Sub-Gingival Intraoral Scanning Through Transparent Gingival Retraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of generating intraoral scans for sub-gingival preparations is lengthy, painful for patients, and can damage gums, with manual adjustments by labs often resulting in incorrect geometry guesses and increased costs due to the need for repeated scans and manual manipulation of 3D models.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an optical scan that differentiates between first optical scan data associated with the sub-gingival surface of the tooth and second optical scan data associated with a material covering this surface, using a partially transparent material to hold the gum away from the sub-gingival surface during scanning, and adjusting scan data to account for refraction angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If retraction cord is packed under gums to expose margin line, then sub-gingival surface becomes accessible for scanning, but patient experiences pain and gum damage
Solution Approach 1:
A transparent material is introduced as an intermediary between the gingiva and the tooth surface. This material allows optical signals to pass through while maintaining separation between the gingiva and tooth, enabling scanning without direct mechanical manipulation of the gingiva that causes damage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical retraction cord system with an optical-based scanning approach. Instead of using physical cords to retract and hold gingiva, the system uses optical signals that can penetrate the transparent material to capture sub-gingival surfaces without mechanical intrusion
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple intraoral scans are taken to capture sub-gingival surface, then complete geometry is obtained, but scanning time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent material is applied in advance to maintain consistent gingiva-tooth separation throughout the scanning process. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for repeated scanning attempts that occur when gingiva collapses back over the margin line between scans
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous scanning by maintaining stable exposure of the sub-gingival surface throughout the scanning process. The transparent material ensures consistent optical access without interruption from gingiva movement, allowing complete data capture in a single continuous scanning operation
3Measurement precision
If manual manipulation of 3D model is performed to correct margin line, then model accuracy may be improved, but lab time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning system captures accurate sub-gingival surface geometry automatically without requiring subsequent manual intervention. The transparent material ensures complete and accurate capture of the margin line during scanning, making the data self-sufficient for direct use in prosthetic fabrication without needing lab technicians to manually correct or guess the margin line geometry
4Measurement precision
If retraction cord is packed and then withdrawn for scanning, then sub-gingival surface is temporarily exposed, but gingiva collapses back over margin line
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent material serves as a sustained intermediary that maintains separation between gingiva and tooth throughout the scanning procedure. Unlike the temporary exposure achieved by withdrawn retraction cords, this material continuously holds the gingiva away, extending the useful exposure duration for complete scanning
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the transparent material to create more separation than the minimum required for scanning. This excessive action ensures that even as scanning progresses, the gingiva remains sufficiently retracted to maintain clear optical access to the sub-gingival surface throughout the entire scanning duration
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
Improves the accuracy and completeness of intraoral scans, reduces gum damage, and enhances the design of dental prosthetics by accurately capturing sub-gingival surfaces, thereby reducing time and costs.
Implementation Method 1
optical signals that are incident on the transparent material, that refract through the transparent material, and that are incident on a sub-gingival surface of a tooth
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes an optical probe with a sensing face. The optical probe to emit optical signals and receive reflected optical signals. The system includes a computing device, coupled to the optical probe, to receive intraoral scan data of a tooth. The intraoral scan data includes first optical scan data and second optical scan data. The computing device to process the received intraoral scan data to adjust the first optical scan data associated with a sub-gingival surface of the tooth based on the second optical scan data associated with a material covering the sub-gingival surface of the tooth. The computing device to generate a three-dimensional model that includes the sub-gingival surface of the tooth using the adjusted first optical scan data that is associated with the sub-gingival surface of the tooth.