Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring device and a method based on a confocal microscopy principle. The inventive device comprises a light source (1), a diaphragm unit (3) for limiting a beam, an imagine optical system (4) for focusing the light (5) which is irradiated by said source on a measurable object (6) and passes through said diaphragm unit. Said device also comprises an optical system (10) for receiving the light (5) reflected from the object and passing through said optical system or another diaphragm unit disposed in an observation beam (7) and an image receiver (10) which is provided with at least two radiation-sensitive sensor elements (13, 14) (pixel).

Abstract: The invention relates to a treatment element which is used to receive dental hand instruments. Said treatment element comprises a base part (1) which is provided with connections (2; 39) and which is used to accommodate the instruments, and a instrument storage place (5; 15). Said treatment element comprises an exchangeable upper part (4; 12).

Abstract: An arrangement for positioning an X-ray machine, with an input and an output device, for interactive control, with a memory region, in which digitised X-ray images and X-ray machine data are stored, an interface, by means of which information is exchanged with the X-ray machine, a pointing device for selecting regions in digitized X-ray images, a processing unit, which carries out calculations based on the digitized X-ray images, the associated X-ray machine data and the selected region, in order to determine control data such that the X-ray machine is controlled whereby, on taking an image, the selected region is screened.

Abstract: A positioning device for positioning a patient when being radiographed with a panorama X-ray machine 10 includes a retainer 18 disposed in a fixed direction relative to the X-ray apparatus 10 and a variable positioner connected thereto, for example a bite block 19 or a support, the retainer including a longitudinal guide 20 for guiding the positioner 19 such that the positioner 19 is guided in the retainer 18 for vertical adjustment in a longitudinal direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process, a blank, an assortment of blanks, a tooth database, and a database of blanks, for the production of a dental prosthetic item. The method comprises the provision of a 3D model of a dental prosthetic item and the selection of a suitable blank from a plurality of possible blanks. The provision of the 3D model of the dental prosthetic item comprises the determination of an esthetically relevant designed subregion of the 3D model of the dental prosthetic item as part of an exterior surface of said dental prosthetic item, and a blank is specified from a plurality of blanks having a prefabricated esthetically relevant terminal subsurface of a surface of the tooth, the terminal subsurface of said blank being such that it at least approximates the thus specified designed subregion. The 3D model of said dental prosthetic item is carved from the selected blank such that the prefabricated terminal subsurface of said blank remains unmachined in at least a central region thereof.

Abstract: An X-ray-sensitive camera comprising a first X-ray-sensitive image detector for the creation of a first tomographic image with a first depth of focus profile, a second X-ray-sensitive image detector for the creation of a second tomographic image with a second depth of focus profile, and an adjustment device for moving as desired the first image detector or the second image detector into proper alignment with an X-ray emitter for the creation of a respective X-ray image, the second depth of focus profile being smaller than the first depth of focus profile, the image-sensitive active surface of the second image detector being at least twice as large as an image-sensitive active surface of the first image detector in a first dimension, and/or the second image detector is not more than half as large as the first image detector in a second dimension, the first and second image detectors being disposed in a common casing with the camera, and the second image detector is disposed alongside the first image detector.

Abstract: The invention proposes a dental X-ray apparatus comprising a patient-positioning system arranged on a support and having a forehead rest. A horizontally pivotable bearing arm is arranged on the support, and the forehead rest is in turn arranged thereon.

Abstract: In a method of imaging an object, for dental purposes, comprises: a) projecting a striped pattern on to the object to be imaged, b) recording the projected striped pattern as a basic image (Ri) with a camera, steps a) and b) being carried out at a number of different positions of the phase relationship of the striped pattern, and c) computing an image of the object from the plurality of mutually out-of-phrase basic camera images. Provision is made for suppression of periodic disturbances in that, in step c), c1) at least two groups of basic images (R1, R2, . . . , Rn; R2, R3, . . . , Rn+1) are formed from the basic camera images (R1, . . . , Rm), c2) a phase related image (Pj) of the object to be imaged (20) is computed from each group of basic images (R1, R2, . . . , Rn; R2, R3, . . .

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a dental prosthesis element (7), according to which the dental prosthesis element (7) is manually reworked. Construction data (17, 17?, 17?) relating to the dental prosthesis element to be produced is recorded together with measurement data (7?) relating to the dental prosthesis element (7) to be produced and is reproduced on a display (4), the measurement data having been recorded by means of a three-dimensional measurement device (2). The invention also relates to one such method whereby a 3D data record of the tooth situation (14) is reproduced on the display (4) instead of the construction data. The invention further relates to a device for the partial manual treatment of the dental prosthesis element. Said device comprises a three-dimensional measurement device (2), a display (4), and a computer unit (3) comprising means for the correlation and comparison of two data records and for graphically presenting the data generated by the comparison.

