Orthodontic Bracket Centering With Optical Tooth Axis Projection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for accurately positioning orthodontic brackets on teeth, such as using rulers and gauges, are cumbersome and inefficient, leading to potential misalignment due to difficulty in determining the center of the tooth.
Innovation Solution
A handheld aid apparatus with a radially moveable fixture, camera, crossed lines projector, and ultraviolet projector is used to photograph the tooth, calculate and project crossed axes, and fix the bracket at the center of the tooth using UV light to harden adhesive.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional rulers and gauges are used to detect the center of a tooth, then the center can be determined, but the process becomes cumbersome and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical ruler and gauge system with an optical-digital system consisting of a camera, image processing unit, and laser projector. The camera captures tooth images, the processing unit calculates the center coordinates through image analysis, and the laser projector visually marks the center position, eliminating the need for manual mechanical measurement tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the tooth's visual appearance through camera imaging, then processes this copy to determine the center position. This allows the center detection to be performed on the image data rather than requiring direct physical measurement of the actual tooth, simplifying the operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual methods are used to position the bracket, then the physician has full control, but misalignment occurs due to difficulty in determining the center
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual estimation and physical measurement with an automated optical-digital system that captures tooth images, calculates precise center coordinates through image processing, and projects laser lines to guide bracket placement, thereby eliminating the difficulty of manually detecting the center while maintaining physician control over the final positioning decision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time visual feedback through the projected laser crosshairs that indicate the calculated center position on the tooth surface. This feedback loop allows the physician to verify the system's center detection and make adjustments if needed, ensuring accurate bracket placement while reducing the subjective difficulty of center detection.
3Productivity
If the bracket is not placed precisely at the center, then placement is faster, but tooth alignment is compromised due to force application on the sides
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection and marking of the exact center position using camera imaging and laser projection before the physician places the bracket. This advance preparation ensures that when the bracket is placed, its position is pre-determined to be precisely at the center, maintaining both speed and reliability by eliminating the need for careful adjustment during placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The projected laser crosshairs serve as an intermediary visual guide between the calculated center coordinates and the physical bracket placement. This intermediary provides a clear, visible reference that enables the physician to quickly and accurately align the bracket with the center without requiring complex measurement or estimation, thus maintaining both speed and precision.
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
Facilitates precise placement of orthodontic brackets at the center of teeth, reducing misalignment and simplifying the orthodontic treatment process.
Implementation Method 1
a camera (31), fixedly connected to the radially moveable fixture (10), for photographing a tooth (17), and producing an image thereof
Implementation Method 2
an ultraviolet projector (13), fixedly connected to the radially moveable fixture and moves along with the fixture (10), for projecting ultraviolet light on the tooth, for hardening an adhesive smeared on the tooth under an orthodontic bracket
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed to and apparatus and method for positioning an orthodontic bracket in a center of a tooth, the method comprising the steps of: photographing a tooth for producing an image thereof; detecting in the image crossed axes of the tooth; projecting on the tooth crossed lines that correspond with the determined crossed axes of the image; shifting an orthodontic bracket placed on the tooth so that its crossed axes coincide with the projected crossed lines on the tooth; and fixing the bracket to the tooth.