阅读说明：本技术 用于检查牙种植体稳定性的设备和方法 (Device and method for checking the stability of a dental implant ) 是由 G·海特 R·瓦隆 于 2019-04-16 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种用于控制牙种植体(1)在骨头(2)中的稳定性的设备,所述种植体具有自由端(1a)以及埋在骨头(2)中的端部(1b)。所述设备包括超声换能器(12),该超声换能器(12)用于发射并收集从种植体(1)与骨头(2)之间的接触界面(4)反射的超声波,并提供表示所反射的超声波的测量信号。所述设备还包括处理单元,该处理单元用于从测量信号计算指标(IN),该指标(IN)的值可以评估种植体(1)在骨头(2)内的整合。指标(IN)对应于测量信号在时间间隔(t1-t2)内的平均能量,该时间间隔(t1-t2)从第一时刻(t1)开始并在第二时刻(t2)结束。第一时刻(t1)在开始发射超声波之后的第20至80μs之间。(The invention relates to a device for controlling the stability of a dental implant (1) in a bone (2), said implant having a free end (1a) and an end (1b) embedded in the bone (2). The device comprises an ultrasound transducer (12), the ultrasound transducer (12) being adapted to emit and collect ultrasound waves reflected from a contact interface (4) between the implant (1) and the bone (2), and to provide a measurement signal representative of the reflected ultrasound waves. The device further comprises a processing unit for calculating an Index (IN) from the measurement signal, the value of which Index (IN) can assess the integration of the implant (1) within the bone (2). The Indicator (IN) corresponds to the average energy of the measurement signal over a time interval (t1-t2), which time interval (t1-t2) starts at a first time instant (t1) and ends at a second time instant (t 2). The first time (t1) is between 20 and 80 mus after the start of the emission of the ultrasound waves.)

1. An apparatus for checking the stability of a dental implant (1) inserted at least partially into a bone (2), the implant having a free end (1a) emerging from the surface of the bone (2) and an end (1b) opposite to the free end, embedded in the bone (2), the apparatus comprising:

-an ultrasound transducer (12), which ultrasound transducer (12) is adapted to be coupled directly or indirectly to the implant (1), to emit ultrasound waves propagating within the implant (1) towards the embedded end (1b), to collect ultrasound waves reflected from a contact interface (4) between the implant (1) and the bone (2), and to provide a measurement signal representative of the reflected ultrasound waves,

-a processing unit adapted to calculate an Index (IN) based on the measurement signal, the value of the Index (IN) being such that the integration of the implant (1) within the bone (2) can be evaluated,

characterized IN that said Indicator (IN) corresponds to the average energy of said measurement signal over a time interval (t1-t2), said time interval (t1-t2) starting from a first instant (t1) and ending at a second instant (t2), and said first instant (t1) being between 20 and 80 μ s after the transducer (12) starts to emit ultrasonic waves.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first time (t1) is between 30 and 60 μ s.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said second instant (t2) is separated from said first instant (t1) by at least 5 μ s and at most equal to 200 μ s.

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ultrasound transducer is adapted to emit ultrasound waves with a central frequency at least equal to 5MHz, in particular at least equal to 8 MHz.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the ultrasound transducer (12) has an active surface for emitting ultrasound waves propagating within the implant (1) in a direction perpendicular to the propagation direction of the active surface of the transducer (12), the active surface being adapted to be in contact with a free end (1a) of the implant, directly or through an intermediate member, and being parallel to a bearing surface defined by the free end of the implant.

6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the processing unit comprises amplification means for amplifying the measurement signal before calculating the Indicator (IN), the measurement signal being amplified with an adjusted gain to achieve saturation of the signal up to the first instant (t1), but beyond this instant no longer being saturated.

7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the processing unit comprises amplification means for amplifying the measurement signal before calculating the Indicator (IN), the measurement signal being amplified with a gain that varies over time and increases between the first and second instants (t1, t 2).

