Intra-oral Plaque Analysis via Fluorescence and Grid Morphing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for evaluating plaque removal and whitening capabilities of toothbrushes and toothpastes are inadequate as they do not measure efficacy on a tooth-by-tooth basis, fail to account for inner tooth surfaces, and rely on inconsistent visual alignment and unrealistic synthetic plaque, leading to incomplete assessment of plaque removal effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented system and method that uses advanced image processing and segmentation algorithms to analyze plaque on a tooth-by-tooth basis in real-time, allowing for accurate evaluation of plaque removal and whitening capabilities, including both buccal and lingual surfaces, and automatic grid morphing to account for varying tooth shapes and sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If visual alignment with synthetic template is used, then alignment process is simple, but alignment consistency deteriorates due to wide variation in individual tooth shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy of the patient's actual tooth arrangement by capturing images and generating a digital model. This digital copy is then used for alignment and measurement, eliminating the need to force-fit images to a synthetic template. The digital model accurately represents the unique geometry of each patient's teeth while maintaining consistency across multiple measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic image processing and automated landmark detection that adapts to each patient's unique tooth morphology. The system dynamically adjusts the digital model based on actual tooth shapes, positions, and orientations captured in clinical images, rather than using a static synthetic template. This dynamic adaptation ensures consistent and accurate alignment across diverse tooth variations.
2Ease of operation
If simple image processing with RGB values is used, then plaque detection is easy, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to distinguish plaque from enamel and gum
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes fluorescence properties of plaque under UV light, which causes plaque to emit a characteristic yellow-green fluorescence that distinguishes it from enamel and gum tissues. The system captures these fluorescence emissions and processes them to identify and quantify plaque deposits with high precision, overcoming the limitations of simple RGB color analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces UV light as an intermediary that enhances the contrast between plaque and surrounding tissues. By illuminating the oral cavity with UV light, plaque fluoresces with a distinct color signature that serves as a reliable indicator for detection. This intermediary mechanism enables accurate differentiation of plaque from enamel and gum, which appear differently under UV illumination.
3Productivity
If automated real-time analysis is implemented, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases due to advanced image processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary processing of clinical images during capture, including automatic landmark detection, tooth segmentation, and fluorescence thresholding. By preprocessing images at the point of capture and organizing data into standardized formats, the system reduces the computational burden for subsequent analysis. This preliminary action enables faster real-time evaluation without requiring overly complex processing systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the oral cavity into distinct anatomical regions (teeth, gums, tongue) and further segments each tooth into surfaces that may have different plaque distributions. This segmentation allows the system to apply specific analysis algorithms to relevant regions only, reducing overall computational complexity while maintaining high productivity in plaque measurement and evaluation.
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
Enables swift and accurate clinical evaluation of plaque removal efficacy for each tooth and sub-regions, reducing human intervention and providing reliable data for clinical trials, with results that can be retrieved and compared over time.
Implementation Method 1
UV light makes plaque on teeth fluoresce as a yellow color, enamel as a light blue color, gum as a black color
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented system and method of intra-oral analysis for measuring plaque removal is disclosed. The system includes hardware for real-time image acquisition and software to store the acquired images on a patient-by-patient basis. The system implements algorithms to segment teeth of interest from surrounding gum, and uses a real-time image-based morphing procedure to automatically overlay a grid onto each segmented tooth. Pattern recognition methods are used to classify plaque from surrounding gum and enamel, while ignoring glare effects due to the reflection of camera light and ambient light from enamel regions. The system integrates these components into a single software suite with an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) that allows users to do an end-to-end run of a patient record, including tooth segmentation of all teeth, grid morphing of each segmented tooth, and plaque classification of each tooth image.