Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7040896?dq=mirroring+data+in+a+remote+data+storage+system
Timestamp: 2015-04-27 06:46:55
Document Index: 189500209

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Patent US7040896 - Systems and methods for removing gingiva from computer tooth models - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA computer-implemented method separates gingiva from a model of a tooth by defining a cutting surface along the gingiva; and applying the cutting surface to the tooth to separate the gingiva from the tooth....http://www.google.com/patents/US7040896?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7040896 - Systems and methods for removing gingiva from computer tooth modelsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7040896 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/087,153Publication dateMay 9, 2006Filing dateFeb 28, 2002Priority dateAug 16, 2000Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS7826646, US20020177108, US20040023188Publication number087153, 10087153, US 7040896 B2, US 7040896B2, US-B2-7040896, US7040896 B2, US7040896B2InventorsElena Pavlovskaia, Venkata S. Sarva, Carmen CheangOriginal AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (100), Non-Patent Citations (99), Referenced by (13), Classifications (13), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetSystems and methods for removing gingiva from computer tooth models
US 7040896 B2Abstract
1. A computer-implemented method for separating a tooth from adjacent structure, comprising:
identifying a line between the tooth and the adjacent structure;
defining a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the adjacent structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and
applying the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cutting surface is curved.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure is a gingiva, further comprising finding a line between a tooth surface and the gingiva and applying the cutting surface to said line.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising finding a high curvature location on the tooth surface.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising fitting a spline to the line.
displaying the surface specified with a plurality of nodes;
adjusting one or more nodes to modify the surface; and
applying the surface to separate the gingiva from the tooth.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a handle to adjust each orientation of the cutting shape.
21. A system for separating a tooth from adjacent structure, comprising:
means for identifying a line between the tooth and the adjacent structure;
means for defining a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the adjacent structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and
means for applying the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut.
22. A computer program, residing on a tangible storage medium, for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of a dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to:
identify a line between the tooth and the structure;
define a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and
apply the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut,
wherein applying the cutting surface includes reconstructing a root of the tooth.
23. A computer program, residing on a tangible storage medium, for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of a dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to:
apply the cutting surface between the computer model of the tooth and the computer model of the dental structure to separate the computer model in a single cut.
24. A computer, comprising:
a data storage device coupled to the processor, the data storage device containing code for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of an adjacent dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to:
define a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the structure, wherein the cutting surface is expressed as a spline function and a quadratic function and wherein the cutting surface further comprises a plurality of surfaces and wherein the root of the tooth is modeled as a parabolic surface below a gingival line; and
apply the cutting surface to the tooth to separate the tooth from the dental structure in a single cut.
25. The system of claim 24, further comprising instructions to define an enclosing surface to enclose the crown of the tooth.
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/640,328, filed Aug. 16, 2000 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,878. The full disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.
Tooth positioners for finishing orthodontic treatment are described by Kesling in the Am. J. Orthod. Oral. Surg. 31:297�304 (1945) and 32:285�293 (1946). The use of silicone positioners for the comprehensive orthodontic realignment of a patient's teeth is described in Warunek et al. (1989) J. Clin. Orthod. 23:694�700. Clear plastic retainers for finishing and maintaining tooth positions are commercially available from Raintree Essix, Inc., New Orleans, La. 70125, and Tru-Tain Plastics, Rochester, Minn. 55902. The manufacture of orthodontic positioners is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,186,623; 5,059,118; 5,055,039; 5,035,613; 4,856,991; 4,798,534; and 4,755,139.
Other publications describing the fabrication and use of dental positioners include Kleemann and Janssen (1996) J. Clin. Orthodon. 30:673�680; Cureton (1996) J. Clin. Orthodon. 30:390�395; Chiappone (1980) J. Clin. Orthodon. 14:121�133; Shilliday (1971) Am. J. Orthodontics 59:596�599; Wells (1970) Am. J. Orthodontics 58:351�366; and Cottingham (1969) Am. J. Orthodontics 55:23�31.
Kuroda et al. (1996) Am. J. Orthodontics 110:365�369 describes a method for laser scanning a plaster dental cast to produce a digital image of the cast. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,459.
In one aspect, a computer-implemented method separates a tooth from an adjacent structure, such as a gingiva, by defining a cutting surface; and applying the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth in a single cut.
In another aspect, a system for separating a tooth from an adjacent structure, such as a gingiva, which includes means for defining a cutting surface; and means for applying the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut.
In another aspect, a computer program, residing on a tangible storage medium, for use in a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of a dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to: define a cutting surface, wherein the cutting surface is expressed as a spline function and a quadratic function; and apply the cutting surface between the computer model of the dental structure and the computer model of the tooth to separate the computer models in a single cut.
In yet another aspect, a computer has a processor, a data storage device coupled to the processor, the data storage device containing code for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of an adjacent structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to: define a cutting surface, wherein the cutting surface is expressed as a spline function and a quadratic function and wherein the cutting surface further comprises a plurality of surfaces and wherein the root of the tooth is modeled as a parabolic surface below a gingival line; and apply the cutting surface to the tooth to separate the gingiva from the tooth in a single cut.
In yet another aspect, a computer-implemented method for separating a dental structure from an adjacent tooth which includes defining a cutting surface along the gingiva; and applying the cutting surface to the tooth to separate the gingiva and reconstruct the root for the tooth in a single cut.
Advantages of the system may include one or more of the following. The system provides a flexible cutter that can be modified to follow the gingival line so user could cut off the gingiva in one single cut. The gingival line defined by user here could also be reused later for the gingival reconstruction process.
Advantages of the invention may include one or more of the following. The system separates gingiva from tooth in a single cut. The system also reconstructs the tooth to provide a root for the tooth in the same operation. The system also generates a crown surface portion of a tooth model relatively quickly by applying the computed functions. The speed in drawing the crown surface allows real time shaping by the user when the user moves the crown control points and the top control points or when the user edits the gingival line. Also it facilitates the finding of the intersection as the system can rapidly determine whether a given point, such as a vertex of the tooth mesh, is inside or outside the gingival cutting surface.
Referring now to FIG. 1A, a representative jaw 100 includes sixteen teeth, at least some of which are to be moved from an initial tooth arrangement to a final tooth arrangement. To understand how the teeth may be moved, an arbitrary centerline (CL) is drawn through one of the teeth 102. With reference to this centerline (CL), the teeth may be moved in the orthogonal directions represented by axes 104, 106, and 108 (where 104 is the centerline). The centerline may be rotated about the axis 108 (root angulation) and 104 (torque) as indicated by arrows 110 and 112, respectively. Additionally, the tooth may be rotated about the centerline. Thus, all possible free-form motions of the tooth can be performed.
One tool for incrementally repositioning the teeth is a set of one or more adjustment appliances. Suitable appliances include any of the known positioners, retainers, or other removable appliances that are used for finishing and maintaining teeth positions in connection with conventional orthodontic treatment. As described below, a plurality of such appliances can be worn by a patient successively to achieve gradual tooth repositioning. A particularly advantageous appliance is the appliance 111, shown in FIG. 1C, which typically comprises a polymeric shell having a cavity shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth from one tooth arrangement to another tooth arrangement. The polymeric shell typically fits over all teeth present in the upper or lower jaw. Often, only some of the teeth will be repositioned while others will provide a base or anchor region for holding the repositioning appliance in place as it applies the resilient repositioning force against the tooth or teeth to be repositioned. In complex cases, however, many or most of the teeth will be repositioned at some point during the treatment. In such cases, the teeth that are moved can also serve as a base or anchor region for holding the repositioning appliance. The gums and the palette also serve as an anchor region in some cases, thus allowing all or nearly all of the teeth to be repositioned simultaneously.
The polymeric appliance 111 of FIG. 1C is preferably formed from a thin sheet of a suitable elastomeric polymeric, such as Tru-Tain 0.03 in. thermal forming dental material, marketed by Tru-Tain Plastics, Rochester, Minn. 55902. In many cases, no wires or other means are provided for holding the appliance in place over the teeth. In some cases, however, it is necessary to provide individual attachments on the teeth with corresponding receptacles or apertures in the appliance 111 so that the appliance can apply forces that would not be possible or would be difficult to apply in the absence of such attachments.
A plaster cast of the patient's teeth is obtained by well known techniques, such as those described in Graber, Orthodontics: Principle and Practice, Second Edition, Saunders, Pa., 1969, pp. 401�415. After the tooth casting is obtained, the casting is digitally scanned by a scanner, such as a non-contact type laser or destructive scanner or a contact-type scanner, to produce the IDDS. The data set produced by the scanner may be presented in any of a variety of digital formats to ensure compatibility with the software used to manipulate images represented by the data. In addition to the 3D image data gathered by laser scanning or destructive scanning the exposed surfaces of the teeth, a user may wish to gather data about hidden features, such as the roots of the patient's teeth and the patient's jaw bones. This information is used to build a detailed model of the patient's dentition and to show with more accuracy and precision how the teeth will respond to treatment. For example, information about the roots allows modeling of all tooth surfaces, instead of just the crowns, which in turn allows simulation of the relationships between the crowns and the roots as they move during treatment. Information about the patient's jaws and gums also enables a more accurate model of tooth movement during treatment. For example, an x-ray of the patient's jaw bones can assist in identifying any close teeth, and an MRI can provide information about the density of the patient's gum tissue. Moreover, information about the relationship between the patient's teeth and other cranial features allows accurate alignment of the teeth with respect to the rest of the head at each of the treatment steps. Data about these hidden features may be gathered from many sources, including 2D and 3D x-ray systems, CT scanners, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. Using this data to introduce visually hidden features to the tooth model is described in more detail below.
In step 204, final positions for the upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system of a patient are determined by generating a computer representation of the masticatory system. An occlusion of the upper and lower teeth is computed from the computer representation; and a functional occlusion is computed based on interactions in the computer representation of the masticatory system. The occlusion may be determined by generating a set of ideal models of the teeth. Each ideal model in the set of ideal models is an abstract model of idealized teeth placement, which is customized to the patient's teeth, as discussed below. After applying the ideal model to the computer representation, the position of the teeth is optimized to fit the ideal model. The ideal model may be specified by one or more arch forms, or may be specified using various features associated with the teeth.
