Oral image acquisition device

Abstract

The invention discloses an extraoral image acquisition device (1) comprising:-a support (3) having a hollow support portion (7),-a mouthpiece (9) carried by the hollow support portion, the mouthpiece defining a mouthpiece opening (17), the area of the surface covered by the mouthpiece opening being greater than 2 cm2, -image acquisition means (5) for acquiring an image through the mouthpiece opening, the hollow support portion (7) delimiting an image acquisition chamber (15) in which the image acquisition means (5) is at least partially, preferably completely accommodated.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for acquiring a dental arch image.

[0002] For example, it is known from WO 2016 / 066651 A1 that the progress of a patient's orthodontic treatment can be monitored by comparing the evolution of an orthodontic model generated from images of the patient's lower and upper dental arches acquired before the orthodontic treatment with images of the arches acquired during the orthodontic treatment.

[0003] The image of the dental arch may be acquired using an image acquisition device equipped with an image acquisition device and a mouthpiece.

[0004] Examples of such image acquisition devices are described in EP 3 391 810 A1 and WO 2022 / 008533 A1, which show a mobile phone equipped with a camera for acquiring images of a dental arch.

[0005] However, mobile phones are bulky and once the mouthpiece is inserted into the user's mouth, operating these devices becomes difficult.

[0006] Therefore, there is a continuing need for new devices for acquiring extraoral images of dental arches, particularly devices that are easy to operate.

[0007] The present invention relates to a device for extraoral image acquisition, the device comprising:

[0008] - a support element comprising a hollow support portion,

[0009] - a mouthpiece carried by the hollow support portion, the mouthpiece defining a mouthpiece opening, and

[0010] - An image acquisition device for acquiring an image through the mouthpiece opening.

[0011] According to a first aspect of the invention, the area of ​​the surface covered by the mouthpiece opening is greater than 2 cm 2 , and the hollow support portion defines an image acquisition chamber, in which the image acquisition device is at least partially, preferably completely, accommodated.

[0012] The device according to the first aspect of the invention is therefore easy to operate. Since the acquisition device is at least partially located in the image acquisition chamber, there is little or no influence on the operation of the device during image acquisition.

[0013] According to the second aspect of the invention, the image acquisition device is preferably attached to the support, preferably to the hollow support portion, and comprises a camera, the distance of the camera from the mouthpiece being preferably less than 15 cm, preferably less than 7 cm.

[0014] As will become clearer in the following description, the device according to the second aspect of the invention is advantageously compact, in particular due to the short distance separating the image acquisition means from the mouthpiece, which makes the device easy to handle.

[0015] The device according to the first aspect of the invention preferably has the features of the device according to the second aspect of the invention, and vice versa.

[0016] Furthermore, the device according to the present invention, in particular the device according to any one of its first and second aspects, may comprise one or more of the following optional features.

[0017] The mouthpiece defines an upper bearing surface and / or a lower bearing surface for contacting and displacing a lower lip and / or an upper lip of a user, respectively, in a use position of the device, in which the mouthpiece is inserted into the user's mouth. The distance between the mouthpiece and the image acquisition device is the minimum distance between the lower bearing surface of the mouthpiece and the image acquisition device or between the upper bearing surface of the mouthpiece and the camera.

[0018] "Extraoral" images are acquired using the device according to the invention with the image acquisition means located outside the oral cavity of the user in an operating configuration in which the mouthpiece is inserted into the mouth of the user.Extraoral images are acquired from a location remote from the oral cavity.

[0019] The image acquisition device is preferably spaced at least 6 cm from the mouthpiece. The image acquisition device is preferably spaced 2.5 cm to 6 cm from the mouthpiece. This improves the resolution of the image acquired by the image acquisition device. In addition, when the device is positioned for occlusal image acquisition, the risk of collision with the user's face (such as the nose) is reduced.

[0020] The volume occupied by the image acquisition device is preferably less than 40 cm 3 , more preferably less than 20 cm 3 , or even less than 10cm 3 .

