Scanning device

Abstract

A system comprising a scanning device is operable by a user to scan teeth of the user to acquire images of the teeth. The scanning device comprises a camera operable to acquire the images, a guide configured to orient the camera with respect to the teeth to facilitate acquisition of the images, and a server system configured to receive the images acquired by the scanning device and to develop a treatment plan for the user based on the received images.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 an imaging system configured to acquire images of an intraoral cavity, the imaging system configured to allow a user to visually monitor the intraoral cavity while the images are acquired, the imaging system comprising:
 an image acquisition device configured to acquire the images; 
 an orientation element configured to orient the image acquisition device with respect to the intraoral cavity to facilitate acquisition of the images; and 
 a processor configured to:
 receive the images acquired by the image acquisition device; and 
 determine an oral condition of the user based on the received images. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation element is configured to interface with a tooth of the user to orient the camera with respect to the tooth of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging system further comprises a communications circuit configured to communicate the images to a server system via a mobile device associated with the user. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the server system is in wireless communication with the mobile device, the server system configured to receive the images from the mobile device and generate a high-resolution reconstruction of the images. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the oral condition comprises at least one of a dental condition of the user or an orthodontic condition of the user. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the orthodontic condition comprises misaligned teeth. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the oral condition comprises at least one of a cracked tooth, a broken crown, gingivitis, a cavity, or gum disease. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a mobile device associated with the user is configured to display a user interface including an indication referring the user to a dentist or an orthodontist based on the oral condition of the user. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the image acquisition device comprises a plurality of cameras configured to acquire the images. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a mobile application installed on a mobile device associated with the user is configured to allow the user to visually monitor the intraoral cavity while the images of the intraoral cavity are acquired. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the mobile application is configured to determine that the images are suitable to diagnose the oral condition and to display an indication to the user indicating that the images are suitable to diagnose the oral condition. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the mobile application is configured to determine that the images are not suitable to diagnose the oral condition and to display an indication to the user indicating that the images are not suitable to diagnose the oral condition. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the images displayed to the user indicate a progress of the imaging. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the mobile application is configured to display the progress of the imaging to the user by displaying a generic tooth model that is replaced with a model of the teeth of the user as the imaging of the intraoral cavity of the user progresses. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the mobile application is configured to display the progress of the imaging to the user by displaying a generic tooth model where portions of the generic tooth model change color as the imaging of the intraoral cavity of the user progresses. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a server system is configured to provide the oral condition to a mobile device associated with the user. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 providing an imaging system configured to acquire images of an intraoral cavity, the imaging system configured to allow a user to visually monitor the intraoral cavity while the images of the intraoral cavity are acquired, the imaging system comprising:
 an image acquisition device configured to acquire the images; 
 an orientation element configured to orient the image acquisition device with respect to the intraoral cavity to facilitate acquisition of the images; 
   acquiring the images; and   determining an oral condition of the user based on the acquired images to compare the determined oral condition of the user to a prior oral condition of the user.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 determining whether the images of the intraoral cavity are suitable for determining the oral condition; and   providing feedback to the user regarding whether the images of the intraoral cavity are suitable for determining the oral condition.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 displaying, by the image acquisition device, a generic image of an intraoral cavity; and   changing, by the image acquisition device, the generic image of the intraoral cavity to a model of the intraoral cavity of the user in real time to reflect a progress of the imaging.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein an appearance of the model of the intraoral cavity of the user is changed based on whether the images of the intraoral cavity are suitable for determining the oral condition. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 determining whether the images of the intraoral cavity are suitable for determining the oral condition; and   acquiring subsequent images of the intraoral cavity based on determining that the images of the intraoral cavity are not suitable for determining the oral condition, wherein determining the oral condition is based on the subsequent images.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 determining a confidence level associated with the images, the confidence level indicating a likelihood that the images are suitable for determining the oral condition; and   displaying the confidence level to the user while or after the images are acquired.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the oral condition comprises at least one of a dental condition of the user or an orthodontic condition of the user. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising communicating the determined oral condition to a mobile device of the user. 
     
     
         25 . An imaging device comprising:
 a body configured to be held to acquire images of an intraoral cavity of a user;   a camera configured to acquire the images;   an orientation element configured to orient the camera with respect to the intraoral cavity of the user to facilitate acquisition of the images; and   a communications circuit configured to communicate the images to a server system, the server system configured determine an oral condition of the user based on the images;   wherein the imaging device is configured to allow the user to visually monitor the intraoral cavity of the user while the images are acquired.   
     
     
         26 . The imaging device of  claim 25 , wherein the oral condition comprises at least one of a dental condition of the user or an orthodontic condition of the user. 
     
     
         27 . The imaging device of  claim 25 , wherein the orientation element is configured to interface with at least a part of the intraoral cavity of the user to orient the camera. 
     
     
         28 . The imaging device of  claim 25 , wherein at least part of the imaging device is configured to be positioned in the intraoral cavity of the user. 
     
     
         29 . The imaging device of  claim 28 , wherein the camera is configured to acquire the images while the at least part of the imaging device is positioned in the intraoral cavity of the user. 
     
     
         30 . The imaging device of  claim 25 , wherein the oral condition comprises at least one of a cracked tooth, a broken crown, gingivitis, a cavity, or gum disease.