US6318994B1 — Tooth path treatment plan

Claim 1

Independent Claim 128 words

A computer-implemented method for use in creating a plan to reposition a patient's teeth from a set of initial tooth positions to a set of final tooth positions, the method comprising: receiving an initial digital data set representing the teeth at the initial positions, wherein receiving the initial digital data set comprises receiving data obtained by scanning the patient's teeth or a physical model thereof; receiving one or more constraints associated with the repositioning of the teeth; and generating a series of treatment path segments to move the teeth from the initial positions to the final positions in accordance with the constraints, wherein the segments are used to construct a series of orthodontic appliances, each appliance configured to move the patient's teeth according to a treatment path segment.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 128 words

A computer-implemented method for use in creating a plan to reposition a patient's teeth from a set of initial tooth positions to a set of final tooth positions, the method comprising: receiving an initial digital data set representing the teeth at the initial positions, wherein receiving the initial digital data set comprises receiving data obtained by scanning the patient's teeth or a physical model thereof; receiving one or more constraints associated with the repositioning of the teeth; and generating a series of treatment path segments to move the teeth from the initial positions to the final positions in accordance with the constraints, wherein the segments are used to construct a series of orthodontic appliances, each appliance configured to move the patient's teeth according to a treatment path segment.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the constraints relates to teeth crowding.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the constraints relates to teeth spacing.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the constraints relates to teeth extraction.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the constraints relates to teeth stripping.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the constraints relates to teeth rotation.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 6 , wherein one of the appliances rotates the teeth approximately five and ten degrees.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the constraints relates to teeth movement.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the appliances moves each tooth approximately 0.2 mm to approximately 0.4 mm.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein the constraints are stored in an array.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 10 wherein one dimension of the array identifies each segment.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the treatment path segments includes determining the minimum amount of transformation required to move each tooth from the initial position to the final position and creating each treatment path segment to require only the minimum amount of movement.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the treatment path segments includes generating intermediate positions for at least one tooth between which the tooth undergoes translational movements of equal sizes.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the treatment path segments includes generating intermediate positions for at least one tooth between which the tooth undergoes translational movements of unequal sizes.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a set of rules to detect any collisions that will occur as the patient's teeth move along the treatment path segments.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 123 words

The method of claim 15 , wherein detecting collisions comprises calculating distances between a first tooth and a second tooth by: establishing a neutral projection plane between the first tooth and the second tooth, establishing a z-axis that is normal to the plane and that has a positive direction and a negative direction from each of a set of base points on the projection plane, computing a pair of signed distances comprising a first signed distance to the first tooth and a second signed distance to the second tooth, the signed distances being measured on a line through the base points and parallel to the z-axis, and determining that a collision occurs if any of the pair of signed distances indicates a collision.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 16 , wherein the positive direction for the first distance is opposite the positive direction for the second distance and a collision is detected if the sum of any pair of signed distances is less than or equal to zero.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving information indicating whether the patient's teeth are following the treatment path segments and, if not, using the information to revise the treatment path segments.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein generating treatment path segments comprises generating more than one candidate treatment path segment for each tooth and providing a graphical display of each candidate treatment path segment to a human user for selection.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a set of rules to detect any collisions that will occur as the patient's teeth move along the treatment path segments.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 123 words

