Patent US6514074B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6514074B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Digitally modeling the deformation of gingival
Assignee: Align Technology Inc
•
Filing: 1999-05-14
•
Granted: 2003-02-04
•
Expires: 2019-05-14
Abstract
Abstract A computer obtains a digital model of a patient's dentition, including a dental model representing the patient's teeth at a set of initial positions and a gingival model representing gum tissue surrounding the teeth. The computer then derives from the digital model an expected deformation of the gum tissue as the teeth move from the initial positions to another set of positions.
Inventors
- 👤 Muhammad Chishti
- 👤 Huafeng Wen
- 👤 Elena Pavlovskaia
- 👤 Ka Man Cheang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:24
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C9/00; A61C7/00; A61C9/004; A61C9/0046; A61C7/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
A computer-implemented method for use in developing a course of treatment for an orthodontic patient, the method comprising: scanning a patient's teeth or a physical model thereof to obtain data; receiving the data obtained by the scanning; and obtaining a digital model of a patient's dentition, including a dental model representing the patient's teeth at a set of initial positions and a gingival model representing gum tissue surrounding the teeth; and deriving from the digital model an expected deformation of the gum tissue as the teeth move from the initial positions to another set of positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
A computer-implemented method for use in developing a course of treatment for an orthodontic patient, the method comprising: scanning a patient's teeth or a physical model thereof to obtain data; receiving the data obtained by the scanning; and obtaining a digital model of a patient's dentition, including a dental model representing the patient's teeth at a set of initial positions and a gingival model representing gum tissue surrounding the teeth; and deriving from the digital model an expected deformation of the gum tissue as the teeth move from the initial positions to another set of positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein deriving the expected deformation of the gum tissue includes: separating from the gingival model a portion that represents gum tissue surrounding a particular tooth; and subjecting the separated portion to at least one force that is applied to the particular tooth.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2 , further comprising reconnecting the separated portion to an adjacent portion of the gingival model after subjecting the separated portion to the transformation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein subjecting the separated portion to at least one force creates a gap between the separated portion and the adjacent portion of the gingival model, and wherein reconnecting the separated portion to the adjacent portion includes creating a stitching surface to fill the gap.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 4 , further comprising adjusting the shape of the stitching surface to alter the shape of the gum tissue in the reconnected gingival model.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein adjusting the shape of the stitching surface includes receiving instructions from a human operator concerning the shape of the stitching surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein adjusting the shape of the stitching surface includes automatically applying a rule without human intervention.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the stitching surface is bounded by two curves representing edges of the separated portion and the adjacent portion of the gingival model.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein creating the stitching surface includes: selecting points on the curves; and connecting the points to form triangles representing a surface mesh.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the shape of the surface mesh by moving a vertex shared by multiple ones of the triangles along a line.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein moving the vertex includes: calculating a normal line for each of the triangles that share the vertex; and calculating an average of the normal lines.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 9 , further comprising dividing each of the triangles into smaller triangles to form a fine surface mesh.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein dividing the triangles includes dividing the triangles such that each of the smaller triangles has at least one vertex shared by five more of the smaller triangles.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein deriving an expected deformation of the gum tissue includes: selecting a point in the gingival model; and deriving motion of the point as the teeth move from the initial set of positions to the other set of positions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein deriving motion of the point includes attaching the point to a model of a corresponding tooth in the dental model and subjecting the point to transformations applied to the corresponding tooth.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein the point lies on a gingival margin, at which the gum tissue meets one of the teeth.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 14 , further comprising creating another gingival model representing the gum tissue surrounding the teeth at the other set of positions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein creating another gingival model includes: selecting points in gingival model; deriving positions for the points when the teeth are at the other set of positions; and creating a curve that connects the points at the derived positions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein creating the curve includes selecting the curve from a group of curves that have predetermined profiles.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 19 , wherein selecting the curve includes: determining which type of tooth is nearest the points in the dentition model; and selecting a curve associated with the type of tooth that is nearest the points.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein creating the curve includes interpolating between two curves having predetermined shapes.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 18 , further comprising receiving an instruction from a human operator to modify the shape of the curve.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3660900A
Cited
US3860803A
Cited
FR2369828A1
Cited
US4504225A
Cited
US4505673A
Cited
US4798534A
Cited
US4936862A
Cited
US4755139A
Cited
US4856991A
Cited
US5186623A
Cited
US5035613A
Cited
US5059118A
Cited
US4793803A
Cited
US5055039A
Cited
US5011405A
Cited
US5017133A
Cited
US5474448A
Cited
US5533895A
Cited
US5454717A
Cited
US5368478A
Cited
US5395238A
Cited
US5431562A
Cited
US5447432A
Cited
US5452219A
Cited
US5340309A
Cited
US5139429A
Cited
US5273429A
Cited
US5342202A
Cited
US5456600A
Cited
WO1994010935A1
Cited
US5542842A
Cited
US5587912A
Cited
US5607305A
Cited
US5382164A
Cited
US5338198A
Cited
US5621648A
Cited
US5549476A
Cited
US5605459A
Cited
US5645421A
Cited
US5725376A
Cited
WO1998032394A1
Cited
US6217334B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-02-03 | 2006-08-05 | 2007-02-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-02-03 | 2010-08-05 | 2011-02-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-02-03 | 2014-08-05 | 2015-02-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |