A system for analysis of the 3D mandibular movement using magnetic sensors and neuronal networks

Abstract

In Dental Medicine, the study of the mandibular movement has an important role in the development of oral rehabilitation treatments, because it allows to determine if exists or not pathologies in the temporomandibular joints and helps the definition of adequate treatment plans. In this paper, is presented the development of a new system for the acquisition of the 3D mandibular movement. A common facial arc used in Dental Medicine was adapted as main support structure, and electromagnetic sensors were used to acquire the move-ment. To visualize and analyze in a personal computer the movement acquired, it was developed a computational application using LabVIEW. In this work neural networks were employed to transform in cartesian coordinates the elec-trical signals obtained from the electromagnetic sensors used.