Moe Emergence Information Management Device and Moe Emergence Information Management Method

Abstract

To allow an operator of a terminal device such as a dentist to confirm the situation of an eruption according to the age group of a patient.SOLUTION: An eruption state information management server 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a storage unit 11 for storing age-specific dentition information in which age-specific information including information of an age and dentition information of teeth expected to erupt in the age group are related to each other; and a control unit 10 for extracting the age-specific dentition information of the age group of a patient to diagnose and outputting the extracted information to a terminal device 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an eruption status information management device and an eruption status information management method.

Background Art

[0002] A human has 20 deciduous teeth, four in each of the upper and lower jaws on the left and right sides, and 28 permanent teeth excluding the wisdom teeth. Deciduous teeth begin to grow at around 8 months after birth, and all 20 deciduous teeth will have grown by around 2.5 years old. The 20 deciduous teeth are shed in order starting from around 5.5 years old, and the replacement permanent teeth grow in. The time when the 20 deciduous teeth change to permanent teeth is around 10 to 13 years old, and the time when the permanent teeth excluding the wisdom teeth have all grown in is said to be 12 to 14 years old. That is, in a child's oral cavity, the permanent teeth have not fully grown in, and the state where deciduous teeth and permanent teeth are mixed exists for a long time from 5 to 14 years old.

[0003] In such a period of coexistence of deciduous teeth and permanent teeth, when recording the oral cavity state during dental check-ups or dental treatments, etc., the dentist needs to record while discriminating how far the deciduous teeth have changed to permanent teeth.

[0004] However, in the comprehensive surveys conducted by the Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry in 1984 and 2015 respectively, it has been reported that there have been changes in the tooth eruption time and the eruption order has changed over the past 30 years. Therefore, when a dentist conducts a check-up or examination based on the knowledge of the eruption time of deciduous and permanent teeth learned during their university days, etc., as the number of years after graduation of the dentist increases, the difference between the learned information on the eruption time of deciduous and permanent teeth and the actual eruption time may become larger.

[0005] In particular, dentists who are not familiar with a child's oral cavity will rely on memory for diagnosis, so there is a possibility that they will conduct a check-up or examination without knowing the information on the actual eruption time. If a dentist conducts a check-up or diagnosis based on old knowledge of the eruption time that does not follow the actual eruption time, there is a possibility that an abnormality in the eruption of permanent teeth may be overlooked.

[0006] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a permanent tooth eruption timing prediction device that includes a first acquisition unit that acquires subject information, which includes at least information indicating the geometric shape of the subject's permanent teeth, from images taken of the oral cavity of a first subject, and a database that stores multiple datasets, which include eruption period information indicating the eruption period, which is the period until the permanent teeth of a second subject, different from the first subject, erupt. The permanent tooth eruption timing prediction device described in Patent Document 1 determines the similarity between the subject information of the first subject and the subject information of the second subject, and based on the result of that determination, obtains eruption period information contained in the database. Then, based on the obtained eruption period information, it predicts the eruption period of the permanent teeth of the first subject. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6414026 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Incidentally, it is common for dental clinics to have systems such as electronic medical records that manage the details of each patient's examination. The results of the dentist's examination are entered into the system. Therefore, if it were possible to check information on the tooth eruption status (dental arch data) appropriate to the patient's age during examinations via this system, it would be possible to prevent dentists with outdated knowledge or those with little experience in examining children from making diagnoses based on incorrect knowledge. However, the permanent tooth eruption timing prediction device described in Patent Document 1 does not take into account checking information on the tooth eruption status corresponding to the patient's age category.

[0009] This invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to enable operators of terminal devices, such as dentists, to check information on the tooth eruption status corresponding to the patient's age group. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A tooth eruption status information management device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores age-specific dentition information, which is an association between age-specific classification information including age in months and dentition information of teeth that are expected to have erupted in that age-specific classification, and a control unit that extracts age-specific dentition information corresponding to the age classification of a patient under examination and outputs it to a terminal device. Furthermore, the memory unit stores patient dentition information, which is information about the patient's teeth obtained as a result of the examination. The system also includes an analysis unit that retrieves and analyzes the patient dentition information from the memory unit and reflects the analysis results in age-specific dentition information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to at least one aspect of the present invention, information on tooth eruption status corresponding to the patient's age group can be viewed by an operator of a terminal device, such as a dentist. Other issues, configurations, and effects not mentioned above will be clarified by the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This figure shows a schematic configuration example of a sprouting status information management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the control system for a sprouting status information management server and terminal device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a patient information database according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a patient-specific dental arch information database according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the configuration of an age-specific dentition information database according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This diagram illustrates the display process of patient dental arch data related to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7]This is a diagram for explaining the process of reflecting the editing content of dental data for patients according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing an overview of the analysis process of dental information for each patient according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a diagram showing an example of reflecting the analysis results in the age-based dental information database according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a diagram showing an example of displaying dental data for patients according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a diagram showing an example of displaying dental data for patients according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for displaying dental data for patients by the eruption status information management system at the first visit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] This is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for reflecting the editing content of dental data for patients by the eruption status information management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] This is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for displaying dental data for patients or patient dental information, and reflecting the editing content of dental data for patients or patient dental information by the eruption status information management system at the follow-up visit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] This is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for analyzing dental information for each patient by the data analysis unit of the eruption status information management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, an example of a mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiment") will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and various numerical values in the embodiment are examples. Also, in this specification and the drawings, the same reference numerals will be given to the same components or components having substantially the same functions, and duplicate explanations will be omitted.