8. A method for checking the stability of a dental implant (1) inserted at least partially into a bone (2), the implant having a free end (1a) exposed from the surface of the bone (2) and an end (1b) opposite the free end, embedded in the bone (2), the method comprising the steps of:

-emitting ultrasound waves propagating within the implant (1) towards the embedded end (1b), collecting ultrasound waves reflected from a contact interface (4) between the implant (1) and the bone (2), and providing a measurement signal representative of the reflected ultrasound waves,

-calculating an Index (IN) based on the measurement signal, the value of which Index (IN) makes it possible to evaluate the integration of the implant (1) within the bone (2),

characterized IN that said Indicator (IN) corresponds to the average energy of said measurement signal over a time interval (t1-t2), said time interval (t1-t2) starting from a first instant (t1) and ending at a second instant (t2), and said first instant (t1) being between 20 and 80 μ s after the transducer (12) starts to emit ultrasonic waves.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein said first instant (t1) is between 30 and 60 μ s.

10. Method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said second instant (t2) is separated from said first instant (t1) by at least 5 μ s and at most equal to 200 μ s.

11. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the centre frequency of the emitted ultrasound waves is at least equal to 5MHz, in particular at least equal to 8 MHz.

12. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein, before calculating the Indicator (IN), the measurement signal is amplified with a gain adjusted so as to achieve saturation of the signal up to the first instant (t1), but beyond this instant no longer.

13. The method of any of claims 8 to 12, wherein the gain varies with time and increases between the first and second instants (t1, t 2).

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for checking the stability of a dental implant inserted at least partially into a bone.

Background

Traditionally, dental implants exist in the form of artificial tooth roots, which are usually made of titanium alloy and placed in the maxilla or mandible. The dental prosthetic element is then screwed into the implant. After installation of a dental implant, a healing period is typically required to allow bone cells to colonize the buried surface of the implant and to "osseointegrate" (in other words, be integrated into the bone) the implant without the need for insertion of fibrous tissue at the bone-implant interface or boundary between the bone and the implant.

Since the dental implant mediates between the prosthetic element and the jaw bone, in particular transfers forces to the supporting bone, the dental implant must be properly integrated therein. During the aforementioned healing period, the implant is allowed to rest for integration into the bone, thereby enabling the implant to withstand the load to be applied thereto. After the healing period, the surgeon installs the prosthetic element in the dental implant. Therefore, measuring the proper integration of the implant in the bone (or osseointegration) is crucial for a successful treatment, especially in order to accurately determine the time to end the healing period and load the prosthetic element in the implant.

Patent document EP 2503954 describes an apparatus for checking the stability of a dental implant in bone and related apparatus. The method comprises calculating an index on the basis of the echogram, the value of the index being such that osteointegration of the implant can be assessed. Although this index is satisfactory under certain conditions, there is still a need for an index that enables accurate assessment of the osteointegration of an implant under more general conditions.

Disclosure of Invention

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for checking the stability of a dental implant inserted at least partially into a bone, the implant having a free end exposed from a surface of the bone and an end opposite to the free end embedded in the bone. The apparatus comprises an ultrasound transducer adapted to:

-directly or indirectly coupled to the implant,

-emitting ultrasound waves propagating within the implant towards the embedded end,

-collecting ultrasound waves reflected from a contact interface between the implant and the bone and providing a measurement signal representative of the reflected ultrasound waves.

The device further comprises a processing unit adapted to calculate an index based on the measurement signal, the value of the index making it possible to evaluate the integration of the implant in the bone.

The indicator corresponds to the average energy of the measurement signal over a time interval t1-t2, the time interval t1-t2 starting at a first time t1 and ending at a second time t2, and the first time t1 being between 20 and 80 μ s after the transducer starts to emit ultrasound waves. This indicator proves to be particularly sensitive to osseointegration of the implant and therefore allows an accurate assessment of osseointegration.

The present disclosure also relates to a method for checking the stability of a dental implant inserted at least partially into a bone, the implant having a free end exposed from the surface of the bone and an end opposite the free end embedded in the bone. The method comprises the following steps:

-emitting ultrasound waves propagating within the implant towards the embedded end, collecting ultrasound waves reflected from a contact interface between the implant and the bone, and providing a measurement signal representative of the reflected ultrasound waves,

-calculating the indicator based on the measurement signal.

Of course, the above described apparatus may be used to implement the method.

In addition to the features described above, the device and the method may have one or more of the following features, which may be considered alone or in technically feasible combinations.

