 |
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
 |
|
Tooth Pics Dr. Dov Glazer (right) and patient Dr. Bruce Combs demonstrate how Glazer's Wireless Digital Dental X-Ray Sensor with Positioning Apparatus is used to photograph teeth. "I tried several systems in my office, but with the cords, the bulkiness and the steep learning curve, I was disappointed, and knew there had to be a better way," said Glazer. Newly patented digital dental photography means lower radiation, instant visualsBy Martin CovertNew Orleans Times-PicayuneTwo north shore dentists may soon be using a new invention that speeds up the method of taking and reading digital dental X-rays to diagnose patients' dental needs. Dr. James Moreau in Covington and Dr. Shelby Gebbs- Posner are already using digital X-rays but Dr. Dov Glazer, a New Orleans dentist, has developed and patented a way to make delivery of those X-rays more efficient. Exploiting advances in digital photography and radiography, Glazer said he was able to combine the workings of a digital camera, an X-ray scintillator plate and a set of five oral X-ray positioning instruments into a single sensing device, which he calls a "Wireless Digital Dental X-Ray Sensor with Positioning Apparatus." "We've used digital X-rays for the past seven or eight years," said Julie Moreau, adminstrator in her husband's More Smiles dental practice. "When we first switched from conventional film to digital, not too many people had the equipment we did." Now that digital dental Xrays are more common in the industry, Glazer's new device may speed up the transition to a totally digital environment. Moreau said digital X-rays are safer than standard radiology, "because they deliver about 90 percent less radiation." With digital technology, she said, dentists and their patients can immediately see where a tooth, gum or jaw problem may lie. "You can zoom in on decay, a root tip or a filling. You can colorize it. It's just much easier to explain what you see," she said. Gebbs-Posner said she and her staff at The Children's Dental Cottage switched to digital X-ray technology about five years ago. "The main reason to switch was the fact that so much less radiation is involved," she said. "With children, you may not get the perfect picture every time," since they tend to fidget more than most adults. "We may have to take more than one set of X-rays, so digital is safer," she said. Digital X-rays are more expensive than standard film Xrays, "but most insurance companies now cover the cost of the digital X-ray format," she said. Easier to seeThe technology Glazer has invented should make it easier for dentists to show parents and children "exactly what it is we are diagnosing," she said. "It's easier for them to see what we're talking about, when results are shown immediately on a computer screen in the examining room." Glazer's newly patented equipment is only slightly larger than a conventional bitewing holder. The most important factor in the new equipment is "having a digital dental X-ray sensor directly connected to the bite block, which in turn has all the necessary electronics built inside the paralleling and targeting portion of the device," he said. The invention was born of necessity. "As a practicing dentist, years ago I appreciated the advantages of digital radiography," Glazer said. "I tried several systems in my office, but with the cords, the bulkiness and the steep learning curve, I was disappointed, and knew there had to be a better way." Glazer combined his own experience with digital photography and the expertise of the Tulane University Department of Biomedical Engineering until a solution finally emerged. The device combines the standard digital X-ray with all the apparatus required to record and show the results to both doctor and patient. For the most part, this is done instantly, thanks to the new equipment. "Because the sensor is directly attached to the holder, with the placement of hinges, similar to those found in cell phones, we are able to rotate the sensor so one instrument can take a full mouth series of digital X-rays," he said. Glazer believes he was successful in gaining the patent because the digital X-ray devise will make it "easier, faster, and less expensive to take and produce dental X-rays than with conventional film." The patent was issued in August. Glazer is now in the manufacturing stage of getting the process to market. Glazer previously invented computer software (UAppoint, Inc.) that simplified the computerized appointment process for doctors and dentists. "He's an innovator," said Moreau. "Dr. Glazer's appointment confirmation software helped speed the process and save time," she said. This new invention that speeds up the methods of taking and reading digital dental X-rays will probably be as universally accepted, she said. About UAppoint, Inc.UAppoint was founded in 2004 with the mission to help dental practices provide exceptional service to patients beyond the treatment room. Based in Palo Alto, California, the company specializes in smart patient scheduling solutions. For more information about UAppoint, visit www.uappoint.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION: |
 |
|