System and method for positioning three-dimensional brackets on teeth

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9326831-B2
Application number	US-55160506-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2006
Priority date	Oct 20, 2006
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

System and methods for positioning 3D virtual brackets on teeth for the precise positioning of conventional brackets and wire. Various reference features may be calculated for the teeth and used to calculate a position for the virtual bracket. Reference features that are calculated include curve of Spee, Andrew's plane, and a facial axis of the clinical crown for the teeth.

First claim

I claim:

1. A computer-implemented method for positioning a virtual bracket on a patient's teeth with a computer, comprising:
a) receiving, using the computer, an electronic three-dimensional data representation of the patient's teeth in desired target positions;
b) generating, on a display, a plane or surface passing through a crown of each of a plurality of teeth in an arch of the patient's teeth in the desired target positions, the generated plane or surface on the display defined at least in part by at least one of a curve of Spee or an Andrew's plane corresponding to the received three-dimensional data representation;
c) generating, using the computer, a graphical representation of the generated plane or surface that is manipulable on the display by a user so as to modify the generated plane or surface; and
d) determining, using the computer, an initial position for the virtual bracket on the patient's teeth in the desired target positions based on the graphical representation of the generated plane or surface shown on the display, wherein a slot of the virtual bracket is aligned with the graphical representation of the generated plane or surface shown on the display, and the virtual bracket is aligned with a facial axis of the clinical crown (FACC) of a tooth of the patient's teeth.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
allowing the user to modify the position of the virtual bracket on the patient's teeth.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein allowing the user to modify the position of the virtual bracket comprises:
restricting movement of the virtual bracket to move on a surface of the patient's teeth.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein allowing the user to modify the position of the virtual bracket comprises:
restricting movement of the virtual bracket such that the virtual bracket is aligned with a reference plane normal of the patient's teeth.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein allowing the user to modify the position of the virtual bracket comprises:
restricting movement of the virtual bracket such that the virtual bracket slides on the generated plane or surface.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:
testing for a collision of the virtual bracket with a tooth or another virtual bracket.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
allowing the user to modify the positions of the patient's teeth.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
creating a library of a plurality of virtual brackets.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein creating a library of a plurality of virtual brackets comprises:
defining a base contour for each of the virtual brackets; and
defining a base point for each of the virtual brackets.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein defining a base point comprises:
defining a base point for each of the virtual brackets, such that the base point is located on a center of the base contour and wherein an origin of an axis center is co-located at the base point.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a slot inclination and a base inclination.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a base-point-to-slot-point distance and a slot width for the virtual bracket.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a user input to modify at least one of a shape or a position of the generated plane or surface; and
modifying the generated plane or surface in response to the user input.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting, by the user, an initial stage and a final stage for positioning the virtual bracket on the patient's teeth.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating an angulation of the virtual bracket.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating an inclination of the virtual bracket.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
outputting a wire deviation for the virtual bracket.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the initial position comprises performing a matching between a first data point set selected from a surface of a virtual bracket base and a second point set selected from a tooth surface identified based on an intersection between the generated plane or surface and a tooth FACC curve.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation of the generated plane or surface comprises one or more control points manipulable by the user so as to modify a concavity or convexity of the generated plane or surface.

20. A computerized system for positioning a virtual bracket on a patient's teeth with a computer, said computerized system comprising:
a microprocessor comprising a plurality of algorithms; and
a memory device,
wherein said computerized system is configured for:
a) receiving, using the computer, an electronic three-dimensional data representation of the patient's teeth in desired target positions;
b) generating, on a display, a plane or surface passing through a crown of each of a plurality of teeth in an arch of the patient's teeth in the desired target positions, the generated plane or surface on the display defined at least in part by at least one of a curve of Spee or an Andrew's plane corresponding to the received three-dimensional data representation;
c) generating, using the computer, a graphical representation of the generated plane or surface that is manipulable on the display by a user so as to modify the generated plane or surface; and
d) determining, using the computer, an initial position for the virtual bracket on the patient's teeth in the desired positions based on the graphical representation of the generated plane or surface shown on the display, wherein a slot of the virtual bracket is aligned with the graphical representation of the generated plane or surface shown on the display, and the virtual bracket is aligned with a facial axis of the clinical crown of a tooth of the patient's teeth.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20 , wherein determining the initial position comprises generating a first bracket position based on matching between a surface of a virtual bracket base and a tooth surface, and generating a second bracket position comprising adjusting bracket placement so as to align the virtual bracket slot relative to the generated plane or surface.

22. The computerized system of claim 20 , wherein the graphical representation of the generated plane or surface comprises one or more control points manipulable by the user so as to modify a concavity or convexity of the generated plane or surface.

23. A computer-implemented method for positioning a virtual bracket on a patient's teeth with a computer, comprising:
a) receiving, using the computer, an electronic three-dimensional data representation of the patient's teeth in desired target positions;
b) generating, using the computer, a facial axis of the clinical crown (FACC) curve for one of the patient's teeth of the three-dimensional data representation;
c) generating, on a display, a plane or surface configured to intersect the FACC and passing through a crown of each of a p

Assignees

• Cheang Ka Man
• Align Technology Inc

Inventors

• Cheang Ka Man

Classifications

• A61C2007/004

  Automatic construction of a set of axes for a tooth or a plurality of teeth · CPC title

• A61C7/146 Primary

  Positioning or placement of brackets; Tools therefor · CPC title

• G06T2219/2021

  Shape modification · CPC title

• G06T17/20

  Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, {tesselation} · CPC title

• G06T19/20

  Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts · CPC title