Optical Tomography Digital Impression Imaging System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental impression techniques, both traditional and digital, require gingival retraction methods that cause patient discomfort, bleeding, and inaccuracies due to the need for mechanical or chemical means to expose hidden tooth structures under the gum, which can lead to unprecise false tooth fabrication.
Innovation Solution
An optical tomography digital impression imaging system using OCT technology to capture structural information of tooth surfaces and gum boundaries, compensating for refractive indices to create a complete digital 3D model of teeth, allowing for non-invasive digital gingival retraction and precise tooth modeling without physical retraction methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional gingival retraction methods (mechanical or chemical) are used to expose hidden tooth structures, then the tooth contour information becomes accessible for impression, but patient discomfort, bleeding, and potential gingival laceration occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical gingival retraction methods with optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanning technology. The OCT system uses light waves to capture three-dimensional images of tooth structures beneath the gum line without physical contact or chemical agents, thereby eliminating patient discomfort, bleeding, and gingival laceration while still obtaining complete tooth contour information
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces OCT technology as an intermediary between the dentist and the hidden tooth structures. Instead of directly manipulating the gingival tissue with retraction cords or chemicals, the OCT scanner acts as a non-invasive mediator that penetrates the gum tissue optically to capture images of the underlying tooth contours, thus avoiding harmful physical or chemical effects on the patient
2Manufacturing precision
If gingival retraction cord is pressed into the gingival trough to separate tooth from gum, then clear dental margin impression is achieved, but the retraction process takes time and causes patient discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary imaging of the tooth structures beneath the gum line before the actual impression-taking process. The OCT scanner captures three-dimensional images of the hidden tooth contours in advance, eliminating the need for time-consuming gingival retraction procedures during impression taking. This preliminary action allows the dentist to plan the impression process more efficiently and reduces overall treatment time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates optical copies of the hidden tooth structures using OCT imaging. Instead of physically retracting the gum to see the tooth contours, the system generates digital three-dimensional copies of the subgingival tooth structures, which can be viewed and used for planning the impression process without requiring actual gingival displacement, thereby saving time and avoiding patient discomfort
3Object-affected harmful factors
If optical coherence tomography scanning is used to image tooth structures under gum, then non-invasive imaging is achieved, but refractive index compensation is required to obtain accurate positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the OCT system not only captures images but also measures the optical path lengths and refractive indices of different tissues. The system uses this feedback information to automatically calculate and compensate for refractive index variations, correcting the positions of tooth structures in the images. This automated feedback loop simplifies the overall process despite the underlying complexity of refractive index compensation
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
This method prevents patient bleeding and potential gingival laceration, enhances scanning precision, and enables the creation of accurate 3D tooth models without the need for physical retraction, improving the accuracy and comfort of false tooth fabrication.
Implementation Method 1
uses optical coherence tomography (OCT) technique to image the tooth structure to obtain the structural information of tooth surface and the tooth-gum boundary under the gum
Implementation Method 2
The refractive index of tissue is compensated to obtain the positions of teeth and gums in the actual space
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an optical tomography digital-impression imaging system and a method for use thereof, said system including: an optical coherence tomography scanner, used for obtaining tomographic slice thicknesses of a plurality of tissue areas of each optical tomography digital image; an information analysis and processing component electrically connected to the optical coherence tomography scanner. The information analysis and processing component has a refractive index compensation and optical path correction functions; by way of analysis and processing, tomographic slice thickness correction values corresponding to the tissue areas are obtained, thus establishing a digital model of the tissue areas.