Abstract: An intraoral tomosynthesis imaging apparatus having an intraoral detector coupled to a frame or radio-opaque marker attached to its radiation facing surface without any frame attached, wherein the frame defines a target aperture for an incident radiation beam. An enclosure seats against the target aperture and houses at least one x-ray source configured to emit a radiation beam from each of a plurality of focal points within the enclosure A collimator is disposed to form a collimated radiation beam and direct the collimated beam through the target aperture and to the detector. A geometric calibration phantom having a plurality of radio-opaque markers is disposed in the path of the collimated beam. This arrangement is modified to operate as a regular intraoral imaging device by accommodating a high-power central source at the same or different distances as other sources from the detector and displacing the phantom from the field of view.

Abstract: The present invention provides an intraoral X-ray system comprising: an X-ray source located in an environment; a robotic arm comprising an actuatable scissor arm, the robotic arm having a first end configured to be attached to a mounting and a second end attached to the X-ray source, at least one of the first and the second ends comprising a rotatable actuatable joint; a position sensor to determine variation of position and/or orientation of the environment with respect to the X-ray source and variation of position and/or orientation of a mobile X-ray sensor with respect to the X-ray source; and a driving unit actuating the robotic arm as a function of the determined variation of position and/or orientation to control the position and/or orientation of the X-ray source with respect to a predetermined position and/or orientation of the X-ray source.

Abstract: At least one embodiment of an ultrasonic periodontal probe, the ultrasonic periodontal probe comprising a grip portion having a longitudinal axis, a support member comprising a part having a longitudinal axis different from the longitudinal axis of the grip portion, and an ultrasonic device fastened to the grip portion via the support member, wherein the ultrasonic device is configured for emitting ultrasound signals within at least two emitting cones and for receiving corresponding echoed ultrasound signals, the at least two emitting cones extending in opposite directions with regard to a plane comprising the longitudinal axis of the grip portion.

Abstract: Method and/or apparatus embodiments for 3-D cephalometric analysis of a patient, acquires reconstructed volume image data from a computed tomographic scan of a patient's head including one or more dentition elements within the mouth of the patient, and computes one or more cephalometric parameters for the patient according to the reconstructed volume image data and the one or more dentition elements. One or more results generated from cephalometric analysis of the one or more computed cephalometric parameters can be stored, transmitted or displayed. The reconstructed volume image data is updated with 3D surface model from a subsequent optical scan of the patient's dentition and the one or more cephalometric parameters for the patient are re-computed based on the updated reconstructed volume image data.

Abstract: At least one embodiment of a method for scanning material using a dental ultrasonic imaging probe comprising an ultrasonic device configured for emitting ultrasound signals within at least two emitting cones and for receiving corresponding echoed ultrasound signals, the at least two emitting cones extending in different directions, the method comprising: receiving an item of information relating to a direction for emitting an ultrasound signal; selecting one of the received corresponding echoed ultrasound signals or the ultrasound signals to be emitted as a function of the received item of information.

Abstract: At least one embodiment of an ultrasonic periodontal probe, the ultrasonic periodontal probe comprising a grip portion having a longitudinal axis, a support member comprising a part having a longitudinal axis different from the longitudinal axis of the grip portion, and an ultrasonic device fastened to the grip portion via the support member, wherein the ultrasonic device is configured for emitting ultrasound signals within at least two emitting cones and for receiving corresponding echoed ultrasound signals, the at least two emitting cones extending in opposite directions with regard to a plane comprising the longitudinal axis of the grip portion.

Abstract: Certain exemplary ultrasound probe method and/or apparatus embodiments are described, which can be used for 2D and/or 3D imaging soft tissue in an intra oral cavity.

Abstract: A method for generating optimal arch forms for a patient's dental arch is presented. The method comprises: receiving first positional digital data for one or more teeth from a reconstructed 3D digital volume of the patient dental arch; (b) generating second positional digital data for the one or more teeth according to a desired dental arch form for the patient; (c) calculating a first displacement data for one or more teeth according to the first positional and second positional digital data; (d) detecting teeth collision values based on the first displacement data; (e) calculating a second displacement data for one or more teeth based on the detected teeth collision values; and (f) reporting a combination of the first displacement data and second displacement data for repositioning one tooth or more teeth of the dental arch.

Abstract: An apparatus for acquiring intraoral images of a subject has an OCT imaging apparatus having an OCT light source, a scanner that conveys OCT light toward the subject and returned from the subject, and an interferometer having a reference arm and a sample arm. A reflectance imaging apparatus has a visible light source directed toward the subject and an image sensor that forms a reflectance image from returned light. Processing and control logic are configured to process and combine the returned reflectance image to the OCT measured data. A display shows the combined reflectance image and OCT measured data.

Abstract: Extra-oral dental method and/or apparatus embodiments according to this application can generate cephalometric imaged by digital tomosynthesis. An extra-oral dental imaging system embodiment for creating a cephalometric image of at least part of a human skull can include an X-ray source, an imaging device suitable for producing multiple frames during at least part of an exposure; a memory for registering and/or storing said multiple frames; and a manipulator for displacing the imaging device along an exposure profile between multiple frames during said at least part of the exposure of said object. The imaging device has an active area having a long dimension m and a short dimension n, wherein the aspect ratio m:n is strictly inferior to 1.5.

