A dental diagnostic assembly for diagnosing dental health includes a handle that can be gripped by a dentist. A sensing probe is coupled to the handle and the sensing probe has a curved end which can be positioned against a tooth in a patient's mouth. A diagnostic unit is in remote communicates a diagnostic pulse to the sensing probe to transmit the diagnostic pulse into the tooth. The diagnostic unit analyzes the resistance to the diagnostic pulse to determine the health of the tooth. Moreover, the diagnostic unit includes a display for displaying numbers indicating the value of the magnitude of resistance to visually communicate the health of the tooth to the dentist.

A dental diagnostic assembly for diagnosing dental health includes a handle that can be gripped by a dentist. A sensing probe is coupled to the handle and the sensing probe has a curved end which can be positioned against a tooth in a patient's mouth. A diagnostic unit is in remote communicates a diagnostic pulse to the sensing probe to transmit the diagnostic pulse into the tooth. The diagnostic unit analyzes the resistance to the diagnostic pulse to determine the health of the tooth. Moreover, the diagnostic unit includes a display for displaying numbers indicating the value of the magnitude of resistance to visually communicate the health of the tooth to the dentist.

Inventions herein include at least mostly optically clear orthodontic braces and feet orthotics (collectively referred to as “appliances”) with backscatter based sensors. These two categories of appliances share a common property requiring that the given appliance must be correctly custom manufactured to fit a patient's own particular geometry and dimensions of their teeth and/or feet in order to perform as intended. Incorporating such appliances with backscatter based sensors enables simple, easy, fast, efficient, and cost effective measurements, in real-time or near real-time, of stresses, forces, structural changes, and/or the like in the given appliance; which in turn can aid in determining if adjustments or re-manufacture of the appliance may be needed or desired; and/or wherein such measurements may aid in evaluating performance of the given appliance. In some embodiments, such measurements may also be taken remotely away from a practitioner; and then communicated to a remotely located practitioner.

Inventions herein include at least mostly optically clear orthodontic braces and feet orthotics (collectively referred to as “appliances”) with backscatter based sensors. These two categories of appliances share a common property requiring that the given appliance must be correctly custom manufactured to fit a patient's own particular geometry and dimensions of their teeth and/or feet in order to perform as intended. Incorporating such appliances with backscatter based sensors enables simple, easy, fast, efficient, and cost effective measurements, in real-time or near real-time, of stresses, forces, structural changes, and/or the like in the given appliance; which in turn can aid in determining if adjustments or re-manufacture of the appliance may be needed or desired; and/or wherein such measurements may aid in evaluating performance of the given appliance. In some embodiments, such measurements may also be taken remotely away from a practitioner; and then communicated to a remotely located practitioner.

An oral care device comprises a head portion and a handle portion. The head portion comprises at least one supporting arm and a base. The supporting arm extends from the base. A sensor is exposed from the supporting arm. The handle portion is configured to move relative to the head portion. The handle portion comprises a processor, wherein the processor is configured to receive signals from the sensor and analyze the signals received from the sensor.

An oral care device comprises a head portion and a handle portion. The head portion comprises at least one supporting arm and a base. The supporting arm extends from the base. A sensor is exposed from the supporting arm. The handle portion is configured to move relative to the head portion. The handle portion comprises a processor, wherein the processor is configured to receive signals from the sensor and analyze the signals received from the sensor.

A dental tool electrically powered by a power source includes: a handpiece having at least one switch; and a probe attachable to the handpiece so as to define a probe tip, the dental tool being operable to maintain the probe at its probe tip at a specifiable temperature. At least one of the handpiece and the probe includes a thermoelectric device, the dental tool being operable to maintain the probe at said probe tip at a specifiable temperature in response to user actuation of the at least one switch. Optionally, a second handpiece having an electrically conductive enclosure houses a second switch held by the patient. A method of conducting a dental test on a tooth of the patient includes: generating a sensory stimulus at the probe tip when the probe tip is in contact with the tooth; and receiving an actuation by the patient of the second switch.

A method comprising: comparing each value of measured signals with a plurality of model tooth position measurement data groups, and storing the measured signal values and an indication value at the time when a fluctuation of the indication value which indicates a distance from a root apex position to a distal end of an electrode for position detection shows an apex in a convex shape, the indication value being indicated by a model tooth position measurement data group in a predetermined relationship; and comparing second-time measured signal values and an indication value with the stored first-time measured signal values and the stored indication value, respectively, if at least two of them correspond or fall within a predetermined error range, stopping the electrode and measuring a position of the distal end of the electrode.

A method comprising: comparing each value of measured signals with a plurality of model tooth position measurement data groups, and storing the measured signal values and an indication value at the time when a fluctuation of the indication value which indicates a distance from a root apex position to a distal end of an electrode for position detection shows an apex in a convex shape, the indication value being indicated by a model tooth position measurement data group in a predetermined relationship; and comparing second-time measured signal values and an indication value with the stored first-time measured signal values and the stored indication value, respectively, if at least two of them correspond or fall within a predetermined error range, stopping the electrode and measuring a position of the distal end of the electrode.

A modular cord-less pen-style dental instrument comprising: (a) an elongated body for gripping and holding the instrument, which has a connector portion at the distal end thereof; (b) a wand portion having a proximal end adapted to be releasably connected to the connector portion at the distal end of the elongated body; wherein the dental instrument further comprises a heat flow barrier between the elongated body and the wand portion.