Patent ID: 9492250
Filing Date: 2016-11-15
CPC Classification: A61C,B33Y,G06F,G16H

Claim Text:
1. A method of generating a virtual model of a set of teeth for manufacturing a physical model of the set of teeth, where the generated virtual model is configured such that at least one tooth is part of a removable component of the virtual model, the method comprising: obtaining a virtual model of the set of teeth, the virtual model comprising a gingival part and the at least one tooth which is part of the removable component in the virtual model, the at least one tooth being removable in a longitudinal direction of the at least one tooth; generating a cavity in said gingival part, said cavity comprising a cavity wall, into which cavity the removable component fits such that an interface between the removable component and the cavity wall is defined, where the removable component and the cavity are configured to provide a gap at said interface, the gap extending circumferentially about a portion of the removable component in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; and providing supporting elements configured for supporting and positioning the removable component in the cavity, where the supporting elements extend in the longitudinal direction on one of said removable component and said cavity wall such that the supporting elements extend across said gap between said removable component and said cavity wall, such that in the physical model manufactured from the virtual model, the supporting elements support and position the removable component in the cavity; wherein, in at least one cross section taken through the removable component and the gap in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, contact between the removable component and the cavity wall at said interface is provided only by surfaces of the supporting elements and the other of the removable component and the cavity wall such that, in the at least one cross section, the gap extends only between the surfaces of the supporting elements.