WO2018162112A1

WO2018162112A1 - Adapter for a camera, and device and method for capturing images during a dental treatment in an oral cavity of a patient, in particular during a root canal treatment

Info

Publication number: WO2018162112A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/000046
Authority: WO
Inventors: Olaf Timm
Original assignee: Olaf Timm
Priority date: 2017-03-09
Filing date: 2018-02-05
Publication date: 2018-09-13
Also published as: DE112018001194A5

Abstract

The invention relates to an adapter (26) for a camera (24) and to a device and a method for capturing images during a dental treatment in an oral cavity of a patient. The aim of the invention is to allow the advantages of an intraoral camera perspective to be usable even during a treatment. According to the invention, this is achieved in that the adapter (26) comprises means (34; 80, 86; 104) for securing to a dental dam clamp (10) and means (38, 40; 70, 82; 40, 94) for positioning and aligning the camera (24) on the treatment location in a fixable manner or in that the device comprises such an adapter (26). According to the method, the camera (24) is secured to a dental dam clamp (10) in an articulated manner by means of the adapter (26) and is aligned towards the treatment location by moving the camera (24) relative to the adapter (26) and/or by moving the adapter (26) relative to the dental dam clamp (10), and the camera (24) captures images of the treatment location during the dental treatment.

Description

Adapter for a camera and device and method for taking pictures during a dental treatment in an oral cavity of a patient, in particular in a root canal treatment

The invention relates to an adapter, a device and a method for

Taking pictures of a dental treatment in an oral cavity

Patients, especially in a root canal treatment, according to the preamble of claims 1, 12 and 16, respectively.

In the treatment of teeth within the oral cavity of a patient, particularly when drilling teeth and in root canal preparation, the success of the treatment is critically dependent on the accuracy of the procedure of the treating dentist. The accuracy of the treatment is limited by several aspects, such as the eyesight of the patient

human eye. To solve this problem, already found

Magnifying aids such as magnifying glasses, dental microscopes or intraoral cameras application.

The treatment with the help of optical magnification aids, such as

Magnifying glass or microscope, is much more accurate than the treatment without such magnifying aids, but requires that the practitioner turns his head and body permanently to the patient. One hand holds the contra-angle handpiece with the drill and the other the mouth mirror, which is then used to treat a tooth by indirect vision. A healthy posture is usually difficult to realize. With the expensive dental microscopes there is the possibility of a digital image transmission by means of a camera, but it fulfills primarily

Documentation and teaching purposes. Such equipment, in particular a dental microscope with a camera system, are very expensive and are usually only used in dental practices whose specialists are specialized in root canal treatment (so-called endodontists). Root canal treatments performed under a microscope have the greatest chance of successful treatment. Here comes a rubber dam or rubber band and a so-called rubber dam clip for use, which is fixed to the tooth to be treated. For fixation on the tooth, rubber dams usually have two clamp jaws which partially enclose the tooth to be treated and are pressed against the tooth from opposite sides. The contact force is usually applied by a curved clamp bracket connecting the jaws, which is reversibly elastically deformed when the two jaws are moved apart or spread apart before the fixation of the clamp on the tooth by means of a clamp pliers. To engage the stapling forceps, the jaws are provided with perforations or bores into which two parallel spreader pins of the stapling forceps are inserted and then moved apart by squeezing the grips of the forceps together with the jaws. The spread jaws are then positioned on either side of the tooth and, after relieving the pressure exerted on the forceps handles pressing force by the elastic restoring forces of the deformed bracket part of opposite sides against the tooth neck pressed.

In general it should be added that root canal treatments occupy a large part of the treatment spectrum of dentists. Pain and inflammation due to dead, inflamed or already root-filled teeth are common complications in the dental routine.

As mentioned above, dentists need to be at the conventional level

Dental treatment always to the patient and his field of work. As the sole aid, the dental mouth mirror relieves the difficulty of viewing teeth in need of treatment, while at the same time, the treatment by the mirror effect can be made more difficult.

Intraoral cameras provide the clinician with optimal visual diagnostics of the oral cavity and at the same time a comfortable posture, since the practitioner does not have to turn to the patient but only to the image on the monitor. Only one hand leads the camera through the mouth of the patient, while the other hand lingers in a relaxed posture without specific task. However, there is no immediate therapeutic benefit, since so far no simultaneous treatment (eg drilling or root canal preparation) can be made from the camera perspective.

