Friday, July 18, 2008
3M ESPE Lava Oral Scanner Gets IDEA Bronze
Filed under: Dentistry
Gadget aficionados should find a trip to the dentist a bit more exciting if one of these is installed next to the chair. The 3M oral scanner is essentially a digital impression system, and besides being more amusing to patients, the digital images can be used immediately to manufacture implants.
The Lava C.O.S. wand contains a highly complex optical system comprised of multiple lenses and blue LED cells. The system captures massive amounts of visual images in just seconds. Despite housing all of this technology, the wand weighs just 14 ounces and the wand tip is only 13.2 millimeters wide, maximizing maneuverability inside the mouth.The Lava C.O.S. is introducing an entirely new method of capturing 3D data. This 3D-in-Motion technology captures 3D data in a video sequence and models the data in real time.Thus, the Lava C.O.S. is able to capture approximately 20 3D data sets per second, or close to 2,400 data sets per arch, for an accurate and high speed scan. Other traditional point and click technologies rely on the warping of a laser or light pattern on an object to determine 3D data. Unlike video imaging, point and click uses individual "snapshots" to assemble a model.
While capturing massive amounts of data is quite an accomplishment, an even more impressive achievement is the ability of the Lava C.O.S. to model that data in real time. Unlike other systems on the market today, the Lava C.O.S. simultaneously displays the images that are being captured in the mouth onto the touch screen monitor. With this real-time visibility, a dentist can confidently and immediately assess whether enough information has been captured for a completed digital impression.
Video demonstrating how the system functions:
Product page: Lava™ Chairside Oral Scanner C.O.S.
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