Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/0059—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence
  • A61B5/0082—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence adapted for particular medical purposes
  • A61B5/0088—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence adapted for particular medical purposes for oral or dental tissue
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46B—BRUSHES
  • A46B15/00—Other brushes; Brushes with additional arrangements
  • A46B15/0002—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
  • A46B15/0004—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process with a controlling means
  • A46B15/0006—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process with a controlling means with a controlling brush technique device, e.g. stroke movement measuring device
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46B—BRUSHES
  • A46B15/00—Other brushes; Brushes with additional arrangements
  • A46B15/0002—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
  • A46B15/0038—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process with signalling means
  • A46B15/0044—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process with signalling means with light signalling means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46B—BRUSHES
  • A46B9/00—Arrangements of the bristles in the brush body
  • A46B9/02—Position or arrangement of bristles in relation to surface of the brush body, e.g. inclined, in rows, in groups
  • A46B9/04—Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
  • A61B1/06—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements
  • A61B1/07—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/0059—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence
  • A61B5/0071—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence by measuring fluorescence emission
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/48—Other medical applications
  • A61B5/486—Biofeedback
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
  • A61C17/00—Devices for cleaning, polishing, rinsing or drying teeth, teeth cavities or prostheses; Saliva removers; Dental appliances for receiving spittle
  • A61C17/16—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
  • A61C17/22—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like
  • A61C17/221—Control arrangements therefor

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to dental cleaning implements, such as toothbrushes. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an electronic toothbrush for detecting plaque based on time-resolved fluorescence.
• Toothbrushes are designed to clean teeth by removing bio-films and food debris from teeth surfaces and interproximal regions in order to improve oral health.
• a wide variety of electronic toothbrush designs have been created to provide improved brushing performance by increasing the speed of the brush head and using sonic vibration, and in some cases ultrasonic vibration.
• Modern toothbrushes are very efficient at removing plaque. The consumer need only brush in the problem area for a few seconds to lift off plaque that is being brushed. However, without feedback the consumer may move on to another tooth before plaque has been completely removed. Thus, an indication of plaque levels on the teeth is highly desirable.
• the plaque, calculus, and/or caries detection system includes a dental implement and an optical multimode waveguide or light guide for receiving fluorescence light from a plurality of angles, the fluorescence light traveling along a core of the multi-mode optical waveguide at different path lengths resulting in modal dispersion.
• the plaque detection system also includes a detector configured to receive the fluorescence light for detecting plaque and communicating plaque identification information of teeth based on frequency domain lifetime measurements.
• the optical waveguide has a length of at least 20 cm, whereby the modal dispersion is used to detect at least one plaque fiuorescence area on the teeth.
• the optical waveguide is a multi-mode optical fiber or a graded index optical fiber.
• the modal dispersion is tuned by varying a length of the optical waveguide.
• the plaque fluorescence area detected with modal dispersion includes different levels of plaque with respect to a center point of the plaque fluorescence area.
• the modal dispersion is most different between the center point of the fluorescence area compared to a periphery of the fluorescence area.
• a plaque detection signal depends on a radial distance from the center point of the plaque fluorescence area.
• the modal dispersion is a constant of modulation frequency.
• the phase shift and demodulation of a time resolved fluorescent response from the plaque fluorescence area varies based on the modal dispersion and the modulation frequency.
• the optical fiber has a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.48 and a length of 2 meters when a modulation frequency is 40 MHz.
• NA numerical aperture
• a feedback mechanism for collecting real-time feedback to a user manipulating the dental implement based on the modal dispersion detected and/or a summary to a user at the end of a brush cycle with a visual indication.
• a method of detecting plaque, calculus, and/or caries on teeth via a dental implement includes the steps of providing a multi-mode optical waveguide for receiving fluorescence light from a plurality of angles, the fluorescence light traveling along a core of the multi- mode optical waveguide at different path lengths resulting in modal dispersion and providing a detector configured to receive the fluorescence light for detecting plaque and
• the modal dispersion is used to detect the radial distance to at least one plaque fluorescence area on the teeth.
• Fig. 1 illustrates a plaque detection system having an optical fiber or waveguide that receives light that takes different times to propagate based on an entrance angle, according to the present disclosure
• Fig. 2 illustrates examples of plaque sensitivity patterns, according to the present disclosure
• Fig. 3a illustrates a toothbrush, according to the present disclosure
• Fig. 3b illustrates a controller environment for the toothbrush of Fig. 3a, according to the present disclosure
• Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of detecting the distance to plaque locations based on modal dispersion of a fluorescence lifetime measurement signal, according to the present disclosure.
• Fig. 5 illustrates examples of detected plaque blobs, according to the present disclosure.
• the present disclosure describes various embodiments of systems, devices, and methods for helping users clean their teeth, in particular, by informing users whether they are indeed removing plaque from their teeth and if they have fully removed the plaque, providing both reassurance and coaching the users into good habits.
• the information is provided in real-time during brushing/cleaning, otherwise consumer acceptance is likely to be low.
