Systems and methods for providing treatment planning

• US 20050182654A1
• Filed: 02/14/2004
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Chan, Henry, Iketani, Todd, Abolfathi, Amir, Kass, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US10/779,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20050182654A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A virtual health-care community is disclosed. The community includes a network to communicate information relating to the community; one or more treatment consultants coupled to the network; one or more treating professionals coupled to the network; and a server coupled to the network, the server storing data for each patient and facilitating secured data sharing by the community.

Claims

1. A virtual health-care community, comprising:

a network to communicate information relating to the community;

one or more treatment consultants coupled to the network;

one or more treating professionals coupled to the network; and

a server coupled to the network, the server storing data for each patient and facilitating secured data sharing by the community.

2. The community of claim 1, wherein the treating professional views one or more of the following patient data visualization over the network:

a right buccal view;

a left buccal view;

a posterior view;

an anterior view;

a mandibular occlusal view;

a maxillary occlusal view;

an overjet view;

a left distal molar view;

a left lingual view;

a lingual incisor view;

a right lingual view;

a right distal molar view;

an upper jaw view; and

a lower jaw view.

3. The community of claim 1, wherein the treating professionals include dentists and orthodontists.

4. The community of claim 1, further comprising a first treating professional sharing a patient'"'"'s information with a second authorized treating professional for consultation.

5. The community of claim 4, wherein the second authorized treating professional generates a treatment plan for approval by the first treating professional.

6. The community of claim 1, further comprising one or more partners coupled to the network, including one or more of the following:

a financing partner, a supplier, and a delivery company.

7. The community of claim 1, wherein the supplier provides a plurality of appliances each having a geometry selected to progressively reposition the teeth from a first teeth arrangement to a second teeth arrangement.

8. The community of claim 7, wherein the supplier provides a proposed treatment plan and wherein a first treating professional engages a second treating professional to review or revise the proposed treatment plan.

9. The community of claim 7, wherein the first treating professional authorizes the supplier to manufacture the appliances after consulting with the second treating professional.

10. The community of claim 7, wherein the treating professionals rate each other on satisfaction.

11. A computer-implemented method for performing dental-related electronic commerce, comprising:

transmitting teeth data associated a patient from a dental server to a treating professional computer over the Internet upon an authorized request;

displaying a three-dimensional computer model of the teeth at the treating professional computer using a browser;

allowing a treating professional to manipulate the three-dimensional computer model of the teeth using the browser;

receiving a request from the treating professional to share the three-dimensional computer model with a consulting professional;

transmitting the computer model from the server to the consulting professional; and

generating an appliance to treat a patient based on the shared computer model of the teeth.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing financing options for the patient using one or more financing partners.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising offering an on-line shop geared to the patient'"'"'s dental requirements.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing office management utilities for the treating professional.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the office management utilities include one or more of the following:

patient scheduling, patient accounting, and claim processing.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein allowing a treating professional to manipulate the three-dimensional computer model of the teeth using the browser further comprises displaying a plurality of dental views.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the dental views include one or more of the following:

a right buccal view;

a left buccal view;

a posterior view;

an anterior view;

a mandibular occlusal view;

a maxillary occlusal view;

an overjet view;

a left distal molar view;

a left lingual view;

a lingual incisor view;

a right lingual view;

a right distal molar view;

an upper jaw view; and

a lower jaw view

18. The method of claim 11, wherein allowing a treating professional to manipulate the three-dimensional computer model of the teeth using the browser further comprises clicking on a tooth to adjust its position.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying x, y and z axis to allow the treating professional to adjust the position of the tooth.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing supplemental services to the patient, including teeth whitening services.

21. A server to support a health-care electronic commerce community with one or more service providers, comprising:

a processor adapted to communicate with a network;

a data storage device coupled to the processor and adapted to store data for each patient; and

software to communicate 3D patient data from a first service provider to a second service provider.

22. The server of claim 21, wherein the providers service one or more of the following health-care applications:

dentistry applications, cosmetic augmentation, hair-care enhancements, liposuction, plastic or reconstructive surgery.