Prosthetic devices with identification markings, as well as methods and systems for verifying the user and the prosthetic device itself.

Abstract

This invention provides a prosthesis with an identification marking section containing various information, which is superior to conventional designs in terms of hygiene, safety, visibility, adhesion, and comfort, as well as a method and system for verifying the user and the prosthesis using the same. [Solution] A prosthesis with an information display section, characterized by having a component made of metal (gold, silver, palladium, or an alloy containing these) or resin (polyamide resin, polyester resin, polycarbonate resin, polypropylene resin, or acrylic resin, etc.), and including an information display section engraved on the surface of the component, as well as a verification method and system utilizing the same.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a prosthesis with an identification display unit including various kinds of information, and a method and system for identifying a user and the prosthesis using the same.

Background Art

[0002] Applying printing or engraving to prostheses such as crowns, bridges, dentures, dental prostheses, and implants is considered beneficial from the viewpoints of identification, traceability improvement, medical accident prevention, and even brand marketing.

[0003] For example, from the viewpoints of identification and traceability, it becomes easier to identify prostheses for each patient, facilitating management in hospitals, dental clinics, and various facilities. From the viewpoint of medical safety measures, it becomes possible to prevent misplacement (especially dentures and dental appliances), and record the manufacturer and material information of implants and crowns.

[0004] Also, from the viewpoint of brand and manufacturer identification, by engraving the logo and serial number of the dental laboratory, dental technician, or even the manufacturer, it can be utilized for quality assurance and marketing. From the viewpoint of consideration for patients, by including a name or identification code, it can assist in finding the prosthesis in case of loss (especially dentures), and information on metal allergies and used materials can be described.

[0005] Furthermore, it is also useful for personal identification and identity verification of dementia patients, criminals, victims of disasters or accidents, etc. As time passes, such personal identification and identity verification become difficult, but this can be solved if the printing or engraving has durability.

[0006] However, since the prosthesis is inserted into the oral cavity, regarding printing or engraving, using various inks is not hygienically preferable, and it is not always possible to print or engrave with good fixing properties. Regarding engraving, engraving on a curved surface is not always easy, the contrast may not be achieved, resulting in poor visibility, and there is also a problem that the tongue hits the edge of the engraved part, leading to poor comfort.

[0007] In this regard, for example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-534096) discloses a technology for processing and marking dental objects in a dental processing machine, but it only states that "marking can be realized not only as actual physical marking such as stamps, brands, or engravings, but also as digital marking," and the details are not provided. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-534096 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] In view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, the object of the present invention is to provide a prosthesis to which an identification display part containing various information is added by an engraving that is excellent in hygiene, safety, visibility, fixability and comfort, as well as a method and system for confirming the user and the prosthesis using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the inventors investigated whether it was possible to print, engrave, or inscribe various information on prosthetic devices. Focusing on the fact that many dementia patients develop the disease at an advanced age and that, given the nature of dementia, maintaining oral hygiene is difficult, there is a high probability that some kind of prosthetic device is installed in the oral cavity, the inventors diligently conducted repeated experiments on methods and conditions for engraving. As a result, they discovered that, under specific methods and conditions, it is possible to easily and simply engrave on prosthetic devices that is excellent in terms of hygiene, safety, visibility, adhesion, and comfort, thus completing the present invention.

[0011] The present invention, in other words, It has a component made of metal (gold, silver, palladium, or an alloy containing these) or resin (polyamide resin, polyester resin, polycarbonate resin, polypropylene resin, or acrylic resin, etc.), and includes an information display section engraved or printed on the surface of the component. A prosthesis with an information display unit, characterized by the following: This provides...

[0012] Therefore, the prosthetic devices covered by the present invention include, for example, crowns, bridges, inlays, dentures, implants, orthodontic appliances, restorative restorations, mouthpieces, mouthguards, night guards, splints, and other devices worn in the oral cavity, as well as all other dental prosthetics (articles), and are not limited to prosthetic devices as commonly understood. Furthermore, the information display section may be any of the following: characters, symbols, figures, logos, QR codes, barcodes, or other two-dimensional codes.

[0013] In the above-described prosthesis with information display unit of the present invention, The information display unit is a two-dimensional code. It is preferable.

[0014] Furthermore, in the prosthesis with information display unit of the present invention described above, The information display unit includes at least one of the following: information relating to the prosthesis with the information display unit, information relating to the user of the prosthesis with the information display unit, and information relating to the user's usage history of the prosthesis with the information display unit. It is preferable.

