Method and system for acquiring three-dimensional teeth image

Claim 1

A method for obtaining a dental image which comprises: (a) providing a negative teeth model, of substantially all teeth of a jaw, comprising a matrix with a plurality of cavities or recesses with boundaries corresponding to boundaries of the teeth; the negative teeth model being held by a firm matrix retainer made of a substance which can be cut by a cutting tool which can cut the matrix; (b) removing a layer portion off a face of choice, the face of choice being a face of the teeth model corresponding to the teeth apex or the teeth base, the layer being removed by said cutting tool so as to obtain a flat, surface, and acquiring a first, two-dimensional digital image of the flat surface or of the removed portion; (c) removing another layer portion off the chosen face so as to obtain a new, flat surface and acquire a consecutive two-dimensional digital image of the new flat surface or of the removed portion; (d) repeating step (c) a plurality of times until removal of sufficient layer portions of the teeth model to allow the obtaining of a dental image; (e) determining boundaries of the cavities or recesses in the case of the negative teeth model in the first image and in each of the consecutive images to obtain a plurality of boundaries representations of the first and subsequent images; (f) combining at least some of the boundaries' representations into a three-dimensional digital dental image; and coloring the boundaries of the teeth of model with a contrasting color or filling the cavities or recesses with a colored curable substance.

Claim 2

A method for obtaining a dental image which comprises: (a) providing a negative teeth model, of substantially all teeth of a jaw, comprising a matrix with a plurality of cavities or recesses with boundaries corresponding to boundaries of the teeth; the negative teeth model being held by a firm matrix retainer made of a substance which can be cut by a cutting tool which can cut the matrix; (b) removing a layer portion off a face of choice, the face of choice being a face of the teeth model corresponding to the teeth apex or the teeth base, the layer being removed by said cutting tool so as to obtain a flat, surface, and acquiring a first, two-dimensional digital image of the flat surface or of the removed portion; (c) removing another layer portion off the chosen face so as to obtain a new, flat surface and acquire a consecutive two-dimensional digital image of the new flat surface or of the removed portion; (d) repeating step (c) a plurality of times until removal of sufficient layer portions of the teeth model to allow the obtaining of a dental image; (e) determining boundaries of the cavities or recesses in the case of the negative teeth model in the first image and in each of the consecutive images to obtain a plurality of boundaries representations of the first and subsequent images; (f) combining at least some of the boundaries' representations into a three-dimensional digital dental image; and coloring the boundaries of the teeth of model with a contrasting color or filling the cavities or recesses with a colored curable substance.

Claim 3

A method for obtaining a dental image which comprises: (a) providing a negative teeth model, of substantially all teeth of a jaw, comprising a matrix with a plurality of cavities or recesses with boundaries corresponding to boundaries of the teeth; the negative teeth model being held by a firm matrix retainer made of a substance which can be cut by a cutting tool which can cut the matrix; (b) removing a layer portion off a face of choice, the face of choice being a face of the teeth model corresponding to the teeth apex or the teeth base, the layer being removed by said cutting tool so as to obtain a flat, surface, and acquiring a first, two-dimensional digital image of the flat surface or of the removed portion; (c) removing another layer portion off the chosen face so as to obtain a new, flat surface and acquire a consecutive two-dimensional digital image of the new flat surface or of the removed portion; (d) repeating step (c) a plurality of times until removal of sufficient layer portions of the teeth model to allow the obtaining of a dental image; (e) determining boundaries of the cavities or recesses in the case of the negative teeth model in the first image and in each of the consecutive images to obtain a plurality of boundaries representations of the first and subsequent images; (f) combining at least some of the boundaries' representations into a three-dimensional digital dental image; and filling the cavities with a substance having a contrasting color.

Claim 4

A method for obtaining a dental image which comprises: (a) providing a negative teeth model, of substantially all teeth of a jaw, comprising a matrix with a plurality of cavities or recesses with boundaries corresponding to boundaries of the teeth; the negative teeth model being held by a firm matrix retainer made of a substance which can be cut by a cutting tool which can cut the matrix; (b) removing a layer portion off a face of choice, the face of choice being a face of the teeth model corresponding to the teeth apex or the teeth base, the layer being removed by said cutting tool so as to obtain a flat, surface, and acquiring a first, two-dimensional digital image of the flat surface or of the removed portion; (c) removing another layer portion off the chosen face so as to obtain a new, flat surface and acquire a consecutive two-dimensional digital image of the new flat surface or of the removed portion; (d) repeating step (c) a plurality of times until removal of sufficient layer portions of the teeth model to allow the obtaining of a dental image; (e) determining boundaries of the cavities or recesses in the case of the negative teeth model in the first image and in each of the consecutive images to obtain a plurality of boundaries representations of the first and subsequent images; (f) combining at least some of the boundaries' representations into a three-dimensional digital dental image; and filling the cavities with a substance having a contrasting color.