Apparatus and method for enhancing the images of intra-oral photography

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally including an intra-oral mount means with an opening and mounted on the lens housing means such that the opening generally registers with the outside circumference of the circular flash means and assist in movably securing the shield means over the circular flash means.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 additionally comprising at least one mirror mount means removably attached to said intra-oral mount and protruding therefrom such that an end section thereof is eventually generally inserted into an oral cavity; and a non-metal mirror means bound to said end section of said mirror mount means in order to enhance or sharpen the image photographed.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 additionally comprising at least one mirror mount holder secured to said intra-oral mount means, said mirror mount holder having a structure defining a slot; and said mirror mount means slidably removably lodges in said slot of said mirror mount holder in order to be mounted on said intra-oral mount means.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein two mirror mount holders are secured to said intra-oral mount means along adjacent edges thereof.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said mirror means comprises glass having a surface that defines a mirror surface.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said mirror means comprises plexiglass having a surface that defines a mirror surface.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said shield means comprises a flange section means which flushes against the inner circumference of the circular flash means; and a lens shield section means integrally bound to the flange section means.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said lens shield section means movably traverses the transparent face of said circular flash means and generally defines an arc of between about 90° and about 270°.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 2 additionally comprising a mirror means removably secured to the intra-oral mount and protuding therefrom such that an end section thereof is eventually generally inserted into an oral cavity, said mirror means comprises a non-metallic material selected from the group consisting of glass, plexiglass, plastic means, or any non-metallic material that can receive and retain a reflective mirror coating; and said end section that is inserted into an oral cavity having a surface that defines a mirror surface and an opaque covering means covering the back or bottom surface of said end section opposed to the surface that defines the mirror surface.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said shield means comprises a flange section means which flushes against the inner circumference of the circular flash means; and a lens shield section means integrally bound to the flange section means.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said lens shield section means movably traverses the transparent face of the circular flash means and generally defines an arc of between about 90° and about 270°.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 12 additionally comprising at least one mirror mount holders secured to said intra-oral mount holder having a structure defining a slot; and said mirror means slidably removably lodges in said slot of said mirror mount holder.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein two mirror mount holders are secured to the intra-oral mount means along adjacent edges thereof.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said shield means comprises a pair of essentially parallel, arcuate edges, and said lens shield section means is formed with no openings or slots.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said shield means comprises a flange section means which generally flushes against the inner circumference of the circular flash means.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 16 additionally comprising at least one mirror mount means removably attached to said intra-oral mount and protruding therefrom such that an end section thereof is eventually generally inserted into an oral cavity; and a non-metal mirror means bound to said end section of said mirror mount means in order to enhance or sharpen the image photographed.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 19 additionally including an intraoral mount means with an opening and mounted on the lens housing means such that the opening generally registers with the outside circumference of the circular flash means and assist in movably securing the shield over the circular flash means.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 20 additionally comprising at least one mirror mount means removably attached to said intra-oral mount and protruding therefrom such that an end section thereof is eventually generally inserted into an oral cavity; and a non-metal mirror means bound to said end section of said mirror mount means in order to enhance or sharpen the image photographed.

Claim 25

A process for improving the quality of an intra-oral image photographed with a camera means having a circular flash means with an inner circumference and an outer circumference comprising the steps of: (a) forming a shield means having an outer arcuate edge with a predetermined length and an inner arcuate edge having a shorter length than the length of the outer arcuate edge, and such that the outer arcuate edge are capable of respectively generally registering with the outer circumference and the inner circumference of the circular flash means when the shield means is positioned over the circular flash means; (b) positioning the shield means over the circular flash means such that the outer arcuate edge and the inner arcuate edge generally register with the outer circumference and the inner circumference respectively of the circular flash means and a predetermined portion of any illumination emanating from the circular flash means is blocked out to convert the illumination into a directional or point flash; (c) illuminating the circular flash means, which has been partially blocked by the shield means, to reflect a directional or a point flash off a non-metallic mirror means that has been positioned in a pre-determined location in a person's mouth such that the camera means receives and photographs a sharper intra-oral image off the non-metallic mirror means was utilized or a shield means not utilized.

Claim 26

A process for improving the quality of an intra-oral image photographed with a camera means having a circular flash means with an inner circumference and an outer circumference comprising the steps of: (a) forming a shield means having an outer arcuate edge with a predetermined length and an inner arcuate edge having a shorter length than the length of the outer arcuate edge, and such that the outer arcuate edge are capable of respectively generally registering with the outer circumference and the inner circumference of the circular flash means when the shield means is positioned over the circular flash means; (b) positioning the shield means over the circular flash means such that the outer arcuate edge and the inner arcuate edge generally register with the outer circumference and the inner circumference respectively of the circular flash means and a predetermined portion of any illumination emanating from the circular flash means is blocked out to convert the illumination into a directional or point flash; (c) illuminating the circular flash means, which has been partially blocked by the shield means, to reflect a directional or a point flash off a non-metallic mirror means that has been positioned in a pre-determined location in a person's mouth such that the camera means receives and photographs a sharper intra-oral image off the non-metallic mirror means was utilized or a shield means not utilized.

Claim 27

The process of claim 22 additionally comprising forming the shield means with a flange section means which is generally flushed against the inner circumference of the circular flash means when said shield means is positioned over the circular flash means.

Claim 28

The process of claim 23 additionally comprising the back of said non-metallic mirror means with an opaque means.

Claim 29

The process of claim 24 wherein said mirror means comprises a non-metallic material selected from the group consisting of glass, plexiglass, plastic means, or any non-metallic material that can receive and retain a reflective mirror coating.