[0015] Furthermore, the present invention is The process of preparing the prosthesis with an information display unit of the present invention described above, The process of attaching the prosthesis with the information display unit to the user, The process of reading the information display unit, The system comprises the step of identifying the prosthesis and / or the user according to the information read, A verification method characterized by the following: This also relates to that.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention includes the prosthesis with an information display part of the present invention to be worn by a user, a reading device for reading the information display part, and a collation device that collates the read information with a database storing information about the user and / or the prosthesis to identify the user and / or the prosthesis, and is characterized by a confirmation system, and also relates to.

Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, by effectively using dentures and the like required by many people, a prosthesis with an identification display part including various information by engraving, which is superior in hygiene, safety, visibility, fixing property, and comfort compared to the prior art, and a method and system for confirming a user and a prosthesis using the same can be realized. According to this, for various prostheses, functions such as a source display function, a quality assurance function, and a discrimination function of other companies can be exhibited, and differentiation and branding from products of other companies can be made more easily possible.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a schematic view of a prosthesis 1 with an identification display according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a functional block diagram of an identity confirmation device 200 and an identity confirmation system 2000 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, as a typical embodiment of the prosthesis with an identification display of the present invention and a method and system for confirming a user and a prosthesis using the same, a prosthesis with an identification display and an identity confirmation method and system using the same will be described as representatives with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to only these.

[0020] (1) Prosthesis with an identification display As shown in Figure 1, the prosthesis 1 with an identification mark of this embodiment has at least an acrylic resin base 2 and an artificial tooth 6 integrally molded to the base 2, and includes a QR code (registered trademark) 4, which is a two-dimensional code, as an information display part engraved or printed on the surface of the base 2 with an ultraviolet (UV) laser.

[0021] The prosthesis 1 with identification markings in this embodiment is a partial prosthesis, a so-called non-clasp prosthesis. Non-clasp prostheses are generally made of polyamide resin, polyester resin, polycarbonate resin, polypropylene resin, or acrylic resin, but in the prosthesis 1 with identification markings in this embodiment, both the base 2 and the artificial tooth 6 are made of acrylic resin.

[0022] As described above, the inventors investigated whether it was possible to engrave identifiable information onto prostheses (crowns, bridges, inlays, dentures, implants, orthodontic appliances, restorative restorations, mouthpieces, mouthguards, night guards, splints, and other devices worn in the oral cavity, as well as dental prosthetics in general). As a result, they found that, under certain methods and conditions, laser engraving with excellent legibility, visibility, adhesion, and comfort can be easily and simply performed on prostheses, and that using acrylic resin (so-called acrylic resin) is one of those conditions, leading to the completion of the present invention. Therefore, the prosthesis of this embodiment only needs to include a portion made of acrylic resin, and may be a partial prosthesis, a full prosthesis, or a clasp prosthesis.

[0023] Examples of acrylic resins that can be used in this embodiment include so-called acrylic resins, which generally refer to all acrylic synthetic resins, and whose main component is a polymer of methacrylate ester or acrylic acid ester. Typical examples include those obtained by polymerizing monomers such as methyl (meth)acrylate, ethyl (meth)acrylate, butyl (meth)acrylate, n-hexyl (meth)acrylate, cyclohexyl (meth)acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, n-octyl (meth)acrylate, nonyl (meth)acrylate, decyl (meth)acrylate, (meth)acrylic acid, glycidyl (meth)acrylate, vinyl acetate, styrene, α-methylstyrene, (meth)acrylamide, and (meth)acrylonitrile using known methods.

[0024] However, as stated above, the prosthesis with an information display section of the present invention may include any component made of metal (gold, silver, palladium, or an alloy containing these) or resin (polyamide resin, polyester resin, polycarbonate resin, polypropylene resin, or acrylic resin, etc.). In addition to the above, the following can be mentioned as metals. 1.Precious metals (gold / platinum group), (1) Gold alloy (Au alloy) (2) Platinum alloy (Pt-Au alloy) (3) Palladium alloy (Pd alloy) 2. Base metal type (non-precious metal) (1) Cobalt-chromium alloy (Co-Cr alloy) (2) Nickel-chromium alloy (Ni-Cr alloy) (3) Titanium and titanium alloys (Ti, Ti-6Al-4V) 3. Other materials Other examples include metal-fused-to-metal ceramics, where ceramic is fused onto a metal frame (Co-Cr, Ni-Cr, Au, Pd, etc.), and zirconia frames with metal abutments.

[0025] Furthermore, the base 2 of the prosthesis 1 with an information display unit in this embodiment includes a QR code 4, which is an information display unit engraved with an ultraviolet laser. The inventors attempted to engrave the surface of the base 2 with an ultraviolet laser, but due to the transparency of the resin material, the glossiness of the surface due to polishing, and light reflection, they were unable to engrave a QR code that was excellent in terms of visibility, adhesion, and comfort. After repeated trial and error, they found that this could be achieved by using a UV laser marking device.

