Patent US7040896B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US7040896B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Systems and methods for removing gingiva from computer tooth models
Assignee: Align Technology Inc
•
Filing: 2002-02-28
•
Granted: 2006-05-09
•
Expires: 2022-02-28
Abstract
Abstract A computer-implemented method separates gingiva from a model of a tooth by defining a cutting surface along the gingiva; and applying the cutting surface to the tooth to separate the gingiva from the tooth.
Inventors
- 👤 Elena Pavlovskaia
- 👤 Venkata S. Sarva
- 👤 Carmen Cheang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:05
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C7/00; A61C7/002; A61C5/00; A61C5/70; A61C5/77; A61C9/00; A61C2007/004; A61C9/004; A61C9/0046; B; B33; B33Y; B33Y80/00; G; G16; G16H; G16H20/00; G16H20/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
A computer-implemented method for separating a tooth from adjacent structure, comprising: identifying a line between the tooth and the adjacent structure; defining a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the adjacent structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and applying the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
A computer-implemented method for separating a tooth from adjacent structure, comprising: identifying a line between the tooth and the adjacent structure; defining a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the adjacent structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and applying the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is curved.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is expressed as a function.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is expressed as a spline function and a quadratic function.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is expressed as a spline function and a parabolic function.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is interactively adjusted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the interactive adjustment of the cutting surface modifies a function defining the cutting surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 4 , further comprising interactively highlighting the separated portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 8 , further comprising interactively highlighting the border of the separated portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is defined by specifying a basis for the tooth.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the structure is a gingiva, further comprising finding a line between a tooth surface and the gingiva and applying the cutting surface to said line.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 11 , further comprising finding a high curvature location on the tooth surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 11 , further comprising fitting a spline to the line.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface further comprises a plurality of surfaces.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein the root of the tooth is modeled as a parabolic surface below a gingival line.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14 , further comprising defining an enclosing surface to enclose the crown of the tooth.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 14 , further comprising: displaying the surface specified with a plurality of nodes; adjusting one or more nodes to modify the surface; and applying the surface to separate the gingiva from the tooth.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 17 , further comprising providing a handle to adjust each orientation of the cutting shape.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein adjusting one or more nodes further comprises moving one or more nodes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein the cutting surface is formed using a function in a cylindrical coordinate system.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
77 words
A system for separating a tooth from adjacent structure, comprising: means for identifying a line between the tooth and the adjacent structure; means for defining a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the adjacent structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and means for applying the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
77 words
A system for separating a tooth from adjacent structure, comprising: means for identifying a line between the tooth and the adjacent structure; means for defining a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the adjacent structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and means for applying the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
109 words
A computer program, residing on a tangible storage medium, for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of a dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to: identify a line between the tooth and the structure; define a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and apply the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut, wherein applying the cutting surface includes reconstructing a root of the tooth.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
109 words
A computer program, residing on a tangible storage medium, for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of a dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to: identify a line between the tooth and the structure; define a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and apply the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut, wherein applying the cutting surface includes reconstructing a root of the tooth.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
104 words
A computer program, residing on a tangible storage medium, for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of a dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to: identify a line between the tooth and the structure; define a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and apply the cutting surface between the computer model of the tooth and the computer model of the dental structure to separate the computer model in a single cut.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
104 words
A computer program, residing on a tangible storage medium, for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of a dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to: identify a line between the tooth and the structure; define a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and apply the cutting surface between the computer model of the tooth and the computer model of the dental structure to separate the computer model in a single cut.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
136 words
A computer, comprising: a processor; a data storage device coupled to the processor, the data storage device containing code for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of an adjacent dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to: identify a line between the tooth and the structure; define a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the structure, wherein the cutting surface is expressed as a spline function and a quadratic function and wherein the cutting surface further comprises a plurality of surfaces and wherein the root of the tooth is modeled as a parabolic surface below a gingival line; and apply the cutting surface to the tooth to separate the tooth from the dental structure in a single cut.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
136 words
A computer, comprising: a processor; a data storage device coupled to the processor, the data storage device containing code for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of an adjacent dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to: identify a line between the tooth and the structure; define a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the structure, wherein the cutting surface is expressed as a spline function and a quadratic function and wherein the cutting surface further comprises a plurality of surfaces and wherein the root of the tooth is modeled as a parabolic surface below a gingival line; and apply the cutting surface to the tooth to separate the tooth from the dental structure in a single cut.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 24 , further comprising instructions to define an enclosing surface to enclose the crown of the tooth.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2467432A
Cited
US3407500A
Cited
US3660900A
Cited
US3600808A
Cited
US3860803A
Cited
US3683502A
Cited
US3861044A
Cited
US3916526A
Cited
US3922786A
Cited
US3950851A
Cited
US4014096A
Cited
FR2369828A1
Cited
FR2369828B1
Cited
US4505673A
Cited
US4504225A
Cited
US4348178A
Cited
US4195046A
Cited
US4324547A
Cited
US4253828A
Cited
US4324546A
Cited
US4575805A
Cited
US4478580A
Cited
US4611288A
Cited
EP0091876A1
Cited
US5092022A
Cited
US4742464A
Cited
US4500294A
Cited
US4526540A
Cited
US4663720A
Cited
US4656860A
Cited
US4798534A
Cited
US4609349A
Cited
US4591341A
Cited
US4664626A
Cited
US4763791A
Cited
US4936862A
Cited
US4837732A
Cited
US5125832A
Cited
US4676747A
Cited
US4983334A
Cited
US4755139A
Cited
US4850864A
Cited
US4877398A
Cited
US4850865A
Cited
US4856991A
Cited
US5186623A
Cited
US5035613A
Cited
US5059118A
Cited
US4836778A
Cited
US4964770A
Cited
EP0299490A2
Cited
US4937928A
Cited
US4793803A
Cited
US4880380A
Cited
US4941826A
Cited
US5100316A
Cited
US5055039A
Cited
EP0376873A2
Cited
US5011405A
Cited
US5278756A
Cited
WO1990008512A1
Cited
US4975052A
Cited
US5121333A
Cited
US5184306A
Cited
US5027281A
Cited
US5128870A
Cited
US5257203A
Cited
US5017133A
Cited
FR2652256A1
Cited
WO1991004713A1
Cited
US5518397A
Cited
US5447432A
Cited
US5139419A
Cited
US5431562A
Cited
US5395238A
Cited
US5454717A
Cited
US5533895A
Cited
US5474448A
Cited
US5368478A
Cited
US5452219A
Cited
US5340309A
Cited
US5440496A
Cited
EP0490848A2
Cited
US5131844A
Cited
US5131843A
Cited
US5145364A
Cited
US5367478A
Cited
EP0541500A1
Cited
US5273429A
Cited
US5740267A
Cited
US5342202A
Cited
US5542842A
Cited
WO1994010935A1
Cited
US5683243A
Cited
US5456600A
Cited
US5528735A
Cited
EP0774933B1
Cited
US5645420A
Cited
US5607305A
Cited
US5587912A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-05-08 | 2009-11-07 | 2010-05-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-05-08 | 2013-11-07 | 2014-05-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-05-08 | 2017-11-07 | 2018-05-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |