US7080979B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and workstation for generating virtual tooth models from three-dimensional tooth data
Assignee: Orametrix Inc
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Filing: 2001-04-13
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Granted: 2006-07-25
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Expires: 2021-04-13
Abstract
Abstract A method is described for taking a three-dimensional virtual model of the dentition and associated anatomical structures of a patient and isolating individual teeth from the rest of the anatomical structure, e.g. gums, to thereby produce individual, virtual three-dimensional tooth objects. The individual tooth objects can be displayed on the display of an orthodontic workstation and moved independently from each other, and thereby form the basis of planning treatment for the patient. The individual, virtual three-dimensional tooth objects are created by comparing the virtual model of the dentition to virtual, three-dimensional template teeth that are stored in memory in a process described in detail herein. The template teeth can include roots as well as crowns. The template teeth can be stored objects acquired from some external source or alternatively developed from a database of patient scans. Virtual three-dimensional brackets are also stored in the memory of the workstation. The virtual brackets can be placed on the virtual teeth and moved relative to the teeth as needed in a preliminary step in treatment planning.
Inventors
- 👤 Rüdger Rubbert
- 👤 Thomas Weise
- 👤 Peer Sporbert
- 👤 Hans Imgrund
- 👤 Mario Leichner
- 👤 Rohit Sachdeva
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:13
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C9/00; A61C9/004; A61C9/0046; A61C9/0053; G; G16; G16H; G16H50/00; G16H50/50; A61C7/00; A61C7/002; B; B33; B33Y; B33Y80/00; G16H30/00; G16H30/40; G16H40/00; G16H40/60; G16H40/63
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 53
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A system for creating an individual, three-dimensional virtual tooth model representing a tooth found in a dentition assigned to a patient, comprising: a memory storing at least one virtual three-dimensional model of a template object corresponding to a tooth, including a template tooth corresponding to said tooth; a data processing system including a memory storing a virtual three-dimensional model of at least a part of the dentition; wherein said data processing system further comprises software processing said virtual three-dimensional model of at least a part of the dentition and said virtual model of the template object and responsively deriving said individual, three-dimensional, virtual tooth model; wherein said software comprises: 1. a routine superimposing said virtual template object corresponding to a tooth on said virtual model of at least apart of the dentition; 2. a routine drawing vectors from said virtual template object to a surface of said virtual model of the dentition and storing a set of points where said vectors intersect said surface; 3. a routine forming a new surface comprised of said set of points; and 4. a routine filling missing parts of said surface, if any, from said template tooth.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
193 words
A system for creating an individual, three-dimensional virtual tooth model representing a tooth found in a dentition assigned to a patient, comprising: a memory storing at least one virtual three-dimensional model of a template object corresponding to a tooth, including a template tooth corresponding to said tooth; a data processing system including a memory storing a virtual three-dimensional model of at least a part of the dentition; wherein said data processing system further comprises software processing said virtual three-dimensional model of at least a part of the dentition and said virtual model of the template object and responsively deriving said individual, three-dimensional, virtual tooth model; wherein said software comprises: 1. a routine superimposing said virtual template object corresponding to a tooth on said virtual model of at least apart of the dentition; 2. a routine drawing vectors from said virtual template object to a surface of said virtual model of the dentition and storing a set of points where said vectors intersect said surface; 3. a routine forming a new surface comprised of said set of points; and 4. a routine filling missing parts of said surface, if any, from said template tooth.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said template object comprises one or more specific characteristics of a tooth selected from the group consisting of cusps, tooth width, occlusion characteristics, two-dimensional cross-section in an occlusal plane, roots and flatness.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said template object comprises a surface formed of a mesh of polygon surfaces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said template object comprises a cloud of three-dimensional points.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said virtual three-dimensional model of at least a part of the dentition comprises a surface formed of a mesh of polygon surfaces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said virtual three-dimensional model of at least a part of the dentition comprises a cloud of three-dimensional points.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said individual, three-dimensional, virtual tooth model comprises a surface formed of a mesh of polygon surfaces.