[0014] <Overview of the Eruption Status Information Management System> First, referring to FIG. 1, the configuration of an eruption status information management system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration example of the eruption status information management system 100.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the eruption status information management system 100 includes an eruption status information management server 1 (an example of an eruption status information management device) and terminal devices 2-1 to 2-n (n is a natural number of 2 or more). The eruption status information management server 1 and each of the terminal devices 2-1 to 2-n are communicably connected via a network N.

[0016] The eruption status information management server 1 is, for example, a server placed in a cloud environment that collects, analyzes, and learns information indicating the eruption status of patients from a plurality of terminal devices 2. The terminal device 2 is a device composed of a PC (Personal Computer) installed in a dental hospital and a mobile terminal such as a smartphone. The terminal device 2_1 is installed in X Dental Hospital, and the terminal device 2_n is installed in Y Dental Hospital. Although only two terminal devices 2_1 and 2_n are shown as the terminal device 2 in FIG. 1, it is assumed that a plurality of other terminal devices 2 are also connected to the eruption status information management server 1. In addition, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the terminal devices 2_1 to 2_n in the following description, these are collectively referred to as the terminal device 2.

[0017] <Configuration of the Control System of the Eruption Status Information Management System> Next, referring to FIG. 2, the configuration of the control systems of the eruption status information management server 1 and the terminal device 2 that constitute the eruption status information management system 100 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the control systems of the eruption status information management server 1 and the terminal device 2. FIG. 2A shows a configuration example of the control system of the eruption status information management server 1, and FIG. 2B shows a configuration example of the control system of the terminal device 2.

[0018] [Eruption Status Information Management Server] As shown in Figure 2A, the eruption status information management server 1 comprises a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 103, and a storage unit 11, all connected to bus B1. The eruption status information management server 1 also comprises a communication I / F (Interface) unit 12, an operation input unit 13, a display unit 14, and a data analysis unit 15.

[0019] The CPU 101 reads the program code of the software that implements each function of the eruption status information management server 1 according to this embodiment from the ROM 102, expands it into the RAM 103, and executes it. Alternatively, the CPU 101 is a control unit that directly reads the program code from the ROM 102 and executes it as is. The eruption status information management server 1 may also be equipped with a processing unit such as an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit) instead of the CPU 101. Variables and parameters that occur during the calculation processing by the CPU 101 are temporarily written to the RAM 103.

[0020] For the storage unit 11, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), flexible disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, non-volatile memory card, etc. can be used. In addition to the OS (Operating System) and various parameters, the storage unit 11 stores a program for operating the eruption status information management server 1. The storage unit 11 also stores patient information database D1, patient-specific dentition information database D2, age-specific dentition information database D3, etc. Note that in Figure 2, "database" is abbreviated as "DB".

[0021] The patient information database D1 stores patient attribute information such as patient ID, name, date of birth, and gender. The patient information database D1 is described in detail in Figure 3. The patient-specific dentition information database D2 stores patient tooth loss information, associated with examination IDs that identify each examination. The patient-specific dentition information database D2 is described in detail in Figure 4. The age-specific dentition information database D3 stores dentition data (information indicating the state of tooth eruption) corresponding to each age group, including age in months. The age-specific dentition information database D3 is described in detail in Figure 5.

[0022] The program may also be stored in the ROM 102. The program is stored in the form of computer-readable program code, and the CPU 101 sequentially executes operations according to the program code. In other words, the ROM 102 or storage unit 11 is used as an example of a computer-readable, non-transient recording medium that stores a program executed by the computer.

[0023] The communication interface 12 consists of communication devices and the like that control the communication between the two terminal devices.

[0024] The operation input unit 13 is composed of, for example, a mouse or keyboard, and generates operation signals in response to user operations and supplies them to the CPU 101. The display unit 14 is a monitor, for example, composed of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The operation input unit 13 and the display unit 14 may be integrated as a single touch panel. Furthermore, the eruption status information management server 1 may be configured without the operation input unit 13 and the display unit 14.

[0025] The data analysis unit 15 acquires patient information stored in the patient information database D1 and patient dentition information stored in the patient-specific dentition information database D2 at predetermined or arbitrary timings. Based on this acquired information, the data analysis unit 15 analyzes the patient's dentition status (tooth eruption status) and compiles statistics, reflecting the analysis results in the age-specific dentition information database D3. Details of the processing by the data analysis unit 15 are explained in Figure 15.