• a dental implement e.g., a toothbrush or air floss
• it is useful for a dental implement e.g., a toothbrush or air floss
• a dental implement e.g., a toothbrush or air floss
• a user is able to detect plaque with an electronic dental cleaning implement, i.e., in a vibrating brushing/cleaning system surrounded with toothpaste foam.
• the plaque detection system is configured to provide a clear contrast between a surface with the removable plaque layers and a cleaner
• a way to detect plaque during the brushing/cleaning routine is provided.
• the plaque is detected in real-time or substantially close to real-time.
• the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure implement plaque detection based on time-resolved fluorescence.
• an operation mode for enabling the plaque detection system to detect the radial distance from a center of a detection spot of a plaque residue, while using only one photo-detection system and its associated components.
• this disclosure provides further improvements for a way to detect plaque in real-time during the brushing routine by implementing plaque detection based on time- resolved fluorescence, in particular frequency domain lifetime measurements.
• Fig. 1 illustrates a plaque detection system 100 having an optical waveguide 110 that receives light 112, 114 that takes different times to propagate based on an entrance angle, according to the present disclosure.
• the optical waveguide 110 may be a multi-mode optical fiber or a graded index optical fiber.
• the present disclosure makes use of an effect seen in multi-mode optical fibers or light guides or waveguides, which leads to mode dispersion.
• This effect is shown in Fig 1.
• light 112, 114 may be coupled into the fiber 110 from a range of angles. Designing the fiber 110 to accept light 112, 114 from a wide range of angles typically improves the optical coupling efficiency.
• light entering at a high angle has a longer path 114 length as it travels down the fiber 110, as the coupling angle remains preserved at each reflection event. Over a length of fiber, this different path length 114 can lead to pulse spreading, also referred to as modal dispersion.
• the optical waveguide (110) has a length of at least 20 cm, which is a distinctly greater length than in the event that optical waveguides are employed in conventional dental implements, such as toothbrushes. In the latter instances, such waveguides are typically present only to bridge a distance between a probe (e.g., at the brush-head of a toothbrush) and a handle.
• a probe e.g., at the brush-head of a toothbrush
• WO 99/59462 An example of such a toothbrush is illustrated in WO 99/59462.
• the length of the optical waveguide preferably is well above the aforementioned minimum, e.g. at least 50 cm (0.5m).
• the upper limit of the length of the waveguide will be determined by considerations of design, viz. which lengths can still be accommodated in the dental implement, e.g. by coiling up a fiber-type optical waveguide.
• the skilled person will be able to determine, for a given dental implement, to balance the considerations of, on the one hand, providing an optical waveguide of relatively large length for exhibiting the modal dispersion, and on the other hand providing an optical waveguide that can be accommodated in a dental implement of a size desirable to the user.
• the optical waveguide has a length of 0.5m to 5m.
• the optical waveguide has a length of lm to 3m.
• the effect of modal dispersion also occurs for the fluorescent light collected from the tooth 120 and plaque 130 in the mouth, as it travels back to the photo-detector. This can be utilized to determine the location of the plaque 130.
• the following description assumes that the plaque 130 is located at a discrete spot, but the methods of the present disclosure also pertain to large areas of plaque, in which case the photo-detector responds to the weighted average of the plaque position.
• plaque 130 can be detected by its faster fluorescence decay compared to the enamel/dentine of the tooth 120.
• the modal dispersion results in the plaque 130 located at the edge or periphery of the detector spot or area 222 giving a delayed signal, and so appearing more like
• Fig. 2 illustrates examples of plaque sensitivity patterns 200, according to the present disclosure.
• plaque pattern 210 indicates a plaque sensitivity pattern without modal dispersion
• plaque pattern 212 indicates plaque sensitivity pattern with modal dispersion
• the plaque area 222 includes a central plaque spot 220.
• Pattern 210 shows the sensitivity pattern that would be normally seen (fairly uniform)
• pattern 212 is shown an example of a sensitivity pattern that can be achieved by using modal dispersion effects, as described herein.
• a darker color (center region) indicates more sensitivity to plaque, while a lighter color (peripheral region) indicates less sensitivity to plaque.
• the plaque radial distance can be independently measured, as the modal dispersion is a constant of the modulation frequency.
• the phase shift and demodulation of the fluorescent response varies in a different way, due to the typically complex multi-exponential fluorescent decay observed in both plaque and tooth enamel/dentine.
• Fig. 3a illustrates a toothbrush 300a, according to the present disclosure.
• the dental implement 300a includes a body portion 310, a brush head 320, a user interface 330, a feedback mechanism 340, and a memory unit or module 350.
• the feedback mechanism 340 is configured to motivate and coach a user of the dental implement 300a to adapt brushing behavior by providing real-time guidance of the brush head 320.
• the memory unit 350 is used to store brushing histories of at least one user manipulating the dental implement 300a.
• the brush head 320 also includes a plaque detection unit 360 (or detector) for detecting an amount of plaque on each tooth.
• the feedback mechanism 340 provides for real-time feedback to a user manipulating the dental implement 300a based on the modal dispersion detected and a summary to a user at the end of a brush cycle with a visual indication.
