The Identification of the Critical Haptic Stimulus Features in a Clinical Dental Task

Abstract

This paper reviews evidence from a series of experiments that identify a characteristic 250–350 Hz tool vibration that may enable a dentist to make a specific clinical determination during a dental exam. The specific task is a generalized version of crown margin gap estimation. The results suggest that the vibration of the dental tool may be the salient haptic characteristic perceived by the dentist. Our previous experiments indicate that this vibration occurs when the probe releases potential energy after moving across the gap. A Fourier power spectrum of the vibration indicates that the vibration energy is in the maximally sensitive range of the Pacinian corpuscle, an organ which senses fingertip skin vibration. This paper discusses follow-up experiments designed to verify that including the vibration makes the size of the crown margin gap more salient while damping the vibration makes the size of crown margin gap more difficult to estimate. Defining the essential characteristics of the haptic signal is essential for redesigning, implementing and assessing the next generation of our dental surgical simulator.