[0026] [Terminal device] Next, referring to Figure 2, the configuration of the control system for terminal device 2 will be explained. As shown in Figure 2B, the terminal device 2 comprises a CPU 201, ROM 202, RAM 203, and storage unit 21, each connected to bus B2. The terminal device 2 also comprises a communication interface unit 22, an operation input unit 23, and a display unit 24.

[0027] The CPU 201 reads the program code of the software that implements each function according to this embodiment from the ROM 202, loads it into the RAM 203, and executes it. Alternatively, the CPU 201 reads the program code directly from the ROM 202 and executes it as is. The terminal device 2 may be equipped with a processing unit such as an MPU instead of the CPU 201. Variables and parameters that occur during the calculation processing by the CPU 201 are temporarily written to the RAM 203.

[0028] For the storage unit 21, for example, an HDD, SSD, flexible disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, non-volatile memory card, etc. can be used. In addition to the OS and various parameters, the storage unit 21 also stores programs for making the terminal device 2 function.

[0029] The program may also be stored in ROM 202. The program is stored in the form of computer-readable program code, and the CPU 201 sequentially executes operations according to the program code. In other words, ROM 202 or storage unit 21 is used as an example of a computer-readable, non-transient recording medium that stores a program executed by the computer.

[0030] The communication interface 22 consists of communication devices and the like that control the communication that takes place with the eruption status information management server 1.

[0031] The operation input unit 23 is composed of, for example, a mouse or keyboard, and generates operation signals in response to user operations and supplies them to the CPU 201. The display unit 24 is a monitor, for example, an LCD. The display unit 24 displays screens based on patient dentition data transmitted from the eruption status information management server 1, as well as screens of the electronic medical record, the claims system, etc. The operation input unit 23 and the display unit 24 may be integrated as a touch panel.

[0032] <Structure of the patient information database> Next, we will explain the configuration of the patient information database D1 with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the patient information database D1. As shown in Figure 3, the patient information database D1 contains the following items: "Patient ID," "Patient Name," "Date of Birth," and "Gender."

[0033] The "Patient ID" field stores the patient's identification ID. The "Patient Name" field stores the patient's name. The "Date of Birth" field stores the patient's date of birth in "YYYY / MM / DD" data format. The "Gender" field stores the patient's biological gender information.

[0034] For example, the top record in the patient information database D1 shown in Figure 3 contains the following information about a patient with patient ID "1001": the patient's name is "Aiko Sato", their date of birth is April 1, 2016, and their gender is female.

[0035] <Structure of the patient-specific dental information database> Next, the structure of the patient-specific dental arch information database D2 will be explained with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the patient-specific dental arch information database D2. Figure 4A shows the header D2h of the patient-specific dental arch information database D2, and Figure 4B shows the body D2b of the patient-specific dental arch information database D2.

[0036] As shown in Figure 4A, the header D2h of the patient-specific dental information database D2 has the following fields: "Patient ID," "Consultation ID," and "Consultation Date." The "Patient ID" field stores the patient's ID, and the "Consultation ID" field stores the consultation ID that identifies each consultation. The consultation ID is assigned "1" for the first consultation, and numbers from "2" onwards are assigned sequentially for each subsequent consultation. A new record is added to the header D2h each time a consultation is performed. The "Consultation Date" field stores the date the patient's consultation took place (when the results of that consultation were saved) in the data format "YYYY / MM / DD."

[0037] In the header D2h of the patient-specific dental information database D2 shown in Figure 4A, the consultation ID "1" for patient ID "1001" is associated with the consultation date "2022 / 5 / 10". In other words, it is shown that the initial consultation for patient ID "1001" (according to patient information database D1 in Figure 3, Ms. A Sato) took place on May 10, 2022.

[0038] Furthermore, the consultation ID "2" is associated with the consultation date "2022 / 5 / 16". This means that the follow-up consultation (second visit) for patient ID "1001" took place on May 16, 2022.

[0039] As shown in Figure 4B, body D2b of the patient-specific dentition information database D2 includes the following items: "Patient ID," "Examination ID," "Dentition Number," and "Missing Teeth Information." Body D2b of the patient-specific dentition information database also includes items such as information on dental prostheses and information on the condition of the teeth; however, items with little relevance to the present invention are omitted from the illustration and description.

[0040] The "Patient ID" field stores the patient ID, and the "Consultation ID" field stores the consultation ID. The "Dental Array Number" field stores a number indicating the location of the tooth. The "Missing Tooth Information" field stores information indicating whether the tooth indicated by the dental array number is missing or not. If the tooth is present, the "Missing Tooth Information" field stores "0: None," and if the tooth is not present or has fallen out, the "Missing Tooth Information" field stores "1: Present." Body D2b of the patient-specific dental array information database D2 stores missing tooth information for all teeth for each consultation.