Proceeding from this, the present invention seeks to provide an adapter, a device and a method of the type mentioned above, which make it possible to make use of the advantages of the intra-oral camera perspective during a treatment using a camera placed in the vicinity of the treatment site, so that the practitioner can solve the dependence on cost-intensive and user-unfriendly optical magnifying aids (magnifying glasses and microscopes).

This object is achieved with the adapter according to the invention in that the adapter comprises means for attachment to a rubber dam clip and means for fixable positioning and alignment of the camera on the treatment site. Preferably, means for articulated attachment are used.

In the device, the object is achieved by an adapter according to the invention, a miniature camera detachably connectable to the adapter with its own light source for illuminating the treatment site, at least one cable for supplying the light source and the camera with power and for transmitting image data from the camera to a base station outside the oral cavity, as well as a monitor or video glasses for displaying the images connected to the base station.

In the method, the object is achieved in that the camera a

Miniature camera and is attached by means of an adapter hinged to a rubber dam clip, that the camera is directed by moving the camera relative to the adapter and / or by moving the adapter relative to the rubber dam clip on the treatment site and that the camera during the dental treatment images of the treatment site receives. The invention is based on the idea to position a miniature camera in the oral cavity of the patient in the vicinity of the treatment site or at a small distance from the treatment site and to record images of the treatment site with this camera during the treatment. In order to avoid that such a camera unintentionally changes its position and / or orientation during the treatment, it must on the one hand remain stationary, but on the other hand, if necessary, also be realigned or repositioned, which is possible with the aid of the invention.

It allows the means for attachment to a rubber dam clamp as a stationary anchoring point for the camera to use a rubber dam clamp, which is available for every tooth of the dental arch of the lower jaw and the upper jaw inexpensive commercially, so that the adapter for the camera on any tooth of the Dental arch can be attached. In addition to the means for attachment to a rubber dam clamp, the adapter advantageously also has means for attachment to the camera.

In the context of this patent application, the term "rubber dam clip" refers to a clamp as used in rubber dam treatments in which a rubber dam serves to drain the treatment site. Rubber dam clamps have different geometries depending on the tooth or cervical cross-section, so that they can be immovably fixed to any desired tooth.

Since a miniature camera positioned at a small distance from the treatment site has only a relatively small field of view, the adapter according to the invention comprises means for fixable positioning and alignment of the camera, so that the position and orientation of the camera can be selectively changed with respect to the rubber dam clip and thus also to the treatment location for example, to position them over different root canals of a tooth on them

Align root canals and fix in the desired orientation. The fixation is preferably frictionally engaged. As a result of the features according to the invention, the camera does not need to be guided by the handler through the oral cavity of the patient, unlike known intraoral cameras, so that both hands are available for treatment to the handler.

By using an adapter for all common rubber dam clamps, the miniature camera attached to the rubber dam clamp prior to treatment can be fixed in the vicinity of all possible dental treatment sites and directed directly to the area to be treated during treatment to receive images of the treatment. The linking of a static camera perspective with respect to the rubber dam clamp and the oral cavity with simultaneous therapy by means of a variety of instruments or tools is thus completed.

The main advantages are magnification, illumination and visualization of hard to reach places, healthier posture of the practitioner, simultaneous

Documentation possibility, e.g. For training or proof purposes, a manual white balance to illuminate deep-lying anatomy, optimized contrast ratios and the flexible display options via video glasses or monitors. Especially with regard to image reproduction via video glasses, the advantages of the three-dimensional as opposed to the two-dimensional technology are mentioned here. The three-dimensional presentation fully exploits the advantages of digital image transmission, as it allows the dentist to assess distances correctly.

Never before could teeth be treated by such a direct and revalued point of view. The creation of a fixed point of view or a fixed one

A camera perspective directly at the treatment site solves the problem of unhealthy postures during treatment as the practitioner no longer has to go to the treatment area. A mouth mirror is at most still while holding the tongue or cheek by the helper Use. Even a one-armed dentist could treat teeth in this way.

With little effort, the quality of treatment for dentists and patients is increased and the quality standard is improved in a simple way. Thus, the incidence of complications, such as pain and inflammation, will inevitably decline in the population as teeth are treated better.

