Periodontal probe system

Details Periodontal probe system Periodontal probe system

A - Human Necessities

61

B

33/114

A61B 1/24 (2006.01) A61C 19/04 (2006.01)

Patent

CA 1297287

PERIODONTAL PROBE SYSTEM ABSTRACT A periodontal probe system for measurement, storage, and display of periodontal pocket depth, gingival level and periodontal attachment level of the teeth. In the system, a periodontal probe instrument includes an elongate tip with a measurement arrangement that simultaneously measures periodontal pocket depth, gingival level, and periodontal attachment level at each of a plurality of probe sites around a tooth. The measurement arrangement provides depth signals indicative of the pocket depth and attachment level measured. Gingival level is computed as the arithmetic difference between the attachment level and the pocket depth. A pressure sensor in the probe provides a pressure signal indicative of the pressure acting on the tip of the probe. A signal processing apparatus is connected to receive the pressure signal and the depth signals. A periodontal measurement is made by inserting the tip of the probe into a gum pocket and gradually increasing the pressure on the probe tip after insertion. At a predetermined pressure level, the signal processing apparatus samples the depth signals and converts them into measurement signals corresponding to pocket depth and attachment level. The signal processor accumulates measurement signals in an examination file format. A display apparatus responds to converted depth signals by displaying pocket depth, gingival level, and attachment level for the tooth being measured in a dental chart format. In the primary embodiment, the measurement arrangement [ORILPA.H17] includes an array of opto-electronic elements disposed on the probe tip and an optical shield slidably disposed on the probe tip over the array of opto-electrical elements. When the probe tip is inserted into a gum pocket, the optical shield engages the crown of the tooth, serving as a reference point while the tip is moved into the pocket. The ambient lighting of the high-intensity dental examination lamp illuminates the probe tip, thereby energizing the array. When the predetermined pressure level is reached, the signals developed by the array are provided in sequence to the signal processor. The signal sequence includes dark-light transitions where elements were shielded from illumination by the movable optical shield and by the gum pocket. Since the length of the probe tip and a reproducible reference point are known, the dark-light transitions are directly convertible into periodontal pocket depth and attachment level measurements. [ORILPA.H17]

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