Method and device for learning and training dental treatment techniques
View Patent ↗The invention relates to a method and device for learning and training dental treatment techniques, according to which a force is applied to a tooth ( 2 ) preferably by means of tools ( 4 ) in order to examine or treat this tooth. A mandible ( 1 ) or the tooth ( 2 ) is coupled to a force measuring device ( 3 ) in a manner that enables the forces applied to the tooth ( 2 ) to be represented in the form of electric measurement signals ( 5 ) that are fed to a data processing device ( 6 ). Said data processing device has a data memory ( 7 ) in which a multitude of reference force/time courses of different force/time-determined tooth treatment steps can be stored in a manner that enables them to be retrieved, whereby the forces applied to the tooth ( 2 ) and their temporal course are compared with a reference force/time course.
1. A device for learning and training in dental treatment techniques, wherein forces can be exerted on a tooth secured in a model of a jaw in order to examine or to work on the tooth, the device comprising:
a tool for a user to perform a dental treatment technique on the tooth, the tool exerting forces on the tooth in response to how the user uses the tool to perform the dental treatment technique;
means for converting exerted forces into electrical measuring signals, said converting means comprising a measuring device, the measuring device consisting of a single sensor fixed underneath the model of the jaw, constructed as a six-component force-moment sensor;
a data processor coupled to said sensor so that the measuring signals are fed to the data processor, the data processor including means for imaging the measuring signals as forces according to their magnitude and direction, the data processor further comprising a data memory, in which a plurality of reference-force-time curves of different dental treatment steps can be stored as a table of values that can be called up,
means for controlling the data processor such that a selected reference-force-time curve and the actual force-time curve of the simulated dental treatment can be represented on an optical display; and
an optical navigation system for the determination of the position of the tool, said navigation system comprising at least one camera.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an acoustic display unit, wherein a multitude of sound-samples are stored in the data memory, in which case by means of a program subject to the actual force-time curve of the simulated tooth treatment a sound-sample belonging to it can be played.
3. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical navigation system comprises two cameras.