[0041] <Structure of the Age-Based Dental Alignment Information Database> Next, with reference to Figure 5, the structure of the age-specific dentition information database D3 will be explained. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the age-specific dentition information database D3. As shown in Figure 5, the age-specific dentition information database D3 has the following items: "Age Classification (Lower Limit)", "Age Classification (Upper Limit)", and "Eruption Status".

[0042] The "Age Category (Lower Limit)" field stores information indicating the lower limit of the age category in the format of days elapsed since birth. The "Age Category (Upper Limit)" field stores information indicating the upper limit of the age category in the format of days elapsed since birth.

[0043] For example, the "Age Category (Lower Limit)" of the top record in the Age-Specific Dental Information Database D3, "913," is calculated using the formula "2.5 (years: 2 years 6 months) × 365 (days) = 913." This represents 2 years and 6 months. Similarly, the "Age Category (Upper Limit)" of "2189" is calculated using the formula "6 (years: 6 years) × 365 (days) - 1 (day) = 2189." This represents 5 years and 11 months. In short, the top record in the Age-Specific Dental Information Database D3 shows age categories ranging from 2 years 6 months to 5 years and 11 months.

[0044] The "Eruption Status" column indicates the eruption status of teeth using a value from "0" to "100" (%). 0% indicates that no teeth have erupted, and 100% indicates that all teeth have erupted. In other words, the "Eruption Status" column shows the probability of each tooth erupting within that age group. Information on tooth eruption status and the age group associated with that eruption status can be obtained, for example, based on the content described in the following publication (1), which presents the results of a survey on the eruption timing of permanent and deciduous teeth.

[0045] The Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry, Journal of Pediatric Dentistry, Vol. 57, No. 3, pp. 363-373, "Survey and Study on the Eruption Timing of Deciduous and Permanent Teeth in Japanese Children (Part 2: Permanent Teeth)," published June 25, 2019... Publication (1)

[0046] Furthermore, the information used to determine the "age category" and "eruption status" in the Age-Specific Dental Arch Information Database D3 is not limited to the information contained in the publications mentioned above. It may also be determined based on information contained in other publications or papers. Additionally, if there are independent research results regarding tooth eruption status, these may also be used as the basis for determination.

[0047] The default value for "Eruption Status" is set to either "0" (%) or "100" (%), but as the analysis (statistics) by the data analysis unit 15 (see Figure 2) of the Eruption Status Information Management Server 1 progresses, it is subdivided to include values ​​in between, such as "20" (%) and "80" (%).

[0048] <Overview of Sprouting Status Information Management Process> Next, an overview of the eruption status information management process by the eruption status information management system 100 will be explained with reference to Figures 6 to 9.

[0049] In the eruption status information management process by the eruption status information management system 100, the following processes (1) to (3) are performed. (1) Display processing of patient dental arch data (2) Processing to reflect edited patient dental arch data (3) Analysis and processing of patient-specific dental arch information

[0050] [Display processing of patient dental arch data] First, with reference to Figure 6, we will explain the overview of the display process for the patient's dental arch data described in (1) above. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the display process for patient's dental arch data.

[0051] First, during the examination of patient A-ko Tanaka, the dentist enters the patient's information into the examination information input screen Scr of terminal device 2 based on the information written on A-ko's insurance card, etc. (Step S1). In the example shown in Figure 6, the dentist enters the information "A-ko Tanaka" and "6 years and 2 months old". The examination information input screen Scr is displayed on the display unit 24 of terminal device 2 (see Figure 2) as a screen from, for example, an electronic medical record or a claims system linked to an electronic medical record.

[0052] Furthermore, the information entered on the medical information input screen (Sc) is not limited to the information shown in Figure 6, namely the patient's name and age. For example, only the patient ID may be entered on the medical information input screen (Sc). Also, the person who enters the patient's information is not limited to a dentist; it may be a dental assistant, dental hygienist, etc. If the medical information input screen (Sc) is a screen for a claims system linked to an electronic medical record, it is conceivable that the input may be performed by a receptionist.

[0053] In step S1, the patient information entered on the medical information input screen Sc is sent to the eruption status information management server 1, and the control unit 10 (see Figure 2) of the eruption status information management server 1 writes it to the patient information database D1 (step S2). However, if the patient's examination is a follow-up visit, the patient's information is not written to the patient information database D1.

[0054] Next, the control unit 10 of the eruption status information management server 1 obtains age-specific dentition information for the age category corresponding to the patient's age from the age-specific dentition information database D3 and transmits it to the terminal device 2 as patient dentition data (step S3). The patient dentition data Dd transmitted from the eruption status information management server 1 in step S3 is displayed on the examination information input screen Sc of the terminal device 2. In Figure 6, the patient dentition data Dd is shown by a dental formula, but in reality, it consists of images and dental formulas of deciduous and permanent teeth. Examples of screen displays based on the patient dentition data Dd will be described in detail later with reference to Figures 10 and 11.

