Method and apparatus for identifying tooth-coloured tooth filling residues

Abstract

A tooth is irradiated with light ( 5 ), in particular with visible light for identifying tooth-coloured tooth filling residues ( 3 ) of the tooth. The light with which the irradiation procedure is effected includes at least one wavelength component that is absorbed or scattered by the tooth filling material differently from the tooth material in such a way that the tooth filling material differs from the tooth material in respect of its brightness or in respect of its colour. Thus the identification of tooth filling residues ( 3 ) can be effected in such a way that the dentist can recognise the tooth filling residues ( 3 ) with the naked eye, or possibly with the assistance of simple technical aids such as for example a colour filter.

1 . An apparatus for identifying tooth-coloured tooth filling residues of a tooth comprising an irradiation device including a light source for irradiating the tooth with light characterised in that the light source is so designed to emit light whose spectrum has irregularly distributed wavelengths and includes at least one wavelength component which is absorbed or scattered by the tooth filling material differently from the tooth material in such a way that the tooth filling material is distinguished from the tooth material in respect of its brightness or in respect of its colour, wherein the distribution of the wavelengths in the spectrum is so selected that the spectrum has substantially a given colour temperature and associated with the light source is an adjusting device for adjusting the colour temperature of the light emanating from the light source, the colour temperature being selected to visually distinguish the tooth filling material with the naked eye. 
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  characterised in that it includes an adjusting device for adjusting or attenuating the intensity of the light of the light source. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  characterised in that the irradiation device is so designed that it permits local irradiation of the tooth and that the light source emits light with at least one wavelength component which is absorbed or scattered by the tooth filling material differently from the tooth material in such a way that the tooth filling residue differs from the tooth material in respect of its brightness. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3  characterised in that the irradiation device is in the form of a pen which includes the light source and which is so designed that it is to be held directly against the tooth. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3  characterised in that the irradiation device includes a light guide. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 3  characterised in that the irradiation device is integrated into an operating microscope for observing the tooth. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6  characterised in that the irradiation device is so designed that the illumination point is displaced relative to the focal point of the operating microscope. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 6  characterised in that the irradiation device is so designed that irradiation is effected in an annular configuration around the focal point of the operating microscope. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  characterised in that the wavelength distribution is so selected that the mixture of the wavelengths represents white light. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9  characterised in that the irradiation device is integrated into an operating microscope. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  characterised in that the irradiation device includes three monochromatic light sources, the light from each of which is of a different respective wavelength. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the irradiation device is so designed that it irradiates the tooth in line form. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the irradiation device is so designed that the light with which the irradiation operation is effected has an irradiation cross-section which in at least one direction has an intensity distribution with a constant portion. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the irradiating device is so designed that it illuminates the tooth in point form and the point has an intensity distribution having a constant portion in the radial direction. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  characterised in that the irradiation device is integrated into an operating illumination means. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  characterised in that the irradiation device is in the form of an independent unit. 
   
   
       17 . An operating microscope for observing a tooth comprising:
 an observation means for observing the tooth having a focal point;   an irradiation device including a light source for irradiating the tooth with light characterised in that the light source is so designed to emit light whose spectrum has irregularly distributed wavelengths and includes at least one wavelength component which is absorbed or scattered by tooth filling material differently from the tooth material in such a way that the tooth filling material is distinguished from the tooth material in respect of its brightness or in respect of its colour, wherein the distribution of the wavelengths in the spectrum is so selected that the spectrum has substantially a given colour temperature;   an adjusting device associated with the light source for adjusting the colour temperature of the light emanating from the light source, the colour temperature being selected to visually distinguish the tooth filling material with the naked eye; and   an optical focusing means for focusing the light emanating from the light source on the tooth.   
   
   
       18 . The operating microscope according to  claim 17  characterised in that the optical focusing means is so designed that the light from the light source is focused on to an illumination point and the illumination point is displaced relative to the focal point of the operating microscope. 
   
   
       19 . The operating microscope according to  claim 17  characterised in that the optical focusing means is so designed that irradiation is effected in an annular configuration around the focal point of the operating microscope. 
   
   
       20 . The operating microscope according to  claim 17  characterised in that the optical focusing means is so designed that irradiation is effected in a form of a line and further comprising a scanning device for scanning the tooth with the line.