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said individual, three-dimensional, virtual tooth model comprises a surface formed of a mesh of three-dimensional points.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said software superimposes and orients said virtual template object with respect to said virtual three-dimensional model of at least a part of the dentition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said software determines specific areas of said virtual three-dimensional model of at least a part of the dentition that correspond to structural elements of said virtual template object.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said individual three-dimensional virtual tooth model comprises, at least in part, surfaces derived from said virtual template object.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said individual three-dimensional virtual tooth model comprises, at least in part, surfaces derived by said software from said virtual model of at least a part of said dentition.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein spatial coordinates for portions of said virtual tooth model, to which no corresponding areas could be determined from said virtual model of at least a part of the dentition, are derived by said software from spatial coordinates of corresponding portions of said virtual template object.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 13 , wherein said software derives said spatial coordinates from an interpolation from said template tooth.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said system further comprises a user interface, and wherein said software displays said individual virtual tooth model on said user interface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system of claim 15 , wherein said system includes software that permits a user to place a landmark on a virtual representation of said tooth of the patient via said user interface, said landmark used to align said virtual template object corresponding to a tooth with said virtual three-dimensional model of at least a part of the dentition.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 16 , wherein said user interface displays a superposition of said individual virtual tooth model and said virtual three-dimensional model of at least a part of the patient's dentition.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 16 , wherein said data processing system generates individual virtual tooth models for all of the teeth of a patient and displays said virtual tooth models on a user interface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein said virtual tooth models are displayed on said user interface in a position relative to each other in three dimensions that substantially matches the current position of the teeth in the dentition of the patient.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the software module executes routines 1., 2., 3., and 4. in an iterative fashion, with the surface after execution of step 3. or step 4. replacing the virtual model of the dentition at step 1. in successive iterations.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein said iterative execution of steps 1., 2., 3., and 4. terminates, the surface generated after the final iteration is displayed for the user as a superposition of original data obtained from scanning and the surface created by said software at the end of step 3. or step 4. after the last iteration.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said virtual model of the dentition comprises a plurality of three-dimensional surfaces as a result of the registration a plurality of point clouds representing three-dimensional frames with respect to each other.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a hand-held scanner for scanning the dentition of said patient, wherein said virtual three-dimensional model of a part of the dentition is derived from said scanning.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
168 words
An orthodontic workstation, comprising: a memory storing virtual three-dimensional template teeth and a virtual three-dimensional model of the dentition of a patient; a data processing system comprising software operating on said virtual template teeth and said virtual model of the dentition and responsively creating a set of individual, virtual, three-dimensional tooth models representing the teeth of the patient and storing said individual, virtual, three-dimensional toot models in said memory; wherein said software comprises: 1. a routine superimposing a virtual tooth template corresponding to a tooth on said virtual model of the dentition; wherein said virtual tooth template is obtained from said virtual template teeth; 2. a routine drawing vectors from said virtual tooth template to a surface of said tooth on said virtual model of the dentition and storing a set of points where said vectors intersect said surface; 3. a routine forming a new surface comprised of said set of points; and 4. a routine filling missing parts of said surface, if any, from said tooth template.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
168 words
