example, the second mode may be implemented when an application is run on a primary user's mobile computing device that is communicatively linked to the oral care device, or by the oral care device itself.

[0041] Thus, conveniently, the same software application can be used to perform both the clinician side and the patient side of the communication method. For example, a user can be prompted to log into an application (app), and wherein the user account defines whether the app is running in the user's clinician mode (first mode) or in the user's patient mode (second mode).

[0042] The present invention may also be embodied in the form of a device.

[0043] For example, one aspect of the present invention is a system for facilitating interaction between a primary user and a secondary user, wherein the primary user is a user of an oral care device and the secondary user is a dental care professional.

[0044] The system includes.

[0045] A first device (e.g., at a first location) comprising one or more processors and adapted to:

[0046] receiving as user input from a secondary user an oral examination result corresponding to the primary user's input device, wherein the result includes user input values ​​for a predefined set of standardized oral parameters that collectively define a set of examination results;

[0047] applying a recommendation generation algorithm adapted to convert the examination result set into an oral care recommendation comprising one or more oral care recommendation items, the recommendation generation algorithm defining a mapping between different possible values ​​for a predefined set of standardized oral parameters and output oral care recommendation items;

[0048] uploading the oral care recommendations to a record in a user database, the record being associated with the identity of the primary user;

[0049] Each oral care recommendation item includes a coded representation of acceptable parameter values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters.

[0050] The system also includes a second device (e.g., at a second location) comprising one or more processors adapted to:

[0051] receiving sensor data obtained by the oral care device during one or more oral cleaning sessions of a primary user from a sensor integrated in the oral care device,

[0052] applying a sensor data conversion algorithm for converting the sensor data into estimates of values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters for at least one oral cleaning session,

[0053] comparing the estimated values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters to acceptable parameter values ​​encoded in the oral care recommendations, and

[0054] An output is generated based on the comparison.

[0055] In some embodiments, the second device may be an oral care device, or may be a mobile computing device communicatively linked to an oral care device.

[0056] The oral care device may be an electric toothbrush.

[0057] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] For a better understanding of the invention, and to more clearly show how the same may be put into practice, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0059] Figure 1 is a block diagram of method steps according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; and

[0060] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a system according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0062] It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, although indicating exemplary embodiments of the apparatus, system and method, are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the apparatus, system and method of the present invention will become better understood based on the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are merely schematic and are not drawn to scale. It should also be understood that in all drawings, the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts.

[0063] The present invention provides a teledentistry method and system for facilitating the communication of oral care recommendations, and a device for objectively analyzing a patient's adherence to issued recommendations by standardizing oral conditions input by a dentist, standardizing the conversion from oral conditions to recommendations, and converting the recommendations into sensor-detectable parameters to achieve compliance monitoring.

[0064] Figure 1 The steps of an example method according to one or more embodiments are summarized in block diagram form. These steps will be summarized before further explanation in the form of an example embodiment. The method can be computer-implemented.

[0065] In general, the method 10 is for facilitating interaction between a primary user and a secondary user of an oral care system, where the primary user is a user of an oral care device and the secondary user is a dental care professional.

[0066] The method can be understood as comprising two parts 10a, 10b, wherein the first part 10a of the method is performed at a first time and at a first location (e.g., during a dental examination at a dental office), and the second part 10b of the method is performed at a second time, or more likely on multiple second occasions, at a second location (e.g., at the patient's home each time they perform oral care such as cleaning their teeth).

[0067] The first part of the method (at the dental office) is as follows.

[0068] The method includes receiving 12 oral examination results corresponding to the primary user as user input from a secondary user (e.g., a dentist) at an input device at a first location, wherein the results include user input values ​​for a predefined standardized set of oral parameters, which together define a set of examination results. For example, the input device can be a computing device, such as a personal computer, or a mobile computing device such as a smartphone. These results can include, for example, oral parameters such as the number of plaque / tartar detected per tooth, the presence of any caries, the gum state of different oral sites, the amount of tooth movement, and / or any other clinically relevant results. 'Standardized' oral parameters mean that there are predefined limited sets of different parameters to which the secondary user can provide input related to the parameter set, and each of these parameters can only allow a specific type of input (e.g., binary, continuous values, a limited list of possible quantitative or qualitative values, optionally limited to a specific range, etc.). In this way, the input results are constrained to conform to the standardized set of oral parameters.

