Sensor-Integrated Dental Handpiece for Real-Time Tooth Digitization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental handpieces and cutting tools lack real-time motion-capture digitizing capabilities, requiring specialized skills and not facilitating the generation of digital files for tooth surface reduction, which complicates the process of preparing teeth for crowns.
Innovation Solution
A digital dental system equipped with sensors and a handpiece-attached digitizing cutting tool that records tooth surface data in real-time, providing signals to adjust line-of-draw surface tapers and indicating when to move to other tooth surfaces, generating a digital file with a polygon mesh model of the reduced tooth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional handpieces and cutting tools are used for tooth surface reduction, then the dentist can prepare the tooth, but real-time motion capture and digital file generation are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cutting tool and digitizing sensor into an integrated handpiece system. The sensor is attached to or integrated with the handpiece that holds the cutting tool, allowing simultaneous tooth reduction and digital data capture in a single device, thereby preventing loss of reduction data without requiring separate complex systems
Solution Approach 2:
The handpiece system is designed to perform multiple functions: it既能cut the tooth surface with the cutting tool,又能capture motion data through the integrated sensor, and generate digital files. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate digitizing devices and impressioning techniques, resolving the contradiction between information capture and device complexity
2Extent of automation
If real-time motion capture digitizing is implemented in handpieces, then digital files can be generated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the cutting tool and digitizing sensor into a single integrated handpiece unit, the system achieves real-time motion capture and automated digital file generation during the cutting process itself, rather than requiring separate automated digitizing equipment that would increase overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The handpiece system performs self-digitizing by capturing its own motion data through the integrated sensor during the cutting operation. The system automatically records and processes the motion information to generate digital files without requiring external digitizing devices or manual documentation, thereby achieving high automation without proportionally increasing complexity
3Manufacturing precision
If specialized knowledge and skills are required for handpiece operation, then precise tooth preparation can be achieved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated sensor provides real-time feedback on the handpiece motion and tooth surface reduction progress. This feedback is processed to generate digital data and can guide the operator, reducing the need for extensive specialized knowledge while maintaining precision through objective measurement and monitoring of the reduction process
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the apparatus and method is a computerized system (3000) comprising; a handpiece (106) integrating at least one sensor (110) and attaching a cutting tool (104); and at least one other sensor (110) adhered to an arch (112), the arch (112) having a tooth (108) to receive a crown. Another embodiment comprises the computerized system (3000) having a capacity to facilitate configuring of a prepared tooth to generate a digital file. Another embodiment comprises the computerized system (3000) having the capacity to produce an auditory, lighted, or vibration signal, alerting the dentist to increase or decrease the line-of-draw surface tapers (118) as needed to fit a crown. Another embodiment comprises the computerized system (3000) having the capacity to produce signals, alerting the dentist to move on to other surfaces of the prepared tooth as soon as the reduced surface (116) has been adequately reduced to fit a crown. Some of the digital workflow embodiments facilitate configuring of the prepared tooth that fits a premanufactured crown while other embodiments create the digital file that facilitates fabrication of a custom crown.