An orthodontic workstation, comprising: a memory storing virtual three-dimensional template teeth and a virtual three-dimensional model of the dentition of a patient; a data processing system comprising software operating on said virtual template teeth and said virtual model of the dentition and responsively creating a set of individual, virtual, three-dimensional tooth models representing the teeth of the patient and storing said individual, virtual, three-dimensional toot models in said memory; wherein said software comprises: 1. a routine superimposing a virtual tooth template corresponding to a tooth on said virtual model of the dentition; wherein said virtual tooth template is obtained from said virtual template teeth; 2. a routine drawing vectors from said virtual tooth template to a surface of said tooth on said virtual model of the dentition and storing a set of points where said vectors intersect said surface; 3. a routine forming a new surface comprised of said set of points; and 4. a routine filling missing parts of said surface, if any, from said tooth template.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The workstation of claim 24 , further comprising a user interface displaying said virtual tooth models.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
41 words
The workstation of claim 24 , wherein said user interface displays a screen allowing a user to enter information to change the position of at least one of the virtual tooth models relative to other virtual tooth models in three dimensions.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
56 words
The workstation of claim 24 , wherein said user interface displays a screen allowing a user to enter information as to a desired archform, and wherein said workstation executes software moving said individual, virtual, three-dimensional tooth models to said desired archform and displays said individual, virtual, three-dimensional tooth models at said desired archform for a user.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
The workstation of claim 24 , wherein said user interface displays said virtual model of the dentition and permits a user to place landmarks on said displayed virtual model of the dentition.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
169 words
An orthodontic workstation, comprising: a memory comprising data storage regions storing a data representing virtual three-dimensional anatomical structures including an individual, three-dimensional virtual tooth model representing an individual tooth of a patient isolated from surrounding anatomical structures; a user interface including a display for displaying said individual virtual tooth model; interactive software for allowing a user to manipulate said virtual tooth model with respect to said surrounding anatomical structures; wherein said individual virtual tooth model is generated from a scan of the dentition of a patient and a virtual three-dimensional template tooth using software comprising: 1. a routine superimposing said virtual template tooth on said scan of the dentition; 2. a routine drawing vectors from said virtual template tooth to a surface of said scan of the dentition and storing a set of points where said vectors intersect said surface; 3. a routine forming a new surface comprised of said set of points; and 4. a routine filling missing parts of said surface, if any, from said template tooth.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
169 words
An orthodontic workstation, comprising: a memory comprising data storage regions storing a data representing virtual three-dimensional anatomical structures including an individual, three-dimensional virtual tooth model representing an individual tooth of a patient isolated from surrounding anatomical structures; a user interface including a display for displaying said individual virtual tooth model; interactive software for allowing a user to manipulate said virtual tooth model with respect to said surrounding anatomical structures; wherein said individual virtual tooth model is generated from a scan of the dentition of a patient and a virtual three-dimensional template tooth using software comprising: 1. a routine superimposing said virtual template tooth on said scan of the dentition; 2. a routine drawing vectors from said virtual template tooth to a surface of said scan of the dentition and storing a set of points where said vectors intersect said surface; 3. a routine forming a new surface comprised of said set of points; and 4. a routine filling missing parts of said surface, if any, from said template tooth.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
The workstation of claim 29 , wherein said individual, three-dimensional virtual tooth model further comprises a root for said tooth, said root derived from a virtual, three-dimensional template tooth root.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
The workstation of claim 29 , wherein said memory further comprises data storage regions storing a plurality of virtual, three-dimensional template orthodontic brackets.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
49 words
The workstation of claim 31 , wherein said workstation further comprises software for permitting a user to place one of said virtual, three-dimensional template orthodontic brackets onto the surface of said individual, virtual three-dimensional tooth model and display said placed template bracket on said individual, virtual three-dimensional tooth model.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
38 words
The workstation of claim 31 , wherein said memory stores a virtual, three-dimensional model of a template of an oral structure selected from the group of oral structures consisting of tooth roots, tooth crowns, gingival tissue, and bone.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
The workstation of claim 29 , wherein said memory stores data representing a library of virtual, three dimensional template teeth.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
The workstation of claim 34 , wherein said library is generated from the processing of scans of a plurality of patients.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
194 words
