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: 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: An intraoral x-ray system mountable to a dentist’s office wall including components movable to compensate for defects in the wall’s flatness or the wall not being sufficiently perpendicular to the floor. The system also includes monitoring and compensation capabilities to compensate for drift in the position of the system’s x-ray source or patient movement before and during x-ray imaging, thereby avoiding the need for the taking of additional x-ray images and exposing the patient unnecessarily to extra x-ray dose. Additionally, the system further includes a data/signal processing unit that allows the x-ray source to be precisely moved along a predetermined trajectory and allows the system to perform computed tomosynthesis examinations of a patient. In addition, the x-ray source is attachable/detachable from the system’s robotic arm, with the system compensating automatically for the change in weight at the robotic arm’s end due to removal of the x-ray source.

Abstract: A method for intraoral imaging generates one or more output imaging signals from an intraoral probe and acquires multimodal image content from intraoral surface locations according to tissue response from the one or more imaging signals and associates spatial coordinates to the acquired multimodal image content. A surface contour of the patient dentition is generated by stitching the acquired multimodal image content and preserving the association of spatial coordinates with the stitched multimodal image content. Tooth outlines for one or more teeth are generated from the generated surface contour and the generated outlines arranged as a dental chart representing a spatial ordering of the one or more teeth and of supporting gum tissue adjacent to the teeth. The dental chart is populated by analyzing the acquired multimodal image content and associating the analysis to positions on the dental chart according to the preserved association of spatial coordinates and is displayed.

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.

Abstract: At least one embodiment of a method for training automatic tooth charting systems, the method comprising: obtaining, through a communication network, a plurality of electronic dental charts generated by the plurality of tooth charting systems, the plurality of electronic dental charts being related to a plurality of patients; for each of the obtained electronic dental charts: extracting at least a portion of an image representing a tooth or a region of interest and obtaining at least a corresponding item of information characterizing the represented tooth or the represented region of interest; storing the extracted at least a portion of the image and the corresponding item of information in a training data set, training the automatic dental charting system with the training data set.

Abstract: A method for geometric calibration of a volume imaging apparatus disposes calibration phantom in a radiation path that includes a subject positioned between an x-ray source and a detector. The phantom has a number of radio-opaque markers formed of a marker material. In a repeated sequence, at each of a number of positional relationships of the x-ray source to the detector: 2D projection image data is acquired for the subject and the phantom, wherein the 2D projection image data distinguishes at least first and second x-ray energy distributions; source-to-detector geometry of the imaging apparatus is calculated, corresponding to the acquired 2D projection image data for the first and second x-ray energy distributions. The method reconstructs and displays a 3D volume image of the subject according to acquired anatomy image data from the subject and source-to-detector geometry within the 2D projection images.

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.

Abstract: Method for allowing patient review of virtual restoration element in video of dentition. At least one restoration element for at least one selected tooth of patient dentition is designed using 3D dentition models based on CAD/CAM techniques. Then, real-time video of the patient's dentition including the at least one selected tooth is displayed, where the video orientation is controlled by the patient. Then, the displayed real-time video of the dentition is modified in real-time including the at least one selected tooth to show the at least one restoration element registered to physical teeth in the real-time video of dentition to replace the at least one selected tooth in the modified displayed real-time video of the dentition.

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: A method for characterizing bone structure for a patient, method executed at least in part on a computer, acquires one or more 2D x-ray projection images of a volume, wherein image content is acquired at two or more spectral frequencies. The acquired x-ray image content is processed to calculate one or more metrics that characterize bone structure within the imaged volume. The one or more calculated metrics are displayed.

Abstract: At least one embodiment of a method for a method of detecting an abnormality along a portion of a dental arch using scanning material comprising an ultrasonic periodontal probe configured for emitting ultrasound signals within at least one emitting cone and for receiving corresponding echoed ultrasound signals, the method comprising moving the probe along a portion of the dental arch, while moving the probe along the portion of the dental arch: emitting an ultrasound signal within the emitting cone; measuring echoed ultrasound signals; detecting at least one anatomical structure to be investigated; measuring at least one predetermined feature of the at least one detected anatomical structure to obtain a value of the measurement of the at least one predetermined feature characterizing the detected anatomical structure; detecting an abnormality as a function of a threshold and the value of the measurement of the predetermined feature of the at least one detected anatomical structure.

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: 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: A storage phosphor panel can include an extruded inorganic storage phosphor layer including a thermoplastic polymer and an inorganic storage phosphor material, where the extruded inorganic storage phosphor panel has an image quality comparable to that of a traditional solvent coated inorganic storage phosphor screen. Further disclosed are certain exemplary method and/or apparatus embodiments that can provide inorganic storage phosphor panels including a selected blue dye that can be recycled while maintaining sufficient image quality characteristics.

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: The present disclosure describes a Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) imaging system and methods of operating the system to minimize the degradation of projection images by metal in a scanned object. The methods determine the location of metal in the scanned object by making an initial low dose scan and then, using information obtained from the low dose scan, perform a second scan that may be used to create a reconstruction with reduced artifacts. The methods also calculate X-ray source and detector scan trajectories which minimize reconstruction artifacts and optimize image quality, especially when a region-of-interest is near metal in the scanned object. Additionally, the methods of the present invention calculate X-ray source and detector scan trajectories that maximize the angular range of X-rays which pass through the region-of-interest that are not blocked by metal in the scanned object.

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: Extra-oral dental method and/or apparatus embodiments according to this application can generate cephalometric imaged by digital tomo synthesis. 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: A storage phosphor panel can include an extruded inorganic storage phosphor layer including a thermoplastic polymer and an inorganic storage phosphor material, where the extruded inorganic storage phosphor panel has an image quality comparable to that of a traditional solvent coated inorganic storage phosphor screen. Further disclosed are certain exemplary method and/or apparatus embodiments that can provide inorganic storage phosphor panels including a selected blue dye that can improve resolution. Certain exemplary storage phosphor panels include inorganic storage phosphor material with specific extrudable blue dye (copper phthalocyanine) for resolution greater than 16 line pairs per mm. Certain exemplary storage phosphor panel embodiments include any non-needle storage phosphor panel with resolution greater than or equal to 19 line pairs per mm.