[0021] The mass of the image acquisition device is preferably less than 50 g, more preferably less than or equal to 30 g.

[0022] Preferably, the length of the hollow support portion measured along the longitudinal axis is less than 10 cm.

[0023] The image acquisition device may be devoid of a display and / or a telephone communication module. Preferably, the image acquisition device is not embedded in the mobile phone. Preferably, the image acquisition device is distinct from the mobile phone.

[0024] The image acquisition device comprises or consists of at least one camera, which is used to acquire images through the mouthpiece opening.

[0025] The camera may have a focal length between 25 mm and 90 mm, preferably between 30 mm and 45 mm.

[0026] Preferably, the focal length of the camera is fixed so that a portable camera can be advantageously used. In a variant, the camera may include an autofocus system to change the focal length.

[0027] The camera may extend along an axis parallel to or even coincident with the longitudinal axis of the support.The camera's line of sight may be parallel to or even coincident with the longitudinal axis of the support.

[0028] In one variant, the image acquisition device may include at least two cameras, or even consist of at least two cameras. The cameras may be arranged along different lines of sight, and may be arranged so that each camera acquires a different view of the same dental scene. The image acquisition device may thus provide a stereoscopic view of the dental scene. The cameras may have the same focal length.

[0029] The image acquisition device may be fixed relative to the mouthpiece. Thus, the apparatus enables the acquisition of images at different times under similar conditions during the orthodontic process. Similar acquisition conditions include the position and relative orientation of the image acquisition device relative to the patient's teeth. In one embodiment, the image acquisition device is movable relative to the mouthpiece.

[0030] The image acquisition device may comprise a connection module for transferring the images acquired by the image acquisition device to, for example, a digital image storage unit, such as a flash memory. In one embodiment, the image acquisition device may comprise an image storage unit.

[0031] The connection module may be fixed to the support, in particular to the hollow support portion, for example glued to a wall of the support.

[0032] Alternatively, the image acquisition device may include a connection module. Specifically, the image acquisition device may include a housing in which the camera and the connection module are accommodated. The camera and the connection module may be attached to each other.

[0033] The connection module may include cables for data transmission, e.g. A connection socket for a cable or similar data transmission cable, or the connection module is implemented, for example or Remote data transmission module of the data transmission protocol.

[0034] For example, the connection module is a connection socket for a data transmission cable, such as Socket. The support element may extend along a longitudinal axis and comprise an opening, such as an axial opening or a transverse opening, through which the connecting socket protrudes from the support element, in particular from the hollow support portion.

[0035] The hollow support portion may extend longitudinally, and the mouthpiece may extend the hollow support portion.

[0036] The hollow support portion may be made of cardboard or, preferably, of a thermoplastic material.The device is shaped so that, in the working configuration, the hollow support portion is at least partially, preferably completely, located outside the user's mouth.

[0037] The hollow support portion may be grippable. The hollow support portion may comprise reliefs and / or grooves shaped to ensure optimal gripping of the device.

[0038] The hollow support portion may comprise a bottom wall, such as a solid bottom wall longitudinally opposite the mouthpiece opening.The image acquisition device may be in contact with the rear wall, in particular attached to the rear wall.

[0039] The hollow support portion may be in the form of a longitudinally extending housing opening that passes substantially only outwardly through the mouthpiece opening and optionally through a ventilation opening, e.g. longitudinally opposite the mouthpiece opening. In the operating configuration of the device, the ventilation opening facilitates the discharge of moist air exhaled by the user. The hollow support portion may be substantially cylindrical in shape.

[0040] The hollow support portion may have preferably opaque walls defining the image acquisition chamber.The hollow support portion may be substantially tubular.

[0041] In one variation, the support further comprises a grippable support portion mounted on the hollow support portion such that the device can be manipulated by gripping the grippable support portion.

[0042] The grippable support portion may extend longitudinally and protrude laterally from the hollow support portion.

