662results about "Dental articulators" patented technology

A computer implemented method of creating a dental model for use in dental articulation includes providing a first set of digital data corresponding to an upper arch image of at least a portion of an upper dental arch of a patient, providing a second set of digital data corresponding to a lower arch image of at least a portion of a lower dental arch of the patient, and providing hinge axis data representative of the spatial orientation of at least one of the upper and lower dental arches relative to a condylar axis of the patient. A reference hinge axis is created relative to the upper and lower arch images based on the hinge axis data. Further, the method may include bite alignment data for use in aligning the lower and upper arch images. Yet further, the method may include providing data associated with condyle geometry of the patient, so as to provide limitations on the movement of at least the lower arch image when the arch images are displayed. Further, a wobbling technique may be used to determine an occlusal position of the lower and upper dental arches. Various computer implemented methods of dental articulation are also described. For example, such dental articulation methods may include moving at least one of the upper and lower arch images to simulate relative movement of one of the upper and lower dental arches of the patient, may include displaying another image with the upper and lower dental arches of the dental articulation model, and/or may include playing back recorded motion of a patient's mandible using the dental articulation model.

A system for repositioning teeth comprises a plurality of individual appliances. The appliances are configured to be placed successively on the patient's teeth and to incrementally reposition the teeth from an initial tooth arrangement, through a plurality of intermediate tooth arrangements, and to a final tooth arrangement. The system of appliances is usually configured at the outset of treatment so that the patient may progress through treatment without the need to have the treating professional perform each successive step in the procedure.

Methods, devices and systems for digitizing a patient's arch and manipulating the digital dental arch model. In one variation the methods includes producing a physical arch model for the patient's arch, separating the physical arch model into a plurality of arch model components, mounting the arch model components on a scan plate, capturing one or more images of the arch model components, and developing digital representations of the arch model components using the captured one or more images.

A scanning system that acquires three-dimensional images as an incremental series of fitted three-dimensional data sets is improved by testing for successful incremental fits in real time and providing a variety of visual user cues and process modifications depending upon the relationship of newly acquired data to previously acquired data. The system may be used to aid in error-free completion of three-dimensional scans. The methods and systems described herein may also usefully be employed to scan complex surfaces including occluded or obstructed surfaces by maintaining a continuous three-dimensional scan across separated subsections of the surface. In one useful dentistry application, a full three-dimensional surface scan may be obtained for two dental arches in occlusion.

A method is presented for rapidly making and delivering directly to a consumer a full upper and/or lower denture on the basis of contemporaneous digital image information laser scanned from the person's oral cavity after all respective upper and/or lower teeth have been removed, the delivery of the denture occurring substantially contemporaneously with the creation of the contemporaneous digital image information and optionally including and based on archived digital image information laser scanned from the person's oral cavity before all respective upper and/or lower teeth have been removed and digitally stored. According to which this contemporaneous digital image information and archival digital image information of the oral cavity is converted, by means of what is called the rapid prototyping technique and thus with a processing step (20) and a combination of an optional laser scanning step (18) solely for archiving the oral cavity when upper and/or lower teeth are present and a repetition of the laser scanning step (18) at a subsequent time when upper and/or lower teeth have been removed, a pre-selected block of plastic is used in a processing step (26) at a remote rapid modeling facility for receiving and processing digital information to form the block of plastic or like material into a denture of which at least a part is formed to substantially perfectly fit in juxtaposed relationship to the corresponding gums of the consumer. At least, pre-selected outer or non-juxtaposing is selected for manufacture of the denture using an arbitrary archived digital image not derived from the consumer's oral cavity image but selected by the consumer for its style, cosmetic characteristics, for example, color of teeth, size and variety of teeth, and/or perceived suitability.

Apparatus, system, and methods for utilizing one or more computing devices to stage the movement of teeth during an alignment treatment are disclosed. The computing device receives an electronic representation of the patient's teeth in their initial position and an electronic representation of the teeth a final position for each tooth. A route each tooth will travel to reach its final position is determined, and the teeth are scheduled to move according to a movement pattern. Moreover, the schedule of movement takes into account a maximum rate of tooth movement for each tooth, the path of movement for each tooth, the distance each tooth needs to move, any needed tooth staggering, any needed round-tripping or tooth movement slowing. The invention also includes techniques for determining an optimum number of stages for the treatment based on the schedule of movement.

The present invention relates to a method for obtaining an accurate three-dimensional model of a dental impression, said method comprising the steps of, scanning at least a part of an upper jaw impression and/or a lower jaw impression, obtaining an impression scan, evaluating the quality of the impression scan, and use the impression scan to obtain a three-dimensional model, thereby obtaining an accurate three-dimensional model of the dental impression.

Systems and methods are provided for designing and producing custom-made templates for implantation or for pre-contouring metallic or polymer implantable plates prior to surgery. According to one embodiment, medical image data representing surrounding portions of a patient's anatomy to be repaired by surgical implantation of a bone reconstruction plate is received. Next, three-dimensional surface reconstruction is preformed based on the medical image data. Virtual removal of a bone or portion thereof to be reconstructed is performed with reference to the medical image data by simulating the contemplated surgical implantation procedure. Then, a representation of a template is created that is countered to fit the patient's anatomy to be repaired. Finally, a replica of the template is produced by using Solid Freeform Fabrication manufacturing techniques.

