J Dent Anesth Pain Med.  2017 Jun;17(2):129-134. 10.17245/jdapm.2017.17.2.129.

Application of augmented reality for inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia: A technical note

• Won YJ
• Kang SH

• KMID: 2384474
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.17245/jdapm.2017.17.2.129

Abstract

Efforts to apply augmented reality (AR) technology in the medical field include the introduction of AR techniques into dental practice. The present report introduces a simple method of applying AR during an inferior alveolar nerve block, a procedure commonly performed in dental clinics.

Keyword

Augmented Reality; Dentistry; Inferior Alveolar Nerve; Nerve Block

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia*
Dental Clinics
Dentistry
Mandibular Nerve*
Methods
Nerve Block

Figure

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  Fig. 1 A 3-dimensional reconstruction of the mandible generated from computed tomography images using the 3-dimensional simulation software.

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  Fig. 2 Intraoral photographs were taken from the angle at which the clinician used to look down at the patient's oral cavity for a right-sided inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia.

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  Fig. 3 Intraoral photographs were taken from the angle at which the clinician used to look down at the patient's oral cavity for injection of local anesthetics for right side inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia.

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  Fig. 4 The window of the 3-dimensional simulation software with the 3-dimensional mandibular image overlapping the intraoral photograph.

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  Fig. 5 Adjustment of the window transparency of the 3-dimensional simulation software to enable visualization of the intraoral photograph through the 3-dimensional mandibular image.

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  Fig. 6 Overlapping of the 3-dimensional mandibular images from the simulation software onto the intraoral photographs by matching positions of the teeth between the 3-dimensional mandibular images and intraoral photographs.

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  Fig. 7 Performing of an inferior alveolar nerve block procedure using a simple augmented reality method, in which the superimposed images are used as references to locate the mandibular foramen in an intraoral view during the injection of local anesthetics.

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