Dental sensor holder and method of holding a dental sensor

Abstract

A dental sensor holder including a loop of material and an adjustable bond. The adjustable bond portion is located on the inside of the loop which may selectively be engaged to join adjacent portions of the loop into a functional bitewing.

Claims

1. A method of supporting a dental sensor comprising: providing a dental sensor holder comprising: a loop of material; and an adjustable bond selectively engageable to join a first interior surface of the loop to a second interior surface of the loop; placing a dental sensor into the loop; and engaging the adjustable bond causing the loop to support the sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a dental sensor holder comprising a fold line transverse the loop opposite the first and second attachment surfaces.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a dental sensor holder comprising an adjustable bond comprising a hook and hook or hook and loop type fastener.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a dental sensor holder comprising an adjustable bond comprising: a first attachment surface operatively associated with the loop at the first interior surface of the loop; and a second attachment surface operatively associated with the loop at the second interior surface of the loop adjacent to the first attachment surface.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjustable bond defines a biting surface when the adjustable bond is engaged.

6. The method of supporting a dental sensor of claim 1 wherein the loop of material is selected to have a size correspond to an industry standard size of a digital sensor or phosphor x-ray plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a disclosed dental sensor holder prior to the formation of the dental sensor holder into a loop.

(2) FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the dental sensor holder of FIG. 1, after the holder has been formed into a loop and trimmed.

(3) FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of a dental sensor holder after the holder has been formed into a loop but before the dental sensor holder is trimmed.

(4) FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a dental sensor holder after the holder has been formed into a loop and trimmed.

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a dental sensor holder with an adjustable bond unattached.

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a dental sensor holder in use with the adjustable bond attached.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) One embodiment is a dental sensor holder 10 as shown in FIGS. 1-6. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the dental sensor holder 10 before the dental sensor holder 10 is formed into a loop and before a permanent bond is made or trimming occurs as described below. The dental sensor holder 10 includes a strip 12 of a pliable longitudinally elastic material. The strip 12 may be fabricated from any material which is pliable and longitudinally elastic. The most suitable materials will however be substantially water resistant, soft and inherently clean since the dental sensor holder 10 will be placed within a dental patient's mouth. 30 mm thick polyethylene foam has been determined to be a well suited material for the strip element. Other functionally similar foams, plastics, or similar materials would be suitable for the fabrication of the strip element as well.

(8) As also shown in FIG. 1, the strip 12 has a length L and a width W and two ends 14 and 16 respectively. The two ends 14 and 16 will be joined in a permanent bond 18 as shown in FIGS. 2-4 as a manufacturing step prior to delivery of the dental sensor holder 10 to a dentist for use. Connection of the two ends 16 and 14 with a permanent bond causes the strip 12 to form a loop 20. The permanent bond may be made with an adhesive, a heat generated weld or any other bonding process that is suitable for bonding the strip material.

(9) Referring back to FIG. 1, the dental sensor holder 10 also includes an adjustable bond 22 which provides for the selective and adjustable joining or connection of selected portions of the strip extending on each side of the strip 12 from the region of the permanent bond 18 toward opposite, open, portions of the loop. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 the adjustable bond includes a first attachment surface 24 and a second attachment surface 26 which may selectively be attached or bonded together and then separated.

(10) The first and second attachment surfaces 22, 24 may be fabricated of any suitable material; however, hook and loop fasteners or hook and hook or similar fasteners may be utilized to implement the adjustable bond. Any material which is well suited for the first or second attachment surface will be easily joined together and easily separated while maintaining a stable connection or bond prior to separation. Ideally the adjustable bond will be of similar thickness when compared to known bitewing tabs, comfortable in the mouth and resistant to shear stress. The ULTRA-MATE PS731 Product of the Velcro companies is particularly well suited for the implementation of the first and second attachment surfaces. ULTRA-MATE PS731 and similar fasteners which may be developed in the future includes scale-like extrusions which interlock and grip one another and have substantially greater shear strength than conventional hook and loop fasteners.

(11) It may be advantageous to form the permanent bond 18 with multiple thickness of the strip material bonded together. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 and the side view of FIGS. 3-4 each end of the strip, 14 and 16 may be folded over along a perforated fold line 27 and bonded together at each adjacent surface to fabricate a permanent bond having a total of four thicknesses of strip material. In use, multiple thicknesses of the strip material at the location of the permanent bond provides for a consistent overall bitewing tab thickness along with the adjacent adjustable bond structure when the adjustable bond is engaged.

(12) It may also be noted that the permanent bond greatly facilitates the accurate but quick and easy alignment of the first and second attachment surfaces 24 and 26 respectively. It is important that the attachment surfaces 24, 26 be accurately aligned such that all portions of the attachment surface are covered by the relatively soft strip material in use. Thus, accurate alignment helps avoid irritation of a patient's mouth tissue by the first and second attachment surfaces or other adjustable bond structure in use.

(13) The dental sensor holder 10 may include an optional perforated fold line 28 at the midpoint of the strip as shown in FIG. 1. This fold line assists in the fabrication of a loop from the strip and further defines the center point of the sensor receiving portion of the loop.

(14) The looped over strip portions of the dental sensor holder dental at the top of the permanent bond as shown in FIG. 3 may be trimmed along a trim line 30 as shown in FIG. 4. Typically, any trimming step will be part of the manufacturing process, performed after the permanent bond is created but before the dental sensor holder is delivered to a dentist for use. In addition, the top edges of the permanent bond region may be rounded as shown in FIG. 2 and FIGS. 5-6 to enhance patient comfort through the elimination of potentially irritating corners.

(15) The dental sensor holder 10 is provided to a dentist or dental technician in the substantially flattened and pre-looped configuration of FIGS. 2 and 4. In use, as shown in the FIGS. 5-6, the sensor holder is first opened into a loop away from the adjustable bond. Typically the sensor will have previously been placed into a sterile sleeve. The sensor and sleeve may then be inserted into the loop over the perforated fold line 28 if the dental sensor holder includes a perforated fold line. The adjustable bond 22 may be centered on the sensor body as shown in FIG. 6. The operator may than firmly pinch across the adjustable bond joining the portions of the adjustable bond into a bitewing and simultaneously securing the sensor.

(16) As described above, the dental sensor holder is fabricated in part from a longitudinally elastic material. Thus, when the bitewing tab is formed as shown on FIG. 6, the loop may be made to stretch slightly around the sensor thus gently but securely holding the sensor.

(17) The dental sensor holder and sensor included therein may then be placed into a patient's mouth in the conventional manner, the patient may be asked to bite down on the bitewing tab portion of the holder and a dental image may be obtained. As described above, the relatively soft strip material which covers all portions of the adjustable bond, in conjunction with the doubled strip thickness at the permanent bond provides an extremely smooth and comfortable biting surface for the patient which will not irritate adjacent cheek or tongue tissue.

(18) After an image is obtained, the technician may safely remove the sensor by separating the adjustable bond at the base of the bitewing. In this manner the sensor may be removed without pulling on the data cable or otherwise applying undesirable stress to the delectate sensor apparatus.

(19) As described above, a particular size of dental sensor holder 10 may accommodate various sensors having slightly different circumferences through the elasticity of the strip material and the ability to selectively engage some or the entire adjustable bond. The dental sensor holder may be provided in various sizes however, which correspond to categories of sizes of standardized digital sensor or phosphor x-ray plates.

(20) Various embodiments of the disclosure could also include permutations of the various elements recited in the claims as if each dependent claim was a multiple dependent claim incorporating the limitations of each of the preceding dependent claims as well as the independent claims. Such permutations are expressly within the scope of this disclosure.

(21) While the embodiments have been particularly shown and described with reference to a number of embodiments, it would be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in the form and details may be made to the various embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and that the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to act as limitations on the scope of the claims. All references cited herein are incorporated in their entirety by reference.