SMILE DESIGNER

• US 20120106812A1
• Filed: 01/09/2012
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Stone-Collonge, Michelle, Kuo, Eric E., Matty, Rick, Pettinati, Fabio, Maurer, Thomas, Sanko, Dzmitry
• Granted Patent: US 8,545,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0088 for oral or dental tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore
• 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: G06T 2207/30036 Dental; Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• 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 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

Various methods and systems for designing a restored smile are provided. One method includes receiving scan data of a patient'"'"'s teeth, developing a digital model of the patient'"'"'s teeth via a computing device, where the model represents the patient'"'"'s teeth based upon the scan data, creating a dental treatment plan to restore one or more teeth from an initial condition to a successive condition, and wherein a final condition of the one or more is based on the one or more teeth having at least one planned additional restorative tooth structure provided therewith.

Claims

1. A computing system, comprising:

a processor;

a data storage device communicatively coupled to the processor, the data storage device containing executable instructions to cause a computing device to;

receive teeth location data obtained from an image of a patient'"'"'s teeth;

select a smile from a smile library database; and

create a dental treatment plan to create an improved smile for the patient based on the selected smile.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the improved smile includes a restorative tooth structure.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the restorative tooth structure is at least one structure selected from a group including:

a crown, a ceramic veneer, an implant, and a cap.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the instructions are executable to cause the computing device to create the dental treatment plan including a final position that is configured to result in minimal preparation and tooth mass reduction in accommodating the restorative tooth structure.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the instructions are executable to cause the computing device to receive image data of the patient'"'"'s smile when the dental treatment plan is complete, including application of the restorative tooth structure.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to cause the computing device to analyze a change in certain dental criteria associated with the dental treatment plan with respect to an initial occlusion, the criteria selected from a group including:

tooth mass reduction, preparation depth, root canal risk, and restorative tooth structure longevity.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to cause the computing device to:

receive scan data of the patient'"'"'s teeth;

develop a digital model of the patient'"'"'s teeth based upon the scan data; and

define a smile inner lip line in the digital model from the image of the patient'"'"'s teeth and identify a number of teeth within a boundary area of the smile inner lip line as a patient'"'"'s smile.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the image of the patient'"'"'s teeth includes a frontal image of the patient'"'"'s lips defining the smile and teeth of the patient that are visible between the lips.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions are executable to cause the computing device to define the smile inner lip line by mapping a number of reference points in the teeth location data and creating a line that intersects the reference points that defines the inner lip line.

10. A computing device implemented method for creating an improved smile, the method comprising:

receiving teeth location data obtained from an image of a patient'"'"'s teeth;

selecting a smile from a smile library database; and

creating a dental treatment plan to create a smile for the patient based on the selected improved smile.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein creating the dental treatment plan includes modeling a restorative tooth structure stage of the plan.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the planned restorative tooth structure is based on the selected smile.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the method includes:

receiving scan data of the patient'"'"'s teeth; and

developing a digital model of the patient'"'"'s teeth based upon the scan data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the method includes defining a smile inner lip line in the model from the image data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method includes editing the smile inner lip line in the model.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the method includes identifying a number of teeth within a boundary area of the smile inner lip line.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the method includes masking an area with the digital dental model to be covered by a dental veneer template based on the identified teeth.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the method includes modeling the identified teeth in the dental treatment plan having a planned restorative tooth structure based on the selected smile.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the method includes:

designing a series of removable dental positioning appliances to implement the dental treatment plan; and

fabricating the series of removable dental positioning appliances to re-position the identified teeth with respect to a number of teeth not having the planned restorative tooth structure.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the method includes previewing the selected smile.

21. A computing device readable medium having executable instructions which can be executed by a processor to cause a computing device to perform a method, comprising:

receiving teeth location data obtained from an image of a patient'"'"'s teeth;

selecting a smile from a smile library database; and

creating a dental treatment plan to create an improved smile for the patient based on the selected smile.

22. The medium of claim 21, wherein the image includes at least a frontal image of the patient'"'"'s lips defining the smile and the teeth that are visible between the lips, and wherein the method includes:

receiving scan data of the patient'"'"'s teeth;

developing a digital model of the patient'"'"'s teeth based upon the scan data; and

mapping a number of reference points in the image and creating a line that intersects the reference points that defines an inner lip line of the smile.

23. The medium of claim 22, wherein the method includes combing the digital model with the image including the inner lip line.

24. The medium of claim 22, wherein the method includes showing the improved smile as it would appear in a final condition according to the inner lip line and the digital model in the final condition.

25. The medium of claim 21, wherein the improved smile includes a restorative tooth structure, and wherein creating the dental treatment plan includes creating a final position that is configured to result in minimal tooth mass reduction in accommodating the restorative tooth structure.