An orthodontic workstation, comprising: a memory storing a library of virtual orthodontic objects, said objects comprising virtual, three-dimensional orthodontic brackets; a user interface; and a processing system including software for displaying said orthodontic brackets on said user interface and providing a navigational tool for enabling a user of said workstation to independently move said virtual orthodontic brackets in three dimensions; wherein said objects further comprise individual, virtual three-dimensional tooth objects and wherein said software enables said orthodontic brackets to be placed on said tooth objects; wherein said objects further comprise virtual three-dimensional template teeth; wherein said individual, virtual three-dimensional tooth objects are generated from a scan of the dentition of a patient and virtual three-dimensional template teeth using software comprising: 1. a routine superimposing said virtual template teeth on said scan of the dentition; 2. a routine drawing vectors from said virtual template teeth to a surface of said scan of the dentition and storing a set of points where said vectors intersect said surface; 3. a routine forming a new surface comprised of said set of points; and 4. a routine filling missing parts of said surface, if any, from said template teeth.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
194 words
An orthodontic workstation, comprising: a memory storing a library of virtual orthodontic objects, said objects comprising virtual, three-dimensional orthodontic brackets; a user interface; and a processing system including software for displaying said orthodontic brackets on said user interface and providing a navigational tool for enabling a user of said workstation to independently move said virtual orthodontic brackets in three dimensions; wherein said objects further comprise individual, virtual three-dimensional tooth objects and wherein said software enables said orthodontic brackets to be placed on said tooth objects; wherein said objects further comprise virtual three-dimensional template teeth; wherein said individual, virtual three-dimensional tooth objects are generated from a scan of the dentition of a patient and virtual three-dimensional template teeth using software comprising: 1. a routine superimposing said virtual template teeth on said scan of the dentition; 2. a routine drawing vectors from said virtual template teeth to a surface of said scan of the dentition and storing a set of points where said vectors intersect said surface; 3. a routine forming a new surface comprised of said set of points; and 4. a routine filling missing parts of said surface, if any, from said template teeth.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
The workstation of claim 36 , wherein said objects further comprise virtual three-dimensional template gingival tissue.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
16 words
The workstation of claim 36 , wherein said objects further comprise virtual three-dimensional template bone structures.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of separating a virtual tooth object from a virtual model of the dentition of a patient, comprising the steps of: presenting on a user interface of a workstation a three-dimensional virtual model of the dentition; providing a pair of virtual planes and a navigational tool for manipulating said pair of virtual planes with respect said three-dimensional virtual model; placing said pair of virtual planes on opposite sides of a tooth in said virtual model of the dentition; identifying on said user interface locations where said tooth intersects gingival tissue; identifying spatial coordinates of said virtual model of the dentition where said tooth intersects said ginival tissue; and forming said virtual tooth object from the portion of said tooth between said planes and the portion of said tooth separated from said gingival tissue.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of separating a virtual tooth object from a virtual model of the dentition of a patient, comprising the steps of: presenting on a user interface of a workstation a three-dimensional virtual model of the dentition; providing a pair of virtual planes and a navigational tool for manipulating said pair of virtual planes with respect said three-dimensional virtual model; placing said pair of virtual planes on opposite sides of a tooth in said virtual model of the dentition; identifying on said user interface locations where said tooth intersects gingival tissue; identifying spatial coordinates of said virtual model of the dentition where said tooth intersects said ginival tissue; and forming said virtual tooth object from the portion of said tooth between said planes and the portion of said tooth separated from said gingival tissue.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 39 , further comprising the step of: providing an erasing feature by which a user may delete from said virtual tooth object structures that do not correspond to said tooth.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 39 , wherein said virtual model of said dentition has gaps in data and wherein said gaps in data are derived from a template virtual three dimensional tooth object.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 41 , wherein said template virtual tooth object comprises a contralateral tooth.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
260 words
In a method for making a crown for a tooth in which a crown is manufactured to fit to a prepared tooth, the improvement comprising: scanning said prepared tooth thereby creating a scanned virtual model of said prepared tooth and responsively creating a finished virtual model of said prepared tooth from said scanned virtual model; storing in memory a virtual template crown for said tooth; and providing a user interface and software wherein said software displays said virtual crown object and said finished virtual model of said prepared tooth and permits a user to adapt said virtual crown object to said finished virtual model of said prepared tooth; wherein said step of responsively creating said finished virtual model of said prepared tooth further comprises the steps of: 1. superimposing a virtual template tooth corresponding to said prepared tooth on said scanned virtual model; 2. drawing vectors from said virtual template tooth to a surface of said scanned virtual model and storing a set of points where said vectors intersect said surface; 3. forming a new surface comprised of said set of points; 4. filling missing parts of said surface, if any, from said template tooth; and 5. performing an iterative execution of steps 1., 2., 3., and 4., with the surface after execution of step 3. or step 4. replacing the scanned virtual model at step 1. in successive iterations; wherein when said iterative execution of steps 1., 2., 3., and 4. terminates, the surface generated after the final iteration is displayed for the user as said finished virtual model.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
260 words
In a method for making a crown for a tooth in which a crown is manufactured to fit to a prepared tooth, the improvement comprising: scanning said prepared tooth thereby creating a scanned virtual model of said prepared tooth and responsively creating a finished virtual model of said prepared tooth from said scanned virtual model; storing in memory a virtual template crown for said tooth; and providing a user interface and software wherein said software displays said virtual crown object and said finished virtual model of said prepared tooth and permits a user to adapt said virtual crown object to said finished virtual model of said prepared tooth; wherein said step of responsively creating said finished virtual model of said prepared tooth further comprises the steps of: 1. superimposing a virtual template tooth corresponding to said prepared tooth on said scanned virtual model; 2. drawing vectors from said virtual template tooth to a surface of said scanned virtual model and storing a set of points where said vectors intersect said surface; 3. forming a new surface comprised of said set of points; 4. filling missing parts of said surface, if any, from said template tooth; and 5. performing an iterative execution of steps 1., 2., 3., and 4., with the surface after execution of step 3. or step 4. replacing the scanned virtual model at step 1. in successive iterations; wherein when said iterative execution of steps 1., 2., 3., and 4. terminates, the surface generated after the final iteration is displayed for the user as said finished virtual model.
Claim 50
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for making a denture for a patient, comprising the steps of: scanning the gums and associated anatomical structures of the patient; constructing a virtual three-dimensional model of the gums and associated anatomical structures from said scanning; displaying said virtual three-dimensional model on a user interface of a computer; accessing with said computer a plurality of three-dimensional virtual template tooth objects; orienting said three-dimensional template tooth objects with respect to each other to thereby provide a desired tooth position for said denture with the aid of said computer; combining said oriented three-dimensional virtual template teeth with said three-dimensional virtual model of the gums and associated anatomical structures with the aid of said computer, and preparing said denture from the three-dimensional combination of said three-dimensional virtual template teeth with said three-dimensional virtual model of the gums and associated anatomical structures.
Claim 51
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for making a denture for a patient, comprising the steps of: scanning the gums and associated anatomical structures of the patient; constructing a virtual three-dimensional model of the gums and associated anatomical structures from said scanning; displaying said virtual three-dimensional model on a user interface of a computer; accessing with said computer a plurality of three-dimensional virtual template tooth objects; orienting said three-dimensional template tooth objects with respect to each other to thereby provide a desired tooth position for said denture with the aid of said computer; combining said oriented three-dimensional virtual template teeth with said three-dimensional virtual model of the gums and associated anatomical structures with the aid of said computer, and preparing said denture from the three-dimensional combination of said three-dimensional virtual template teeth with said three-dimensional virtual model of the gums and associated anatomical structures.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 44 wherein said step of preparing comprises the step of preparing a physical model of said denture from said combination of said oriented three-dimensional virtual template teeth and said three-dimensional virtual model of the gums and associated anatomical structures; preparing a mold from said physical model; and casting said denture in said mold.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 45 , wherein said physical model comprises a sterelithograph model.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-07-24 | 2010-01-23 | 2010-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-07-24 | 2018-01-23 | 2018-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |