Scanning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11083551-B2
Application number	US-202017106635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2020
Priority date	May 7, 2019
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A system comprising a scanning device is operable by a user to scan teeth of the user to acquire images of the teeth. The scanning device comprises a camera operable to acquire the images, a guide configured to orient the camera with respect to the teeth to facilitate acquisition of the images, and a server system configured to receive the images acquired by the scanning device and to develop a treatment plan for the user based on the received images.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
an imaging system operable by a user to image teeth of the user to acquire images of the teeth of the user, the imaging system configured to allow the user to visually monitor the teeth of the user while acquiring the images of the teeth of the user, the imaging system comprising:
a camera configured to acquire the images;
an orientation element configured to orient the camera with respect to the teeth of the user to facilitate acquisition of the images; and

a server system configured to:
receive the images acquired by the imaging system; and
determine an oral condition of the user based on the received images.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the orientation element is configured to interface with the teeth of the user to orient the camera with respect to the teeth of the user.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system further comprises a communications circuit configured to communicate the images to the server system via a mobile device associated with the user, wherein the mobile device is separate from the imaging system.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the server system is in wireless communication with the mobile device, the server system configured to receive the images from the mobile device and generate a high-resolution reconstruction of the images.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the oral condition comprises at least one of a dental condition of the user or an orthodontic condition of the user.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system comprises a plurality of cameras configured to acquire the images.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein a mobile device associated with the user is configured to display a user interface including an indication referring the user to a dentist or an orthodontist based on the oral condition of the user.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the imaging system is configured to be positioned in a mouth of the user.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the camera is configured to acquire the images while the at least part of the imaging system is positioned in the mouth of the user.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein a mobile application installed on a mobile device associated with the user is configured to allow the user to visually monitor the teeth of the user while acquiring the images of the teeth of the user.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the mobile application is configured to determine that the images are suitable to diagnose the oral condition and to display an indication to the user indicating that the images are suitable to diagnose the oral condition.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the mobile application is configured to determine that the images are not suitable to diagnose the oral condition and to display an indication to the user indicating that the images are not suitable to diagnose the oral condition.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the images displayed to the user indicate a progress of the imaging.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the mobile application is configured to display the progress of the imaging to the user by displaying a generic tooth model that is replaced with a model of the teeth of the user as the imaging of the teeth of the user progresses.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the mobile application is configured to display the progress of the imaging to the user by displaying a generic tooth model where portions of the generic tooth model change color as the imaging of the teeth of the user progresses.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server system is configured to provide the oral condition to a mobile device associated with the user.

17. An imaging device comprising:
a body configured to be held by a user to acquire images of teeth of the user;
a camera configured to acquire the images;
an orientation element configured to orient the camera with respect to the teeth of the user to facilitate acquisition of the images; and
a communications circuit configured to communicate the images to a server system, the server system configured determine an oral condition of the user based on the images;
wherein the imaging device is configured to allow the user to visually monitor the teeth of the user while acquiring the images of the teeth of the user.

18. The imaging device of claim 17 , wherein the oral condition comprises at least one of a dental condition of the user or an orthodontic condition of the user.

19. The imaging device of claim 17 , wherein the orientation element is configured to interface with the teeth of the user to orient the camera with respect to the teeth of the user.

20. The imaging device of claim 17 , wherein at least part of the imaging device is configured to be positioned in a mouth of the user.

21. The imaging device of claim 20 , wherein the camera is configured to acquire the images while the at least part of the imaging device is positioned in the mouth of the user.

22. A method comprising:
providing an imaging device to a user that is operable by the user to acquire images of teeth of the user, the imaging device configured to allow the user to visually monitor the teeth of the user while acquiring the images of the teeth of the user, the imaging device comprising:
a camera configured to acquire the images of the teeth of the user;
an orientation element configured to orient the camera with respect to the teeth of the user to facilitate acquisition of the images;

communicating the images from the imaging device to a mobile device of the user;
communicating the images from the mobile device of the user to a server system;
determining an oral condition of the user based on the images communicated to the server system.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
determining whether the images of the teeth of the user are suitable for determining the oral condition; and
providing feedback to the user regarding whether the images of the teeth of the user are suitable for determining the oral condition.

24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
displaying, by the mobile device, a generic image of a tooth model; and
changing, by the mobile device, the generic image of the tooth model to a model of the teeth of the user in real time to reflect a progress of the imaging.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein an appearance of the model of the teeth of the user is changed based on whether the images of the teeth of the user are suitable for determining the oral condition.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein changing the appearance of the model of the teeth of the user comprises providing an indication of whether the images of the teeth of the user are suitable for determining the oral condition.

27. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
determining, by the imaging device or the mobile device, a confidence level associated with the images, the confidence level indicating a likelihood that the images are suitable for determining the oral condition; and
displaying, by the mobile device, the confidence level to the user as the images are acquired.

28. The method of claim 22 , wherein the oral condition comprises at least one of a dental condition of the user or an orthodontic condition of the user.

29. The method of claim 22 , further comprising communicating the determined oral condition

Assignees

• Sdc Us Smilepay Spv

Inventors

• Yancey Christopher
• Katzman Jordan

Classifications

• A61B5/7221

  Determining signal validity, reliability or quality (preventing, reducing or removing noise induced by motion artefacts A61B5/7207; noise originating from a therapeutic or surgical apparatus A61B5/7217) · CPC title

• A61B5/702

  Posture restraints · CPC title

• A61B5/682

  Mouth, e.g., oral cavity; tongue; Lips; Teeth · CPC title

• A61B5/4547

  Evaluating teeth · CPC title

• A61B5/0088

  for oral or dental tissue · CPC title