[0055] In this way, by displaying dental arch data (patient dental arch data Dd) corresponding to the patient's age group on the examination information input screen Sc, based on the patient's information, the dentist performing the examination (or check-up) can grasp information about the dental arch that is expected to be present in the patient's age group before the examination.

[0056] [Processing to reflect edited patient dental arch data] Next, with reference to Figure 7, we will explain the overview of the process for reflecting the edited content of the patient's dental arch data described in (2) above. Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the process for reflecting the edited content of the patient's dental arch data Dd.

[0057] First, the dentist examines the patient (Step S11). Next, the dentist edits the patient's dental arch data Dd based on the findings of the examination (Step S12). Suppose the examination reveals that patient Tanaka A-ko, who is 6 years and 2 months old, is developing rapidly and has erupted both of her lower sixth teeth. In this case, the dentist who performed the examination edits the patient's dental arch data Dd to rewrite it as patient's dental arch data Dd', indicating that both of her lower sixth teeth have erupted.

[0058] In other words, according to this embodiment, dentists can appropriately record the results of a patient's examination by simply editing patient dentition data Dd according to the patient's age group, without having to go through the trouble of inputting information on each tooth of the patient.

[0059] The edited patient dentition data Dd' is then sent to the eruption status information management server 1 and written to the patient-specific dentition information database D2 (step S13). The patient dentition data Dd' edited by the dentist is sent to the eruption status information management server 1 not only from one dental clinic but also from multiple other dental clinics connected to the eruption status information management server 1. As a result, the patient-specific dentition information database D2 accumulates information on the actual dentition (tooth eruption status) of patients of various ages.

[0060] [Analysis and processing of patient-specific dental arch information] Next, with reference to Figures 8 and 9, we will explain the overview of the patient-specific dentition information analysis process described in (3) above. First, with reference to Figure 8, we will explain the overview of the patient-specific dentition information analysis process performed by the data analysis unit 15 of the eruption status information management server 1. Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the patient-specific dentition information analysis process.

[0061] The data analysis unit 15 acquires patient information stored in the patient information database D1 and patient dental information stored in the patient dental information database D2 at a predetermined or arbitrary timing (step S21).

[0062] The data analysis unit 15 analyzes the state of the patient's dentition (tooth eruption status) based on the acquired patient information and the patient's dental arch information (step S22). Specifically, the data analysis unit 15 analyzes the state of the patient's dentition based on the patient's age at the time the data was saved and the patient's dental arch information acquired from the patient-specific dental arch information database D2. The data analysis unit 15 then analyzes whether it is necessary to change the patient's dental arch state in the age-specific dental arch information database D3 and what the changes should be, using methods such as statistical analysis of the analysis results. For example, analysis and statistical processing are performed by calculating the mean, median, or variance of the eruption status of each tooth in the acquired dental arch data for the same age group.

[0063] Subsequently, the data analysis unit 15 reflects the analysis results in the age-specific dentition information database D3 (step S23).

[0064] Figure 9 shows an example of how the analysis results are reflected in the age-specific dentition information database D3. The upper part of Figure 9 shows the dentition information by age before the analysis results were reflected. In the example shown in Figure 9, the dentition information by age before the changes shows that all teeth are deciduous teeth (A to E) until age 5, and that the lower deciduous tooth A falls out and the permanent tooth (I) erupts between 6 years 0 months and 6 years 5 months.

[0065] However, suppose, for example, that the analysis by the data analysis unit 15 reveals that the rightmost permanent tooth (number 1) on the lower jaw will have fully erupted by the time the child is 6 years and 3 months old. In this case, as shown in the lower part of Figure 9, the age category, which was "6 years 0 months to 6 years 5 months," is subdivided into "6 years 0 months to 6 years 3 months" and "6 years 4 months to 6 years 5 months."

[0066] Then, the dental information corresponding to the age category "6 years 0 months to 6 years 3 months" is changed to indicate that the first permanent tooth on the right side of the lower teeth has erupted. By performing such analysis and reflecting the analysis results, the data analysis unit 15 enables the eruption status information management server 1 to grasp the information in detail, even when there is a tendency for changes in the timing and order of tooth eruption in children.

[0067] <Example of displaying patient dental arch data> Next, with reference to Figures 10 and 11, an example of how patient dental data Dd is displayed on the examination information input screen Sc will be explained. Figures 10 and 11 are diagrams showing an example of how patient dental data Dd is displayed.

[0068] Figure 10A shows the patient's dental arch data Dd displayed on the examination information input screen Sc, with all primary and permanent teeth displayed. The inner part of the patient's dental arch data Dd shows the lateral and top views of the upper and lower primary teeth A through E, while the outer part shows the lateral and top views of the upper and lower permanent teeth 1 through 8.

[0069] All of these teeth can be shown or hidden by tapping or clicking on the location of the tooth you wish to show or hide. The visibility of teeth corresponds to their eruption status, and the hiding of teeth corresponds to their missing status.

