Methods and systems for employing artificial intelligence in automated orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning

• US 8,478,698 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2010
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ClearCorrect Holdings LLC (ClearCorrect Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ClearCorrect Holdings LLC (ClearCorrect Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mah, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Paulinho E
• Application Number:
  US12/726,327
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 706/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/24 Classification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/01 Dynamic search techniques; Heuristics; Dynamic trees; Branch-and-bound
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/048 Fuzzy inferencing
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies

Abstract

The methods and systems generally entail the use of a server that is configured to receive patient data through a website. The methods and systems further include the use of a database that has access to (i) information derived from textbooks and scientific literature and (ii) dynamic results derived from ongoing and completed patient treatments. The methods and systems further include the operation of at least one computer program within the server, which is capable of analyzing the patient data and identifying at least one diagnosis of the orthodontic condition. The methods and systems further entail assigning a probability value to the at least one diagnosis, with the probability value representing a likelihood that the diagnosis is accurate. The methods and systems further include instructing the computer program to identify at least one treatment approach, a corrective appliance, or a combination thereof for the at least one diagnosis.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing and identifying a treatment for an orthodontic condition, which comprises:

(a) providing a server on which a centralized website is hosted, wherein the server is configured to receive patient data through the website, wherein the server is configured to identify a location and position of a plurality of teeth in the patient data in three-dimensional space;

(b) providing a database that comprises or has access to (i) information derived from textbooks and scientific literature and (ii) dynamic results derived from ongoing and completed patient treatments;

(c) operating at least one computer program within the server, which is capable of analyzing the patient data and identifying at least one diagnosis of the orthodontic condition based on said information derived from textbooks and scientific literature and dynamic results derived from ongoing and completed patient treatments, wherein identifying at least one diagnosis of the orthodontic condition is performed by;

(i) assigning coordinates to each tooth within the plurality of teeth, wherein said coordinates are correlated to a location and position of each tooth;

(ii) comparing the coordinates for each of the plurality of teeth to a table contained within the database, wherein the table comprises a series of diagnostic data sets with each diagnostic data set comprising coordinates, or a range of coordinates, which are correlated with (y) a known location and position of a plurality of teeth and (z) a previously diagnosed orthodontic condition;

(iii) instructing the server to identify a diagnostic data set contained within said database which represents a statistical best fit, or most closely resembles, the coordinates for the plurality of teeth of the patient; and

(iv) instructing the server to diagnosis the orthodontic condition based on the diagnostic data set identified in step (c)(iii);

(d) assigning a probability value to the at least one diagnosis, wherein the probability value represents a likelihood that the diagnosis is accurate; and

(e) instructing the computer program to identify at least one treatment approach, a corrective appliance, or a combination thereof for the at least one diagnosis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability value that is assigned to the at least one diagnosis is based, at least in part, on a confidence level that has been assigned to the diagnostic data set which the server identifies as the statistical best fit for the coordinates for the plurality of teeth of the patient.

3. The method of claim 2, which further comprises instructing the computer program to identify at least one treatment approach, a corrective appliance, or a combination thereof for the at least one diagnosis, by instructing the server to:

(a) calculate a set of target coordinates, which represent a desired and corrected location and position of each tooth in the plurality of teeth of the patient; and

(b) identify at least one treatment approach, a corrective appliance, or a combination thereof, which will be effective to reorient the plurality of teeth towards a location and position represented by the target coordinates.

4. The method of claim 3, which further comprises instructing the server to calculate a probability value that is correlated with a relative likelihood of the at least one treatment approach, corrective appliance, or a combination thereof, being effective to reorient the plurality of teeth to a location and position represented by the target coordinates.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of identifying at least one diagnosis of the orthodontic condition employs an application of at least one artificial intelligence algorithm.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of identifying at least one treatment approach, a corrective appliance, or a combination thereof for the at least one diagnosis, employs an application of at least one artificial intelligence algorithm.

7. A system for diagnosing and identifying a treatment for an orthodontic condition, which comprises:

(a) a server on which a centralized website is hosted, wherein the server is configured to (i) receive patient data through the website;

(ii) identify a location and position of a plurality of teeth in the patient data in three-dimensional space; and

(iii) assign coordinates to each tooth within the plurality of teeth,

wherein said coordinates are correlated to the location and position of each tooth;

(b) a database that comprises or has access to (i) information derived from textbooks and scientific literature and (ii) dynamic results derived from ongoing and completed patient treatments; and

(c) at least one computer program housed within or accessible by the server, which is capable of analyzing the patient data and identifying at least one diagnosis of the orthodontic condition based on said information derived from textbooks and scientific literature and dynamic results derived from ongoing and completed patient treatments, wherein the computer program is configured to identify at least one diagnosis of the orthodontic condition by;

(i) comparing the coordinates for each of the plurality of teeth to a table contained within the database, wherein the table comprises a series of diagnostic data sets with each diagnostic data set comprising coordinates, or a range of coordinates, which are correlated with (y) a known location and position of a plurality of teeth and (z) a previously diagnosed orthodontic condition;

(ii) identifying a diagnostic data set contained within said database which represents a statistical best fit, or most closely resembles, the coordinates for the plurality of teeth of the patient; and

(iii) diagnosing the orthodontic condition based on the diagnostic data set identified in paragraph (c)(ii);

wherein the server is further configured to be capable of;

(1) assigning a probability value to the at least one diagnosis, wherein the probability value represents a likelihood that the diagnosis is accurate; and

(2) instructing the computer program to identify at least one treatment approach, a corrective appliance, or a combination thereof for the at least one diagnosis.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the probability value that is assigned to the at least one diagnosis is based, at least in part, on a confidence level that has been assigned to the diagnostic data set which the server identifies as the statistical best fit for the coordinates for the plurality of teeth of the patient.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer program is configured to identify at least one treatment approach, a corrective appliance, or a combination thereof for the at least one diagnosis, by instructing the server to:

(a) calculate a set of target coordinates, which represent a desired and corrected location and position of each tooth in the plurality of teeth of the patient; and

(b) identify at least one treatment approach, a corrective appliance, or a combination thereof, which will be effective to reorient the plurality of teeth towards a location and position represented by the target coordinates.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the server is further configured to calculate a probability value that is correlated with a relative likelihood of the at least one treatment approach, corrective appliance, or a combination thereof, being effective to reorient the plurality of teeth to a location and position represented by the target coordinates.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the server is configured to employ at least one artificial intelligence algorithm when identifying at least one diagnosis of the orthodontic condition.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is configured to employ at least one artificial intelligence algorithm when identifying at least one treatment approach, a corrective appliance, or a combination thereof for the at least one diagnosis.