1-4. (canceled)
5. An arrangement for use with an X-ray source applying radiation to a dental structure of a patient, said arrangement presenting an x-ray image of the dental structure and comprising:
an intraoral sensor that is positioned in the mouth of the patient on a side of the dental structure opposite that to which the radiation is applied, said intraoral sensor having,
a housing,
detector means located in said housing for receiving radiation passing through the dental structure and providing imaging data, and
an orientation sensor located in said housing for sensing the orientation of said sensor in an imaging position and providing orientation information; and
said apparatus comprising;
a display unit for displaying a dental X-ray image, said display unit having,
data transfer elements connected to the detector means and orientation sensor for transmitting the imaging data and orientation information to the display unit, and
image processing software for processing the imaging data to provide the dental X-ray image and utilizing the orientation information for causing the dental x-ray image to be displayed in the display unit with a proper orientation.
6. An arrangement as set forth in claim 5 wherein said intraoral sensor can be positioned in the mouth of the patient in one of two complementary imaging positions, in one of which imaging positions the intraoral sensor is inverted with respect to its orientation in the other imaging position, wherein the orientation sensor is further defined as providing information of the inverted or non-inverted orientation of the intraoral sensor, and wherein said image processing software is further defined as utilizing such orientation information for causing the dental X-ray image to be displayed in the display unit with a proper orientation.
7. An arrangement as set forth in claim 5 wherein said image processing software of said display unit includes a pattern recognition algorithm for identifying features of the dental structure of the patient from the imaging data and wherein said image processing software utilizes the pattern recognition algorithm and the orientation information for causing the dental X-ray image to be displayed in the display unit with a proper orientation.
8. An arrangement as set forth in claim 6 wherein said image processing software of said display unit includes a pattern recognition algorithm for identifying features of the dental structure of the patient from the imaging data and wherein said image processing software utilizes the pattern recognition algorithm and the orientation information for causing the dental X-ray image to be displayed in the display unit with a proper orientation.
9. An arrangement as set forth in claim 6 further including means for visually indicating which complementary imaging position the intraoral sensor is positioned in.
10. An arrangement as set forth in claim 6 further including output means couplable to the X-ray source for providing a signal indicative of which complementary imaging position the intraoral sensor is positioned in for use in positioning the X-ray source in accordance with the imaging position of the intraoral sensor.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A surgical fastener comprising:
a first leg including a distal end, a proximal end, and a first insertion tip at the distal end of said first leg, said first insertion tip having a first distal piercing point;
a second leg including a distal end, a proximal end, and a second insertion tip at the distal end of said second leg, said second insertion tip having a second distal piercing point;
a bridge connecting said first and second legs;
wherein said first and second distal piercing points are located outside said respective first and second legs, wherein said first and second legs extend along respective longitudinal axes, and wherein said first and second insertion tips are asymmetrical and skewed outwardly relative to said respective longitudinal axes of said first and second legs.
2. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bridge connects the proximal ends of said first and second legs for forming a closed end of said surgical fastener.
3. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first and second legs have outer walls that face away from one another in opposite directions, and wherein the distance between said first and second distal piercing points is greater than the distance between the outer walls of said first and second legs that face away from one another in opposite directions.
4. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first insertion tip has a first insertion tool seating surface and said second insertion tip has a second insertion tool seating surface.
5. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first insertion tip comprises a proximal end including said first insertion tool seating surface, and said second insertion tip comprises a proximal end including said second insertion tool seating surface.
6. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first insertion tool seating surface is closer to the distal end of said first leg than the proximal end of said first leg, and wherein said second insertion tool seating surface is closer to the distal end of said second leg than the proximal end of said second leg.
7. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first insertion tool seating surface faces toward the proximal end of said first leg, and said second insertion tool seating surface faces toward the proximal end of said second leg.
8. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first leg comprises a single alignment guide extending along the outer wall of said first leg, between the proximal end of said first leg and said first insertion tool seating surface, and said second leg comprises a single alignment guide extending along the outer wall of said second leg, between the proximal end of said second leg and said second insertion tool seating surface.
9. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 8, wherein said alignment guide on said first leg intersects said first insertion tool seating surface, and said alignment guide on said second leg intersects said second insertion tool seating surface.
10. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 8, wherein said alignment guides are selected from the group of alignment guides consisting of ribs extending between the distal and proximal ends of said legs, and grooves extending between the distal and proximal ends of said legs.
11. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first leg comprises a first barb projecting toward the proximal end of said first leg, and said second leg comprises a second barb projecting toward the proximal end of said second leg, and wherein said first and second barbs project outwardly away from one another.
12. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein said surgical fastener is absorbable.
13. A surgical fastener for anchoring medical devices to tissue comprising:
a first leg having a distal end, a proximal end, and a first insertion tip at the distal end of said first leg;
a second leg having a distal end, a proximal end, and a second insertion tip at the distal end of said second leg; and
a bridge connecting said first and second legs;
wherein said first and second legs extend along respective longitudinal axes, and wherein said first and second insertion tips are asymmetrical and skewed outwardly relative to said respective longitudinal axes of said first and second legs.
14. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:
a first insertion tool seating surface provided on said first insertion tip;
a second insertion tool seating surface provided on said second insertion tip;
a first alignment guide extending between the distal and proximal ends of said first leg; and
a second alignment guide extending between the distal and proximal ends of said second leg, wherein said first alignment guide extends to the distal end of said first leg for intersecting with said first insertion tool seating surface, and said second alignment guide extends to the distal end of said second leg for intersecting with said second insertion tool seating surface.
15. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 13, wherein said bridge connects the proximal ends of said first and second legs for forming a closed end of said surgical fastener.
16. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 13, wherein said first leg comprises a first barb projecting toward the proximal end of said first leg, and said second leg comprises a second barb projecting toward the proximal end of said second leg, and wherein said first and second barbs project outwardly away from one another.
17. A surgical fastener for anchoring medical devices to tissue comprising:
a first leg having a distal end, a proximal end, and a first insertion tip at the distal end of said first leg;
a second leg having a distal end, a proximal end, and a second insertion tip at the distal end of said second leg; and
a bridge connecting said first and second legs, wherein each of said first and second insertion tips has a distal piercing point that defines a distal-most end of said insertion tip, and wherein said distal piercing points are located outside said respective first and second legs, wherein said first and second legs extend along respective longitudinal axes, and wherein said first and second insertion tips are asymmetrical and skewed outwardly relative to said respective longitudinal axes of said first and second legs.
18. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:
a first alignment guide extending between the distal and proximal ends of said first leg;
a second alignment guide extending between the distal and proximal ends of said second leg;
said first insertion tip having a first insertion tool seating surface having a curved shape;
said second insertion tip having a second insertion tool seating surface having a curved shape; and
said bridge connecting the proximal ends of said first and second legs for forming a closed end of said surgical fastener,
19. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first alignment guide has a distal end that intersects said first insertion tool seating surface, and said second alignment guide has a distal end that intersects said second insertion tool seating surface.
20. The surgical fastener as claimed in claim 19, wherein said distal piercing points are spaced a first distance from one another, and said first and second legs have outer walls facing away from one another in opposite directions, said outer walls facing away from one another in opposite directions being spaced a second distance from one another, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.