In order to make it possible to position and align the camera with as little space as possible with as many degrees of freedom, a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the means for fixable positioning and alignment of the camera on the treatment site at least one ball joint and preferably two ball joints between the Rubber dam and camera include. Each ball joint has a spherical joint head and a relative to the joint head with three degrees of freedom movable joint socket, which is preferably releasably clamped on the joint head. A releasable clamp connection between the condyle and the socket not only allows these two hinge parts to be moved in three degrees of freedom with respect to each other, but also allows the adapter to be releasably secured to the camera and / or the rubber dam clip. In other words, in this case, the means for fixable positioning and alignment of the camera on the treatment site at the same time also the means for attachment to a

Rubber dam or on the camera or a part of these funds form. In addition, a releasable clamping connection facilitates the sterilization of the ball joint to a considerable extent.

For clamping on the joint head, the socket preferably comprises at least two resiliently deformable socket parts, which can move apart under elastic deformation and abut in pairs against opposite sides of the condyle after clamping. The condyle and especially the socket are preferably made of stainless steel, which not only facilitates the sterilization of the ball joints but also their Lifespan increased. In addition, the socket can be relatively easily made by stamping and forming stainless steel spring steel sheet, especially if it has only two opposite and interconnected on one side cup parts that can be spread apart for clamping on the joint head. In this case, the two pan parts are preferably provided with opposite circular openings, in the after

Clamp on the condyle opposite pole caps of the condyle protrude. The diameter of the openings is suitably between 1/3 and 2/3 of the diameter of the spherical condyle, whereby the condyle is held with a relatively large range of motion and easy to move but still safe in a defined position between the pan parts. To that

Insertion of the condyle to facilitate the joint socket, the opposite pan parts or their insertion-facing free ends can converge slightly in the insertion direction, wherein they preferably enclose an angle of less than 20 degrees with each other.

The means for fastening the adapter to the rubber dam on the one hand and the means for attaching the adapter to the camera or the means for fixable positioning and alignment of the camera with respect to the adapter on the other hand are preferably located at the opposite ends of an interposed straight or advantageous curved middle part of the adapter.

At the or at the ends of the middle part of the joint socket of the ball joint may be mounted, the condyle is then attached to the rubber dam or on the camera. Alternatively, one end or both ends of the central portion may support the condyle of a ball joint, in which case the socket of the ball joint may be attached to the rubber dam clamp or to the camera.

The middle part may comprise a straight or bent stainless steel bar, depending on where the adapter is attached to the rubber dam clip. If at one or both ends of the middle part of a joint socket of

Ball joint is arranged, the middle part, however, can also be two together connected elongated spring plates, which form at the one or more ends of the socket and can be preferably compress between the ends to slightly move apart the opposite socket parts for attachment to the condyle or for removal from the condyle.

The means for attaching the adapter to the rubber dam clip may have several different configurations, and may include, for example, a clip for clamping the adapter to the rubber dam clip, and preferably to a strap portion of the rubber dam clip. This type of attachment has the advantage that the clip can be attached at different locations on the rubber dam clamp or moved along the latter part of the bracket, which provides further degrees of freedom in the positioning and alignment of the camera. Conveniently, the clip is attached outside the oral cavity to the rubber dam clip before the latter is attached to the tooth to be treated.

However, another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the means for attachment to the rubber dam clamp include a pin with a tapered end portion, preferably a conically tapered end portion. Such a pin can be inserted into a tooth for attachment of the adapter in one of the two perforations or holes after attachment of the rubber dam clamp, which are usually provided on the wing parts of the rubber dam and serve to accommodate the expansion mandrels of the clamp pliers. Preferably, the rectilinear end portion of the pin has a small taper. This means that its lateral surface is inclined at an inclination angle of less than 10 degrees, preferably less than 8 degrees and most preferably 1 to 5 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the end portion. Such conical end portions settle automatically in the perforation or bore when pressed something after the alignment of the pin something in the perforation or bore and thereby fixed by friction in this. The advantage of this type of attachment is that the pin can be placed in either of the two perforations as needed

Insert holes and within the perforation or hole around the Turning the longitudinal axis of the end portion, which provides another degree of freedom in the positioning and alignment of the camera.

Due to the rotatability of the conical end section in the perforation or bore about its longitudinal axis, a ball joint between the adapter and the rubber dam clip may possibly be dispensed with.

