Method and system for automatic intra-oral sensor locating for image acquisition

1. A method of capturing intra-oral digital images, said method comprising:

establishing a spatial frame-of-reference with respect to teeth within a mouth of a patient by placing a bite-plate within said mouth of said patient wherein said patient bites down on said bite-plate such that said bite-plate is aligned in a known manner with said teeth of said patient;

connecting an intra-oral digital imaging sensor to said bite plate within said mouth of said patient adjacent to at least one tooth within said mouth that is to be imaged using said intra-oral sensor, wherein said bite-plate is capable of interacting with said connected intra-oral sensor to help generate spatial location information of said connected intra-oral sensor;

automatically generating first spatial location information defining how said intra- oral sensor is positioned with respect to said bite plate;

acquiring a first digital image of said at least one tooth using said intra-oral sensor;

automatically associating said first spatial location information with said first digital image;

automatically associating said first digital image with one of a plurality of pre-defined areas in a tooth chart corresponding to said associated first spatial location information;

automatically orienting said first digital image to said one associated pre-defined area of said tooth chart in response to said first spatial location information or a default or pre-defined user preference of image orientation for said one associated pre-defined area of said tooth chart; and

displaying said tooth chart and said oriented first digital image in said one associated area of said tooth chart.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said intra-oral digital imaging sensor comprises an x-ray imaging sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said intra-oral digital imaging sensor comprises a thermal imaging sensor.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said intra-oral digital imaging sensor comprises an ultrasonic imaging sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first spatial location information includes relative position information and/or relative orientation information of said intra-oral sensor with respect to said bite plate.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

re-positioning said intra-oral digital imaging sensor on said bite plate within said mouth of said patient adjacent to at least one other tooth within said mouth that is to be imaged by said intra-oral sensor;

automatically generating second spatial location information defining how said intra-oral sensor is re-positioned on said bite plate;

acquiring a second digital image of said at least one other tooth with said intra-oral sensor; and

automatically associating said second spatial location information with said second digital image.

7. A system for capturing intra-oral digital images, said system comprising:

a bite plate for establishing a spatial frame-of-reference with respect to teeth within a mouth of a patients wherein said patient bites down on said bite-plate such that said bite-plate is aligned in a known manner with said teeth of said patient;

an intra-oral digital imaging sensor capable of being connected to said bite plate within said mouth of said patient adjacent to at least one tooth within said mouth that is to be imaged by said intra-oral sensor;

means for automatically generating first spatial location information defining how said intra-oral sensor is placed on said bite plate

means for acquiring a first digital image of said at least one tooth with said intra-oral sensor;

means for automatically associating said first spatial location information with said first digital image

means for automatically associating said first spatial location information with said first digital image;

means for automatically associating said first digital image with one of a plurality of pre-defined areas in a tooth chart corresponding to said associated first spatial location information;

means for automatically orienting said first digital image to said one associated pre-defined area of said tooth chaff in response to said first spatial location information or a default or pre-defined user preference of image orientation for said one associated pre-defined area of said tooth chart; and

means for displaying said tooth chaff and said oriented first digital image in said one associated area of said tooth chart.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said intra-oral digital imaging sensor comprises one of an x-ray imaging sensor, a thermal imaging sensor, and an ultrasonic imaging sensor.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said means for automatically generating said first spatial location information includes a processor-based platform operationally connected to at least one of said bite plate, said intra-oral digital imaging sensor, said means for acquiring said first digital image, and said means for automatically associating said first spatial location information with said first digital image.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein said means for acquiring said first digital image includes a processor-based platform operationally connected to at least one of said intra-oral digital imaging sensor, said bite plate, said means for automatically generating said first spatial location information, and said means for automatically associating said first spatial location information with said first digital image.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein said means for automatically associating said first spatial location information with said first digital image includes a processor-based platform operationally connected to said means for automatically generating said first spatial location information and said means for acquiring said first digital image.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein said means for automatically generating said first spatial location information and said means for automatically associating said first spatial location information with said first digital image includes a processor-based platform operationally connected to said bite plate and said means for acquiring said first digital image.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein said means for automatically generating said first spatial location information, said means for acquiring said first digital image, and said means for automatically associating said first spatial location information with said first digital image includes a processor-based platform operationally connected to said bite plate and said intra-oral digital imaging sensor.

14. The system of claim 7 further comprising a display processing means operationally connected to said means for automatically associating said first spatial location information with said first digital image.

15. The system of claim 7 further comprising a display processing means operationally connected to said means for automatically generating first spatial location information and said means for automatically associating said first spatial location information with said first digital image.

16. The system of claim 7 further comprising a display processing means operationally connected to said means for acquiring said first digital image, said means for automatically generating first spatial location information, and said means for automatically associating said first spatial location information with said first digital image.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically orienting said image on a display in response to said first spatial location information independent of any template or layout.