Abstract: An intraoral imaging apparatus for tomosynthesis imaging has an x-ray source having a primary collimator that defines boundaries of a radiation field. A transport apparatus translates the x ray source along a path for tomographic imaging. An intraoral x-ray detector defines an imaging area for the radiation field. A positioning apparatus correlates the position of the intraoral detector to the position of a secondary collimator. One or more radio-opaque markers provided on a detector attachment is coupled to the detector, the one or more markers configured to condition acquired x-ray images to relate the spatial position of the intraoral x-ray detector to the x-ray source position, wherein the one or more markers are disposed within the defined imaging area. A control logic processor accepts image data from the detector and determines the relative location of the source with respect to the detector according to detected marker position.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods for calibrating a spectral X-ray system to perform material decomposition with a single scan of an energy discriminating detector or with a single scan at each used X-ray spectrum. The methods may include material pathlengths exceeding the size of the volume reconstructable by the system. Example embodiments include physical and matching calibration phantoms. The physical calibration phantom is used to measure the attenuation of X-rays passing therethrough with all combinations of pathlengths through the calibration's basis materials. The matching digital calibration phantom is registered with the physical calibration phantom and is used to calculate the pathlength though each material for each measured attenuation value. A created data structure includes the X-ray attenuation for each X-ray spectrum or detector energy bin for all combinations of basis material pathlengths.

Abstract: A method and system for fabricating a dental appliance for orthodontic treatment. The method comprises the steps of obtaining three-dimensional dental data from a patient scan, locating initial tooth positions, generating optimal arch forms, and determining a digital model for fabricating an orthodontic aligner with additive device. The system comprises a scanning apparatus to acquire three-dimensional dental data, and a computer apparatus programmed with instructions for generating optimal arch forms, and determining a digital model for fabricating an orthodontic aligner with additive device.

Abstract: An apparatus for acquiring intraoral images of a subject has an OCT imaging apparatus having an OCT light source, a scanner that conveys OCT light toward the subject and returned from the subject, and an interferometer having a reference arm and a sample arm. A reflectance imaging apparatus has a visible light source directed toward the subject and an image sensor that forms a reflectance image from returned light. Processing and control logic are configured to process and combine the returned reflectance image to the OCT measured data. A display shows the combined reflectance image and OCT measured data.

Abstract: An extra-oral dental imaging apparatus for obtaining an image from a patient has a radiation source; a first digital imaging sensor that provides, for each of a plurality of image pixels, at least a first digital value according to a count of received photons that exceed at least a first energy threshold; a mount that supports the radiation source and the first digital imaging sensor on opposite sides of the patient's head; a computer in signal communication with the digital imaging sensor for acquiring a first two-dimensional image from the first digital imaging sensor; and a second digital imaging sensor that is alternately switched into place by the mount and that provides image data according to received radiation.

Abstract: An extra-oral dental imaging apparatus for obtaining an image from a patient has a radiation source and a digital imaging sensor that provides, for each of a number of image pixels, at least a first digital value according to a count of received photons that exceed at least a first energy threshold. A mount supports the radiation source and the digital imaging sensor on opposite sides of the patient's head. There can be a computer in signal communication with the digital imaging sensor for acquiring one or more two-dimensional images.

Abstract: The present invention provides an intraoral X-ray system comprising: an X-ray source located in an environment; a robotic arm comprising an actuatable scissor arm, the robotic arm having a first end configured to be attached to a mounting and a second end attached to the X-ray source, at least one of the first and the second ends comprising a rotatable actuatable joint; a position sensor to determine variation of position and/or orientation of the environment with respect to the X-ray source and variation of position and/or orientation of a mobile X-ray sensor with respect to the X-ray source; and a driving unit actuating the robotic arm as a function of the determined variation of position and/or orientation to control the position and/or orientation of the X-ray source with respect to a predetermined position and/or orientation of the X-ray source.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and apparatuses for reducing metal artifacts in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) reconstructions. The methods use multiple imaging modalities to identify and locate metal present in a region of dental patients mouth and to generate a reconstructed 3-D volume image of the region with reduced metal artifacts using data obtained by the multiple modalities. According to example embodiments, the methods include creating a metal map using data from a first imaging modality and an initial 3-D reconstruction from data obtained from a second imaging modality including CBCT imaging. The metal map is registered to the initial 3-D reconstruction with a reconstructed metal map and projection metal maps being subsequently produced and applied to projections from the CBCT imaging to generate interpolated projections.

Abstract: Method and/or apparatus embodiments for 3-D cephalometric analysis of a patient according to the application can display reconstructed volume image data from a computed tomographic scan of a patient's head including segmented dentition elements having an initial arrangement from one or more 2D/3D views; can compute and display a plurality of cephalometric parameters for the patient according to the reconstructed volume image data; then use the patient specific cephalometric parameters and population biometry data, to identify one or more maxillofacial/dental abnormalities; and compose patient specific treatment plans to correct selected dentition abnormalities using maxillofacial/dental structure, which can be composed in a final tooth arrangement in a final virtual CT volume. One or more aligners can be generated to incrementally move dentition from the initial arrangement to the final tooth arrangement.

Abstract: Method and apparatus embodiments can generate a volume fluorescence image of a tooth. Method and apparatus embodiments can project structured light patterns onto a tooth and generate a contour (volume) image of the tooth surface from acquired corresponding structured light projection images; then acquire one or more fluorescence images of the tooth generated under blue-UV illumination. A composite image that shows fluorescence image content mapped to the generated contour image can be transmitted, stored, modified and/or displayed.