[0043] Preferably, the hollow support portion is arranged between the mouthpiece and the grippable support portion.

[0044] The hollow support portion may be removably attachable to the grippable support portion, for example.Preferably, the grippable support portion and the hollow support portion form an integral assembly.

[0045] The grippable support portion may define a chamber and include a cover closing the chamber. The device may include an electronic board including a printed circuit and / or a battery for controlling and / or powering the image acquisition device, which is preferably accommodated in the chamber. The chamber may also be made watertight, in particular using one or more seals.

[0046] Furthermore, the battery may be self-contained. The battery may be charged by induction or by a wired connection such as USB. The battery may be powered directly by a wired electrical connection to an external power source.

[0047] The hollow support portion and / or the grippable support portion may be at least partially covered by a flexible material that facilitates gripping, such as a thermoplastic elastomer known as "TPE", in particular a thermoplastic rubber known as "TPR", such as styrene-butadiene-styrene, or a thermoplastic polyurethane known as "TPU".

[0048] The mouthpiece is preferably shaped so as to move upward and downward, respectively, and preferably curl the upper and lower lips of the user, in a working configuration of the device (in which the mouthpiece is introduced into the mouth of a user of the device) so as to maximize the dental surface visible to the image acquisition device. "Up" and "down" refer to directions along a vertical axis when the user of the device is standing upright. Preferably, the mouthpiece is shaped so that when in at least one position of the working configuration of the image acquisition device (in which the mouthpiece is inserted into the mouth of the user), the upper and lower lips move upward and downward, respectively, and preferably curl, so that at least the incisors and preferably at least part of the canines and / or molars of the upper and lower dental arches, respectively, are visible to the camera.

[0049] The mouthpiece may be a flange, in particular an annular or ring-shaped flange, which extends radially outwards from one end of the hollow support portion and, for example, extends transversely to the portion. "Radially outwards" means that the tubular portion extends away from the longitudinal axis of the device in a plane transverse to this axis. The flange may be rigid or elastically deformable. In particular, the flange may be made of a material having a Young's modulus less than or equal to the Young's modulus of the material of the hollow support portion.

[0050] Furthermore, the mouthpiece may be integral with the support, in particular with the grippable support portion. In other words, the mouthpiece and the grippable support portion may be obtained together in the same manufacturing operation. The grippable support portion and the mouthpiece may be produced by molding and / or additive manufacturing.

[0051] Alternatively, the mouthpiece may be mounted on the hollow support portion. The mouthpiece may be attached to the hollow support portion. The mouthpiece may be rigidly attached to the hollow support portion. For example, the mouthpiece may be snapped, threaded or glued to the graspable portion. Alternatively, the mouthpiece can be removably mounted on the hollow support portion, for example by a magnetic coupling or using hook-and-loop fasteners or by a profile fit between the hollow support portion and the mouthpiece. Advantageously, different graspable mouthpieces of various sizes can be mounted on the support, in particular on the hollow support portion, and the mouthpiece is thus selected that best suits the morphology of each user's mouth.

[0052] Preferably, the area of ​​the surface covered by the mouthpiece opening is greater than 3 cm 2 , preferably greater than 5cm 2 , preferably greater than 10cm 2, or even larger than 15cm 2 , for example about 19cm 2 Preferably, the surface area is less than 30 cm 2 , more preferably less than 25 cm 2 The area is measured transversely to the longitudinal axis. The contour of the mouthpiece opening may be defined by viewing the image acquisition device along the longitudinal axis from a position opposite the image acquisition device along the longitudinal axis.

[0053] The device may include a mirror attached to the support so that the image device captures a composite image including a direct image of the mouthpiece opening and an image of the mouthpiece opening reflected by the mirror. Thus, in the use configuration, the image capture device sees a composite image including a direct image of the teeth directly observed through the mouthpiece opening and a reflected image of the teeth reflected by the mirror.

[0054] Alternatively, the apparatus may comprise a light source arranged to shine through the mouthpiece opening.