[0070] As shown in the upper part of Figure 10B, suppose the display position of the upper right fourth permanent tooth is selected by the dentist. In this case, as shown in the lower part of Figure 10B, the display of the upper right fourth permanent tooth that was displayed in the patient's dental arch data Dd disappears. In other words, if the dentist examines the patient and confirms that the upper right fourth permanent tooth has not yet erupted, they can record that the tooth has not yet erupted in the eruption status information management server 1 by selecting the position of the fourth permanent tooth and hiding the tooth.

[0071] In the patient dentition data Dd shown in Figure 11A, it is indicated that the lower left and right primary teeth (number A) are missing, and the left and right permanent teeth (number 1) have erupted. Suppose the dentist examines the patient and finds that not only the left and right permanent teeth (number 1) but also the left and right permanent teeth (number 6) have erupted. In this case, the dentist can display these teeth by selecting the positions of the left and right permanent teeth (number 6), as shown in Figure 11B. That is, the dentist can record that the left and right permanent teeth (number 6) have also erupted.

[0072] In other words, according to this embodiment, dentists can view dentition data corresponding to the patient's age group on a single screen without having to switch between screens for deciduous teeth and permanent teeth. Furthermore, dentists can accurately input information on the eruption status of both the patient's deciduous and permanent teeth on a single screen.

[0073] Figure 11 shows an example where teeth that are assumed to have erupted 100% within a given age group are displayed in the patient's dental arch data Dd on the examination information input screen Sc, but the present invention is not limited to this. It may also be possible to display the eruption status of teeth associated with other probabilities, such as 90% or 80%. The probability can be specified, for example, by entering a value into an input form provided in the patient's dental arch data Dd, or by moving the slider on a slider bar that allows the probability to be changed.

[0074] <Eruption status information management process by the eruption status information management system> Next, the details of the method for managing eruption status information using the eruption status information management system 100 will be explained with reference to Figures 12 to 15.

[0075] [Display processing of patient dental arch data] First, with reference to Figure 12, the display process of patient dentition data Dd at the time of initial examination by the eruption status information management system 100 will be explained. Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for displaying patient dentition data Dd at the time of initial examination by the eruption status information management system 100.

[0076] First, the control unit 20 of the terminal device 2 (see Figure 2) receives patient information via the operation input unit 23 (step SA1). Next, the control unit 20 transmits the input patient information to the eruption status information management server 1 via the communication I / F unit 22 (step SA2).

[0077] In step SA2, the patient information transmitted from terminal device 2 is received by the communication I / F unit 12 of eruption status information management server 1 (step SB1). Next, the control unit 10 of eruption status information management server 1 registers the patient information received in step SB1 in the patient information database D1 in the storage unit 11 (step SB2).

[0078] Next, the control unit 10 of the eruption status information management server 1 identifies the patient's age category based on the patient information registered in the patient information database D1 (step SB3). Specifically, the control unit 10 calculates the patient's age based on the patient's date of birth and the date of that day, and determines the age category corresponding to that age.

[0079] Next, the control unit 10 extracts the dentition data corresponding to the age category identified in step SB3 from the age-specific dentition information database D3 and creates patient dentition data Dd (step SB4). Then, the control unit 10 transmits it to the terminal device 2 via the communication I / F 12 (step SB5). After processing in step SB5, the display process of the patient dentition data Dd by the eruption status information management server 1 is completed.

[0080] In step SB5, the patient's dentition data transmitted from the eruption status information management server 1 is received by the communication I / F unit 22 of the terminal device 2 (step SA3).

[0081] Next, the control unit 20 of the terminal device 2 displays the patient's dental arch data Dd on the examination information input screen Sc (see Figure 7, etc.) (step SA4). After the processing of step SA4, the display processing of the patient's dental arch data Dd by the terminal device 2 is completed.

[0082] In the embodiment described above, dental arch data (patient dental arch data Dd) corresponding to the patient's age category, extracted according to the patient information, is displayed on the screen of terminal device 2 (examination information input screen Sc). Therefore, even dentists with outdated knowledge or those with little experience examining children can perform an examination correctly based on the dental arch data corresponding to the patient's age category displayed on the screen. In other words, this embodiment prevents diagnoses based on incorrect knowledge by dentists, such as overlooking abnormalities during the eruption of permanent teeth.

[0083] [Processing to reflect edited patient dental arch data] Next, with reference to Figure 13, the process of reflecting edited patient dentition data Dd by the eruption status information management system 100 will be explained. Figure 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for reflecting edited patient dentition data Dd by the eruption status information management system 100.

[0084] First, the control unit 20 of the terminal device 2 accepts the editing of patient dentition data Dd based on the examination results via the operation input unit 23 (step SA11). Next, the control unit 20 transmits the edited patient dentition data Dd' to the eruption status information management server 1 via the communication I / F unit 22 (step SA12). After processing in step SA12, the processing of reflecting the edited patient dentition data by the terminal device 2 is completed.

