3D digital holography device shortens denture fitting time to 30 minutes
A joint collaboration between the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Hadassah Medical Center (Israel) has resulted in a newly developed digital holography scanning device for intraoral 3D modeling that reduces the time it takes to get dentures (removable prosthetics constructed to replace missing teeth) from 30 days to 30 minutes. What's more, the device makes the treatment more comfortable and precise for patients.
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The current process for denture fitting is long and painful, as a patient has to visit the clinic multiple times so that soft and hard plastic material can be used to take exact measurements of the mouth. Failure to take exact measurements causes discomfort and pain. Dr. Anat Sharon, director of the Maxillofacial Prosthetics Clinic at Hadassah Medical Center, says that the process is so long that most dental clinics refuse to carry out the procedure.
The new HoloDent device is a product of the BioDesign: Medical Innovation program, a joint effort of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Hadassah Medical Center. The program allowed Sharon to recruit top engineering and business students to help her develop the technology.
The technology addresses a market of $500 million in the U.S. alone. HoloDent also aims to improve the accessibility of accurate denture fitting for aging populations in developing countries, eliminating the need for a dentist in those areas by providing access to a cost-effective digital solution.
For more information, please visit http://cbsh.cs.huji.ac.il.
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