System for scanning oral environment
US6821116B2 · kind B2 · utility
16Cited by
17References
22Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 12, 2001 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 12, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61C19/10
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention relates to a system and method for scanning a plurality of teeth and gums in a patient's mouth. The system includes a mouthpiece, a camera that fits in the mouthpiece, and an electronic storage medium. The camera can move in an arc within the mouthpiece to preferably scan the entire mouth of the patient and is preferably connected to or includes a CD, DVD, a computer hard drive, or electronic diskette to save the image for later use. The image can then be compared to a patient's prior image or compared to a dental standard to determine the patient's dental health and cosmetic characteristics.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.