Sanitary sleeve or tip for intra-oral three-dimensional camera
View Patent ↗An intra-oral imaging system includes an optical conduit, a light source generating light rays, at least a portion of which are transmitted through the optical conduit to illuminate a dental surface, a device for converting the light rays into radiation illumination with spatially varying wavelengths prior to illuminating the dental surface, a reflector that directs the light rays from the light source to a selected point; and an imager for receiving the light rays when the light rays are reflected from the dental surface.
1. An intra-oral imaging system comprising:
an instrument housing;
an optical conduit running into said housing;
a light source generating light rays, at least a portion of which are transmitted through said optical conduit to illuminate a dental surface;
a device for converting said light rays into radiation illumination with spatially varying wavelengths prior to illuminating said dental surface;
a minor that directs the light rays from said light source to a selected point;
an imager for receiving said light rays when said light rays are reflected from said dental surface, said reflector being substantially fixed relative to said imager; and
a sanitary sleeve covering a portion of said intra-oral system that enters a patient's mouth to image said dental surface.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said optical conduit comprises at least one fiber optic cable.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said device for converting said light rays comprises an LVWF filter.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said sanitary sleeve is configured to be selectively removed from said intra-oral system.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a sanitary replaceable intra-oral tip portion coupled to said housing.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said reflector is disposed within said tip.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein a portion of said light rays are projected onto said dental surface without being converted to spatially varying wavelengths.
8. An intra-oral imaging system comprising:
an instrument housing;
an optical conduit running into said housing;
a light source generating light rays at least a portion of which are transmitted through said optical conduit to illuminate a dental surface;
a device for converting said light rays into radiation illumination with spatially varying wavelengths prior to illuminating said dental surface;
a reflector that directs said light rays from said light source to a selected point;
an imager for receiving said light rays when said light rays are reflected from said dental surface; and
a removable tip attached to said housing that is used in a patient's mouth to image said dental surface, said tip being sanitarily replaced for each patient.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein said optical conduit comprises at least one fiber optic cable.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein said device for converting said light rays comprises an LVWF filter.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein a portion of said light rays are projected onto said dental surface without being converted to spatially varying wavelengths.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein said imager comprises a device configured to process two-dimensional and three-dimensional images.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said imager comprises a CCD camera.
14. A system for manufacturing dental fixtures, comprising:
an intra-oral imaging system having
an optical conduit, a light source generating light rays,
at least a portion of which are transmitted through said optical conduit to illuminate a dental surface,
a device for converting said light rays into radiation illumination with spatially varying wavelengths prior to illuminating said dental surface,
a reflector that directs the light rays from said light source to a selected point, and
an imager for receiving said light rays when said light rays are reflected from said dental surface;
a processing device wherein resides software for converting said light rays into image data and manufacturing software for manufacturing a dental fixture based on said image data.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein said optical conduit comprises at least one fiber optic cable.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein said device for converting said light rays comprises an LVWF filter.
17. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a housing configured to house said system.
18. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a sanitary sleeve covering a portion of said intra-oral system that enters a patient's mouth to image said dental surface.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein said sanitary sleeve is configured to be selectively removed from said intra-oral system.
20. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a sanitary replaceable intra-oral tip portion coupled to said housing.
21. The system of claim 20 , wherein said reflector is disposed within said tip.
22. The system of claim 14 , wherein a portion of said light rays are projected onto said dental surface without being converted to spatially varying wavelengths.
23. The system of claim 14 , wherein said manufacturing software is configured to manufacture dental parts.
24. The system of claim 14 , wherein said manufacturing software is configured to manufacture orthodontic treatment devices.
25. The system of claim 24 , wherein said orthodontic treatment devices comprise invisible aligners.
26. A method of doing business comprising:
selling an intra-oral imaging system comprising;
an optical conduit,
a light source generating light rays that are transmitted through said optical conduit to illuminate a dental surface,
a device for converting said light rays into radiation illumination with spatially varying wavelengths prior to illuminating said dental surface,
a reflector that directs the light rays from said light source to a selected point,
a imager for receiving said light rays when said light rays are reflected from said dental surface; and
separately selling a sanitary sleeve covering a portion of said intra-oral system that enters a patient's mouth to image said dental surface.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein said selling a sanitary sleeve further comprises selling a plurality of sanitary sleeves as a package.
28. A method of doing business comprising:
selling an intra-oral imaging system comprising;
an optical conduit,
a light source generating light rays that are transmitted through said optical conduit to illuminate a dental surface,
a device for converting said light rays into radiation illumination with spatially varying wavelengths prior to illuminating said dental surface,
a reflector that directs the light rays from said light source to a selected point,
an imager for receiving said light rays when said light rays are reflected from said dental surface; and
separately selling a sanitary sleeve covering a portion of said intra-oral system that enters a patient's mouth to image said dental surface.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein said selling a sanitary sleeve further comprises selling a plurality of sanitary sleeves as a package.