[0055] The light source may comprise at least one lamp, in particular a light emitting diode lamp, and / or a flash device.

[0056] The light source is preferably located in the image acquisition chamber.

[0057] The device may include a control module to monitor the characteristics of the radiation emitted by the light source, particularly as a function of the light radiation received through the mouthpiece opening. For example, the control module may be configured so that more than 50%, more than 90%, or even substantially 100% of the radiation received by the mouthpiece opening comes from the light source.

[0058] In particular, the device may include a plurality of light sources and a plurality of cameras, each light source being arranged to illuminate a light field of a corresponding camera. The light source may be housed in a housing.

[0059] In order to determine the color and / or translucency of the user's teeth, the device may comprise a chromaticity target and / or a translucency target, respectively, attached to the support, wherein the image acquisition device observes said targets.

[0060] The device may include a control module for controlling image acquisition.

[0061] The control module may include an actuator and be configured to trigger image acquisition by the acquisition device after actuating the actuator. For example, the actuator is electrically connected to the acquisition device.

[0062] For example, the actuator is a button.The actuator may be carried by a support.

[0063] The control module may include a memory storing a computer program and a processor for executing the computer program, the computer program including instructions for guiding a user, for example by issuing a voice message, to position the device relative to the patient's teeth to a predetermined acquisition position and / or orientation, and optionally specifying to the user the number of images to be acquired.

[0064] A control module may be housed in the image acquisition chamber.

[0065] Alternatively, the image acquisition device may communicate, for example via a wireless link or cable, with a control device, such as a mobile phone or personal computer incorporating a control module as described above.

[0066] In addition, the image acquisition device may also include one or more additional cameras, which, in at least one configuration of the device, can be positioned in the user's mouth to capture at least one intraoral image of the lower dental arch and / or the upper dental arch, thereby facilitating the acquisition of images of, for example, the lingual surface of the teeth, the interdental spaces, caries control or palatal control. Specifically, the image acquisition device may include a telescopic arm extending between a folded configuration and at least one unfolded configuration, and the additional camera is mounted on the telescopic arm. Preferably, in the folded configuration, the additional camera is completely housed in the bracket. Preferably, in the working configuration of the image acquisition device and in the unfolded position of the arm, the additional camera is positioned in the user's mouth to capture at least one intraoral view of the lower dental arch and / or the upper dental arch.

[0067] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0068] [ Figure 1 ]and[ Figure 2 ] are perspective views from different vantage points and sight lines of a first example of an extraoral image acquisition apparatus according to the present invention,

[0069] [ Figure 3 ] is along Figure 1 A view of the longitudinal axis of the device shown,

[0070] [ Figure 4 ] is the device along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the plane (AA) shown,

[0071] [ Figure 5 ]and[ Figure 6 ] is a side view of the device along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,

[0072] [ Figure 7 ] is along Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the plane (BB) shown,

[0073] [ Figure 8 ] is a cross-sectional view along the longitudinal median plane of a second example of an equipment support according to the present invention,

[0074] [ Fig. 9 ] is along the longitudinal axis and passes through Figure 8 A view of the mouthpiece opening of the support shown,

[0075] [ Fig.10 ] is a perspective view of a third example of an apparatus for acquiring an extraoral image according to the present invention,

[0076] [ Fig.11 ]and[ Fig.12 ] are perspective views from different vantage points and sight lines of a fourth example of an extraoral image acquisition apparatus according to the present invention,

[0077] [ Fig.13 ]and[ Fig.14 ] are the side view and top view of the fourth example.

[0078] Figures 1 to 7 A first example of a device 1 for acquiring extraoral images according to the present invention is shown in FIG.

[0079] The device includes a support 3 and an image acquisition device 5 .

[0080] The support member 3 comprises a hollow support portion 7. The device further comprises a mouthpiece 9.