[0069] The method also includes applying 14 a suggestion generation algorithm, which is suitable for converting the inspection result set into an oral care suggestion including one or more oral care suggestion items. The suggestion generation algorithm, for example, defines a mapping between different possible values ​​for a predefined standardized oral parameter set and output oral care suggestion items. In this way, there is standardization and reproducibility in the conversion of oral parameters to oral care suggestion items. The one or more oral care suggestion items output from the suggestion generation algorithm can be items from a predetermined list of oral care suggestion items. In other words, the suggestion items are limited and constrained in terms of the type and quality of the advice issued, which allows a more direct conversion and ensures reproducibility.

[0070] In a preferred embodiment, each oral care advice item includes an encoded representation of acceptable parameter values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters. As will become clear when explaining the second part of method 10b, this advantageously means that compliance with the advice can be directly tested via measurements taken by the user during oral cleaning. In other words, the oral cleaning parameters define parameters or attributes of the oral cleaning / care actions to be taken by the primary user, which parameters or attributes are testable / measurable, preferably through automatically acquired sensor data, so that the testability is objective. The oral care advice item may include additional advice items beyond the acceptable parameter values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters. This may be more qualitative advice to the user, such as regarding diet (e.g., avoiding sugary foods at specific times, avoiding carbonated beverages, reminders not to grind teeth, etc.).

[0071] To ensure reproducibility of the transformation, the suggestion generation algorithm may include a lookup table that defines the mapping between input results and output suggestion items.

[0072] The method also includes uploading 16 the oral care recommendations to a record in a user database 32, the record being associated with the identity of the primary user. The database is typically stored on a remote data store, such as a server. The database may be a cloud-based database; in other words, a database stored at a server that grants one or more credentialed users, such as a primary user and a secondary user, access to the database via the Internet or even a dedicated network link.

[0073] The second part of method 10b (which most likely occurs at another location) is as follows.

[0074] The method includes obtaining 20 sensor data from one or more sensors integrated in the oral care device during one or more oral cleaning periods of the primary user. The sensor data may be, for example, data indicating the processing of the oral care device, or the engagement mode between the oral care device and the oral surface, the positioning of the device in the oral cavity and relative to the oral surface, etc. By way of illustration, one or more sensors may include, for example, a pressure sensor for sensing brushing pressure (in the case where the oral care device is a toothbrush), an inertial measurement unit (IMU), for example, for determining the posture of the oral care device, and / or one or more optical sensors for optically interacting with the oral surface during use of the device. For example, for the IMU, this may measure acceleration and angular velocity. Together, these two can be used to derive a posture estimate of the toothbrush. Analysis of IMU data over time allows the positioning of the toothbrush in the mouth during the cleaning period. In summary, the sensor data is intended to characterize each oral care period performed by the user using the oral care device.

[0075] The method also includes applying 22 a sensor data conversion algorithm, which is used to convert the sensor data into an estimate of the value of one or more oral cleaning parameters for at least one oral cleaning period. As already explained, the benefit of generating a recommendation item that encodes the oral cleaning parameters is that it allows objective testing by converting the sensor into values ​​for the same standardized oral cleaning parameter group. The method also includes comparing 24 the estimated value for one or more oral cleaning parameters with the acceptable parameter value encoded in the oral care recommendation. The method also includes generating 26 an output based on the comparison. The output may include a user-perceivable output. By way of example, a user-perceivable output indicating an oral care recommendation may be generated by an oral care device, such as providing a coded indication of the recommendation by lighting a subset of one or more LEDs included by the device, or playing a spoken indication of the recommendation by controlling an acoustic output device of the oral care device. The user-perceivable output may be additionally or alternatively generated by another device, such as a charging station for a toothbrush or a mobile computing device.

