Virtual orthodontic treatment
First Claim
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1. A method for virtual orthodontic treatment using a computer system, comprising:
- (a) providing a first virtual three-dimensional (3D) image indicative of a 3D model of all teeth of at least one jaw;
(b) selecting a virtual set of orthodontic components, comprising (i) brackets, one for each tooth in said first virtual three-dimensional (3D) image, for attachment to teeth of said first virtual three-dimensional (3D) image, each of said brackets having a slot for engaging a wire, and (ii) one or two archwires;
(c) associating the brackets with the teeth of said first virtual three-dimensional (3D) image so to obtain a second image of said virtual 3D model with the brackets associated with the teeth of the model, one bracket on each tooth in said model;
(d) using a set of rules, including a rule that requires each slot to engage the archwire, computing the manner of movement of each tooth with the bracket associated therewith, so as to obtain a third image comprising the teeth model following the virtual treatment;
(e) changing at least one bracket or the manner of associating a bracket with a tooth and repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times until the teeth model of said third image represents a desired outcome of the orthodontic treatment; and
(f) outputting at least the third image from the computer system.
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Abstract
A method for virtual orthodontic treatment is provided in which a virtual set of orthodontic components is associated, in a virtual space, with a first virtual three-dimensional image of teeth, and then by a set of rules which define the effect of the set of components'"'"' teeth, the effect of the virtual treatment can be computed. This virtual treatment can be used to predict the results of a real-life orthodontic treatment as to design such a treatment.
197 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for virtual orthodontic treatment using a computer system, comprising:
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(a) providing a first virtual three-dimensional (3D) image indicative of a 3D model of all teeth of at least one jaw; (b) selecting a virtual set of orthodontic components, comprising (i) brackets, one for each tooth in said first virtual three-dimensional (3D) image, for attachment to teeth of said first virtual three-dimensional (3D) image, each of said brackets having a slot for engaging a wire, and (ii) one or two archwires; (c) associating the brackets with the teeth of said first virtual three-dimensional (3D) image so to obtain a second image of said virtual 3D model with the brackets associated with the teeth of the model, one bracket on each tooth in said model; (d) using a set of rules, including a rule that requires each slot to engage the archwire, computing the manner of movement of each tooth with the bracket associated therewith, so as to obtain a third image comprising the teeth model following the virtual treatment; (e) changing at least one bracket or the manner of associating a bracket with a tooth and repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times until the teeth model of said third image represents a desired outcome of the orthodontic treatment; and (f) outputting at least the third image from the computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for virtual orthodontic treatment using a computer system, comprising:
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(a) providing a first virtual 3D model of teeth in a patient'"'"'s jaw; (b) selecting a virtual set of orthodontic components, comprising (i) brackets for attachment to teeth of the first virtual 3D model, and (ii) an archwire, each of the brackets having a slot for engaging the archwire; (c) associating the brackets with the teeth of the first virtual 3D model so as to obtain a second virtual 3D model with the brackets positioned on the teeth of the first virtual 3D model; (d) using a set of rules, including a rule that requires each slot to engage the archwire, computing the manner of movement of each tooth based at least partially on positioning of the bracket associated therewith, so as to obtain a resulting computed virtual 3D model of repositioned teeth following a virtual treatment; (e) changing at least one bracket, the manner of associating a bracket with a tooth, the archwire shape, or a combination thereof, and repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times until the resulting computed virtual 3D model of repositioned teeth following a virtual treatment represents a desired outcome of an orthodontic treatment; and (f) outputting the resulting computed virtual 3D model of repositioned teeth following a virtual treatment from the computer system.
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Specification