[0085] In step SA12, the edited patient dentition data Dd' transmitted from terminal device 2 is received by the communication I / F unit 12 of eruption status information management server 1 (step SB11). Next, the control unit 10 of eruption status information management server 1 registers the information contained in the received edited patient dentition data Dd' in the patient-specific dentition information database D2 in the storage unit 11 (step SB12). After processing in step SB12, the processing by eruption status information management server 1 to reflect the edited content of the patient dentition data Dd is completed.

[0086] [Processing of displaying patient dental arch data or patient dental arch information during follow-up visits, and processing of reflecting edited content in patient dental arch data or patient dental arch information] Next, referring to Figure 14, we will explain the display process of patient dentition data Dd or patient dentition information by the eruption status information management system 100 during follow-up visits, as well as the process of reflecting edited content of patient dentition data Dd or patient dentition information. Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure for displaying patient dentition data Dd or patient dentition information by the eruption status information management system 100 during a follow-up visit, as well as the procedure for reflecting edited content of patient dentition data Dd or patient dentition information.

[0087] First, the control unit 20 of the terminal device 2 receives patient information via the operation input unit 23 (step SA21). Next, the control unit 20 transmits the input patient information to the eruption status information management server 1 via the communication I / F unit 22 (step SA22).

[0088] In step SA22, the patient information transmitted from terminal device 2 is received by the communication I / F unit 12 of eruption status information management server 1 (step SB21). Then, the control unit 10 of eruption status information management server 1 identifies the patient's age category based on the patient information received in step SB21 (step SB22).

[0089] Next, the control unit 10 extracts dentition data corresponding to the age category identified in step SB22 from the age-specific dentition information database D3 (step SB23). Then, it extracts patient dentition information from the patient's previous examination, as described in the patient information received in step SB21, from the patient-specific dentition information database D2 (step SB24). Finally, the control unit 10 transmits the patient dentition data Dd corresponding to the patient's age category and the patient dentition information from the previous examination to the terminal device 2 via the communication I / F unit 12 (step SB25).

[0090] In step SB25, the patient dentition data Dd and patient dentition information transmitted from the eruption status information management server 1 are received by the communication I / F unit 22 of the terminal device 2 (step SA23). Next, the control unit 20 of the terminal device 2 determines whether to use the patient dentition data Dd instead of the patient's dentition information from the previous examination (step SA24).

[0091] The control unit 10 determines whether to use patient dentition data Dd based on age-specific dentition information corresponding to the patient's age category, or the patient's dentition information from the previous examination, based on information such as the length of time elapsed since the previous examination and the magnitude of changes in the dentition judged as a result of the examination. Alternatively, the choice of which information to use may be displayed as an option on the examination information input screen Sc, allowing the dentist to select one or the other.

[0092] If step SA24 determines that the patient's dental arch data Dd should be used (if step SA24 is determined to be YES), the control unit 20 of terminal device 2 displays the patient's dental arch data Dd on the examination information input screen Sc (step SA25). On the other hand, if step SA24 determines that the patient's dental arch data Dd should not be used (if step SA24 is determined to be NO), the control unit 20 displays the patient's dental arch information from the previous examination on the examination information input screen Sc (step SA26).

[0093] After processing in step SA25 or step SA26, the control unit 20 accepts editing of patient dentition data Dd or patient dentition information via the operation input unit 23 (step SA27). The control unit 20 then transmits the edited patient dentition data Dd' or patient dentition information to the eruption status information management server 1 via the communication I / F unit 22 (step SA28). After processing in step SA28, the display processing of patient dentition data Dd or patient dentition information by the terminal device 2 during follow-up visits, as well as the processing of reflecting the edited content of patient dentition data Dd or patient dentition information, are completed.

[0094] The edited patient dentition data Dd or patient dentition information transmitted from terminal device 2 in step SA28 is received by the communication I / F unit 12 of eruption status information management server 1 (step SB26). Next, the control unit 10 of eruption status information management server 1 registers the received edited patient dentition data Dd' or patient dentition information in patient-specific dentition information database D2 (step SB27). After processing in step SB27, the display processing of patient dentition data Dd or patient dentition information by eruption status information management server 1, as well as the processing of reflecting the edited content of patient dentition data Dd or patient dentition information, are completed.

[0095] [Analysis and processing of patient-specific dental arch information] Next, with reference to Figure 15, the analysis process of patient-specific dentition information by the eruption status information management system 100 will be explained. Figure 15 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for analyzing patient-specific dentition information by the data analysis unit 15 of the eruption status information management system 100.

[0096] First, the data analysis unit 15 of the eruption status information management server 1 acquires patient information stored in the patient information database D1 and patient dentition information stored in the patient-specific dentition information database D2 at a predetermined timing or at any timing (step SB31).