[0076] Optionally, according to some embodiments, the method may further include communicating with a user registration database that stores a registration record associated with the primary user, the registration record indicating a permission level for the primary user. The permission level may define a set or range of functionality accessible to the primary user. For example, the permission level may define a subset of oral cleaning parameters that the primary user's oral care device will measure and / or that will be compared to acceptable parameter values ​​included in the recommended items (by any device performing the comparison). By way of example, a user's permission level may vary depending on the subscription package for which the user has registered, with a higher level of subscription 'unlocking' permission for a greater range of oral cleaning parameters that will be monitored and / or compared to acceptable parameter values ​​encoded in the recommended items.

[0077] Similarly, the registration database may additionally or alternatively store a record associated with a secondary user, the record recording the secondary user's permission level. The permission level may define a subset or sub-range of standardized oral parameters in relation to which the secondary user is able to provide input values, and / or a subset or sub-range of output oral care advice items that may be generated, and / or a subset or sub-range of acceptable parameter values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters that may be issued to any primary user on behalf of the secondary user. The permission level of a secondary user may vary depending on the user's subscription level as recorded in the registration database, with higher subscription packages 'unlocking' additional any of the aforementioned parameters or advice items.

[0078] In some embodiments, the primary user's permission level may be determined prior to, or concurrently with, the secondary user inputting oral examination results at the input device. This may allow the system facilitating input to restrict the secondary user's input to only those oral parameters that the primary user's permission level would permit to be monitored via the associated oral cleaning parameters available to the primary user.

[0079] Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the primary user's registration record may define a subset of the sensing functionality available to the primary user in the oral care device, and these may thereby limit the range of oral cleaning parameters that may be measured when using the oral care device. In a similar manner to that described above, the permission level may be defined based on the primary user's subscription package, with higher subscription levels unlocking additional sensor functionality, thereby permitting the user to have a wider range of monitored oral cleaning parameters, and therefore comply with a wider range of monitored recommended items.

[0080] The method may additionally include an explicit step of downloading the oral care recommendations from the database 32, and this may be performed by a computing device of the primary user, such as (but not necessarily) a mobile computing device. For example, in one set of embodiments, the method further includes transmitting a notification signal to the computing device in response to user activation of the oral care device, the computing device establishing communication with the central user database in response to the activation signal, and downloading the oral care recommendations, and optionally also generating a user-perceivable output at the computing device or the oral care device indicative of the oral care recommendations. For example, the oral care device may transmit a notification signal to the mobile computing device in response to user activation of the device, the mobile computing device may establish communication with the central user database in response to the activation signal and download the oral care recommendations. The optional user-perceivable output may be generated at the mobile computing device or the oral care device.

[0081] Through the following Figure 2 As will become clear from the description, there are different options for the means for performing the various steps. For example, both the converting 22 and comparing 24 steps may be performed by a computing device that is communicatively linked to the oral device that obtains 20 sensor data. In fact, obtaining sensor data may actually be a step of receiving a data set that has been obtained by another device, and thus the data obtaining step 20 may also be performed by the same computing device that performs steps 22 to 24. In other embodiments, steps 20 to 24 may all be performed by the oral care device using a built-in processor and communication module.

[0082] In addition to or in lieu of a user-perceivable output, the output may include a data output representing the results of the comparison (and therefore representing compliance with the recommendations). The data output may be communicated to a central database for later access by the secondary user, or may be communicated directly to the secondary user, such as as an attachment in an email or through, for example, an online portal that is mutually accessible. In some embodiments, the method may include generating a user compliance report based on the comparison 24, the compliance report indicating the degree of compliance of the primary user with the oral care recommendations. This may be transmitted to another device as a data set. For example, it may be uploaded to a server and stored at the server so that the secondary user can access it via a computing device that is communicatively linked to the server.

[0083] The above method represents an embodiment (or a group of embodiments) of the present invention, which can be completely implemented by a computer. However, extensions to the method are also contemplated, which also embody the concepts of the present invention and involve certain steps performed by the primary user or the secondary user, such as data input by the secondary user, activation of the oral care device of the primary user and its operation, etc.