[0026] Such UV laser marking devices can be those available from companies such as Hikari Kogyo Co., Ltd., Keyence Corporation, and Shenzhen Superwave Laser Technology Co., Ltd. in China. In this embodiment, when UV laser marking is performed on an acrylic resin base 2, the output should be 1.5 to 2.0 kW, and the frequency should be 100 to 400 nm, preferably 300 to 400 nm, and more preferably 355 nm. The number of irradiations should be 1 to 2. There are no particular restrictions on the size of the QR code 4 to be marked, but from the viewpoint of marking feasibility and visibility, 5 to 10 mm is recommended. 2 That would be fine, 15-25mm 2 It is preferable that this be the case.

[0027] Furthermore, the information contained in QR code 4 includes at least one of the following: information about the prosthesis with information display unit 1 (e.g., material, date of manufacture, manufacturer (dental technician, etc.), price, practitioner (dentist, orthodontist, etc.), date of treatment, etc.), information about the user of the prosthesis with information display unit 1 (name, age, gender, blood type, address, affiliation, contact information, family, relatives, guardian, tooth pattern, treatment history, medical history, unique ID number, etc.), and information about the user's usage history of the prosthesis with information display unit 1 (start date of use, replacement date, replacement frequency, etc.).

[0028] Furthermore, it may include information (such as contact details) regarding the organization operating the identity verification system using the prosthesis 1 with an information display unit, as described later. Each contact details should also include a URL. In addition, data belonging to one piece of information may also belong to another piece of information. However, since there is a limit to the amount of information that can be stored in the QR code 4, as described later, the information may be viewed and displayed by reading the QR code 4 with a reader (simply put, a mobile terminal that also functions as a reader). Alternatively, the identity verification system may store the information on internal and external data servers and link to those data servers to view, verify, inquire about, and display the information.

[0029] (2) Methods and systems for verifying identity Next, the identity verification method of this embodiment is: The process of preparing a prosthesis 1 with an information display unit, For example, the process involves attaching a prosthesis 1 with an information display unit to a person who may require identity verification, The process of reading the QR code 4 which is the information display section for the subject, The system includes a step of identifying the identity of the subject according to the information read, It is characterized by the following.

[0030] Furthermore, the identity verification system of this embodiment is For example, a prosthesis 1 with an information display unit that may be attached to a person who may require identity verification, If the identity of the person concerned is unknown, a reading device for reading the information display unit, The device includes a matching device that identifies the identity of the subject by comparing the information read with a database that stores the identity information of a person, This is characterized by the following. As will be described later, the reading device (or reading unit) may be implemented as a function of the information terminal 64 (for example, the imaging unit 65), and the matching device (or matching unit) may be implemented as a function of the information processing unit 60 of the identity verification device 200.

[0031] The identity verification system and method of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the identity verification device 200 and identity verification system 2000 according to this embodiment.

[0032] The identity verification device 200 is mainly composed of an information processing unit (control device) 60, and also includes an input unit 61, a display unit 62, a storage unit 63, etc. Furthermore, the identity verification device 200 may include a communication unit (not shown) that communicates with the outside via a communication network N, and may also include a printer or the like (not shown) as an output unit for printing identity verification results, etc.

[0033] Furthermore, the identity verification device 200 of this embodiment is connected to a plurality of information terminals 64, 64, ... via a communication network N, and constitutes an identity verification system 2000. The identity verification system 2000 of this embodiment can not only verify the information contained in the QR code 4, but can also identify the identity of an unidentified person (target) by comparing the above information about the unidentified person (target) input from the information terminal 64 to the identity verification device 200 with pre-collected and stored verification information, and return the identification result to the information terminal 64.

[0034] The identity verification device 200 is installed in an individual identification agency (facility) that manages matching information and identifies unidentified individuals upon request. The individual identification agency is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a national agency, a dental association or related organization, or a company that provides individual identification services.

[0035] The hardware configuration of the identity verification device 200 is not particularly limited. The information processing unit 60 can be a server or the like equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, input interface, communication interface, external device interface, storage unit, etc. The identity verification device 200 may consist of one or more computers, and one or more functional units constituting the identity verification device 200 may be implemented by one or more computers.

[0036] The input unit 61 can be a keyboard, mouse, numeric keypad, touch panel, etc. The display unit 62 can be an electronic display device such as an LCD, organic EL display, overhead projector, etc.

[0037] The storage unit 63 is composed of recording media such as a hard disk or flash memory. The storage unit 63 stores programs and various information necessary for the operation of the identity verification device 200. The storage unit 63 also includes a matching information database 63a. This matching information database 63a can use, for example, a large-capacity storage service provided by a cloud provider.