Yet another possibility is to rigidly connect the condyle or the socket with the rubber dam clamp, for example by laser welding. In this case, the means for attachment to the rubber dam clip are formed by the respectively associated joint socket or the respective associated joint head, so that in this case the means for attachment to the rubber dam clip at the same time form part of the means for fixable positioning and alignment of the camera.

The device for taking pictures in an oral cavity of a patient in a dental treatment and in particular in a root canal treatment according to the invention comprises a miniature camera with its own light source for illuminating the tooth, at least one cable for powering the light source and the camera and for transmitting image data from the camera to a base station located outside the oral cavity, a monitor connected to the base station or a video goggle connected to the base station for displaying the images, and an adapter, as described above, which serves for fastening the camera to the rubber dam clip.

In order to protect the camera from moisture, it advantageously has a watertight camera housing which has a window made of scratch-resistant glass or transparent plastic at least in front of an objective opening of the camera. The cables for power supply and data transmission preferably enter the camera housing at the side opposite the lens opening. In order to ensure good illumination of the treatment site regardless of the orientation of the camera, the light source is preferably arranged in a circle around a camera head of the camera. Suitably, the light source consists of several small LEDs surrounding the lens of the camera or the window of the camera body. Alternatively, one or more fiber optic fibers may be used which terminate adjacent to the lens or window.

Since when drilling teeth as well as in root canal treatments also flying cuttings created, in addition to the at least one cable also a compressed air hose from the outside through the oral cavity to the adapter or to the camera are performed, the end of which is directed to the window, so this with Compressed air can be cleaned.

In particular, in root canal treatments of molars with multiple root canals, the treatment site shifts during treatment, for example into another root canal, the camera is repositioned and aligned with the inventive means for its fixable positioning and orientation. Although this can in principle be done by the dentist removes the treatment instrument from the oral cavity and then changed the camera position with the help of an inserted into the oral cavity instrument, such as a spatula or long tweezers, visible on the monitor or video glasses, the new treatment is. Alternatively, however, the change in the position and orientation of the camera according to a further expedient embodiment of the invention can also be made with the aid of the serving for power supply and data transmission cable, which is advantageously formed rigidly rigid for this purpose. As a result, the practitioner can make a desired change in the camera position and / or orientation within the oral cavity by means of a corresponding longitudinal, transverse and / or rotational movement of a cable section protruding from the oral cavity.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to some illustrated in the drawings embodiments. Fig. 1 shows a view of components of a device according to the invention in an oral cavity of a patient during a root canal treatment of a tooth with a rubber dam;

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of an attachment for a camera of

Device serving rubber dam clip before its attachment to the tooth;

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged view of the camera and the rubber dam clip after its attachment to the tooth, together with a first embodiment of an adapter according to the invention with a mounting bracket for attachment to a clip bracket of the rubber dam clip;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line A - A of Fig. 3 with a side view of the mounting bracket;

Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the mounting bracket in front of it

Attachment to the clip bracket;

Fig. 6 shows a plan view of a central part of the adapter;

Fig. 7 shows an enlarged view of the camera and part of the central part of the adapter;

8 shows an enlarged view of a modified rubber dam clip for a second embodiment of an adapter according to the invention;

Fig. 8a shows a sectional view along the line B - B in Fig. 8, but in another modified Koffferdamklammer;

Fig. 8b also shows a sectional view along the line B - B in Fig. 8, but in yet another modified Koffferdamklammer; FIG. 9 shows an enlarged view corresponding to FIG. 8, but according to FIG

Fixing the adapter with the camera to the rubber dam clamp;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line C - C in Fig. 9;

Fig. 1 1 shows an enlarged view of the camera and the rubber dam clip and a third embodiment of an adapter according to the invention with an insertable into a perforation or bore of the rubber dam clip fixing pin;

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged side view of the fixing pin and a

Middle part of the adapter;

Fig. 13 is a view corresponding to Fig. 12, but after clamping a socket of the central part to a joint head of the fixing pin;

FIG. 14 shows an enlarged side view of another attachment pin and an adjacent end portion of another adapter midsection in front of

Clamping the socket on the condyle;

Fig. 15 shows a view of the end portion of the adapter middle part and the

Conrod head in the direction of the arrows D in Fig. 14 after clamping the

Socket on the condyle.

The device shown in the drawing is used in the root canal treatment of teeth to record images of the tooth 2 to be treated and the treatment tool or instrument (not shown) of the dentist during the root canal treatment and on a monitor (not shown) or on one of Dentist worn video glasses (not shown)

two-dimensional or three-dimensional play. The root canal treatment is performed with a rubber dam 4, which serves to shield the tooth 2 to be treated from the rest of the oral cavity. The rubber dam 4 comprises in a known manner a rubber-elastic thin rubber dam 6, a clamping frame 8 for tensioning the cloth 6, and a rubber dam clamp 10 which is clamped to the tooth 2 to be treated and the edge of a previously punched out of the rubber dam 6 opening around the tooth 2 pressed against the neck of his neck.

As shown in Fig. 2 using the example of a rubber dam clamp 10 for a lower jaw molar, the one-piece, made of stainless steel sheet comprises

Rubber dam 10, two opposing clamp jaws 14 connected posteriorly by a clamp bracket 12, each provided with a toothing 16 at its edge facing the tooth 2, and a central wing 18, an anterior wing 20 and between the central wing 18 and the toothing 16 Perforation or bore 22 have.

The rubber dam clamp 10 is clamped on the tooth 2 to be treated or, if necessary, on an adjacent tooth, by moving the clamp jaws 14 somewhat deformed by deforming the clamp clamp 12 by means of a clamp forceps (not shown) and after positioning them

be released on both sides of the tooth 2, whereupon the two clamp jaws 14 are pressed by the elastic recovery of the deformed clamp bracket 12 from opposite sides against the tooth neck of the tooth 2.

The device includes a miniature camera 24 that attaches to the rubber dam clip 10 by means of an adapter 26 and to the desired treatment site, e.g. a root canal of the tooth 2, fixable position and align, i. so that she does not change her position and direction by herself. The camera 24 is very small. The length and the cross-sectional dimensions are only a few millimeters, so that the camera 24 is positioned in a root canal treatment above the edge of a borehole 25 produced in the tooth 2 and in the direction of a

Root canal into the wellbore 25 can be aligned. As best shown in Fig. 7, the camera 24 has a closed waterproof camera housing 28, which is provided in front of an objective of the camera 24 with a window 30 made of scratch-resistant glass or transparent plastic.

The camera 24 has its own light source (not shown) for illuminating the treatment location, which comprises a plurality of small LEDs (not shown) arranged annularly around the lens of the camera 24 or around the window 30 of the camera housing 28.

To provide the camera 24 and the light source with electrical power and transmit the image data captured by the camera 24 to a base station (not shown), the camera 24 and the light source are connected to the base station by a multi-core cable 32. The base station is used to process the image data transmitted by the cable 32 and includes a control panel (not shown) for setting various camera parameters, such as magnification, focal length or photosensitivity, and possibly the brightness of the light source. The base station communicates by cable or wirelessly with the monitor or video glasses on which the images taken by the camera 24 are displayed as two- or three-dimensional video.

The cable 32 may also include a thin compressed air hose (not shown) which serves to supply compressed air from a source of compressed air to the window 30 of the camera body 28 to clean it of splash or cuttings.

The adapter 26 in Figures 3 to 7 consists essentially of a strong clamp 34 which is releasably attachable to the clamp bracket 12 of the rubber dam clamp 10, a rigid central portion 36 and two ball joints 38, 40, one of which 38 is between the bracket 34 and one end of the middle part 36 and the other 40 between the camera body 28 and the other end of the middle part 36 is arranged. As best shown in Fig. 6, the central portion 36 consists of a thin curved stainless steel rod, at both ends of which a spherical joint head 42, 43 of the ball joint 38, 40 is welded. The diameter of the round rod is in the range of 0.5 to 1, 5 mm, while the diameter of the condyle 42, 43 may be correspondingly about 1, 5 to 3 mm.

As best shown in Fig. 4 and 5, the clip 34 consists of two by punching and forming of stainless spring steel strip with a material thickness of less than 0.5 mm made clamp halves 44, 46 which are welded together near their center and Both sides of the junction 48 are separated by a gap.

On one side of the connection point 48, the two clamp halves 44, 46 form two resilient clamp jaws 50, 52, which can be pushed onto the clamp bracket 12 and immobilized on the clamp bracket 12. To facilitate sliding, the free ends of the staple jaws 50, 52 diverge at an acute angle. In order to ensure a secure and firm hold on the bracket 12, the one clamp jaw 50 in a width of the bracket 12 slightly more than the distance from the junction 48 on a projection 54 which projects in the direction of the other chamber jaw 52 and the after Sliding on the clip bracket 12 which engages behind the edge facing away from the connection point 48.

