Motorized Mirror Dental Scanner for Automated Jaw Data Capture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current scanning technologies for obtaining 3D data of the teeth or jaw are prone to precision errors and are time-consuming, requiring manual movement of the scanner and visual checks for completeness, which can lead to incomplete data.
Innovation Solution
A scanning device with a handle and mouthpiece containing a detection device and motorized mirrors that automatically move to scan the entire jaw, using calibration marks for precise alignment and data merging, eliminating the need for manual repositioning and ensuring complete data capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual movement of the scanner is used to scan the entire jaw, then the scanner can be positioned at different sections, but the scanning time increases and precision errors occur due to error propagation in merging individual images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical positioning system with an automated mirror deflection system. Motor-driven mirrors deflect the scanning laser beam to different sections of the dental arch without requiring physical movement of the entire scanner, thereby eliminating error propagation from manual repositioning and reducing scanning time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic mirror deflection to redirect the scanning beam rapidly between different sections of the jaw. The motor-driven mirrors enable quick, precise angular adjustments to cover the entire dental arch from a fixed scanner position, improving both speed and precision compared to static manual positioning.
2Ease of operation
If the scanner is manually moved around the oral cavity to capture the entire jaw, then complete coverage can be achieved, but the operation becomes time-consuming and requires prior training
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-positioning through automated mirror deflection controlled by a control unit. The scanner automatically directs the laser beam to different sections based on pre-programmed paths, eliminating the need for operator training and manual repositioning skills while reducing scanning time.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical manipulation of the scanner is replaced by an automated optical steering system using motor-driven mirrors. This substitution makes the system easier to operate as the control unit automatically manages beam positioning without requiring user expertise in manual scanning techniques.
3Reliability
If visual checking is performed to ensure complete scanning, then data completeness can be verified, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives feedback from the detection device about which sections have been scanned and automatically determines completeness. This automated feedback loop eliminates the need for manual visual checking by the operator, reducing operational complexity while maintaining high reliability in ensuring complete jaw coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically monitors and verifies its own scanning completeness through the control unit, which processes detection data to determine when the entire dental arch has been captured. This self-verification eliminates the need for complex manual checking procedures.
4Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to scan the flexible mass, then complete jaw data can be obtained, but the device complexity and handling difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the flexible mass physical model approach with a direct optical scanning system using a laser beam and mirrors. This substitution eliminates the need for multiple sensors and complex flexible material handling while achieving complete and accurate 3D jaw data through automated optical detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables fast, precise, and complete scanning of the entire jaw without manual operator intervention, improving accuracy and reducing scanning time, while allowing for easy handling and sterilization of the device.
Implementation Method 1
the detection device preferably having at least one mirror which is motor-driven in the mouthpiece by means of the drive device so that a scanning area is deflected to a desired location of the dental arch
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a scanning device, comprising a handle (10) to be held by an operating person and a mouthpiece (20). The scanning device is inserted into the mouth of a patient by means of the mouthpiece (20). There, during a recording by means a sensing apparatus provided in the mouthpiece and a scanning apparatus (60), a section of a dental arch in the mouth is scanned and three-dimensionally measured, wherein many individual scans of different sections of the dental arch are recorded and are combined into a total image. The scanning device also has a drive apparatus (80), which drives the sensing apparatus in such a way that the sensing apparatus moves from one section to a next section of the dental arch in order to perform a particular individual scan, and a control apparatus (70), which controls the drive apparatus (80) in such a way that the drive apparatus moves the sensing apparatus to a desired location of the dental arch.