[0038] The matching information database 63a also pre-stores information on the teeth of multiple individuals obtained at dental clinics, etc., as well as other matching information associated with the target individuals. By storing a large amount of such matching information and creating a database, and further developing it into big data, more accurate and precise matching becomes possible.

[0039] For example, the matching information database 63a stores all or part of the information regarding the prosthesis with an information display unit, the user (target person) of the prosthesis with an information display unit, and the user's usage history of the prosthesis with an information display unit.

[0040] Next, the functions of the information processing unit 60 and the information terminal 64 will be explained using the functional block diagram in Figure 2. First, as shown in Figure 2, the information processing unit 60 functions as an information acquisition unit 70, an identification unit 71, an identity verification unit 72, a display image control unit 73, and a storage unit 63.

[0041] Because there is a limit to the amount of information that can be stored in the QR code 4, the information acquisition unit 70 acquires not only the information contained in the QR code 4, but also other information such as the teeth of the unidentified person. This information is input from the input unit 61 or from the information terminal 64 via the communication network N.

[0042] Here, an unidentified person refers to an individual whose identity cannot be determined. Examples include victims who have died in disasters, accidents, or incidents, as well as others who are unable to identify themselves, such as those with amnesia, those who are unconscious, or those who are seriously injured.

[0043] The identification unit 71 identifies the target person by comparing the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 70 with the matching information stored in the matching information database 63a of the storage unit 63. The identity verification unit 72 verifies the identity of the unidentified person based on the identification result from the identification unit 71. The identity verification unit 72 also transmits the matching information as the verification result (identity information) to the information terminal 64.

[0044] Furthermore, the information terminal 64 is installed in facilities that request identification of unidentified persons, such as police agencies, medical institutions, and disaster sites. As the information terminal 64, a PC equipped with a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., or a portable information device such as a smartphone or tablet can be used.

[0045] The information terminal 64 includes an imaging unit 65, a display unit 66, an information processing unit 69, and the like. The information terminal 64 also includes an input unit such as a keyboard, and a communication unit for connecting to a communication network N. The imaging unit 65 can use a digital camera, CCD camera, CT scanner, 3D scanner, etc. The imaging unit 65 captures images of the teeth themselves. The display unit 66 can use an electronic display device such as an LCD or organic EL.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the information processing unit 69 of the information terminal 64 functions as an information output unit 67 and an identity verification result acquisition unit 68. The information output unit 67 acquires information and outputs it to the identity verification device 200. For example, the information output unit 67 generates identity verification information by associating an image of teeth taken by the imaging unit 65 or an image that has undergone appropriate image processing (or information read from the QR code 4) with ID information input from the input unit, etc. Note that the identity verification information is not limited to information generated on the information terminal 64 side; identity verification information input to the information terminal 64 via an external recording medium or communication network N may also be acquired by the identity verification information output unit 67.

[0047] The identity verification result acquisition unit 68 acquires identity information as the identity verification result from the identity verification device 200 and displays the acquired identity information on the display unit 66. The information contained in the QR code 4 is also displayed on the display unit 66.

[0048] As can be understood from the embodiments described above, the present invention provides an identity verification system that enables the identification (or individual identification) of various people in an easier and simpler way than conventional methods by effectively utilizing dentures and the like, which are needed by many people, and also provides a prosthesis with an identification display that makes such a system possible.

[0049] Furthermore, the present invention possesses the inventive features described in the claims, and various design modifications are possible within the scope of achieving the effects of the present invention described above. Therefore, all of these design modifications are also included within the technical scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the case of engraving on an acrylic resin base using an ultraviolet laser was described, but the material of the base can be changed in various ways, and engraving or printing can also be achieved using other lasers or 3D printers, for example, and these are also included within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 1. Prostheses with identification markings 2 bases 4 QR code 6. Artificial teeth 8 Rest

Claims

1. Having a metal or resin component, and including an information display section engraved or printed on the surface of the component, A prosthesis with an information display unit, characterized by the following features.

2. The information display unit is a two-dimensional code. A prosthesis with an information display unit as described in claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The information display unit includes at least one of the following: information relating to the prosthesis with the information display unit, information relating to the user of the prosthesis with the information display unit, and information relating to the user's usage history of the prosthesis with the information display unit. A prosthesis with an information display unit as described in claim 1, characterized by the above.

4. A step of preparing a prosthesis with an information display unit as described in claim 1, The process of attaching the prosthesis with the information display unit to the user, The process of reading the information display unit, The system comprises the step of identifying the prosthesis and / or the user according to the information read, A verification method characterized by the following.

5. A prosthesis with an information display unit as described in claim 1, which is attached to the user, A reading device for reading the information display unit, The system includes a matching device that identifies the user and / or the prosthesis by comparing the read information with a database storing information about the user and / or the prosthesis, A verification system characterized by the following:

Images