The first time t1 is between 30 and 60 μ s. This makes it possible to further improve the sensitivity of the index.

The second instant t2 is at least 5 μ s apart from the first instant t1 (i.e. t2 ≧ t1+5 μ s), at most equal to 200 μ s.

-said ultrasound transducer is adapted to emit ultrasound waves with a central frequency at least equal to 5 MHz. Below this value, the collected measurement signal is less representative of the bone-implant interface and therefore the calculated indicator is also not representative of the interface. In particular, the center frequency may be at least equal to 8MHz, and for example approximately equal to 10 MHz. An ultrasonic transducer with a center frequency of 10MHz is readily available on the market at low cost and this frequency is well suited for the intended application.

-the ultrasonic transducer has an active surface to emit ultrasonic waves propagating inside the implant in a direction perpendicular to the propagation direction of the active surface of the transducer, the active surface being adapted to be in contact with the free end of the implant, directly or through an intermediate member, and parallel to a bearing surface defined by the free end of the implant.

The processing unit comprises amplification means for amplifying the measurement signal before calculating the indicator, the measurement signal being amplified with an adjusted gain to achieve saturation of the signal up to a first instant but beyond which it is no longer saturated. Furthermore, the gain may vary over time and increase continuously or in successive increments, for example, between the first time instant and the second time instant. This makes it possible to increase the size of the time interval t1-t2 without achieving signal saturation, thereby achieving a gain in sensitivity.

The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages, will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the device. The detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The drawings are schematic and not to scale, and are primarily intended to illustrate the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of one example of an inspection apparatus.

Fig. 2 shows an emission spectrum of a signal corresponding to the ultrasonic wave used.

Fig. 3 is an example of a measurement signal obtained by the apparatus of fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a photograph of four identical dental implants 1 inserted into a resin block at different levels of penetration.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the gain (in dB) applied to the measurement signal as a function of t1 (in hundredths of μ s, i.e., 10^-8s is a unit).

FIG. 6 is a graph showing sensitivity A (in percent) versus t1 (in one percent of μ s, i.e., 10)^-8s is a unit).

Detailed Description

Exemplary embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These examples illustrate the features and advantages of the present invention. It should be borne in mind, however, that the present invention is not limited to these examples.

Fig. 1 shows one example of an apparatus for checking the stability of the insertion of a dental implant into a bone 2. The dental implant 1 is schematically shown in the form of a cylinder. In practice, however, such an implant 1 has a conical shape and an external thread in order to be able to be screwed into the bone 2. For example, the average diameter of the implant is 2.5 to 5.5mm and the length is 6 to 16 mm. Dental implants are typically made of titanium alloys. Once the implant 1 is anchored in the bone 2, the free end 1a of the implant 1 emerges from the surface 3 of the bone 2 opposite the end 1b buried in the bone 2, so that the free end 1a of the implant 1 is accessible in vivo.

The examination apparatus mainly comprises an ultrasound sensor 10 and a calculation unit 20. The ultrasonic sensor 10 (which is of piezoelectric type) includes: an ultrasonic transducer 12 for emitting ultrasonic waves in a pulsed mode and receiving echoes resulting from the reflection of the ultrasonic waves propagating in the implant; and a control circuit 14 for controlling the ultrasonic transducer 12. The ultrasound transducer 12 is intended to be used in an ultrasound mode and is placed: such that its active surface is coupled to the free end 1a of the implant directly or indirectly, i.e. via an intermediate member, not shown, and such that the active surface is substantially parallel to the circular bearing surface defined by the free end 1a of the implant. Thus, the free end of the implant 1 serves as a receiving location for placing the transducer 12 or an intermediate member.

When the transducer 12 is coupled to the implant 1 using an intermediate member (not shown), the intermediate member is adapted to transmit ultrasound between the transducer 12 and the implant 1. To allow such transmission, the intermediate member may be mechanically fixed to the active surface of the transducer 12 on one side and to the implant 1 on the other side. For example by gluing, screwing or crimping, to the active surface of the transducer 12. For example by screwing into a cavity formed in the implant 1. Such a cavity (not shown) is open at the free end 1a of the implant and may extend within the implant 1 with a greater or lesser depth in the direction of the embedded end 1b of the implant 1.