Abstract: A bite device for the correct positioning of a patient when a panoramic x-ray is taken, comprising a holder part (42) which can be placed in a fixed direction in relation to the x-ray device, a plate (46) which can pivot against the holder and which is provided with a bite part (50) into which a patient bites, and means (58, 60) for detecting the pivoting angle A between the plate (46) and the holder part (42).

Abstract: The invention relates to a chromatic confocal technique method and arrangement for the rapid three-dimensional measurement, in particular, of object shape, more particularly of a tooth in the jaw of a human being with an array of polychromatic point light sources, a planar detector matrix, arranged before means for lateral spectral separation and an objective for object illuminating and recording. According to the invention, spectral defined reference light bundles are generated also using components of the arrays of point light sources for chromatic calibration, wherein said reference light bundles are injected into the detection beam path via a reference bean path for chromatic lateral separation and then focused on the detector matrix as reference image points.

Abstract: A method and a system for operating a dental operating chair connected to a computer, comprising operating elements and/or state indicators arranged on the dental operating chair, an interface via which the information is transmitted from the dental operating chair to the computer, in the form of function codes, by the operating elements and/or state indicators, and a memory region on the computer, in which at least one action associated with a function code is stored. To adapt the operating elements or the operating surface, software for managing the function codes is provided on the computer, by which the action associated with the function codes and stored in a configuration file is initiated. The allocation of the function codes of the operating elements and/or the state indicators of the dental operating chair to the PC actions can be configured by changing the configuration file.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for precisely-positioned production of a cavity, especially a bone cavity, at a preparation point by means of a hand instrument, comprising the following steps: calculation of position-dependent surface characteristics from a three-dimensional data set of the surface of the preparation point at a desired position of an implant which is to be inserted in said cavity, wherein the area in which the cavity is to be created is represented in the form of a three-dimensional data set of volume data; detection of at least one partial cut-out of the preparation point comprising an actual visible surface feature by means of a camera which is arranged on the hand instrument at a pre-defined distance to a processing tool and display as a video image; insertion of a calculated surface characteristic for the desired position of the hand instrument, wherein the inserted surface characteristic can be altered, especially made congruent with respect to its position in relation to the actual vi

Abstract: A scanning system for carrying out a 3D scan of a tooth model includes an imaging device and a positioning system in the form of a sliding panel which can be positioned and has first locking means. On the locking panel there are provided second locking means which interact with the first locking means such that the sliding panel can assume one of several specified positions relative to the locking panel and locks in the selected position. The sliding panel has means for mounting a dental model and stands on projections disposed on its underside. A 3D scan of a tooth model is provided by creating a first image of the object to be scanned at a precisely defined locked position, moving the sliding panel to at least one further precisely defined locked position and creating another image at each such position, and creating a 3D data set by evaluating the images produced at least two different, precisely defined positions.

Abstract: The invention relates to an X-ray sensitive camera (1, 55) comprising a first X-ray sensitive image receiver (4), for creating a first tomogram with a first depth of field profile, in addition to a second X-ray sensitive image receiver (5) for creating a second tomogram with a second depth of field profile. The invention also relates to an X-ray device comprising an image receiver (4, 5) that is contained in an X-ray sensitive camera (55), in addition to an X-ray emitter (52) with a primary diaphragm (57) and adjusting means (43, 44) for the image receiver and/or X-ray emitter and/or primary diaphragm and/or a combination thereof. The camera is equipped with a second image receiver (5), which can be brought into the beam path (54) of the X-ray emitter using the adjusting means (43, 44).

Abstract: A method and device for identifying objects, especially teeth, on a digitized X-ray picture, by using image processing algorithms to localize areas containing the object by segmenting and/or edge detection, these areas being computationally linked with parameters of the X-ray unit and, optionally, with patient-heightened specific parameters. Another method and device for assigning information to objects, especially teeth, determined in a digitized X-ray picture or in a schematic representation, includes a first step detecting the digitized X-ray image for the schematic representation, a second step in which a determination of objects manually or automatically ensues in the event these objects have not yet been determined, a third step selecting the object for which additional information should be stored, retrieved or deleted, and a fourth step in which a reference tht is stored is followed for a query operation to determine the information displayed by using such reference.