[0081] The hollow support portion 7 has a generally elongated shape extending along a longitudinal axis X. The hollow support portion comprises a hollow tubular portion 11 and a bottom wall 13 closing one longitudinal end of the tubular portion. The tubular portion 11 and the bottom wall 13 delimit an image acquisition chamber 15 in which the image acquisition device 5 is accommodated.

[0082] The bottom wall 13 may be solid or have ventilation openings therethrough, for example in the form of cylindrical holes and / or grooves. In one embodiment, the grippable support portion 7 may be devoid of such a bottom wall.

[0083] At least a portion of the tubular portion 11 , or even the entire tubular portion as shown in the figures, preferably extends parallel to the longitudinal axis X to facilitate fixing and handling of the hollow supporting portion, which is thus additionally grippable.

[0084] The tubular portion 11 has at least one cross section S transverse to the longitudinal axis X, which has a Figure 3The dotted outline in FIG. 1 defines a generally elliptical shape. This shape of the hollow support portion facilitates gripping of the support and also corresponds substantially to the shape of the outline of the access opening to the user's mouth, which is defined by the lower and upper lips when the user separates their lower and upper jaws.

[0085] The tubular portion 11 projects into the mouthpiece opening 17 at the other end longitudinally opposite to the bottom wall.

[0086] The shape of the profile 19 of the mouthpiece opening is similar to a saddle. In other words, when viewed from two perpendicular directions which are themselves orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the profile 19 of the mouthpiece opening 17 has two opposing convex portions 21 connected by an opposing concave portion 23 .

[0087] The shape of the mouthpiece opening is preferably adapted to the general shape of the user's dental arch.

[0088] Preferably, when viewed along the longitudinal axis, the maximum width l of the mouthpiece opening is max The maximum width of the mouthpiece opening 17 is between 60 mm and 70 mm, and the minimum width of the mouthpiece opening 17 is between 28 mm and 40 mm. The "maximum width" and "minimum width" are respectively the diameter of the smallest circle circumscribed with the outline of the mouthpiece opening 17 and the diameter of the largest small circle inscribed with the outline of the mouthpiece opening 17. Preferably, when viewed along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the height H of the outline of the mouthpiece opening measured along the longitudinal axis is between 8 mm and 14 mm.

[0089] A mouthpiece 9 is attached to the hollow support portion 7. In the example shown, the mouthpiece is made of the same material as the hollow support portion. Other shapes can be envisaged, for example a mouthpiece made of a different material than the hollow support portion.

[0090] The oral piece 9 comprises two rigid interconnected parts 25a and 25b, preferably symmetrical to each other relative to the median plane, which respectively define an inner bearing surface 27a and an outer bearing surface 27b, for contacting and displacing the lower lip and / or upper lip of the user, respectively, in the working position of the device, in which the oral piece is introduced into the user's mouth.

[0091] The mouthpiece 9 is a flange that projects radially outward from the tubular portion 11 , specifically, from a longitudinal end of the tubular portion opposite to the bottom wall 13 .

[0092] The flange is annular and deformed into a saddle shape. When viewed along the X axis, the profile of the flange is similar to the profile of the mouthpiece opening.

[0093] The flange may extend from the hollow support portion by a distance e between 3 mm and 6 mm. The distance e is measured, in a section transverse to the longitudinal axis, between the radially outermost end of the protrusion and the hollow support portion, along an axis T tangential to the flange and passing through the intersection between the hollow support portion and the flange.

[0094] The image acquisition device 5 may be attached to the support 3. For example, Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, the support comprises a housing 27 defining a housing 29 of complementary shape to the acquisition device and in which the image acquisition device is housed.

[0095] The receptacle comprises a receptacle wall 31 , for example semi-cylindrical, extending transversely between the opposing inner surfaces of the tubular portion and longitudinally from the bottom wall of the hollow support portion.

[0096] In the example shown, the receptacle is made of the same material as the hollow support portion. Alternatively, the receptacle may be attached to the hollow support portion.