[0084] Figure 2An example system according to one or more embodiments of the present invention is shown. The system reflects an example apparatus for performing the method described above. The components of the system will be summarized, and it should be understood that the various features and options described above in relation to the method embodiments of the inventive concept can also be embodied in the example of the described system.

[0085] By way of introduction, the system 50 is used to facilitate interaction between a primary user 66 and a secondary user 52, where the primary user is a user of an oral care device 70 and the secondary user is a dental care professional.

[0086] The system includes a first device 42 located at a first location, the first device including one or more processors. By way of two examples, this is a computing device, and can be a terminal-based computing device or a mobile computing device. The first device 42 is adapted to receive an oral examination result 54 corresponding to a primary user 66 from a secondary user 52 as user input at a user interface of the first device, wherein the result includes a user input value for a predefined standardized oral parameter set, which parameter set collectively defines an examination result set. The first device 42 is also adapted to apply a recommendation generation algorithm 44, which is adapted to convert the examination result set 54 into an oral care recommendation 62 including one or more oral care recommendation items, the recommendation generation algorithm defining a mapping between different possible values ​​for the predefined standardized oral parameter set 54 and the output oral care recommendation item 62. As described above, in a preferred embodiment, each oral care recommendation item includes an encoded representation of an acceptable parameter value for one or more oral cleaning parameters. The first device 42 is also adapted to upload the oral care recommendation 62 to a record in the central user database 32, which is associated with the identity of the primary user 66.

[0087] The system also includes a second device 72 that includes one or more processors. The second device is adapted to receive sensor data obtained by the oral care device 70 during one or more oral cleaning sessions of the primary user 66 from a sensor integrated in the oral care device. In some embodiments, the system may include the oral care device, but this is not required. In fact, in some embodiments, the second device 72 may be the oral care device 70 itself, so that there are not two devices 70, 72, but only one device in the form of the oral care device 70.

[0088] The second device 72 is further adapted to apply a sensor data conversion algorithm 75 for converting the sensor data 74 into estimates of values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters 76 for at least one oral cleaning session. The second device 72 is further adapted to compare 78 the estimated values ​​for the one or more oral cleaning parameters with acceptable parameter values ​​encoded in the oral care recommendation 62. The second device is further adapted to generate an output 80 based on the comparison.

[0089] The second device 72 is a computing device. It may include a mobile computing device, but this is not required. The second device 72 is communicatively linked to the oral care device 70 to facilitate the transfer of sensor data 74 and / or other data.

[0090] Although all of the steps performed at the second location are described as being performed by the same second device, they may be performed by two or more different devices that are in communication with each other, or they may all be performed by the oral care device 70 itself.

[0091] Now will describe the example implementation of the method according to a set of specific embodiments by the way of illustrating the above general concept of the present invention.It should be understood that, and not all features of this set of specific embodiments are essential to the concept of the present invention, these features are described to help understand and provide examples to illustrate the concept of the present invention.

[0092] According to this particular set of embodiments, the system includes an oral care device 70 in the form of an electric toothbrush. The toothbrush includes an IMU motion sensor. The system includes a mobile computing device having a software app installed thereon for performing some or all of the steps of the second part 10b of the method 10 already described. Each of the toothbrush and the mobile computing device is equipped with a wireless communication module for facilitating wireless communication between the two devices. For example, this may be a direct Bluetooth connection, or a connection via a wireless network link (e.g., Wi-Fi).

[0093] The toothbrush may also include a user-perceptible output device, such as a set of one or more LEDs for providing light output, and / or a speaker for providing sound output.

[0094] The system also comprises a data input device at the dentist's dental clinic. This is a computing device (mobile or otherwise) and is also installed with a software application that facilitates the execution of some or all of the steps of the first part 10a of the method 10 already described. Advantageously, the software application used by the first user (of the toothbrush) and the secondary user (dentist) can be the same software application, but with two different modes of operation (clinician to patient), and wherein for example logging in with user credentials determines in which mode the application operates, and wherein the first mode results in the execution of the first part 10a of the method already described, and the second mode results in the execution of the second part 10b of the method already described.

[0095] The operation flow of the system and method according to this specific set of embodiments is as follows.

