Tracked toothbrush and toothbrush tracking system
A dental device tracking method including acquiring, using an imager of a dental device, at least a first image which includes an image of at least one user body portion outside of a user's oral cavity; identifying the at least one user body portion in the first image; and determining, using the at least the first image, a position of the dental device with respect to the at least one user body portion.
1. A hand-held dental tracking device, the device comprising:
a handle sized and shaped to be comfortably grasped by a human user's hand;
a dental implement head attached to the handle;
at least one imager with a field of view (FOV), where a direction and size of the FOV of the imager is such that when at least a portion of said dental implement head is within said user's mouth, said FOV includes at least a portion of said user's body outside the oral cavity,
and
a processor configured to:
acquire from said at least one imager, at least a first image which includes said at least a portion of said user's body outside of said user's oral cavity;
identify said at least a portion of said user's body portion in said first image with respect to said imager;
determine, using at least said first image, a position of said dental device with respect to said at least a portion of said user's body portion; and
determine a position of said portion of said dental device inside said user's oral cavity with respect to said user's body portion.
2. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving a correlation between said portion of said user's body portion and said user's oral cavity.
3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said receiving is from an external source.
4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said determining a position of said portion of said dental device inside said user's oral cavity is performed with respect to one or more teeth.
5. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving a correlation between said portion of said user's body portion and an upper jaw of said user.
6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said direction of said FOV is in a direction configured to include an image of a reflection, said reflection including said at least a portion said user's body outside the oral cavity and at least a portion of said dental device.
7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one imager comprises:
a first imager with a FOV configured to image at least a portion of said user's body outside the oral cavity; and
a second imager with a FOV configured to image a reflection of at least a portion said user's body outside the oral cavity.
8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein said second imager is located on a handle of said device.
9. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one contact sensor configured to detect contact between said dental implement head and a tooth.
10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device comprises a detachable dental implement head, and wherein said detachable dental implement head comprises a toothbrush.
11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device comprises a detachable dental implement head, and wherein said detachable dental implement head comprises a mirror.
12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device comprises a detachable dental implement head, and wherein said detachable dental implement head comprises a calibration head.
13. The device according to claim 1 , and further comprising said processor configured to display feedback to a dental practitioner, said feedback displayed on an anatomical model of said user.
14. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising said processor configured to control one or more actuators based on said determined position of said at least a portion of said dental device within said user's oral cavity.
15. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising said processor configured to:
determine a position of at least one lower face landmark; and
estimate, using said determined position, a mandibular angle.
16. A dental device tracking method comprising:
acquiring, using an imager of a dental device when at least a portion of said dental device is within said user's mouth, at least a first image which includes an image of at least one user body portion outside of a user's oral cavity;
identifying said at least one user body portion in said first image;
determining, using said at least said first image, a position of said dental device with respect to said at least one user body portion; and
determining a position of said portion of said dental device inside said user's oral cavity with respect to said user's body portion.
17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising correlating between said portion of said user's body portion and said user's oral cavity.
18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising receiving from an external source correlation data.
19. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising correlating between said portion of said user's body portion and an upper jaw of said user.
20. The method according to claim 16 , wherein said determining a position of said portion of said dental device inside said user's oral cavity is performed with respect to one or more teeth.
21. The method according to claim 16 , wherein at least said first image also includes a reflected image.
22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein said reflection includes at least a portion of said user's body outside the oral cavity.
23. The method according to claim 21 , wherein said reflection includes at least a portion of said dental device.
24. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising determining a position of at least one lower face landmark; and estimating, using said determined position, a mandibular angle.
25. The method according to claim 16 , wherein said determining also includes determining a position of a/said portion of said dental device inside said user's oral cavity with respect to a dental feature using an anatomical model.