[0097] The image acquisition device comprises a housing 33 and two optical assemblies 34, each of which comprises a camera 35 and an LED light 37, which are completely housed in the housing. The number of cameras and lights is non-limiting. The image acquisition device 5 may also include a communication module housed in the housing, which is used to transmit the image acquired by the camera 35 through the mouthpiece opening 17 to a storage unit. For example, the communication module may include a connection socket for a data transmission cable, and the bottom wall 13 may include a groove 39 through its thickness portion, which is used to insert a plug of such a cable and insert the plug into the connection socket.

[0098] In the example shown, each camera 25 is equidistant from the mouthpiece 9. The cameras are each positioned at a distance D of less than 42 mm from the mouthpiece. Furthermore, the length L of the hollow support portion 7 measured along the longitudinal axis may be less than 8 cm. This makes the image acquisition device particularly compact and therefore easier to hold.

[0099] To obtain an extraoral image of their dental arch, the user grasps the hollow support portion 7 to insert the mouthpiece 9 into their mouth and contact the lower and upper bearing surfaces 27a, 27b with their lower and upper jaws, respectively, to curl the lower and upper lips, respectively.

[0100] Extraoral image acquisition and corresponding image collection operations may then be performed.

[0101] Figure 8 and Fig. 9 A second example of an image acquisition device according to the present invention is shown. Figures 1 to 7The first example shown differs in that it comprises two receptacles 27, each shaped to receive an image acquisition device.The receptacles may be integral with the hollow support portion or attached to the hollow support portion.

[0102] The receptacles are symmetrical to one another relative to a longitudinal median plane P of the support, which contains the longitudinal axis X.

[0103] The receptacles each define a tubular housing of a respective axis Y1 and axis Y2 , these axes being inclined relative to the longitudinal axis X at the same angle θ.

[0104] The acquisition devices (not shown) may each include an optical component.

[0105] The optical assembly can be arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal median plane of the support, for example, to construct a 3D stereoscopic model representing a common scene seen by the camera through the mouthpiece opening. The camera in each optical assembly has axes Y1 and Y2, respectively. The light source in each optical assembly includes, for example, LEDs distributed around the periphery of the camera and uniformly distributed around the corresponding Y1 and Y2 axes.

[0106] Fig.10 The example shown is similar to Figure 1 The example shown differs in that it comprises two image acquisition devices 5 in contact with the bottom wall 13 of the hollow support portion 7 and arranged symmetrically to each other with respect to the first longitudinal median plane PL. Each image acquisition device 5 comprises two optical assemblies 34, each comprising a camera 35 and an LED light 37.

[0107] The optical assembly 34 is arranged symmetrically with respect to a second longitudinal median plane P2 of the device, which is orthogonal to the first longitudinal median plane. The sight lines of the cameras may be parallel to each other, or at an angle to each other, such as Figure 8 As shown in the second example shown, and may intersect at the same point.

[0108] Figures 11 to 14 A fourth example of a device 1 according to the invention is shown, which is Figures 1 to 10 The device shown differs in particular in that the support 3 comprises a hollow support portion 7 and a grippable support portion 41 which extends the hollow support portion 7 .

[0109] The support part 7 also has projections 43 supported by the outer wall 45 of the tubular part 11. The projections 43 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal median plane P of the hollow support part 7. A head 47 is longitudinally placed on top of each projection, to which a mouthpiece (not shown) (as described, for example, in the application WO 2022 / 008533) can be snapped or mounted by form fit.

[0110] The hollow support portion 7 is in the form of a tubular housing leading to a support opening 49 and having a bottom wall 13 opposite the support opening 49. The bottom wall 13 separates the hollow support portion 7 from the grippable support portion 41. The acquisition device 5 is arranged in contact with the bottom wall and comprises an optical assembly with a camera for observing the scene through the support opening 49 and the mouthpiece opening (not shown).

[0111] The hollow support portion 7 is located between the mouthpiece and the grippable portion 41 .

