Method for determining the position of an intraoral measuring device

Abstract

A method for determining the position of an intraoral measuring device which is to be moved relative to an organ of mastication of a patient and with which positions in the organ of mastication or areas of the organ of mastication are measured. To be able to carry out measurements without a fixed reference, independently of a reference that is independent of the patient, the position of the measuring device is measured by means of a position-determining sensor that is in a fixed relationship to the measuring device.

1 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method for determining the position of a measuring device for measuring a depth of gingival pockets and/or detecting dental caries or plaque, and/or the extent of inflammation of gingiva and/or tissues, wherein the measuring device measures intraorally, is movable relative to a patient's craniomandibular system, and is used to measure positions in the craniomandibular system or regions of the craniomandibular system, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a first inertial platform and at least one second inertial platform,   determining the position of the measuring device using the first inertial platform arranged in a stationary position relative to the measuring device, and at least one second inertial platform arranged in a stationary position relative to the maxilla of the craniomandibular system,   triggering a starting signal,   synchronously evaluating positional data of the first inertial platform and the at least one second inertial platform after the starting signal is triggered;   transmitting data from the first inertial platform and the second inertial platform to a computer, to determine the position of the measuring device, wherein at least the data of the first inertial platform are wirelessly transmitted; and   measuring the depth of the gingival pockets and/or detecting the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues.   
     
     
         37 . A method for determining the position of a measuring device for measuring a depth of gingival pockets and/or detecting dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of inflammation of gingiva and/or tissues, wherein the measuring device measures intraorally, is movable relative to a patient's craniomandibular system, and is used to measure positions in the craniomandibular system or regions of the craniomandibular system, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a single inertial platform,   determining the position of the measuring device using the inertial platform arranged in a stationary position relative to the measuring device,   wherein the position of the measuring device is determined using the inertial platform arranged relative to a starting point used as a starting signal, wherein said starting point is in a stationary relation to the craniomandibular system; and   measuring the depth of the gingival pockets and/or detecting the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or tissues.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the positional data of the first inertial platform are linked as first coordinates with the positional data of the at least one second inertial platform as second coordinates, and from the linked data are generated coordinates in a common coordinate system for the first inertial platform and the at least one second inertial platform, in which coordinates of positions or regions of the craniomandibular system are determined. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the positions or coordinates of the first inertial platform are determined using the at least one second inertial platform that is arranged on the head of the patient. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the at least one second inertial platform is attached to a frame, or in a bite block that is arranged between the mandible and maxilla. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36  or  37 , wherein, for determining position coordinates of regions of the mandible, the movement of the mandible along an arch extending from the maxilla is additionally taken into account. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein, for determining the position coordinates of regions of the mandible and/or maxilla, one additional or the first inertial platform is arranged in a position that is stationary relative to the mandible or maxilla. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein, for determining a position of the mandible or the coordinates of said position, a third inertial platform equipped with an inertial platform is arranged in a position that is stationary relative to the mandible. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 36  or  37 , wherein the measuring device is used to measure the pocket depth of a tooth and/or the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the pocket depth and/or the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues is determined using ultrasound, drag indicator, opto-electronic, inductive, capacitive, or resistance measurements. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 36  or  37 , wherein the measuring device comprises a pin-shaped element that is used to measure the gingival pockets and/or the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the depth of the gingival pocket and/or the position and extent of dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues are measured electrically and/or opto-electronically using the pin-shaped element, by varying the position of the measuring device. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the measuring device is used to measure the pocket depth and/or the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues in dependence on the position of the first inertial platform relative to the at least one second inertial platform. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein an optical light guide is inserted into the pocket and the depth of the pocket and/or the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues is determined in dependence on light fed via the optical light guide to a receiver. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein changes in intensity and/or spectral distribution of the light directed to the receiver via the optical light guide are analyzed to determine the pocket depth and/or the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein, in measuring the pocket depth and/or the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues, one optical light guide is used for illumination and for returning the backscattered light. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49 , comprising analyzing ambient light received by the optical light guide to measure the pocket depth. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the optical guide is surrounded by a light-conducting cladding and light coupled-in via a front face of the optical guide is analyzed to measure the pocket depth and/or the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein at least two optical light guides are inserted into the pocket, whereby light is supplied via one guide and light received via the other guide is evaluated. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein a fiber or fiber bundle is used as an optical light guide, whereby the optical guide has a diameter D, with 50 μm≦D≦1000 μm. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein, when using two optical light guides, these are positioned with a clearance D between them, with 0.5 D≦d≦3 D, where D represents the diameter of the optical light guide. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the optical light guide is positioned in a coaxial arrangement inside of a transparent small tube, without coming into contact with the small tube. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the optical guide is a light-conducting fiber that at its free end has been freed of cladding and coating and has been roughened, that the optical guide is charged with light of a selected wavelength region, in the region of 350 nm≦λ≦10,000 nm, 400 nm≦λ≦2000 nm, and that the light reflected back into the optical guide via the roughened end is analyzed to determine the pocket depth and/or detecting the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the change in intensity and/or spectral distribution of the received light is analyzed to determine the pocket depth and/or the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein two optical guides that are roughened in some regions are inserted into the pocket, light is directed into the pocket via one guide and light reflected in the pocket is directed to a receiver via the other guide. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein roughened regions of the optical guides are screened relative to each other. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein light fed to the receiver via the optical light guide is evaluated with regard to the absorption characteristics of the pocket and/or the dental caries or plaque and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein one determines the ratio of absorption of radiation in the wavelength region λ 1 , λ 2 , with λ 1 ≦350 nm and λ 2 >1500 nm, relative to the absorption of radiation in the wavelength region Δλ, with 400 nmΔλ≦1000 nm. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the change in resistance of a conducting measuring sensor as the measuring device introduced into the pocket, is measured in dependence on its penetration depth into the pocket. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein a measuring sensor as the measuring device, which consists of an electrically insulating material and comprises spaced-apart electrode sections that are arranged in planes of equal cross-section of the measuring sensor, is inserted into the pocket, and a change in impedance between the electrode sections is measured to determine the pocket depth. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein a measuring sensor of an electrically insulating material with spaced-apart band-like electrode sections extending along the sensor's longitudinal direction, as the measuring device, is inserted into the pocket, and a change in impedance between the electrode sections is measured to determine the pocket depth. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the measuring sensor is coated with a hydrophobic coating. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein an optical guide is inserted into the pocket and spectral distribution of the received radiation is evaluated by the measuring device to determine the location and/or extent of dental caries and/or the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the movement of the mandible relative to the maxilla is measured, whereby one inertial platform is attached to the head of the patient and one further inertial platform is attached to the mandible. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 providing a computer;   transmitting positional data of the first inertial platform and the at least one second inertial platform to the computer; and   using the computer to analyze the transmitted positional data, to determine the position of the measuring device and the first inertial platform relative to the position of the at least one second inertial platform.   
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 36  or  37 , wherein the extent of the inflammation of the gingiva and/or the tissues is detected by measuring optical characteristics thereof.