Intraoral sensor position detection for full mouth image

1. A dental x-ray system comprising:

an intraoral dental imaging sensor having

a housing,

an x-ray imaging sensor located in the housing and configured to capture x-ray energy and output x-ray image data, and

a magnetic field sensor disposed in or on the housing and configured to sense one or more magnetic fields and output magnetic field data based on the one or more magnetic fields;

a holder configured to position the intraoral dental imaging sensor in a mouth of a patient;

a reference magnet configured to be disposed on the patient; and

an image processing unit communicatively coupled to the intraoral dental imaging sensor and having

memory, and

an electronic processor electrically coupled to the memory and configured to receive the magnetic field data from the magnetic field sensor, and

determine a position of the intraoral dental imaging sensor in the mouth of the patient based at least in part on the magnetic field data.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an accelerometer disposed in or on the housing and configured to detect an orientation of the housing and output orientation data based on the orientation of the housing, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to receive the orientation data from the accelerometer and determine an orientation of the intraoral dental imaging sensor relative to gravity based at least in part on the orientation data.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to determine a relative position of the intraoral dental imaging sensor in the mouth of the patient based at least in part on the orientation data and the magnetic field data.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the holder includes a magnet, and wherein the electronic processor is further configured to determine a type of the holder based at least in part on the magnetic field data.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to

receive image data from the x-ray imaging sensor,

generate images from the image data, and

organize the images in a sequence based at least in part on the magnetic field data.

6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a display, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to output the images to the display organized in the sequence based at least in part on the magnetic field data.

7. An intraoral dental imaging sensor comprising:

a housing;

an x-ray imaging sensor located in the housing and configured to receive x-rays and output image data;

a magnetic field sensor disposed in or on the housing and configured to sense one or more magnetic fields and output magnetic field data; and

an electronic processor configured to

receive the magnetic field data, and

determine a position of the intraoral dental imaging sensor in a mouth of a patient based at least in part on the magnetic field data.

8. The intraoral dental imaging sensor of claim 7 , further comprising an accelerometer disposed in or on the housing and configured to detect an orientation of the housing and output orientation data, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to receive the orientation data and determine an orientation of the intraoral dental imaging sensor relative to gravity based at least in part on the orientation data.

9. The intraoral dental imaging sensor of claim 8 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to determine a relative position of the intraoral dental imaging sensor in a mouth of a patient based at least in part on the orientation data and the magnetic field data.

10. The intraoral dental imaging sensor of claim 7 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to determine a type of a holder based at least in part on the magnetic field data.

11. A method for intraoral dental imaging, the method comprising:

providing an intraoral dental imaging sensor having a housing, an x-ray imaging sensor located in the housing, and a magnetic field sensor disposed in or on the housing;

placing the intraoral dental imaging sensor in a holder;

positioning the intraoral dental imaging sensor and at least part of the holder in a mouth of a patient;

attaching a reference magnet to the patient;

receiving, by an electronic processor, magnetic field data from the magnetic field sensor;

determining, by the electronic processor, a position of the intraoral dental imaging sensor in the mouth of the patient based at least in part on the magnetic field data; and

detecting x-rays by the intraoral dental imaging sensor to produce image data.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising

receiving, by the electronic processor, orientation data from an accelerometer disposed in or on the housing of the intraoral dental imaging sensor; and

determining, by the electronic processor, an orientation of the intraoral dental imaging sensor relative to gravity based at least in part on the orientation data.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining, by the electronic processor, a relative position in the mouth of the patient based at least in part on the orientation data and the magnetic field data.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining, by the electronic processor, a type of the holder based at least in part on the magnetic field data.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving, by the electronic processor, the image data from an x-ray imaging sensor located in the housing of the intraoral dental imaging sensor;

generating, by the electronic processor, images from the image data; and

organizing, by the electronic processor, the images in a sequence based at in part on the position of the intraoral dental imaging sensor in the mouth of the patient.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising displaying, by the electronic processor, the images organized in the sequence on a display.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by an electronic processor perform a set of functions comprising:

receiving magnetic field data from a magnetic field sensor disposed in or on a housing of an intraoral dental imaging sensor; and

determining a position of the intraoral dental imaging sensor in a mouth of a patient based at least in part on the magnetic field data.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising instructions that when executed by the electronic processor perform a set of functions comprising:

receiving orientation data from an accelerometer disposed in or on the housing; and

determining an orientation of the intraoral dental imaging sensor relative to gravity based at least in part on the orientation data.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising instructions that when executed by the electronic processor perform a function comprising determining a relative position in a mouth of a patient based at least in part on the orientation data and the magnetic field data.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising instructions that when executed by the electronic processor perform a function comprising determining a type of a holder based at least in part on the magnetic field data.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising instructions that when executed by the electronic processor perform a set of functions comprising

receiving image data from an x-ray imaging sensor located in the housing;

generating images from the image data; and

organizing the images in a sequence based at least in part on the position of the intraoral dental imaging sensor in the mouth of the patient.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising instructions that when executed by the electronic processor perform a function comprising displaying the images organized in the sequence on a display.

23. A holder for an intraoral dental imaging sensor, the holder comprising:

a housing configured to position and support a housing of the intraoral dental imaging sensor in a mouth of a patient; and

a magnet attached to the housing of the holder, wherein a characteristic of the magnet is configured to indicate a type of the holder.

24. The holder of claim 23 , wherein the housing of the holder is configured to position and support the intraoral dental imaging sensor at one of a plurality of anterior positions, a plurality of posterior positions, or a plurality of bitewing positions in the mouth of the patient, and

wherein the type of the holder is based on the housing of the holder that is configured to position and support the intraoral dental imaging sensor at the one of the plurality of anterior positions, the plurality of posterior positions, or the plurality of bitewing positions in the mouth of the patient.