Patent ID: 8897902
Filing Date: 2014-11-25
Classification: A61C,G06T,G16B,G16H

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for recognizing the gingival margin of a tooth, comprising: receiving into the computer surface model data that digitally defines a three-dimensional surface of at least a portion of a mouth, the portion containing at least one tooth; presenting a rendering of the surface model data in a user interface; receiving input data specifying a point on the rendered surface model associated with a tooth; using a processor of the computer, deriving a perimeter on the surface model of the tooth based on the input data; and using the computer's processor, analyzing the surface model along a plurality of paths outwardly extending from points on the perimeter along the three-dimensional surface to produce gingival margin data, which is data that defines a boundary in the surface model separating the tooth surface and surrounding surfaces of the mouth.