Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20120065952
Timestamp: 2018-02-25 00:22:09
Document Index: 92460361

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'art 510', 'art 510', 'art 510', 'art 510', 'art 520', 'Application No. 60']

US20120065952A1 - Method for manipulating a dental virtual model, method for creating physical entities based on a dental virtual model thus manipulated, and dental models thus created - Google Patents
US20120065952A1
US20120065952A1 US13227435 US201113227435A US2012065952A1 US 20120065952 A1 US20120065952 A1 US 20120065952A1 US 13227435 US13227435 US 13227435 US 201113227435 A US201113227435 A US 201113227435A US 2012065952 A1 US2012065952 A1 US 2012065952A1
US13227435
US8359115B2 (en )
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/654,762, filed Dec. 31, 2009, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/222,287, filed Aug. 6, 2008 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,734,368), which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/349,124, filed Feb. 8, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,555,403), which claims the benefit of prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/699,499, filed Jul. 15, 2005, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Step (d) may be carried out substantially in an automated manner when said 3D virtualmodel provided at step (a) comprises color data associated with 3D topographic data, wherein said identification of said first virtual model part and said second virtual model part is based on color differences therebetween.
The said trimmed first model part can be further manipulated such as to include a virtual model base projecting therefrom, and said trimmed second model part can also be manipulated such as to include a model well substantially complementary to said model base. The virtual model base may optionally comprises a depth dimension extending substantially orthogonally to an occlusion plane of the intra oral cavity, and said virtual model base may of substantially uniform cross-sectional profile along a depth thereof. Alternatively, the base may be convex-shaped, conical, frustoconical, or any other suitable shape.
(C) executing said computer instructions on said computer controlled manufacturing machine and creating a set of physical models comprising atrimmed [sic] first physical model part and a trimmed second physical model part corresponding to said trimmed first and second virtual model parts respectively including said virtual model base and said virtual model well.
The method for manufacturing a dental model may be applied to a single dental site, or alternatively to a plurality of dental sites on at least one jaw of an intra oral cavity. Inn [sic] the latter case particularly, the trimmed second virtual model corresponding to each said dental site can be suitably joined in a virtual manner to provide a global virtual model of said jaw. In such a manner it is possible to manufacture a model of one or both partial of full jaws, in which any number of the teeth therein, whether or not they have a preparation, are formed as separate models which can be removed and replaced in the jaw model. Tooth models in cases where then tooth is complete or in which there is no obstruction can be manufactured in a similar manner as described above, mutatis mutandis, with the main differences that no recreation or reconstruction of obscured portions thereof need to be performed.
FIG. 7 illustrates a typical cross-section of the virtual first model part obtaind [sic] along one of the planes in FIG. 6.
Alternatively, the 3D digitized data may be obtained in any other suitable manner, including other suitable intra oral scanning techniques, based on optical methods, direct contact or any other means, applied directly to the patient's dentition. Alternatively, X-ray based, CT based, MRI based, or any other type of scanning of the patient or of a positive and/or negative model of the intra-oral cavity may be used. The dimensional data may be associated with a complete dentition, or of a partial dentition, for example such as a preparation only of the infra oral cavity.
In the next step 122, and referring also to FIGS. 5 and 6, the exposed portions 51 of the finish line S, i.e., the portions that are visible, are identified and marked in the first model part 510. By “marking” is included that an attribute is added to the data points corresponding to these portions of the model 510, so that these portions may be highlighted and/or further manipulated, displayed etc. as a unit. This identification and marking may be done manually, by means of a display and interface, similarly to that described for step 120 above, mutatis mutandis. Alternatively, for example, this maybe accomplished in an automated manner, or at least semi-automated manner, by suitably manipulating the first model part 510 by means of a suitable algorithm or the like. For example, the computer in which the method is being executed may be programmed to identify within the data of the first model part 510, relatively sharp changes in geometry, as is the case in the change of cross-sectional profile between the emerging profile M, the finish line S and shoulder T. Alternatively, other rules may be incorporated to provide the exposed portions S1 of the finish line S.
A typical cross-section CN is illustrated in FIG. 7, and shows the profile of the model 500, including first model part 510, second model part 520, and demarcation line D. Based on the user's experience and skill, the user can extrapolate where he or she considers that at least one or more of the missing finish line S2 N data, missing emerging profile data M2, missing preparation data P2, and missing gum line data G2 data may be in relation to this cross-section.
These missing data can then be input to the computer in which the manipulations are being carried out, for example by “clicking” with a mouse or by means of a tablet, or by any other computer aided means, at locations on the displayed cross-section where the extrapolations are to be made. Such extrapolations may be made by the user, utilizing experience and judgment as to where the missing profile may be. Alternatively, the user, knowing what type of tool was used for creating the preparation, may have a fair idea of the profile of the finish line cross section. For example, the finish line may be of any type thereof, for example knife edge, feather edge, chamfer, chamfer bevel, shoulder, shoulder bevel, and so on. Alternatively, the finish line may comprise a combination of different types around the periphery of the preparation, for example part of the finish line for a particular preparation may be knife edge, while another part may be feather edge. According to the type of finish line the user is expecting to find, the same type of profile may be applied to the missing section, and subsequently modified, manually or automatically using any suitable matching, smoothing, graphical or other type of algorithm to fit as required.
In step 170, and based on information from the virtual 3D image, the dentist or a technician may generate a 3D virtual prosthesis model of a crown to be fitted on a tooth stump or of a bridge to be fitted on the tooth surface, to generate a digital file. Alternatively, the outer surface of the prosthesis may be designed manually if desired. Optionally, and typically, the prosthesis model may also include a virtual model of a coping plus a virtual model of a cap that is to be mounted onto the coping. The coping may be manufactured using any suitable method, for example as disclosed in WO 2004/087000, also assigned to the present Assignee, and the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. The cap or full prosthesis may be manufactured using any suitable method, for example as disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 11/046,709 or in US Provisional Application No. 60/632,350, also assigned to the present Assignee, and the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.
US13227435 2005-07-15 2011-09-07 Method for manipulating a dental virtual model, method for creating physical entities based on a dental virtual model thus manipulated, and dental models thus created Active US8359115B2 (en)
US12654762 Continuation US8041439B2 (en) 2005-07-15 2009-12-31 Method for manipulating a dental virtual model, method for creating physical entities based on a dental virtual model thus manipulated, and dental models thus created
US13716008 Continuation US8805563B2 (en) 2005-07-15 2012-12-14 Method for manipulating a dental virtual model, method for creating physical entities based on a dental virtual model thus manipulated, and dental models thus created
US20120065952A1 true true US20120065952A1 (en) 2012-03-15
US8359115B2 US8359115B2 (en) 2013-01-22