Check this out Dentites: EMODELS.

emodelâ„¢ 3-dimensional digital model service helps to eliminate the need for traditional plaster models in orthodontic practice.

emodelsâ„¢ are created through a proprietary, non-destructive, laser scanning process that digitally maps plaster models into precise, high resolution, 3-dimensional electronic records available anytime, anywhere via the internet.

An overview movie is here.

Download and install demonstration software with sample emodelsâ„¢ here.

This is a great innovation and applicable to all phases of dentistry soon.

Technorati Tags: emodels, dental, dentistry, orthodontics

Medgadget finds this mechanical jaw hard to swallow and recommends everyone to sink your teeth into this press release from Massey News, The robotic human jaw.

A robotic human jaw, under collaborative development by Massey engineers, will have applications for both medical and food technological research.

A team led by Dr John Bronlund and Associate Professor Peter Xu in the Institute of Engineering and Technology has been subcontracted by the University of Auckland to design and make a robotic jaw as part of a larger project in its Bioengineering Institute.

Associate Professor Andrew Pullan at the Auckland Institute is mathematically modelling the muscles of the human face to reproduce jaw movement through muscle contraction, but requires information about the mechanics of the jaw muscles, the forces used in chewing and biting.

The Massey team is now engaged in the construction of the robotic jaw, which will provide comprehensive data of the forces and movements applied in the chewing of food. during chewing of food. Post-graduate students have also been given the opportunity to work on the jaw, which is the first of its type in the world.

Masters student Jozsef-Sebastian Pap has designed the robot and the six actuators which drive the bottom jaw (the top half of the human jaw remains fixed). PhD student Jonathon Torrence is working on the control of the robot.The team estimates the first prototype robotic jaw is six months from completion.

Dr Xu says the project is an excellent example of multidisciplinary research – combining a very innovative type of mechatronics, food technology, and biomechanics. The project is also collaborative, originating from a visit to the University D’Auvergne Clermont in France in 1999. There, Dr Bronlund became interested in a project measuring the chewing behaviour of humans and has since been working with Dr Xu to replicate this in robots.

In New Zealand, Professor Jules Keiser at the University of Otago’s School of Dentistry has contributed data on the shape of the jaw and teeth. This information will be combined with research by Dr Kylie Foster at Massey’s Albany campus measuring the movement of the jaw as it chews, to provide a complete picture of the jaw in motion from which to base the robotic movement.

Dr Bronlund says the ability of the jaw to mechanically replicate the chewing actions of humans has applications across medicine and food technology. Dental researchers can use the jaw to study the response of dental implants to the chewing of different foods and to evaluate the impact of impaired dentition on chewing efficiency. The jaw is designed to be fitted with a variety of teeth, such as the sharp pointy teeth of a six year old or the blunter molars of an adult..

For the purposes of food technology, the jaw will be especially useful in the study of the dynamics of texture changes in foods during chewing. Dr Bronlund says robotic testing of this type will be very valuable when combined with sensory food evaluation techniques. . In the future it is intended to teach the robot to adaptively chew food. It may be made to make its own decisions on how to chew a new food product. If it loses a tooth, it will adjust its motion accordingly and the data collected, of chewing force and jaw movement, will reflect the changed situation.

This research really is a GRIND isn’t it.

Interesting stuff and the first of many models to understand the art and science of occlusion.

Technorati Tags: dentistry, dental, jaw, teeth

Flap ran across this dental gadget: MirroScopeTM is a unique combination of the familiar intra oral dental mirror, and a sophisticated hi-tech CCD sensor, which transfers a full-color, high-resolution real-time video image of the object reflected in the mirror.

MirroScope^TM allows the freedom to work without having to change standard procedures, but at the same time, be able to upgrade some of the procedures to a new improved operative level. This new concept provides for the first time a real clinical value to the old Intra oral camera.

The unique design of the sensor eye, mounted in a small one millimeter in diameter hole in the center of the dental mirror and its special focus system, allows for complete imaging intra oral and extra oral capabilities, along with complete accessibility to all areas of the mouth cavity, including hard-to-see regions. Independent lighting capabilities allow operating easily in the dark or obscure areas.

The need for the mirroscope^TM (Size: 2 MB)

Clinical Procedures (Size: 6 MB)

Mirroscope^TM close up (Size: 4 MB)

Miras-Hands on courses (Size: 3 MB)

Check it out!

An interesting concept!

Dentist and Internet Dental Forum founder, Dr. David Dodell, has developed the Dentalcast Podcast network which brings you the latest in dental techniques and information via a regular “Podcast” radio show.

The feed is: http://www.dentalcast.net/podcast/dentalcast.xml.

Flap says check it out.

You will be glad you did.

Technorati Tags: dentalcast.net, dentalcast, Internet Dental Forum, Podcast, David Dodell

Flap ran across this interesting dental gadget. DETECTAR is the first automatic instrument that allows for the systematic detection of subgingival calculus.

Automatic detection by DETECTAR relies on the specific spectral signature of subgingival calculus. Light that reflects off the tartar is sensed by an optical fibre, and converted into an electrical signal to be analyzed. A computer processing algorithm is used to determine whether the DETECTAR probe has found calculus.

