Universal intraoral digital sensor holder for existing digital sensor systems in dentistry

摘要

A universal dental digital sensor holder has a bite block connected to a rod that has a connector which is used to flexibly attach a sensor holder so as to allow rotational movement of the sensor relative to the bite block and multiple sensor holders are removably connected to the connector so that they can be used to obtain different radiographic projection views due to their differing configurations for holding the intraoral sensor in the patient's mouth. The bite block can have an opening formed in it fitted with a sleeve to allow access to a tooth located beneath the opening in the patient's mouth. A cable protector can be formed in the rod adjacent an anterior bite surface so that an intraoral sensor cable can be held adjacent the rod and at least partially protected from one or more teeth biting the anterior bite surface.

主权项

1. An apparatus for obtaining an intraoral radiographic image from an intraoral sensor useful in providing a radiographic projection view of teeth in a patient's mouth, comprising:
a rod having a first end and a second end; a bite block integrally formed with, and non-detachable from, the first end of the rod, said bite block and said first end of the rod lying in a first fixed plane so that the bite block cannot rotate outside of said first fixed plane; a groove formed in the rod beginning at the first end and extending along the rod opposite the bite block, wherein the first fixed plane intersects the groove; and a cable protector integrally formed in the rod adjacent the anterior bite surface; wherein the apparatus can be used to obtain the intraoral radiographic image when a sensor holder holding the intraoral sensor is connected to the rod by inserting a raised area of the sensor holder into the groove so that the sensor holder will lie in a second fixed plane that is perpendicular to the first fixed plane; and wherein a cable extending from the intraoral sensor can be inserted into the cable protector to thereby hold the cable adjacent the rod and at least partially protect the cable from one or more teeth in the patient's mouth that bite the anterior bite surface.