On the other side, the clamp halves 44, 46 form two opposite, diverging from the junction 48 pan parts 56, 58 of a socket 60 of the ball joint 38, which can be clamped under spring elastic deformation and widening on the condyle 42. In order for a secure stop of the

To provide joint head 42 in the socket 60, both pan parts 56, 58 each have a circular opening 62 whose diameter is smaller than that

Diameter of the condyle 42 but greater than one third of the diameter. The two opposing openings 60 generally take two after insertion and clamping of the condyle 42 in the socket 60

opposite pole caps 64 of the condyle 60, around which abuts its circular edge against the spherical surface of the condyle 60. Nevertheless, the condyle 60 and thus the central portion 36 of the adapter 26 with three degrees of freedom with respect to the socket 60 is movable.

In principle, the clip 34 could also be made slightly shorter and pushed onto the bracket 12 from the rear, in order to avoid or reduce the projection over the front edge of the bracket 12 facing the tooth 2. In this case, the middle part 36 would be correspondingly longer and shaped slightly differently.

As best shown in FIG. 7, the ball joint 40 between the camera body 28 and the middle portion 36 includes a similar socket 66 having a generally U-shaped cross-section, with the two parallel legs 68 of the U forming the elastically deformable socket portions of the socket. The free ends of the legs 68 diverge slightly to facilitate insertion of the condyle 43 between the legs 68 and pan parts, respectively. The planar base 72 of the U abuts against and is fixedly connected to the planar back side of the camera body 28, e.g. by gluing or welding. Due to the ball joint 40, the camera 24 is also movable with respect to the middle part 36 with three degrees of freedom. In addition, the bracket 34 can be moved along the bracket bracket 12, resulting in further possibilities for positioning and alignment of the camera 24. The frictional engagement in the ball joints 38, 40 and between the bracket 34 and the clip bracket 12 prevents inadvertent displacement of the camera 24, for example when it is directed inside the drilled tooth 2 and looks into one of the root channels, as shown in FIG. 3 shown.

The adapter 26 in Figures 8 to 10 essentially consists of a curved central portion 76, the ends of which each form a joint socket 78, 80 of a ball joint 70, 82, as well as two rod ends 84, 86, one of which rigidly connected to the clip bracket 12 of the rubber dam 0 and the other is firmly connected to the camera body 28. Both rod ends 84, 86 are seated on a neck that extends as far as the clip bracket 12 or the camera housing 28 and is welded to the clip bracket 12 or glued or welded to the camera housing 28. In the adapter 26 in Figures 8 and 9, the neck of the condyle 84 is short and straight and terminates at the adjacent edge of the stirrup 12. In the adapter 26 in Figure 8a, the neck of the condyle 84 has an approximately semicircular bend its end on the side facing away from the condyle 84 broad side of the bracket 12 is welded thereto. In the adapter 26 in Fig. 8b, the neck of the condyle 84 is bent at right angles and welded to the side facing away from the tooth 2 edge of the bracket 12 with this. As a result, in both cases the condyle 84 can be arranged above the bracket 12 such that it does not project beyond the bracket 12 in the direction of the tooth 2.

The curved central portion 76 has a central portion 88 with a U-shaped cross-section and two end portions of two spaced parallel spring strip, which form the two elastically deformable legs or cup parts of the sockets 78, 80 and with opposite circular openings 90 for receiving Polkappen the condyle 84, 86 are provided.

In the adapter 26 in Figures 1 1 to 13 as in the adapter 26 in Figures 3 to 7 on the camera body 28, a socket 66 of a ball joint 40 is mounted on an associated condyle 43 of the ball joint 40 at one end of one of Round rod formed curved central portion 92 of the adapter 26 releasably clamp, as previously described.

At the other end of the central part 92 is another ball joint 94, the acetabulum 96 has an identical or similar design as the

Articulated socket 66 on the camera 24 or one of the previously described

Has sockets 60, 78, 80 and is rigidly attached to the central part 92. The

Ball joint 94 includes a condyle 98 which is rigid at the end of a shorter one Leg 102 of a bent right angle mounting pin 104 is attached. The longer leg 106 can be attached to the

Insert rubber dam clamp 10 into one of the two perforations or bores 22, wherein the shorter limb 102 can be rotated or aligned in any direction.

