Nowadays, a patient may see a dentist in a major hospital or a small dental clinic for treatment. For example, a dentist or a health care professional can carry out oral dental X-ray photography in a secure and isolated room or space that is equipped with professional digital X-rays during the patient's first visit to the dentist, for the purposes of a regular check-up or for checking any abnormalities which cause discomfort to the patient. The dentist can thus clearly see the general status of and the relative distribution of the patient's teeth.
Once the patient enters the isolated and secure room or a space that is equipped with professional digital X-rays, the patient is then requested to be standing or seated in a fixed position in front of the X-ray equipment. The patient needs to wear protective clothing since the torso part of the body needs to be shielded from the X-ray irradiation. Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 shows an imaging film that is used to show the results of X-ray irradiation (this may also be known as direct digital imaging digital device), and this imaging film will be placed into the oral cavity of the patient. In particular, the imaging film will be placed at specific areas of the oral cavity having teeth that cause discomfort to the patient. The imaging film needs to be pressed on the teeth that cause discomfort either by the dentist, the health care professional or by the patient. Moreover, the imaging film needs to be fixed in the patient's oral cavity, either by means of the patient biting on the imaging film, or it may be fixed by means of an assisting device. Subsequent to fixing the imaging device, an image will be taken by X-rays such that the image result is produced on the direct imaging digital device. The dentist may directly see the image result on a computer monitor, such that the dentist can offer an explanation on the status of the patient's teeth. Furthermore, the dentist may also be able to find out any dental diseases of the patient. In addition, such imaging results may also be referred to on numerous later occasions by the dentist if necessary.
Among such instant X-ray image irradiation technologies, the direct imaging digital device is a relatively expensive medical material, but the direct imaging digital device cannot be disinfected by high temperature and high pressure, or soaked in disinfectant methods. In order for the direct imaging digital device to be re-used and not let the direct imaging digital device be wasted, and also being able to avoid oral health and safety issues of individual patients in the meantime, a sheath is then developed which is suitable for covering the direct imaging digital device.
The size of the opening of the traditional sheath is very similar to the size of the direct imaging digital device. As such, when the dentist or the health care professional inserts the direct imaging digital device into the sheath, the insertion is very time-consuming because the alignment of the direct imaging digital device and the sheath is difficult to be achieved.
Furthermore, different manufacturers may produce different direct imaging digital devices and sensing devices that have different sizes and specifications. However, the traditional sheath is only suitable for a single-sized direct imaging digital device. Accordingly, hospitals or dental clinics may be required to buy sheaths having different sizes. This causes great inconvenience and may increase the medical costs.