JPH0133056Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] This invention relates to a probe used when measuring the thickness of tooth dentin using ultrasonic waves.

Currently, when treating cavities, etc., a certain amount of enamel and dentin on the surface of the tooth is removed, and after appropriate treatment, a crown is placed over the tooth.

However, conventional treatment methods have the following problems.

This will be explained below using figures.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the tooth, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the tooth. In the figure, 1 is the nerve, 2 is the dentin, 3 is the distance A from the surface of the dentin 2 to the nerve 1 when the tooth is viewed from the front (dentin thickness A), and 4 is when the tooth is viewed from the side. This is the distance B from the surface of dentin 2 to nerve 1 (thickness B of dentin).

That is, when the tooth is viewed from the front, as shown in Figure 1, the distance A3 between the surface of the dentin 2 and the nerve 1 can be determined by X-ray photography, but when viewed from the side, as shown in Figure 2, the distance A3 between the dentin 2 surface and the nerve 1 is Since there is no way to measure the distance B4 between the surface of nerve 1 and the surface of nerve 1, treatment has been based on ``experience and intuition.'' Therefore, cutting may be necessary to reach a portion of the nerve, which often causes anxiety and discomfort to the patient. Furthermore, since removing the nerve 1 has the disadvantage of making the quality of the tooth brittle, it has recently become necessary to treat the tooth without removing the nerve 1 as much as possible.

This invention was made as a means of improving dental treatment methods, and provides a probe for a device that uses ultrasonic waves to measure the thickness of tooth dentin.

An embodiment of this invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a probe for an ultrasonic tooth thickness measuring device according to this invention.

In the figure, 1 is nerve, 2 is dentin, 5 is a transducer that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, 6 is an acoustic lens that converges the ultrasonic waves, 7 is a damper material that suppresses the free vibration of the transducer 5, 8 is a main body case, 9 is a lead wire for transmitting and receiving electric signals; 10 is a contact medium such as hot water; 11 is a guideline section for storing the contact medium 10 and for stably bringing the probe into contact with the dentin 2 of the tooth;
2 is a water suction pipe for sending the contact medium 10 to the guideline section 11; 13 is an outlet of the water suction pipe 12; 14 is a temperature sensor; and 15 is a lead wire of the temperature sensor 14.

By the way, since ultrasonic waves do not propagate in the air due to their characteristics, the space between the dentin 2 of the tooth and the acoustic lens 6 must be sufficiently filled with the contact medium 10.
Furthermore, since the contact medium 10 at this time will cause discomfort to the patient whether it is cold or hot, it is desirable that the contact medium 10 be at approximately the same temperature as the patient's body temperature (approximately 36° C.), and this temperature should be controlled. Water intake pipe 1
A temperature sensor 14 is provided near the outlet portion 13 of 2,
The temperature of the contact medium 10 can be controlled by feeding back the output of the temperature sensor 14 to a water heater (not shown) via a lead wire 15 and displaying the temperature using a digital display, lamp, etc. It has the advantage of eliminating discomfort to the patient.

Furthermore, since the water suction tube 12 is embedded in the main body case 8 of the probe, there is an advantage that even if the probe is inserted into the patient's mouth, it does not interfere with the tooth thickness measurement operation.

As mentioned above, this invention provides a water suction tube inside the main body case of the probe for ultrasonic tooth thickness measuring device, and also provides a temperature sensor near the outlet side of the water suction tube to increase the temperature of the contact medium. An effective probe for ultrasonic tooth thickness measurement equipment that enables control, prevents dangers caused by boiling water, eliminates discomfort to patients, and supplies a contact medium that does not interfere with tooth thickness measurement work. This is what we propose.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a tooth, FIG. 2 is a side view of a tooth, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a probe for an ultrasonic tooth thickness measuring device according to this invention. In the figure, 1 is the nerve, 2 is the dentin, 3 is the dentin thickness A, 4 is the dentin thickness B, 5 is the vibrator, and 6
is an acoustic lens, 7 is a damper material, 8 is a main body case of a probe, 9 is a lead wire of a vibrator, 10 is a contact medium, 11 is a guideline, 12 is a water suction pipe, 13 is a water suction pipe outlet, 14 is a temperature Sensor 15 is a lead wire of a temperature sensor. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a probe for an ultrasonic tooth thickness measuring device that is brought into contact with the dentin of a tooth via a contact medium such as warm water,
A probe for an ultrasonic tooth thickness measuring device, characterized in that a water suction pipe for supplying the contact medium is provided in the main body case of the probe, and a temperature sensor is provided near the exit side of the water suction pipe. Child.