[0097] Next, the data analysis unit 15 analyzes the patient's dental arch condition (tooth eruption status) based on the acquired information (step SB32). Specifically, the data analysis unit 15 analyzes the patient's dental arch condition based on the patient's age at the time of data storage and the patient's dental arch information acquired from the patient-specific dental arch information database D2. This analysis is performed on the dental arch information of multiple patients stored in the patient-specific dental arch information database D2.

[0098] Then, the data analysis unit 15 compiles statistics on the analysis results and, based on the content of these statistics, reflects the analysis results in the age-specific dentition information database D3 (step SB33). After the processing in step SB33, the analysis processing of patient-specific dentition information by the eruption status information management system 100 is completed.

[0099] In the embodiment described above, the data analysis unit 15 of the eruption status information management server 1 performs analysis and statistics periodically, so that even if there is a tendency for changes in the timing and order of tooth eruption in children, the eruption status information management server 1 can appropriately grasp that trend. Then, age-specific dentition information that reflects this trend can be presented to the dentist via the terminal device 2.

[0100] Furthermore, as the analysis and statistical processing by the data analysis unit 15 progresses (the number of analyses and statistics increases), it is expected that the age classifications of the age-specific dentition information will become more refined, especially during the period when deciduous and permanent teeth are mixed, as shown in the example in Figure 9. In other words, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide dentists and others operating the terminal device 2 with dentition information corresponding to the patient's age classification at a fine level of detail that reflects the actual situation.

[0101] The embodiments described above are intended to explain the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and describe the configuration of the device (eruption status information management server, terminal device) and system (eruption status information management system) in detail and specifically. The invention is not necessarily limited to having all of the described configurations.

[0102] Furthermore, the control lines or information lines shown as solid lines in Figures 1 and 2 are those deemed necessary for explanation and do not necessarily represent all control lines or information lines in the actual product. In reality, it can be assumed that almost all components are interconnected.

[0103] Furthermore, in this specification, processing steps describing chronological processing include not only processing performed chronologically in the order described, but also processing that is not necessarily performed chronologically but is executed in parallel or individually (for example, parallel processing or processing by objects).

[0104] Furthermore, each component of the eruption status information management system according to the embodiment described above may be implemented on any hardware, as long as the respective hardware can send and receive information from each other via a network. Also, the processing performed by a certain processing unit may be implemented by a single piece of hardware, or by distributed processing by multiple pieces of hardware. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0105] 1...Eruption status information management server, 2...Terminal device, 10...Control unit, 11...Storage unit, 12...Communication I / F unit, 13...Operation input unit, 14...Display unit, 15...Data analysis unit, 20...Control unit, 21...Storage unit, 22...Communication I / F unit, 23...Operation input unit, 24...Display unit, 100...Eruption status information management system, D1...Patient information database, D2...Patient-specific dentition information database, D3...Age-specific dentition information database

Claims

1. A storage unit stores age-specific dentition information, which is an association between age-group information including age in months and dentition information of teeth that are expected to have erupted in that age group. The system includes a control unit that extracts age-specific dental information corresponding to the age category of the patient being examined and outputs it to a terminal device, The memory unit further stores patient dentition information, which is information about the patient's dentition obtained as a result of the examination. The system further includes an analysis unit that acquires and analyzes the patient's dentition information from the memory unit and reflects the analysis results in the age-specific dentition information. Eruption status information management device.

2. The control unit updates the patient dentition information based on the patient dentition data generated based on the age-specific dentition information and transmitted to the terminal device, which has been modified based on the patient's examination results and transmitted from the terminal device. The sprouting status information management device according to claim 1.

3. The display screen for the patient's dental arch data shows the eruption status of both deciduous and permanent teeth. The sprouting status information management device according to claim 2.

4. In the display screen for the patient's dental arch data, the state in which deciduous teeth and / or permanent teeth have erupted is indicated by the display of the corresponding teeth, and the state in which deciduous teeth and / or permanent teeth are missing is indicated by the hiding of the corresponding teeth. The sprouting status information management device according to claim 3.

5. The display or hiding of teeth on the patient's dental arch data display screen is performed in conjunction with the action of selecting the corresponding tooth. The sprouting status information management device according to claim 4.

6. The control unit extracts either the age-specific dental information corresponding to the patient's age category or the patient's dental information based on the patient's previous examination results from the storage unit, according to the patient's examination status, and generates the patient's dental data using the extracted information. The sprouting status information management device according to claim 5.

7. A procedure for storing age-specific dentition information in a memory unit, which associates age-specific information including age in months with dentition information of teeth that are expected to have erupted in that age category. The procedure includes extracting age-specific dental information corresponding to the age category of the patient being examined and outputting it to a terminal device, The memory unit further stores patient dentition information, which is information about the patient's dentition obtained as a result of the examination. The system further includes an analysis unit that acquires and analyzes the patient's dentition information from the memory unit and reflects the analysis results in the age-specific dentition information. How to manage information on sprouting status.

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