[0112] The grippable support portion 41 may have a generally parallelepiped shape, the length, width and height of which are selected to be easy to grip. However, any other suitable form may be contemplated. The grippable support portion 41 extends longitudinally from the bottom wall 13 away from the mouthpiece. The grippable support portion also protrudes laterally from the hollow support portion 7. The grippable support portion 41 may be hollow and include a chamber 51 that can be entered through an entry opening 53 that is opposite to the mouthpiece opening.

[0113] A cover (not shown) may be placed on top of the access opening 53 to close the chamber 51 in order to protect the components that may be housed in the chamber, to hide these components from the user's perspective, and to facilitate gripping of the device. An electronic board (not shown) for controlling and / or monitoring the image acquisition device may be housed in the chamber together with a battery for powering the electronic board and the image acquisition device.

[0114] Furthermore, a side window 55 is provided in the side wall 57 of the grippable support portion 41, for example for passing a data transmission cable and / or a battery charging cable through the side wall into the cavity, or for providing a switch for turning a device on and / or off.

[0115] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the examples described herein, which are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0116] For example, in Fig.11 and Fig.14 In a variant of the device shown, the support may comprise a mouthpiece which is a flange integral with the tubular portion 11, such as Figure 1 shown.

Claims

1. A device (1) for extraoral image acquisition, the device comprising: - a support (3), said support comprising a hollow support portion (7), a mouthpiece (9), the mouthpiece being carried by the hollow support portion, the mouthpiece defining a mouthpiece opening (17), the surface area covered by the mouthpiece opening being greater than 2 cm 2 , an image acquisition device (5) for acquiring an image through the mouthpiece opening, the hollow support portion (7) defining an image acquisition chamber (15) in which the image acquisition device (5) is at least partially, preferably completely, housed, The support member (3) further comprises a grippable support portion (41) mounted on the hollow support portion (7), the hollow support portion being removably fixed to the grippable support portion.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the volume occupied by the image acquisition device is less than 40 cm 3 .

3. The device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, the image acquisition device being attached to the support, preferably to the hollow support portion, and comprising a camera (25), the distance between the camera and the oral piece being less than 15 cm, preferably less than 7 cm.

4. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the camera (25) has a focal length between 25 mm and 90 mm, preferably between 30 mm and 45 mm.

5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, the image acquisition device being spaced less than 6 cm from the mouthpiece, preferably between 2.5 cm and 6 cm.

6. Device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a connection module for transmitting the images acquired by the image acquisition device, preferably comprising a cable for data transmission, such as A connection socket for a cable or a similar data transmission cable, or the connection module is for example a connection module for implementing the or Remote data transmission module of the data transmission protocol.

7. The device according to any of the preceding claims, the image acquisition device comprising, or even consisting of, at least two cameras, the at least two cameras being preferably arranged along different lines of sight and each camera being used to acquire a different view of the same dental scene.

8. Device according to any of the preceding claims, the hollow support portion (7) extending longitudinally and the mouthpiece (9) extending the hollow support portion.

9. Device according to the preceding claim, the mouthpiece (9) being a flange extending radially outwards from one end of the hollow support portion (7), in particular annular or in the form of a portion of an annulus.

10. The device according to any one of claims 8 and 9, the mouthpiece being integral with the hollow support portion.

11. Device according to any of the preceding claims, the hollow support portion (7) being arranged between the mouthpiece (9) and the grippable support portion (41).

12. A device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a control module for controlling image acquisition, preferably comprising a memory storing a computer program and a processor for executing the computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for guiding the user to position the device relative to the patient's teeth to a predetermined acquisition position and / or orientation, for example by issuing a voice message.

13. Device according to any of the preceding claims, the grippable support portion (41) defining a chamber (51) and comprising a cover closing the chamber.

14. Device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising an electronic board with a printed circuit and / or a battery for controlling and / or powering the image acquisition means.

15. Device according to claims 13 and 14, wherein the electronic board and / or the battery are housed in a chamber (51).

16. Apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 15, the chamber (51) being made watertight, in particular using one or more seals.

Images