[0096] A patient (primary user 66) goes to a dental office for a routine checkup. A dental professional (secondary user 52), such as a dentist or dental hygienist, assesses the patient's oral health.

[0097] Based on the evaluation, the professional's observations are (semi-)automatically converted into one or more suggestions from a limited set of suggestions on how to improve oral hygiene habits. The conversion result can sometimes be a single suggestion, a combination of several suggestions, or a subset of suggestions, from which the dental professional can select one or more.

[0098] The secondary user uses their computing device to enter the raw results into the digital patient record or software application.

[0099] An example of a raw result for a secondary user might be the number of plaque / tartar detected per tooth.

[0100] An algorithm 44 encoded in the software application analyzes the raw results 54 and automatically converts these results into one or more suggestions 62 from a limited set of predefined suggestions on how to improve oral cleaning. This results in the automation of the steps of converting the raw results (i.e., a simple dental assessment) into selecting appropriate suggestions to improve brushing.

[0101] Two specific examples are as follows.

[0102] The raw results may indicate that plaque / tartar has accumulated on the outside of several upper molars on both sides of the jaw. The advice generation algorithm 44 converts this into a predefined qualitative advice item 62: "Brush the outside of the upper molars longer". Compliance can be monitored later by comparing the duration of the primary user's brushing on the outside of the upper molars with the current / most recent brushing period. At this point, the advice item may additionally include a coded representation of acceptable values ​​for the cleaning parameter 76 'Duration of brushing the outside of the upper molars'. This cleaning parameter can be measured during the cleaning period using a simple timing module and using an IMU (or other sensor), and using the IMU to track the positioning of the toothbrush head in the mouth over time, so that the time spent in the relevant area of ​​the oral cavity can be measured and recorded.

[0103] As a second example, the raw results may indicate gum recession in the upper right teeth. The advice generation algorithm 44 converts this into a predefined qualitative advice: "Brush the upper right teeth more gently". Compliance can be monitored by comparing the amount of pressure applied and the duration of brushing the upper right teeth with the current / most recent brushing period. At this point, the advice item may additionally include a coded representation of acceptable values ​​for the cleaning parameter 76 'amount of pressure applied and duration of brushing the upper right teeth'. Thus, for example, it could be the area under the pressure-time curve for the relevant location, or another parameter representation. This cleaning parameter can be measured using a simple timing module during the cleaning period, using an IMU (or other sensor) to track the positioning of the toothbrush head in the mouth over time, so that the time spent in the relevant area of ​​the oral cavity can be measured and recorded, and using a pressure sensor that records the brushing pressure.

[0104] Thus, from this example, a principle of more general application to any embodiment can be derived, namely, if each advice item 62 generated by the advice algorithm 44 includes a qualitative, preferably verbalized advice that can be communicated to the user via a user-perceivable output (such as a sound output or a display output or other output), combined with a corresponding coded quantitative value of one or more oral cleaning parameters 76 that maps onto the qualitative advice and permits testing of compliance with the advice by collecting sensor data 74 to measure the oral cleaning parameters in practice. This provides an optimal combination of advice: verbal advice to the user, indicating a specific change in cleaning technique, combined with computer-coded parameters that permit testing of compliance with the advice by collecting sensor data 74.

[0105] Returning to the specific set of embodiments discussed previously, in some embodiments, the automatically generated recommendation 62 may be fed back to the dentist, and the dentist may be asked to confirm / refine / reject the recommendation before it is stored in the database 32. This additional check may reduce the chance of error, increase transparency of the system, and ensure that the dentist maintains full control.

[0106] The task of this automatic conversion 44 of raw results 54 into suggestions 62 reduces the set of possible suggestions in such a way that identification of the best suggestion becomes easier and more efficient.

[0107] Continuing to describe the process flow, after the patient goes home and starts using the toothbrush, the event (activation of the toothbrush) can be automatically sensed, such as by an IMU sensor. A link can be automatically established between the toothbrush and a computing device installed with a software application, which is suitable for implementing the second part 10b of the method already described. The application contacts the database 32 and searches for any new suggestions that have been added. For any new suggestion items 62 found, the mobile device or toothbrush can play the utterance of the suggestion to the user as a reminder (or any other sensory representation of the suggestion). This can be done once, several times, or, for example, until the user indicates that the reminder is no longer needed. In some cases, the suggestion is communicated to the user by a toothbrush device (e.g., using an LED or by an audio device).

