Patents by Inventor Lin-P'ing Choo-Smith

Lin-P'ing Choo-Smith has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Detection and monitoring of changes in mineralized tissues or calcified deposits by optical coherence tomography and Raman spectroscopy
    Patent number: 7796243
    Abstract: Early dental caries detection is carried out by a method that combines optical coherence tomography (OCT) and Raman spectroscopy to provide morphological information and biochemical specificity for detecting and characterizing incipient carious lesions found in extracted human teeth. OCT imaging of tooth samples demonstrated increased light back-scattering intensity at sites of carious lesions as compared to the sound enamel. Raman microspectroscopy and fibre-optic based Raman spectroscopy are used to characterize the caries further by detecting demineralization-induced alterations of enamel crystallite morphology and/or orientation. OCT imaging is useful for screening carious sites and determining lesion depth, with Raman spectroscopy providing biochemical confirmation of caries. The combination is incorporated into a common probe operable without movement to scan the tooth surface and to provide an output for the dentist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignees: National Research Council of Canada, Dalhousie University, University of Manitoba
    Inventors: Lin-P'ing Choo-Smith, Alex C. T. Ko, Mark Hewko, Lorenzo Leonardi, Blaine Cleghorn, Cecilia Dong
  • Detection and monitoring of changes in mineralized tissues or calcified deposits by optical coherence tomography and Raman spectroscopy
    Publication number: 20050283058
    Abstract: Early dental caries detection is carried out by a method that combines optical coherence tomography (OCT) and Raman spectroscopy to provide morphological information and biochemical specificity for detecting and characterizing incipient carious lesions found in extracted human teeth. OCT imaging of tooth samples demonstrated increased light back-scattering intensity at sites of carious lesions as compared to the sound enamel. Raman microspectroscopy and fibre-optic based Raman spectroscopy are used to characterize the caries further by detecting demineralization-induced alterations of enamel crystallite morphology and/or orientation. OCT imaging is useful for screening carious sites and determining lesion depth, with Raman spectroscopy providing biochemical confirmation of caries. The combination is incorporated into a common probe operable without movement to scan the tooth surface and to provide an output for the dentist.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventors: Lin-P'ing Choo-Smith, Alex Ko, Mark Hewko, Lorenzo Leonardi, Blaine Cleghorn, Cecilia Dong