Under these conditions, the ultrasound waves emitted by the transducer 12 may propagate within the implant 1 from the free end 1a of the implant towards the embedded end 1b of the implant, perpendicularly to the active surface of the transducer 12, while promoting the interaction phenomenon of the ultrasound waves propagating in the implant with the bone-implant contact interface 4 located at the boundary between the outer surface of the implant and the bone 2 surrounding the implant. This interaction phenomenon is crucial, as will become apparent hereinafter.

The control circuit 14 comprises an electrical pulse generator for exciting the piezoelectric elements of the transducer 12, which transducer 12 converts the received electrical pulses into corresponding ultrasonic waves, which then propagate in the implant 1 towards the embedded end 1 b. The electrical pulse generator generates, for example, a short pulse signal or a square wave signal with fast rising and falling edges. The control circuit 14 also comprises a receiving circuit that receives an electrical signal (or measurement signal) transmitted by the ultrasonic transducer 12 and corresponding to the ultrasonic waves reflected from the contact interface 4 and received by the transducer 12.

The computing unit 20 (which is connected to the sensor 10, for example, by a coaxial transmission line) mainly comprises: a computer memory 21 for storing electrical signals representative of the reflected ultrasonic waves collected by the receiving circuit of the control circuit; and a processing unit 22 (described below) configured to process the stored signals. The computing unit 20 may be a stand-alone unit, such as a microcontroller or a personal computer, to which various devices, such as a display device and a printing device, may be added.

The centre frequency of the emitted ultrasound waves is preferably at least equal to 5MHz, in particular at least equal to 8MHz, in view of the intended application. The bandwidth measured at-6 dB may be about 80% of the center frequency. The lower limit of the bandwidth may be greater than or equal to 30 MHz. Fig. 2 shows an emission spectrum of a signal corresponding to an ultrasound wave emitted with a central frequency equal to 10MHz and a bandwidth a between 6 and 14 MHz.

The pulse width of the electrical signal sent by the control circuit 14 to the transducer 12 is preferably less than or equal to half the period corresponding to the resonant frequency of the ultrasound transducer 12. For example, for a center frequency equal to 10MHz, the pulse width is 50 ns. Fig. 3 shows an example of a measurement signal or echo diagram obtained when checking the stability of an implant. The amplitude of the signal on the ordinate is given in arbitrary units. Time unit on abscissa is μ s (i.e. 10)^-6s). In this example, the signal is amplified with a gain of 70dB to achieve saturation of the signal until t1 is 40 μ s, after which the signal is no longer saturated.

The processing of the measurement signal representative of the reflected ultrasound waves may comprise several steps, but essentially consists IN calculating an index IN, the value of which makes it possible to evaluate the integration of the implant IN the bone.

The index IN corresponds to the average energy of the measurement signal over a time interval t1-t2, which time interval t1-t2 starts at a first instant t1 and ends at a second instant t 2.

The average energy may be determined by calculating the integral of the square of the absolute value of the signal amplitude over the time interval t1-t 2. In this case, it can be found that:

where m (t) represents the measurement signal.

However, the average energy may be determined in different ways without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, index IN may be calculated using the following formula:

instead of taking into account the square of the signal amplitude or the absolute value of the signal amplitude, the envelope e (t) of the measured signal or any other physical variable associated with the energy contained in the signal in the considered time window may also be taken into account.

In the studies leading to the present invention, the inventors found that there is an optimum value for the choice of time t1 to optimize the sensitivity of the index and thus more accurately assess the osseointegration of the implant. Surprisingly, a higher value should be selected for t 1. The following series of experiments illustrate this finding.

(hardware and method)

Experiments were carried out using an ultrasound probe of the type in fig. 1, but equipped with intermediate components between the transducer 12 and the implant 1. The photograph of fig. 4 shows four identical dental implants 1 inserted into a resin block at different levels of penetration.

The implants are numbered in decreasing order of pressing. As the implant is pressed more or less, it is more or less stable. Thus, implant number 1, which is fully pressed into the resin, is highly stable, with stability equivalent to a perfect osseointegration implant. In contrast, implant number 4, which is not pressed into the resin at all, is highly unstable, and its stability is equivalent to an implant with no osseointegration at all or with little osseointegration.

