Dynamic virtual articulator

Abstract

Disclosed is a computer-implemented method of using a dynamic virtual articulator for simulating occlusion of teeth, when performing computer-aided designing of one or more dental restorations for a patient, where the method comprises the steps of:providing the virtual articulator comprising a virtual three-dimensional model of the upper jaw and a virtual three-dimensional model of the lower jaw resembling the upper jaw and lower jaw, respectively, of the patient's mouth;providing movement of the virtual upper jaw and the virtual lower jaw relative to each other for simulating dynamic occlusion, whereby collisions between teeth in the virtual upper and virtual lower jaw occur;wherein the method further comprises:providing that the teeth in the virtual upper jaw and virtual lower jaw are blocked from penetrating each other's virtual surfaces in the collisions.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention generally relates to a virtual articulator and to a method of performing virtual articulation. More particularly, the invention relates to a computer-implemented method of using a dynamic virtual articulator for simulating occlusion of teeth, when performing computer-aided designing of one or more dental restorations.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]An articulator is a mechanical device which provides a simplified geometrical model of the cranium for simulating the relative movements of the human jaws for testing occlusion of teeth. An articulator is used by a dental technician when modelling dental restorations for a patient, and the dental technician may alternate between modelling the restorations and evaluating the function of the bite or occlusion using the articulator. For testing collision of teeth in the upper and lower jaw, the dental technician can use carbon copy paper placed between the teeth of the two jaws in the articulator, ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a virtual articulator that can be used at various stages in the process of designing dental restorations such as crowns or bridges. This tool allows for the size and shape of the designed restorations to be tested and ensures that there is enough space in the mouth for the restorations when the jaws move relative to each other. By simulating occlusion, the function of the dental restorations can be tested, and the quality of the occlusion can be improved based on the patient's real physiologic occlusion.

Problems solved by technology

It remains a problem to provide a virtual articulator which imitates and resembles an articulator in an improved manner.

However, it may alternatively be the case that when a restoration and an unmodified tooth are simulated relative to each other, the motion surface of the restoration may penetrate the unmodified tooth.

Thus no movement, no accumulated registration of collision point surfaces and no possibility to perform a concurrent modeling of restorations based on all collision points are disclosed or possible in prior art.

Whereas other teeth have no important function or position, and it may therefore be insignificant for the functionality or visual aesthetics if those teeth are moved.

It is a problem if a restoration becomes too high, such as extending a little above the neighbour teeth, because then it may interrupt the patient's bite and / or easily become broken.

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