Patent ID: 6620101
Filing Date: 2003-09-16
Classification: A61B,A61C

Abstract:
A measurement device for use in dental treatment including a drilling of a patient's alveolar bone that contains a nerve canal which is to be prevented from being contacted during the drilling, the measurement device comprising:(a) a first ultrasonic probe for applying to the patient's jaw from the exterior of the patient's mouth, the first probe being a transceiver operable to transmit ultrasound radiation through the alveolar bone, to receive the ultrasound radiation returned from a nerve canal within the bone, and generate first measured data representative of the received radiation, said first data being indicative of a relative location of the transceiver with respect to the nerve canal thereby enabling a desired positioning of the transceiver, and indicative of a distance between the transceiver and said nerve canal; (b) a second ultrasonic probe for applying to the patient's jaw from the interior of the patient's mouth, the second probe being a receiver operable to detect the ultrasound radiation transmitted by said transceiver though the bone, and to generate second measured data representative of the radiation received by the receiver, said second data being indicative of a relative location of the receiver with respect to the transceiver, thereby enabling a desired positioning of the receiver; and indicative of a distance between the receiver and the transceiver; and (c) an electronic assembly associated with the transceiver and the receiver to analyze the measured data to enable said desired positioning of the transceiver and the receiver, and enable the determination of a distance between the receiver and the nerve canal to be used for determining and optimal drilling depth.