An innovative device that will have wide application.

It can be purchased at Ultradent Products.

Technorati Tags: Detectar, dental, dentistry, calculus

Looks like Marshall White DMD an Administrator at Dental Town has foretold the end of DentalCom.net.

This is what has been up all weekend:

From Dr. Joel Eichen:

Yeah, Justin forgot to pay his bills.

Actually he wrote in one thread that they do not have his new credit card information. He claims he will update, but if he does or he doesn’t DentalCom is in its death throes.

Sue Madden and I each do not want to be the last man (or woman) standing. So when there are few threads we toss up some. Other than us, there are very occasional posts by others. Very occasional.

If it dies, it dies. I suspect its time.

From the looks of their March 2005 log statistics, not much was going on anyway.

Flap foretold the end here.

From Justin Shafer, Administrator of DentalCom.net:

I am thinking of taking Dentalcom down. I havent yet, because I like the arcade and I like you guys being able to post here. If we dont get more posts, then I may convert this site into maybe an arcade only site, or I may just leave it the way it is.

It would be hard for me to take this board down, but I just might. I removed the news feeds because I feel like its keeping people from posting. If you guys have any ideas let me know. One thing I do not want to do is to remove all of the posts. I am curious as to how we can get people to post instead of lurking. I think If I was going to take this site down, I would have already done it by now.

-Justin

Visits is the main category of interest…

Me thinks the site could have rivaled Dental Town with time…but Justin is not a dentist and frankly did not support the site with his incessant Kiss- Ass posts over at Dental Town.

Anyone game for another site?

Update #1

Now Justin Shafer says he is not taking the site down. Damn, make up your mind?

But, from looking at your traffic WHO CARES?!

Update #2

From Justin Shafer on DentalCom.net: “the more I think about it the more I want to keep it up. I have been wondering about this for the past month or so and I dont think I can actually take it down. Its like creating a robot, and then having to destroy him. I just cant do it. The cost/profit of the site doesnt really mean a lot to me.
Its just odd. The number of posts are going down, but we still have a lot of people lurking. I cannot decide if I should make people register or not.
My girlfriend would get mad at me anyways, she loves to compete in pacman.

How have you guys been doing?

Maybe I could create a domain called DentalArcade.com, and then link it to dentalcom.net….

I think I will do that, but how do I tell people about dentalarcade.com? If I told anyone on DT they would accuse me of promoting dentalcom. The counterstrike idea of DT would work better if they included counterstrike source.”

Huh?

So, has Justin Shafer taken the dentalcom.net site down?

Update #1

The site is back up.

I guess the Admin, Justin Shafer, either paid the hosting bill or had another change of heart.

Dr. Lorne Lavine over at the Digital Dentist tells the story of competing PMS (Practice Management Software) software venders utilizing Apple’s Mac platform:

In a previous post, I raved about two new Mac products for dental offices that I saw at the CDA, idental and MacPracticeDDS. Based on how these companies have been behaving on DentalTown, I would have trouble recommending either of them. The story reads like a soap opera: bashing each other’s products, misrepresentations of the number of users, people with obvious financial connections to the companies pretending to be users of the software, espionage at the CDA meeting…the list goes on. Both of these companies should realize that they look foolish airing their dirty laundry and should spend more time making sure they have usable products and happy customers, which, based on the responses on Dentaltown, are both in short supply.

Dr. Lorne, what do you expect at Dental Town?

A good number of dentists shun the place due to the obvious bias of product recommendations and the demeanor of the dentists posting there.

Lorne, stick to blogging. The future is in the blogosphere and not anonymous bulletin boards, like Dental Town.

The Digital Dentist is recommending a number of scanners to scan dental radiograph (x-rays) films into a digital format to be used by image management software:

The industry standard for many years has been the Epson 1680 Professional. The Professional model is the only one with the Transparency Adapter, which is necessary for scanning x-rays. Some offices have been getting the newer Epson 4990 lately. The concern with this scanner is that it only scans 8″ X 10″ transparencies, which is often too short for some pans and many FMX series in their mounts. The 1680 can scan up to 11.7″ (their web site incorrectly says 10″). Other models that should work for dentistry include the Microtek 9800 XL and a few of the UMAX models.

A scanner is a “must have” especially since many dentists are just now converting to digital formats.

Check out this new imaging system from Hitachi:

Hitachi has combined expertise in conebeam CT and digital x-ray technologies and optimized it for maxilliofacial imaging with the CB MercuRay. The result is a digital x-ray scanner with a 360° rotational sequence, enabling 2D images and 3D volume reconstructions for excellent planning and diagnostic support.

The CB MercuRay system is fast and comfortable for the patient and has user-friendly software with a wide variety of viewing and processing options. Most importantly, it provides high quality images from any view desired. The CB MercuRay system does all this and is backed by Hitachi’s renowned marketing, applications and service support.

• CB MercuRay Features
• Conebeam Technology
• Image Gallery
• Viewing Software
• Hitachi Support
• Product Specifications

WOW! What life-like images!

H/T: Emmott on Technology

Dr. Lorne Lavine – The Digital Dentist – of Dental Technology Consultants has published a new blog.

Check it out here.