In order to fix the fixing pin 104 in the perforation or bore 22, the longer leg 106 is conically tapered towards its end, wherein the conical lateral surface at an inclination angle of 1 to 5 degrees relative to the

Longitudinal axis of the leg 106 is inclined. When the leg 106 is pressed into the bore 22 after the leg 102 is aligned, it is frictionally locked in the bore 22 so that it can not turn on itself in the bore 22 or fall out of the bore 22, e.g. when the rubber dam clip 10 is attached to a tooth 2 of the maxillary arch. FIG. 13 shows the middle part 92 of the adapter 26 after clamping on the joint head 98 of the fastening pin 104.

Figures 14 and 15 show a somewhat modified form of the mounting pin 104 and a modified central portion 100 of the adapter 26. The mounting pin 104 here has an elongated straight shape. At one end of the condyle 98 is welded and at the other end a conically tapered end portion 108 is provided, whose lateral surface is inclined at an angle of 4 to 5 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the straight fixing pin 104.

The middle part 100 of the adapter 26 here consists of two spaced parallel spring strip 1 10, which are connected in the vicinity of the socket 96 by a transverse web 1 12. In this way, the middle part 100 can be slightly compressed on the other side of the crossbar 1 12, as indicated by the two arrows, to facilitate the sliding of the acetabulum 96 on the condyle 98 or the release of the acetabulum 96 from the condyle 98.

After clamping the socket 96 on the condyle 98 here clamped here each of the two cup parts 1 14, 1 16 a plane which, to the longitudinal central axis of the tapered end portion of the fixing pin 104 is parallel.

In contrast, the levels are opposite from the two

Clamp parts 1 18, 120 of the socket 96 of the ball joint 94 are clamped in FIGS. 12 and 13, aligned generally perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of the conically tapered leg 106.

Since the fastening pin 104 can be rotated about its longitudinal axis in the respective bore or perforation 22 of the rubber dam clip 10, if necessary, two ball joints 40, 94 between the fastening pin 104 and the camera 24 may be dispensed with here. Instead, the central portion 92, 100 may be omitted and the socket 26 of the camera 24 directly on the condyle 98 of the

Fixing pin 104 are clamped.

In all the cases described, the cameras 24 may also be positioned on the other side of the tooth 2 to view images of another root canal

take. The dental treatment can also take place without the rubber dam 6, in that only the rubber dam clamp 10 is clamped to the tooth 2 to be treated.

Advantageously, the dentist is provided with a set of parts in which the lengths and radii of curvature of the middle parts 36, 76, 92, 100 of the adapter 26 vary. The kit of parts may include a plurality of brackets 34 adapted to different brackets 12 of rubber dams 0. In addition, the kit of parts can also contain various rubber dam clamps 10, which for a

Attachment of the respective adapter 26 are suitable. These rubber dam clips 10 may include commercially available rubber dam clips for various teeth 2, e.g. shown in Fig. 2. In addition, also modified

Rubber dam clamps 10 may be included, eg, with a protruding condyle 86, as shown in FIG. 8, or with a protruding socket (not shown). Furthermore, several different straight or curved fixing pins 04 may be included in the set of parts, as shown for example in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, wherein the shorter leg 102 is again formed by bent pins 104 may have different lengths and curvatures to allow positioning of the camera 24 along the entire edge of the wellbore 25 in the

To enable treating tooth 2.

The cable 32 may be a thin flexible cable, as shown in FIG. 1, which may be one to two times about the middle portion 36 after attachment of the adapter 26 to the rubber dam 10 and after attachment of the camera 24 to the adapter 26 , 76, 92, 100 of the adapter 26 and, if necessary, can also be wrapped around the bracket 12 of the rubber dam clamp 10 before the rubber dam clamp 10 is subsequently fastened to the tooth 2. So that the cable 32 in the

Dental treatment does not bother, it is advantageous from the adapter 26 to the back of the clamp bracket 12 and from there laterally past the clip bracket 12 past forward to then lead it down from the rubber dam 6 away to the base station.

Alternatively, one or two rigid cables can be used, which also serve to manipulate the camera 24 and / or the middle part 36, 76, 92 of the adapter 26. For this purpose, the distal end of one cable is attached to the camera 24 and the distal end of the other cable is fastened to the middle part 36, 76, 92 of the adapter 26. The proximal ends of the cables projecting from the oral cavity may be grasped by the dentist and moved back and forth or back and forth about the respective distal end, and thus the camera 24 or central portion 36, 76, 92 of the adapter 26 under repositioning and / or reorientation of the camera 24 with respect to the stationary rubber dam clip 10 or with respect to each other (not shown).

