Patent ID: 7008104
Filing Date: 2006-03-07
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An instrument for aligning a collimated x-ray beam relative to an x-ray film and a target tooth of an animal patient to produce dental radiographs in accordance with the bisecting-angle technique, wherein the instrument is configured to align a longitudinal axis of the x-ray beam orthogonal to a bisecting plane lying approximately midway between a target plane defined by the target tooth and an x-ray film plane defined by the x-ray film, comprising: a first handle selectively orientable at a first known angle relative to the x-ray film plane; a second handle selectively orientable at a second known angle relative to the target plane, wherein orientation of the handles is correlated to alignment of the longitudinal axis of the x-ray beam, wherein the first handle is orientable parallel to the x-ray film plane and the second handle is orientable parallel to the target plane, and wherein the second handle is pivotally attached to the first handle to form a variable angle between the handles to selectively orient the second handle parallel to the target plane; and a bisecting member attached to the handles, wherein the bisecting member is oriented substantially parallel to the bisecting plane when the first handle is oriented parallel to the x-ray film plane and the second handle is oriented parallel to the target plane.