[0108] The user's brushing behavior is monitored for compliance with the recommendations. As described above, this is based on measuring sensor data, such as based on the readings of the brushing pressure sensor combined with the brush head positioning. If the comparison step 78 (as described above) indicates that the cleaning parameters of the brushing session are not consistent (if the comparison is done in real time) or are not consistent (if the comparison is done after the fact) with the dentist's recommendations 62, a warning can be given (e.g., audio, light, written information displayed on the screen of a computing device with a software application). If it is / was consistent, no feedback or positive feedback is provided to the user. Non-compliance can result in a prolonged time to remind the user of the dentist's relevant recommendations.

[0109] In an extension of the previous embodiment, the raw results 54 used as input to the suggestion generation algorithm 22 may be combined with data from previously recorded brushing sessions of the user.

[0110] In some embodiments, the adherence monitoring data may additionally be shared with the user's health insurance company. For example, adherence may result in a discount on insurance premiums to incentivize adherence.

[0111] Based on the results of the comparison 80, dentists can refine their recommendations or decide on new suggestions on how to improve cleaning habits.

[0112] In addition to the already described process of automatically converting raw results 54 into suggestion items 62, the dentist (secondary user 52) can also manually input suggestions. This can be selected by the secondary user from a limited set of predefined suggestion items by selecting the one that best matches the suggestion they want to convey. The suggestion options can be presented in a drop-down menu with a limited set of predefined suggestion items. Optionally, the suggestion options can be sorted according to relevance to the case at hand. The relevance can be determined or defined, for example, by statistics of previous cases, or can be determined by a trained AI algorithm, or can be derived by any other means known to those skilled in the art.

[0113] The recommendations can also be entered into the patient's digital patient record and then uploaded from the digital patient record to the central recommendations database 32. After the mobile phone is identified and a private secure connection is established, it can be transmitted directly to the user's mobile computing device. After upload, the connection is closed.

[0114] In a similar manner as above, a dedicated graphical user interface may be presented at an input device at a first location used by a secondary user with respect to input of the raw results 52. The graphical user interface may define discrete input fields, each corresponding to one of the standardized oral parameters, and wherein the oral examination results are received as user input to the graphical user interface.

[0115] Therefore, an embodiment of the present invention provides a seamless teledentistry system, which includes technologies for the following purposes: user data analysis, which is used to facilitate communication between dentists and patients; intelligent user behavior analysis, which is used to diagnose oral health status; automatically generate suggestions on how to improve or change daily oral cleaning behaviors, including generating suggestion reminders; and evaluate compliance with the suggestions.

[0116] Another aspect of the invention is a computer program product comprising code means configured to perform either of the two methods according to a selected mode when the code means is executed by a processor.

[0117] The method according to the first mode comprises:

[0118] receiving, at an input device, from a secondary user as user input, oral examination results corresponding to the primary user, wherein the results include user input values ​​for a predefined set of standardized oral parameters that collectively define a set of examination results;

[0119] applying a recommendation generation algorithm adapted to convert the examination result set into an oral care recommendation comprising one or more oral care recommendation items, the recommendation generation algorithm defining a mapping between different possible values ​​for a predefined set of standardized oral parameters and output recommendation items;

[0120] Uploading oral care recommendations to a record in a central user database, which record is associated with the identity of the primary user;

[0121] wherein each oral care recommendation item includes a coded representation of acceptable parameter values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters; and

[0122] The method according to the second mode comprises:

[0123] receiving sensor data obtained by the oral care device during one or more oral cleaning sessions of a primary user from a sensor integrated in the oral care device,

[0124] applying a sensor data conversion algorithm for converting the sensor data into estimates of values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters for at least one oral cleaning session,

[0125] comparing the estimated values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters with acceptable parameter values ​​encoded in the oral care recommendations, and

[0126] An output is generated based on the comparison.