To facilitate the positioning of the camera 24, the outer edges of the sockets 60, 66, 78, 80, 96 or from the opposite

Ladle parts form a guide link, which restricts the mobility of the central part 36, 76, 92 or the camera 24 to desired positions.

Claims

claims

1 . Adapter (26) for a camera (24) for taking images during a dental treatment in an oral cavity of a patient, in particular in a root canal treatment, characterized by means (34; 80, 86; 104) for

Attachment to a rubber dam clamp (10), and by means (38, 40, 70, 82, 40, 94) for fixable positioning and alignment of the camera (24) on the

Treatment site.

2. Adapter (26) according to claim 1, characterized in that the means (38, 40; 70, 82; 40, 94) for fixable positioning and alignment of the camera (24) on the tooth to be treated (2) at least one ball joint (38, 40, 70, 82, 40, 94) between the rubber dam clip (10) and the camera (24).

3. Adapter (26) according to claim 2, characterized in that the

Ball joint (38, 40, 70, 82, 40, 94) a spherical joint head (42, 43, 84, 86, 43, 98) and a releasably on the joint head (42, 43, 84, 86, 43, 98) festklemmbare Socket (60, 66, 78, 80, 66, 96).

4. Adapter (26) according to claim 3, characterized in that the

Socket (60, 66, 78, 80, 66, 96) comprises resiliently expandable socket parts (56, 58, 68, 14, 16, 18, 120) which, after clamping, engage in pairs against opposite sides of the condyle (42, 43, 84, 86, 43, 98) abut.

5. Adapter (26) according to claim 4, characterized in that the

Cup members (56, 58, 68, 1 14, 1 16, 1 18, 120) have opposite circular openings (62, 90).

6. Adapter (26) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the cup parts (56, 58; 68; 1 14, 1 16; 1 18, 120) consist of stainless spring steel sheet.

7. Adapter (26) according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized by two ball joints (38, 40; 70, 82; 40, 94) between the rubber dam clip (10) and the camera (24).

8. Adapter (26) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the means (34; 80, 86; 104) for attachment to the rubber dam clamp (10) has a clamp (34) for clamping the adapter (26) the rubber dam clip (10).

9. Adapter (26) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the means (34; 80, 86; 104) for attachment to the rubber dam clip (10) has a pin (104) with a tapered end portion (106, 108 ) for insertion into a perforation or bore (22) of the rubber dam clip (10).

10. An adapter (26) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the means (34; 80, 86; 04) for attachment to the rubber dam clip (10) has a condyle (86) and a socket (80) of a ball joint (82).

1 1. An adapter (26) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized by a curved central portion (36; 76; 92; 100) between the means (34; 80,86; 104) for attachment to the rubber dam clip (10) and the camera (10). 24).

12. A device for receiving images in a dental treatment in an oral cavity of a patient, in particular in a root canal treatment, characterized by an adapter (26) according to one of the preceding

Claims, a miniature camera (24) with its own light source for illuminating the tooth (2), at least one cable (32) for supplying the light source and the camera (24) with power and for transmitting image data from the camera (24) to a Base station, as well as a connected to the base station monitor or connected to the base station video glasses for displaying the images.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the light source is arranged in a circle around a camera head of the camera (24) around.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the at least one cable (32) is rigid and is used to manipulate the camera (24) and the adapter (26).

15. Device according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized by a waterproof camera housing (28) having at least in front of a lens of the camera (24) has a window (30) made of scratch-resistant glass or transparent plastic, as well as by a window ( 30) directed compressed air hose for cleaning the window (309 with compressed air.

16. A method for taking images during a dental treatment in an oral cavity of a patient, in particular in a root canal treatment, wherein a camera (24) is inserted into the oral cavity and directed to a treatment site, characterized in that the camera (24) is a miniature camera and by means of an adapter (26) hinged to a rubber dam clamp (10), that the camera (24) by moving the camera (24) relative to the adapter (26) and / or by moving the adapter (26) with respect to

Rubber dam clamp (10) is directed to the treatment site and that the camera (24) receives images of the treatment site during the dental treatment.