Dentistry – Orthodontics – Method of positioning or aligning teeth
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-13
2001-05-08
Wilson, John J. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Orthodontics
Method of positioning or aligning teeth
C433S213000, C433S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227850
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of orthodontics and, more particularly, to computer-automated development of an orthodontic treatment plan and appliance.
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the straightening of crooked teeth. Although there are many types of appliances that can be used by an orthodontist to straighten the teeth, the most common appliance is braces. Braces include a variety of appliances such as brackets, archwires, ligatures, and O-rings, and attaching braces to a patient's teeth is a tedious and time consuming enterprise requiring many meetings with the treating orthodontist. Consequently, conventional orthodontic treatment limits an orthodontist's patient capacity and makes orthodontic treatment quite expensive.
Before fastening braces to a patient's teeth, at least one appointment is typically scheduled with the orthodontist, dentist, and/or X-ray laboratory so that X-rays and photographs of the patient's teeth and jaw structure can be taken. Also during this preliminary meeting, or possibly at a later meeting, an alginate mold of the patient's teeth is typically made. This mold provides a model of the patient's teeth that the orthodontist uses in conjunction with the X-rays and photographs to formulate a treatment strategy. The orthodontist then typically schedules one or more appointments during which braces will be attached to the patient's teeth.
The formulation of the treatment strategy is typically a trial-and-error process where the orthodontist arrives at the treatment strategy using a mental model based on the orthodontist's experience and skill. Because an exact model is not available, the formulation of the treatment strategy is an art which is highly dependent on the estimates and judgments of the treating orthodontist. Moreover, once the treatment strategy has been generated, it is difficult to explain the expected result to the patient in words.
SUMMARY
A computer is used to create a plan for repositioning an orthodontic patient's teeth. The computer receives a digital data set representing the patient's teeth and uses the data set to generate one or more orthodontic views of the patient's teeth. The system captures three-dimensional (3D) data associated with the patient's teeth; determines a viewpoint for the patient's teeth; applies a positional transformation to the 3D data based on the viewpoint; and rendering the orthodontic view of the patient's teeth based on the positional transformation.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following. The system can generate a right buccal overjet view, an anterior overject view, a left buccal overjet view, a left distal molar view, a left lingual view, a lingual incisor view, a right lingual view and a right distal molar view of the patient's teeth. A 3D graphical representation of the teeth at the positions corresponding to a selected data set can be rendered. The graphical representation of the teeth can be animated to provide a visual display of the movement of the teeth along the treatment paths. A level-of-detail compression can be applied to the selected data set to render the graphical representation of the teeth. A human user can modify the graphical representation of the teeth, which causes modifications to the selected data set in response to the instruction from the user. A graphical interface with components representing the control buttons on a video cassette recorder can be provided for a human user can manipulate to control the animation. A portion of the data in the selected data set can be used to render the graphical representation of the teeth. The human user can select a tooth in the graphical representation and read information about the tooth. The information can relate to the motion that the tooth will experience while moving along the treatment path. The graphical representation can render the teeth at a selected one of multiple viewing orthodontic-specific viewing angles. An input signal from a 3D gyroscopic input device controlled by a human user can be used to alter the orientation of the teeth in the graphical representation.
In a second aspect, a computer program, residing on a tangible storage medium for use in displaying an orthodontic view of a patient's teeth, includes executable instructions operable to cause a computer to: capture three-dimensional (3D) data associated with the patient's teeth; determine a viewpoint for the patient's teeth; apply a positional transformation to the 3D data based on the viewpoint; and render the orthodontic view of the patient's teeth based on the positional transformation.
Advantages of the invention include one or more of the following. Visualization is used to communicate treatment information in a computer-automated orthodontic treatment plan and appliance. The invention generates a realistic model of the patient's teeth without requiring a user to possess in-depth knowledge of parameters associated with a patient dental data capture system. Additionally, expertise in 3D software and knowledge of computer architecture is no longer needed to process and translate the captured medical data into a realistic computer model rendering and animation.
The invention thus allows teeth plan treatment to be generated in a simple and efficient manner. It also improves the way a treating clinician performs case presentations by allowing the clinician to express his or her treatment plans more clearly and gives a prospective patients an opportunity to visualize the facial changes associated with the proposed treatment. The invention allows multi disciplinary work teams to deal easily and efficiently with the treatment plan. Another major benefit is the ability to visualize and interact with models and processes without the attendant danger, impracticality, or significantly greater expense that would be encountered in the same environment if it were physical. Thus, money and time are saved while the quality of the treatment plan is enhanced.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3660900 (1972-05-01), Andrews
patent: 3860803 (1975-01-01), Levine
patent: 4755139 (1988-07-01), Abbatte et al.
patent: 4798534 (1989-01-01), Breads
patent: 4856991 (1989-08-01), Breads et al.
patent: 4936862 (1990-06-01), Walker et al.
patent: 5011405 (1991-04-01), Lemchen
patent: 5035613 (1991-07-01), Breads et al.
patent: 5055039 (1991-10-01), Abbatte et al.
patent: 5059118 (1991-10-01), Breads et al.
patent: 5139419 (1992-08-01), Andreiko et al.
patent: 5186623 (1993-02-01), Breads et al.
patent: 5273429 (1993-12-01), Rekow
patent: 5338198 (1994-08-01), Wu et al.
patent: 5340309 (1994-08-01), Robertson
patent: 5342202 (1994-08-01), Deshayes
patent: 5368478 (1994-11-01), Andreiko et al.
patent: 5382164 (1995-01-01), Stern
patent: 5395238 (1995-03-01), Andreiko et al.
patent: 5431562 (1995-07-01), Andreiko et al.
patent: 5447432 (1995-09-01), Andreiko et al.
patent: 5452219 (1995-09-01), Dehoff et al.
patent: 5454717 (1995-10-01), Andreiko et al.
patent: 5474448 (1995-12-01), Andreiko et al.
patent: 5528735 (1996-06-01), Strasnick et al.
patent: 5533895 (1996-07-01), Andreiko et al.
patent: 5549476 (1996-08-01), Stern
patent: 5587912 (1996-12-01), Andersson et al.
patent: 5605459 (1997-02-01), Kuroda et al.
patent: 5607305 (1997-03-01), Andersson et al.
patent: 5645421 (1997-07-01), Slootsky
Biostar Operation & Training Manual, Great Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd. 199 Fire Tower Drive, Tonawanda, New York, 14150-5890, 20 pgs.
Chiappone, “cconstructingthe gnathologic setup and positioner,” J. Clin. Orthod., 1980, 14:121-133.
Cottingham, “Gnathologic clear plastic positioner,” Am.J.Orthod. 1969, 55:23-31.
Cureton, “Correcting malaligned mandibular incisors with removable retainers,” J.Clin. Orthod. 1996. 30:390-395.
Elsasser, “Some oobservationson the history and uses of the Kesling positioner,” Am. J. Orthod. 1950, 36:368-374.
Kamada et al., “Case reports on tooth positioners with LTV vinyl silicone r
Benton Phillips Alexander
Chishti Muhammad Ziaullah Khan
Align Technology Inc.
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Wilson John J.
LandOfFree
Teeth viewing system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Teeth viewing system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Teeth viewing system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2508265