A 3D virtual model of an intra oral cavity in which at least a part of a finish line of a preparation is obscured is manipulated in virtual space by means of a computer or the like to create, recreate or reconstruct finish line data and other geometrical corresponding to the obscured part. Trimmed virtual models, and trimmed physical models, can then be created utilizing data thus created. The virtual models and/or the physical models may be used in the design and manufacture of copings or of prostheses.

A method of placing a dental implant analog in a physical model for use in creating a dental prosthesis is provided. The physical model, which is usually based on an impression of the patient's mouth or a scan of the patient's mouth, is prepared. The model is scanned. A three-dimensional computer model of the physical model is created and is used to develop the location of the dental implant. A robot then modifies the physical model to create an opening for the implant analog. The robot then places the implant analog within the opening at the location dictated by the three-dimensional computer model.

A method of manufacturing a rapid prototype overmold for locating a dental implant analog in a modified stone model for use in creating a tooth prosthesis is provided. An impression of a mouth having a first installation site that has a dental implant and a gingival healing abutment with at least one informational marker installed is taken. A stone model based on the impression is prepared. The model is scanned. A three-dimensional computer model of the installation site on a CAD program using data from the scan is created. The at least one informational marker is determined to gather information about the location of the dental implant. Abutment dimensional information based on the three-dimensional image and the at least one informational marker is developed. Overmold rapid prototype dimensional information based on the three-dimensional image is developed. The overmold rapid prototype adapted to fit over the modified stone model is fabricated.

A system and method for modeling of complete tooth, including root and crown, of a patient to facilitate orthodontic treatment are provided, wherein a generic tooth modeling is combined with a tooth crown modeling for a patient to yield a complete tooth modeling. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a generic tooth three-dimensional model for a particular tooth is morphed with a three-dimensional model of a patient's crown for the corresponding tooth to yield a complete three-dimensional model for that tooth. Such modeling techniques can be conducted with one or more computer-based systems, such as systems configured for storing patient data and generic tooth data, morphing such data and/or facilitating additional orthodontic treatment applications, through the use of one or more algorithms. Further adjustment of the complete tooth model for the tooth can also be provided through additional patient information, such as X-ray imaging, to address variations in root shape between a generic root and an actual root shape for a patient.

A computer-implemented method for modeling a complete tooth of a patient to facilitate dental and/or orthodontic treatment. The method includes generating a first set of digital data representing a clinical crown; generating a second set of digital data representing a plurality of digital tooth models of a particular tooth type each having a first parameterization; processing the second set of digital data to obtain a third set of digital data representing an average tooth model of the particular tooth type having a second parameterization which is less than the first parameterization; fitting the third set of digital data to the first set of digital data to create a set of digital data representing an interim tooth model; and morphing the set of digital data representing the interim tooth model to substantially mimic the anatomical shape of the clinical crown of the first set of digital data.

Method and apparatus for registering an object of known predetermined geometry to scanned three dimensional data such that the object's location may be verified. Such a known object may comprise a less than ideal three-dimensional (3-D) digital object such as a tooth, a dental appliance (e.g., as a tooth bracket model) or other like object, including portions thereof. Knowledge of such an object's location is generally helpful in planning orthodontic treatment, particularly where the location of the object needs to be determined or confirmed or where incomplete or poor scan data is obtained. Aspects of the present invention provide methods of effectively verifying dental appliance location and displaying appliance locations using a computer and three-dimensional models of teeth.

A digitally-based method is described for the design and production of customized removable dental appliances. The plastic component of custom appliances is designed using software, and milled directly over a plaster model of the dentition. A patient's upper, lower, and bite-registered arches are digitized, registered to a bite or centric occlusion position, and articulated in software using either an average geometry or the geometry of a specific articulator. Appliance design is performed by defining the desired plastic surfaces and margins as dictated by the relative movement and positions of the arches as functionally required for a specific appliance. Standard CAM software is used to read the design file and command a multiaxis machine center to mill the plastic while directly on a plaster model.

A process for creating a dental model to avoid periodontal defects during planned dental work includes obtaining CT scan data and optical scan data of a patient's dentition and integrating the CT scan data and the optical scan data by at least one of surface to surface registration, registration of radiographic markers, and registration of optical markers of known dimensions, to produce a dental model that includes the dentition and underlying bone and root structures. The process then segments anatomic sites of the tooth roots and underlying bone. A plan for the dental work is then generated based on the segmented anatomic sites, whereby the plan avoids periodontal defects based on the knowledge of the anatomic sites of the roots and underlying cortical bones in the dental model.

Methods and systems are described to digitally model the 4-dimensional dynamics of jaw and tooth motion using time-based 3-dimensional data. Complete upper and lower digital models are registered to time-based 3-dimensional intra-oral data to produce a true 4-dimensional model. Diagnostic and clinical applications include balancing the occlusion and characterizing the geometry of the temporomandibular joint. The 4-dimensional model is readily combined with conventional imaging methods such as CT to create a more complete virtual patient model.