Noninvasive Dental Implant Imaging System

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Dental implants are the fastest growing field in dentistry. However, high complication rates result in significant morbidity, cost, and disappointment. Better pre-operative knowledge of soft tissue thickness and hard tissue contour could dramatically cut complication rates. Current soft tissue thickness measurement techniques for implant procedures involve somewhat inaccurate mechanical penetration of the delicate soft tissues with sharp probes or radiography which is not optimal for soft tissue measurements. A noninvasive ultrasound imaging system is proposed that can potentially improve implant procedures by enabling: (1) accurate non-invasive preoperative measurement of soft tissue thickness, including soft tissue grafts; (2) identification of important surface bony features such as foramina; (3) identification of bony defects or fenestrations; and (4) precise location of buried healing implants with precise measurement of overlying tissue thickness. Ultrasound is ideally suited for this application, because: (a) it can be used in real-time before or during surgeries; (b) data is directly located to the exact site being imaged on the patient, as directly viewed by the dentist; (c) it is non- invasive and without ionizing radiation; and (d) it can be performed with an inexpensive and portable instrument. If successful, the system is expected to lower the overall societal cost of implant therapy by decreasing the need for expensive adjunctive procedures necessitated by surgical, prosthodontic and esthetic complications; 150,000 such adjunctive procedures were required in 2005-06. Additionally, the system will improve the quality and predictability of routine implant outcomes (especially facilitating the use minimally invasive flapless surgery) - important to both dentists and patients. The objective of this Phase I SBIR effort is to demonstrate the technical feasibility of a noninvasive ultrasound imaging system for dental implant procedures. The ultrasound system will ultimately be designed to feature a B-scan transducer that provides high quality 2D imagery, packaged in an ergonomic hand piece, with customized system electronics and simple display, all in a portable, low cost system. Technical feasibility of the approach will be achieved in this Phase I SBIR effort by (1) designing a B-scan ultrasound setup, based from prior work; (2) performing in-vitro studies using porcine jaws, and (3) analyzing measurement and detection statistics using ROC curves. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Dental implants are the fastest growing field in dentistry, but there is currently a high complication rate resulting in the need for a great many adjunctive procedures and less than optimal functional and esthetic outcomes. A noninvasive ultrasound imaging system has the potential to improve site assessment, treatment planning, surgical procedure, and uncovery by enabling accurate identification and measurement of soft tissue thicknesses, bony defects and dehiscences, mental and other foramina, jawbone thickness, and the precise location of buried healing implants. If successful, the system is expected to lower the overall societal cost of implant therapy, facilitate minimally invasive flapless surgery, and improve the quality and predictability of routine implant outcomes - important to both dentists and patients.