• the body portion 310 also included an external interface unit for (wireless) communication with external devices like smart phones, tablets, PCs.
• the external device can be used for setup of the dental implement and for displaying user feedback and user history.
• Fig. 3b illustrates a controller environment 300b for the toothbrush of Fig. 3a, according to the present disclosure.
• the controller environment 300b includes a controller 311 electrically communicating with a user interface (UI) 313, a memory 315, an external interface 317, the user feedback mechanism 340, and the detector 360. Moreover, the controller 311 may induce an LED or other type of light emitting element to emit light 321 from the dental implement 300a (see Fig. 3a).
• UI user interface
• the controller 311 may induce an LED or other type of light emitting element to emit light 321 from the dental implement 300a (see Fig. 3a).
• One skilled in the art may contemplate a plurality of other components within the controller environment 300b.
• Fig. 4 is a flowchart 400 illustrating a method of detecting plaque based on a fluorescence lifetime measurement, according to the present disclosure.
• the flowchart 400 includes the following steps.
• a dental implement is provided.
• an optical waveguide is coupled to the dental implement.
• fluorescence light is received from a plurality of angles, the fluorescence light traveling along a path of the optical waveguide at different path lengths resulting in modal dispersion.
• plaque is detected and plaque identification information is communicated based on frequency domain lifetime measurements.
• modal dispersion is used to detect the radial distance to the at least one plaque fluorescence area of the teeth. The process then ends. It is to be understood that the method steps described herein need not necessarily be performed in the order as described. Further, words such as
• a high numerical aperture (NA) step index optical fiber is used to couple the detection collector to the photo- detector, and this is far longer than physically necessary, for example greater than lm long, when the photodiode is ⁇ 10cm from the light collection region.
• the excess fiber can be coiled up and located in the handle of the dental instrument.
• Other optical transmission means that also exhibit modal dispersion may also be used. If the technique is used alongside motion detection of the brush head, it can be used to build up a map of where the plaque is located in the mouth.
• an optical fiber with an NA of 0.48 can be used, and a 2m length gives phase delay at the edge of the detection spot that roughly cancels the plaque signal. This can achieve the plaque sensitivity map shown in Fig. 2.
• One skilled in the art may contemplate a plurality of different combinations to achieve desired results and/or outcomes and/or similar effects.
• Fig. 5 illustrates examples of detected plaque blobs 500, according to the present disclosure.
• Fig. 5 depicts two blobs.
• the left blob indicates a small or thin detected plaque blob 510, whereas the right blob indicates a large or thick detected plaque blob 520.
• This information may be used to give feedback to the user based upon a number of detected parameters, such as, but not limited to, size of the plaque blob, thickness of the plaque blob, closeness to gums, and number of detected plaque blobs during a certain brush head movement.
• a “signature feedback” may be provided.
• This "signature feedback” may be audible feedback or vibration feedback, for example, with slight variations in the motor movement of the brush head.
• immediate user feedback may be given with the “signature feedback” when a certain threshold (e.g., like minimum size of plaque blob) is exceeded.
• Audible feedback may include a number of pre-recorded audio clues, where each audio clue can give a different indication of the extent, level and/or amount of detected plaque. For instance, different audio clues for scattered small plaque blocks or for larger plaque blobs with are closer positioned together.
• An audio clue may include special engineered audio patterns which may convey the seriousness of the detected plaque blobs.
• One skilled in the art may contemplate a plurality of different audio clues based on the desired application.
• feedback might also be provided to an external device via the external interface unit, described above with reference to Fig. 3b.
• the feedback may be in the form of one or more real-time visual clues corresponding to the size of the detected plaque blob, as shown in Fig. 5.
• a visual indication can be given via a multiple color LED array.
• the number of positions of detected plaque blobs is larger, while the color of the LEDs can indicate the average
• the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure specifically relate to dental cleaning implements, such as toothbrushes or air floss.
• the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be broadened by one skilled in the art to include professional dental examination devices, whereby presence of plaque may be revealed by images, sound or vibration frequency and intensity. This is applicable in fields such as dentistry, dental hygiene, and tooth whitening.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Surgery (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Dentistry (AREA)
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
• Audiology, Speech & Language Pathology (AREA)
• Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Radiology & Medical Imaging (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• Dental Tools And Instruments Or Auxiliary Dental Instruments (AREA)
• Investigating, Analyzing Materials By Fluorescence Or Luminescence (AREA)
• Brushes (AREA)
• Endoscopes (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=48783022

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (7)

Families Citing this family (9)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (18)

• 2014
  • 2014-06-30 RU RU2016104399A patent/RU2016104399A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2014-06-30 EP EP14734134.1A patent/EP3019071B1/en not_active Not-in-force
  • 2014-06-30 JP JP2016524735A patent/JP6371842B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2014-06-30 WO PCT/EP2014/063799 patent/WO2015003939A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2014-06-30 US US14/903,298 patent/US10646119B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2014-06-30 CN CN201480039335.2A patent/CN105407793B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (4)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events