Clinician review of an orthodontic treatment plan and appliance

• US 20080248443A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Chishti, Muhammad, Benton, Phillips Alexander, Wen, Huafeng, Beers, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,905,725 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/00 Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by correcting malocclusions
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/002 Orthodontic computer assisted systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/08 Mouthpiece-type retainers or positioners, e.g. for both the lower and upper arch arch-shaped medicament applicators for teeth or gums A61C19/063; mouthguards for protecting the teeth of sportsmen A63B71/085
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/00 Impression cups, i.e. impression trays; Impression methods computer-assisted sizing A61C13/0004; instruments for determining occlusion A61C19/05
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/004 Means or methods for taking digitized impressions
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/0053 Optical means or methods, e.g. scanning the teeth by a laser or light beam
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A computer is used to create a plan for repositioning an orthodontic patient'"'"'s teeth. The computer receives an initial digital data set representing the patient'"'"'s teeth at their initial positions and a final digital data set representing the teeth at their final positions. The computer then uses the data sets to generate treatment paths along which teeth will move from the initial positions to the final positions.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for reviewing tooth arrangements, said method comprising:

maintaining a digital data set representing a three-dimensional graphical representation of a patient'"'"'s teeth in a host computer;

electronically transmitting the digital data set to a viewing computer;

displaying the three-dimensional graphical representation on the viewing computer to a treating clinician; and

electronically transmitting changes to the graphical representation or comments of the treating clinician from the viewing computer to the host computer.

2-16. -16. (canceled)