[0127] For example, when the application is run on a user input device in a dentist's office, the first mode may be implemented.

[0128] For example, the second mode may be implemented when an application is run on a primary user's mobile computing device that is communicatively linked to the oral care device, or by the oral care device itself.

[0129] The embodiments of the present invention described above employ one or more processors. The processor may generally include a single processor or multiple processors. It may be located in a single containing device, structure or unit, or it may be distributed between multiple different devices, structures or units. Therefore, reference to a processor adapted or configured to perform a particular step or task may correspond to a step or task performed by any one or more of a plurality of processing components, either individually or in combination. The technician will understand how to implement such distributed processing devices. The processing device includes a communication module or input / output for receiving data and outputting data to other components.

[0130] One or more processors can be implemented in software and / or hardware in a variety of ways to perform the various functions required. The processor typically employs one or more microprocessors that can be programmed using software (e.g., microcode) to perform the required functions. The processor can be implemented as a combination of dedicated hardware that performs some functions and one or more programmed microprocessors and related circuitry that performs other functions.

[0131] Examples of circuit devices that may be used in various embodiments of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, conventional microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

[0132] In various embodiments, the processor may be associated with one or more storage media, such as volatile and non-volatile computer memory, such as RAM, PROM, EPROM, and EEPROM. The storage media may be encoded with one or more programs that perform the desired functions when executed on one or more processors and / or controllers. The various storage media may be fixed within the processor or controller, or may be removable so that one or more programs stored thereon may be loaded into the processor.

[0133] By studying the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims, those skilled in the art can understand and implement variations of the disclosed embodiments when practicing the claimed invention. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality.

[0134] A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims.

[0135] The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

[0136] The computer program may be stored / distributed on suitable media such as optical storage media or solid-state media provided with or as a component of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunications systems.

[0137] If the term "suitable for" is used in the claims or the specification, it should be noted that the term "suitable for" is intended to be equivalent to the term "configured to".

[0138] Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

1. A method (10) for facilitating interaction between a primary user and a secondary user of an oral care system, wherein the primary user is a user of an oral care device and the secondary user is a dental care professional, the method comprising: receiving (12) oral examination results corresponding to the primary user from the secondary user as user input at an input device at a first location, wherein the results include user input values ​​for a predefined set of standardized oral parameters, the predefined set of standardized oral parameters collectively defining a set of examination results; applying (14) a recommendation generation algorithm, the recommendation generation algorithm being adapted to convert the examination result set into an oral care recommendation comprising one or more oral care recommendation items, the recommendation generation algorithm defining a mapping between different possible values ​​for the predefined standardized oral parameter set and output oral care recommendation items; uploading (16) the oral care recommendation to a record in a user database, the record being associated with the identity of the primary user; wherein each oral care recommendation item includes a coded representation of acceptable parameter values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters; and The method further comprises, at the second location: The oral care device obtains (20) sensor data from a sensor integrated in the oral care device during one or more oral cleaning sessions of the primary user, applying (22) a sensor data conversion algorithm for converting the sensor data into estimates of values ​​for the one or more oral cleaning parameters for at least one oral cleaning session, comparing (24) the estimated values ​​for the one or more oral cleaning parameters with acceptable parameter values ​​encoded in the oral care recommendation, and An output is generated (26) based on the comparison.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the application of the sensor data conversion algorithm and / or the comparison of the estimated values ​​for the cleaning parameters are performed by a processor of the oral care device or by a processor of a computing device communicatively linked to the oral care device.

3. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the one or more oral care recommendation items output from the recommendation generation algorithm are presented to the secondary user via a user interface, and wherein the secondary user is prompted to use the user interface to confirm, reject or improve the one or more recommendation items.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the method further comprises transmitting a notification signal to a computing device in response to user activation of the oral care device, the computing device establishing communication with the user database in response to the activation signal and downloading the oral care recommendation, and generating a user-perceivable output indicating the oral care recommendation at the computing device or the oral care device.