Implants No. 2 and 3 correspond to relatively stable and relatively unstable implants, respectively. The results obtained for implants No. 2 and No. 3 were compared to evaluate the sensitivity of index IN.

The index IN is calculated IN the time window between t1 and t2, it being understood that the second instant t2 is after the first instant t1, i.e. t2 > t 1. Generally, the value of t2 is selected in order to achieve an acceptable tradeoff between sufficient duration to obtain relevant information and satisfactory signal-to-noise requirements. With these general conditions satisfied, the inventors observed that the value of t2 does not significantly affect the sensitivity of the index IN as long as the duration of the window t1-t2 is at least equal to about 5 μ s. Thus, in the experiments carried out, the value of t2 was chosen to be equal to 150 μ s for all measurements. However, more generally, the value of t2 may be chosen between t1+5 μ s and 200 μ s. For example, for t1 ═ 40 μ s, t2 may be chosen between 45 and 200 μ s.

Values of t1 that may be considered vary between 5 and 100 mus. For each value of t1 considered, the same procedure is used to adjust the gain so that the signal can be viewed using a conventional digitizer. This process involves adjusting the gain so that signal saturation is achieved until the beginning of the time window under consideration (and therefore approximately at time t1), after which the signal is no longer saturated. This is illustrated in fig. 3, which shows an example of a measurement signal obtained when checking the stability of implant number 3. The t1 value considered is 40 mus. The signal is amplified and the gain is adjusted to 70dB to achieve signal saturation up to 40 mus, after which the signal is no longer saturated.

This procedure is considered to be applied with implant number 3, since this is the implant that can reach the maximum signal value. It should be noted that it is not necessary to make a very precise adjustment of the gain, but the gain should be the same for both implants considered (No. 2 and No. 3) and for the same value of t 1. FIG. 5 shows gain (in dB) as a function of t1 (in hundredths of mus, i.e., 10)^-8s is a unit). Since the signal needs to be amplified the further away the signal is measured (since it is known that the signal decreases with time), the gain increases with increasing t 1.

Once the gain value is determined for each t1 value, three measurements are made for each implant and each t1 value using the predetermined gain. The results obtained using implants No. 2 and No. 3 were compared and the sensitivity S of the index IN was evaluated for each value of t1 (t 1). When the value of the index IN does not significantly differ between the two implants, the sensitivity S is set to 0. Otherwise, the sensitivity S is given by the relative variation of the mean values of the indices obtained for implants No. 2 and No. 3, that is to say:

where M (t1, i) corresponds to the average of the indices obtained for implant No. i, and the index is calculated by using t 1. Therefore, the value of S increases as the sensitivity of index IN increases.

(results and conclusions)

FIG. 6 shows the sensitivity S (without any units) with t1 (in one hundredth of μ S, i.e. 10)^-8s is a unit). Surprisingly, the optimum value is achieved when t1 is located at about 50 μ s. The sensitivity is better, i.e. greater or close to 4, when the value of t1 is between 40 and 80 mus.

At present, it is difficult to explain the existence of the optimal value of t1 and why this value is relatively high. However, the following assumptions can be made.

Given the relatively long propagation time, the ultrasound waves make a large number of round trips in the implant (which behaves like a waveguide). Thus, the longer the time, the more sensitive the amplitude of the measurement signal is to changes in the conditions at the implant boundary, since the ultrasound waves make more round trips in the implant and therefore more pronounced interactions with the bone-implant interface. Therefore, if the value of t1 is too low, the useful signal for calculating the index IN will be IN a relatively short time due to the exponential decrease of the signal, so that a good sensitivity cannot be obtained due to the nature of the interaction between the ultrasound waves and the implant. On the other hand, if the value of t1 is too high, the signal is seriously affected by noise, and therefore good sensitivity cannot be obtained.

Finally, it will be noted that the experiments carried out with the insertion of a dental implant (at least partially) into bone are in accordance with the results obtained with the above-described implant inserted in a resin. In particular, these experiments also demonstrate the existence of the optimum value of t1 and that the optimum value is relatively high. However, although relatively high, the optimum value of t1 is generally lower than that obtained with the resin.