PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR MEASURING THE THICKNESS OF THE MUCOUS MEMBRANE OF A JAWBONE RIDGE

摘要

The device for measuring the thickness of the mucous membrane in the region of the jawbone ridge consists of an evaluation instrument (20) and a hand probe (22) interconnected by a cable (24). The hand probe (22) has a probe housing and an ultrasonic oscillator (38) fitted therein on which are arranged a damping member (40) on the back and a lead member (42) on the front, in which the lead member (42) forms a coupling surface (36) for coupling to the mucous membrane and consists of a material with an acoustical impedance corresponding to 0.3 to 3 times the value and preferably 0.5 to 2.4 times the value of the acoustical impedance of water. A control electronic system and an evaluation electronic system, an electric power supply and a display unit (26) are fitted in the evaluation instrument (20).