Methods and systems for dental procedures

• US 10,188,490 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2017
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Kopelman, Avi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tabatabai, Abolfazl
• Application Number:
  US15/493,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20170224448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 382128, 382129, 382130, 382131, 382132, 382133, 382134, 433 24, 433 68
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/000095 for image enhancement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/24 for the mouth, i.e. stomatoscopes, e.g. with tongue depressors tongue depressors per se A61B13/00; Instruments for opening or keeping open the mouth combined with saliva removers A61C17/00; mouth openers for animals A61D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0004 Computer-assisted sizing or machining of dental prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/04 Measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C5/44 takes precedence; testing vitality of teeth A61B5/0534; radiation diagnosis specially adapted for dentistry A61B6/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/045 for recording mandibular movement, e.g. face bows
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/002 Orthodontic computer assisted systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/0053 Optical means or methods, e.g. scanning the teeth by a laser or light beam
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/0066 Depth determination through adaptive focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture

Abstract

A device including a coded pattern for use in dental procedures is provided. Related methods and systems are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for digitally aligning a patient'"'"'s teeth with a reference portion of the patient, the method comprising:

acquiring, using a scanner, a first image of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s teeth;

positioning a device in a patient'"'"'s mouth to align the device with a reference portion of the patient, the device comprising an occlusal portion and a non-occlusal portion, the occlusal portion comprising a bite plate held between the patient'"'"'s teeth so as to secure the device in a position during a scanning procedure and the non-occlusal portion comprising a coded pattern for aligning scanned images of the patient, the occlusal portion and the non-occlusal portion being coupled together at an angle such that the coded pattern is outwardly oriented from the patient'"'"'s mouth when the bite plate is positioned between the patient'"'"'s teeth, so that the coded pattern is presented to permit scanning of the coded pattern simultaneously when scanning at least the portion of the patient'"'"'s teeth;

acquiring, using the scanner, a second image of at least a portion of the coded pattern and at least the portion of the patient'"'"'s teeth; and

processing the first image and the second image to determine a spatial relationship between at least the portion of the patient'"'"'s teeth and the reference portion by calculating a first spatial relationship between at least the portion of the coded pattern and at least the portion of the patient'"'"'s teeth and the alignment between the device and the reference portion.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a lip displacement attachment configured to move a lip of the patient so as to expose at least some of the patient'"'"'s teeth and allow scanning of the coded pattern in relation to at least some of the patient'"'"'s teeth.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the coded pattern comprises a plurality of bars oriented in the coded pattern at predetermined distances from each other, intersecting at predetermined angles, or both.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the coded pattern comprises at least one portion that comprises a lengthwise portion forming a reference line for aligning images acquired during the scanning procedure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises at least one extension portion capable of being aligned with the reference portion, the reference portion comprising the sagittal plane of the patient, a plane orthogonal to the sagittal plane, or both.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference portion comprises the patient'"'"'s temporomandibular joint.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the scanner is an optical scanner.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the optical scanner comprises confocal optics.

9. A system for digitally aligning a patient'"'"'s teeth with a reference portion of the patient, the system comprising:

a device comprising an occlusal portion and a non-occlusal portion, the occlusal portion comprising a bite plate for securing the device positioned in a patient'"'"'s mouth during a scanning procedure and the non-occlusal portion comprising a coded pattern for aligning scanned images of the patient, the occlusal portion and the non-occlusal portion being coupled together at an angle such that the coded pattern is outwardly oriented from the patient'"'"'s mouth when the bite plate is positioned between the patient'"'"'s teeth, so that the coded pattern is presented to permit scanning of the coded pattern simultaneously when scanning at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s teeth, the device further comprising at least one extension portion capable of being aligned with the reference portion;

a scanner for acquiring a first image of at least the portion of the patient'"'"'s teeth and a second image of the coded pattern and at least the portion of the patient'"'"'s teeth; and

a computer comprising storage media comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to determine a spatial relationship between at least some of the patient'"'"'s teeth and the reference portion associated with the patient by calculating a first spatial relationship between the device and at least the portion of the patient'"'"'s teeth and a second spatial relationship between the device and the reference portion.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a lip displacement attachment configured to move a lip of the patient so as to expose at least some of the patient'"'"'s teeth and allow scanning of the coded pattern in relation to at least some of the patient'"'"'s teeth.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the coded pattern comprises a plurality of bars oriented in the coded pattern at predetermined distances from each other, intersecting at predetermined angles, or both.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the coded pattern comprises at least one portion that comprises a lengthwise portion forming a reference line for aligning images acquired during the scanning procedure.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the reference portion comprises the sagittal plane of the patient, a plane orthogonal to the sagittal plane, or both.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the scanner is an optical scanner.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the optical scanner comprises confocal optics.