The method of claim 20 , wherein detecting collisions comprises calculating distances between a first tooth and a second tooth by: establishing a neutral projection plane between the first tooth and the second tooth, establishing a z-axis that is normal to the plane and that has a positive direction and a negative direction from each of a set of base points on the projection plane, computing a pair of signed distances comprising a first signed distance to the first tooth and a second signed distance to the second tooth, the signed distances being measured on a line through the base points and parallel to the z-axis, and determining that a collision occurs if any of the pair of signed distances indicates a collision.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 21 , wherein the positive direction for the first distance is opposite the positive direction for the second distance and a collision is detected if the sum of any pair of signed distances is less than or equal to zero.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a set of rules to detect any improper bite occlusions that will occur as the patient's teeth move along the treatment path segments.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 23 , further comprising calculating a value for a malocclusion index and displaying the value to a human user.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the treatment path segments includes receiving data indicating restraints on movement of the patient's teeth and applying the data to generate the treatment path segments.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising rendering a three-dimensional (3D) graphical representation of the teeth at the positions corresponding to a selected data set.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising animating the graphical representation of the teeth to provide a visual display of the movement of the teeth along the treatment path segments.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 27 , further comprising providing a graphical interface, with components representing the control buttons on a video cassette recorder, which a human user can manipulate to control the animation.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising using only a portion of the data in the selected data set to render the graphical representation of the teeth.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising applying level-of-detail compression to the data set to render the graphical representation of the teeth.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising receiving an instruction from a human user to modify the graphical representation of the teeth and modifying the graphical representation in response to the instruction.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 31 , further comprising modifying the selected data set in response to the instruction from the user.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising allowing a human user to select a tooth in the graphical representation and, in response, displaying information about the tooth.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 33 , wherein the information relates to the motion that the tooth will experience while moving along the treatment path segments.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 33 , wherein the information indicates a linear distance between the tooth and another tooth selected in the graphical representation.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 26 , wherein rendering the graphical representation comprises rendering the teeth at a selected one of multiple viewing orthodontic-specific viewing angles.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising providing a user interface through which a human user can provide text-based comments after viewing the graphical representation of the patient's teeth.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 26 , wherein rendering the graphical representation comprises downloading data to a remote computer at which a human view wishes to view the graphical representation.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising receiving an input signal from a 3D gyroscopic input device controlled by a human user and using the input signal to alter the orientation of the teeth in the graphical representation.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 130 words

A computer-implemented system for use in creating a plan to reposition a patient's teeth from a set of initial tooth positions to a set of final tooth positions, comprising: receiving an initial digital data set representing the teeth at the initial positions, wherein receiving the initial digital data set comprises receiving data obtained by scanning the patient's teeth or a physical model thereof; means for receiving one or more constraints associated with the repositioning of the teeth; and means for generating a series of treatment path segments to move the teeth from the initial positions to the final positions in accordance with the constraints, wherein the segments are used to construct a series of orthodontic appliances, each appliance configured to move the patient's teeth according to a treatment path segment.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 130 words

A computer-implemented system for use in creating a plan to reposition a patient's teeth from a set of initial tooth positions to a set of final tooth positions, comprising: receiving an initial digital data set representing the teeth at the initial positions, wherein receiving the initial digital data set comprises receiving data obtained by scanning the patient's teeth or a physical model thereof; means for receiving one or more constraints associated with the repositioning of the teeth; and means for generating a series of treatment path segments to move the teeth from the initial positions to the final positions in accordance with the constraints, wherein the segments are used to construct a series of orthodontic appliances, each appliance configured to move the patient's teeth according to a treatment path segment.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 15 words

The system of claim 40 , wherein one of the constraints relates to teeth crowding.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 15 words

The system of claim 40 , wherein one of the constraints relates to teeth spacing.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 15 words

The system of claim 40 , wherein one of the constraints relates to teeth extraction.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 15 words

The system of claim 40 , wherein one of the constraints relates to teeth stripping.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 15 words

The system of claim 40 , wherein one of the constraints relates to teeth rotation.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 19 words

The system of claim 45 , wherein one of the appliances rotates the teeth approximately five and ten degrees.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 15 words

The system of claim 40 , wherein one of the constraints relates to teeth movement.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 21 words

The system of claim 40 , wherein one of the appliances moves each tooth approximately 0.2 mm to approximately 0.4 mm.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 14 words

The system of claim 40 , wherein the constraints are stored in an array.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 14 words

The system of claim 49 wherein one dimension of the array identifies each segment.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-11-19	2005-05-21	2005-11-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-11-19	2009-05-21	2009-11-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-11-19	2013-05-21	2013-11-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Tooth path treatment plan

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag