Dental Observation Device Side-by-Side 3D and Visible Light Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
In dental procedures, particularly for root canal treatments, it is challenging to visualize invisible portions of the tooth using conventional visible light images captured by optical cameras or dental microscopes, as these images only show the surface, making it difficult to accurately perform treatments without overlapping CT images and visible light images.
Innovation Solution
A dental observation device and method that utilize a three-dimensional camera to capture visible light images and corresponding three-dimensional image information, displaying them side by side without overlap, allowing the invisible portions to be easily recognized by aligning the image-capturing direction with the display direction, using a three-dimensional camera capable of depth information capture and an image processor to generate corresponding images for display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If CT images and visible light images are displayed in an overlapping manner, then invisible portions are visualized, but the visibility of the surgical operation site is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The display screen is divided into multiple regions: a first region displaying the visible light image and a second region displaying the CT image. This spatial segmentation allows both images to be displayed simultaneously without overlapping, enabling the operator to view both the surgical site and invisible portions clearly in their respective regions.
2Manufacturing precision
If CT images are displayed to visualize invisible portions, then treatment accuracy improves, but the complexity of the display system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the visible light image and CT image display functions into a single integrated display device. The image processor combines both images and outputs them to the display screen, which presents them in separate regions. This merging approach maintains treatment accuracy while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate display systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from displaying only two-dimensional visible light images to incorporating three-dimensional CT image data. By displaying the CT image in a separate region with different visual characteristics, the system adds depth information and internal structure visualization without overwhelming the operator with complex multi-dimensional data integration.
3Illumination intensity
If visible light images are displayed alone, then the surgical site is clearly visible, but invisible portions such as root canals cannot be observed
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces CT imaging as an intermediary modality to reveal invisible internal structures. The CT image processor generates images of the tooth's internal structure, and the image processor acts as a mediator to combine this information with the visible light image display, allowing the operator to observe both surface and internal features simultaneously in separate display regions.
Data Source
AI summary
A dental observation device by which, without displaying, in an overlapping manner, a visible light image of an image-capturing site in an oral cavity captured by a 3-D camera and 3-D image information on the image-capturing site in the oral cavity acquired in advance, an invisible portion in the visible light image is easily recognized.An observation system includes a visible light 3-D camera; a relative position calculator; a 3-D information storage storing 3-D image information acquired in advance; an image display displaying, side by side, a 2-D captured image captured by the visible light 3-D camera and 2-D converted image based on the 3-D image information corresponding to the surgical operation target site; and a display direction adjuster displaying, in the image display, the 2-D converted image in a predetermined direction on the basis of the image-capturing direction detected by the relative position calculator.