A New Imaging System for Improved Intraoral Imaging Quality and Patient Comfort
Inventor(s): Wei Huang, Marko Djapic
Date Awarded: November 2019
Summary:
Intra-oral photographs of the teeth are an important tool for orthodontic diagnosis, treatment planning, records keeping, case analysis and legal purposes. They are also widely used by other dental specialists, including pediatric dentists and general dentists. In current practice, intraoral photos rely on cheek retractors and mirrors to help create a view of the teeth and occlusion. The requirement of extensive cheek retraction and/or mouth opening is very uncomfortable or even painful for patients. Also, images are often taken with misleading information that will in turn affect the orthodontist ability to make a correct diagnosis and treatment plan. In addition, it is a very inconvenient and hand-straining procedure for a single photographer (clinician or the dental assistant) and oftentimes requires two people to get the job done.
The new imaging system will eliminate the need of extensive cheek retraction or mouth opening, providing greatly improved patient comfort. It can provide accurate intraoral images and can be carried out easily by one person. Once on the market, it will easily replace the current intraoral imaging system with higher image quality, greater patient comfort, no requirement of an extra pair of hands, all with competitive pricing.
Market Applications:
- A new imaging system that can be used by all dentists, particularly orthodontists
- A new imaging system that can be used by consumers directly