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the oral care device is an electric toothbrush, and the sensor comprises one or more of the following: a pressure sensor for sensing brushing pressure, an inertial measurement unit for determining the posture of the oral care device, and one or more optical sensors for optically interacting with the oral surface during use of the device.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the method includes presenting a graphical user interface at the input device at the first position, the graphical user interface defining discrete input fields, each input field corresponding to one of the standardized oral parameters, and wherein the oral examination results are received as user input to the graphical user interface.

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the method comprises generating a user compliance report indicating a degree of compliance of the primary user with the oral care recommendations based on the comparison, and transmitting the compliance report as a data packet to a further device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises uploading the compliance report to a server and storing it at the server so that the secondary user can access the compliance report via a computing device communicatively linked to the server.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: Subsequent to generation of the oral care recommendation, the oral care recommendation is uploaded to a digital patient record associated with the primary user in a patient record database.

10. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the output is a user-perceivable output indicative of the oral care recommendation, and optionally, wherein the user-perceivable output is generated by the oral care device, for example by illuminating a subset of one or more LEDs included by the device to provide a coded indication of the recommendation, or by controlling an acoustic output device of the oral care device to play a spoken indication of the recommendation.

11. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the one or more oral care advice items output from the advice generation algorithm are items from a predetermined list of oral care advice items.

12. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the suggestion generation algorithm comprises a look-up table mapping between results and suggestion items.

13. A computer program product comprising code means configured to perform either of two methods according to a selected mode when said code means is executed by a processor, The method according to the first mode comprises: receiving, at an input device, oral examination results corresponding to the primary user from a secondary user as user input, wherein the results include user input values ​​for a predefined set of standardized oral parameters that collectively define a set of examination results; applying a recommendation generation algorithm, the recommendation generation algorithm being adapted to convert the examination result set into an oral care recommendation comprising one or more oral care recommendation items, the recommendation generation algorithm defining a mapping between different possible values ​​for the predefined set of standardized oral parameters and output recommendation items; uploading the oral care recommendation to a record in a user database, the record being associated with the identity of the primary user; wherein each oral care recommendation item includes a coded representation of acceptable parameter values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters; as well as The method according to the second mode comprises: receiving sensor data obtained by the oral care device during one or more oral cleaning sessions of the primary user from a sensor integrated into the oral care device, applying a sensor data conversion algorithm for converting the sensor data into estimates of values ​​for the one or more oral cleaning parameters for at least one oral cleaning session, comparing the estimated values ​​for the one or more oral cleaning parameters to the acceptable parameter values ​​encoded in the oral care recommendation, and An output is generated based on the comparison.

14. A system (50) for facilitating interaction between a primary user (66) and a secondary user (52), wherein the primary user is a user of an oral care device (70) and the secondary user is a dental care professional, the system comprising: A first device (72) at a first location, the first device comprising one or more processors and adapted to: receiving, at an input device (42), from a secondary user, oral examination results (54) corresponding to the primary user (66) as user input, wherein the results include user input values ​​for a predefined set of standardized oral parameters, the predefined set of standardized oral parameters collectively defining a set of examination results; applying a recommendation generation algorithm (44) adapted to convert the examination result set into an oral care recommendation comprising one or more oral care recommendation items (62), the recommendation generation algorithm defining a mapping between different possible values ​​for the predefined set of standardized oral parameters and output oral care recommendation items; uploading the oral care recommendations to a record in a user database (32), the record being associated with the identity of the primary user (66); wherein each oral care recommendation item includes a coded representation of acceptable parameter values ​​for one or more oral cleaning parameters (76); as well as A second device (72), the second device comprising one or more processors, the processors being adapted to: receiving sensor data (74) obtained by an oral care device (70) during one or more oral cleaning sessions of the primary user (66) from a sensor integrated into the oral care device, applying a sensor data conversion algorithm (75) for converting the sensor data into estimates of values ​​for the one or more oral cleaning parameters (76) for at least one oral cleaning session, comparing (78) the estimated values ​​for the one or more oral cleaning parameters to the acceptable parameter values ​​encoded in the oral care recommendation, and An output is generated based on the comparison (80).

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second device is the oral care device or a mobile computing device communicatively linked to the oral care device.

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