Patent ID: 7545372
Filing Date: 2009-06-09
Classification: A61C,G16H

Abstract:
1. A method for obtaining a three-dimensional representation of a patient's teeth arrangement, the method comprising: (a) providing a three-dimensional physical teeth model comprising an exterior model surface having a positive relief corresponding to said teeth arrangement; (b) applying an imaging process consisting of computerized tomography (CT) to said three-dimensional physical teeth model to thereby acquire data of multiple slices of at least a portion of said model, wherein the physical model is not destroyed in the imaging process; (c) analyzing said data, using CT as a primary acquired data source, to produce therefrom a plurality of sequential digital images of said at least a portion corresponding to said slices; and (d) producing said three-dimensional representation by integrating said plurality of sequential digital images to generate a virtual surface corresponding to said exterior model surface.