The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 19, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 03, 1998
Novadent Ltd., Jerusalem, IL;
Abstract
This invention is a device and method for the detection of smooth surface lesions such as caries and tooth crown surface cracks on a tooth crown surface, the device having an ultrasonic surface wave transmitter/receiver (20) capable of transmitting ultrasonic surface waves along a tooth crown surface. Surface lesions encountered by the ultrasonic surface waves produce ultrasonic surface wave reflections which are receivable at the generator/receiver, thus enabling the presence of the lesion to be detected. The ultrasonic surface wave generator/receiver may comprise a transducer operatively connected to a wedge-like coupler (30). Longitudinal ultrasonic waves generated by the transducer are imparted onto the tooth surface by the coupler which has a contact surface in contact with the tooth surface being tested. The coupler also enables ultrasonic surface wave reflections to be received by the transducer.