Number of Erasers: A cut is comprised of multiple eraser boxes arranged next to each other as a piecewise linear approximation of the Saw Tool's curve path. The user chooses the number of erasers, which determines the sophistication of the curve created: the greater the number of segments, the more accurately the cutting will follow the curve. The number of erasers is shown graphically by the number of parallel lines connecting the two cubic B-spline curves. Once a saw cut has been completely specified the user applies the cut to the model. The cut is performed as a sequence of erasings, with a single erasing iteration of the cut as described in the algorithm for a open ended B-spline curve. For a vertical cut, the curves are closed, with PA [O] and PA [S] being the same point and PB [O] and PB [S] being the same point.
In one embodiment, a flexible plane can be used to splice two more teeth into two groups of teeth. The process displays one or more teeth for the user to review and displays a flexible plane with a plurality of control grid nodes. The flexible plane is formed by a number of surface patches called bicubic B�zier patches. The equation of such patch is well known, and it can be described as:
S ( u , v ) = ∑ i = 0 3 ∑ k = 0 3 b i , k B k m ( u ) B i n ( v ) where u, and v are coordinates in 3D space chosen along a straight plane between the two teeth, and S is the function along the ortho-normal direction to the straight plane,
B i n(t)=n C t(1−t)n−i t t ,i=0,1, . . . , n
denotes the Bernstein polynomials. The process accepts user adjustments to the position of various grid nodes to modify the flexible plane. The cutting curve and tooth portions associated with a flexible plane are then updated in real time. The user can repetitively perform these operations to separate all teeth into individual tooth that is ready for manipulation.
Next, the process 220 clips the gingiva from the tooth using a curved clipping algorithm (260) as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/539,185, filed on Mar. 30, 2000, entitled �System for Separating Teeth Model�; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/539,021, filed on Mar. 30, 2000, entitled �Flexible Plane for Separating Teeth Model,� the contents of which are incorporated by reference.
The cutter of FIG. 5 embeds itself into the tooth to be cut. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the cutter is shaped like an ice-cream cone, with the top surrounding the crown of a tooth 301 to be extracted, and the bottom embedded inside the gingiva 300 to define the root of the tooth 301. The gingival line or curve defines a rim 304 for this ice-cream cone shaped cutter. The cutter is shaped by several sets of control points. The points on the rim 304 (gingival curve) controls give the definition of the gingival line. This set of control points can be moved on the surface of the tooth 301. One or more crown control points 308 define the upper part of the cutter. This set of crown control points 308 can be adjusted to enclose the crown part of the tooth by the upper part of the cutter. The crown control points 308 are also adjusted also so that the crown part of the gingival cutter does not cut through any gingiva 300.
The system also provides one top control that defines the height of the upper part and one bottom control that defines the depth of the root part. Both can be moved in the up and down direction. The purpose of adjusting the top control point is so that all the crown part of tooth is enclosed within the cutter whereas the purpose of adjusting the bottom control point is to set proper root depth. Additionally, the gingival line can be visualized in a distinguishing color and can be drawn with more emphasis than other lines to enable better visualization during the editing of the gingival cut. The gingival curve created during this process can also be reused in gingival reconstruction. More details on gingival reconstruction can be found in co-pending application having Ser. No. 09/311,716 entitled �Digitally Modeling the Deformation of Gingival Tissue During Orthodontic Treatment,� filed May 14, 1999, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
FIG. 7 shows step 230 of FIG. 5 in more detail. The process of FIG. 7 performs automatic finding of a gingival line. First, the user selects a tooth that has a properly defined basis (step 232) and identification number. For example, the z-axis traverses along the top of the tooth, center is set at an approximate center of the tooth, and the y-axis starts from a lingual to labial surface. The tooth basis thus defined is also used in other parts of the treatment process. The process of FIG. 7generates a spline-curve that approximates the margin of tooth surface and gingival surface in the computer model of the tooth (step 234). The process of FIG. 7 then generates an EDF surface for the given tooth (step 236).
Next, along a preset number of angles around the z-axis of the tooth, the maximum curvature points along z-direction are found (step 238). These curvature points are found only in the area where a given tooth type could have gingival line. This eliminates finding numerous high curvature points, which are elsewhere due to noise and tooth features themselves. A filtering procedure is used to filter out the points generated by noise in the data (step 240). As the gingival line is often not quite smooth, a smoothing procedure is applied to adjust certain points and to eliminate noisy points on the curve (step 242). A smooth spline curve is fit along the final set of points that are available after filtering and smoothing procedure (step 244). This spline curve represents the gingival line for this tooth. The spline curve can optionally be edited by moving one or more control points on this curve (step 246).
The process of FIG. 8A models the crown surface as a spline surface which passes through the gingival line and a set of points (crown control points) around the clinical crown portion of the tooth, and a point above the top of the crown (step 252). First at a predetermined angles (phi) around z axis, the gingival curve is intersected with the half plane starting at z-axis at angle phi. Another point is computed depending up on the tooth type, a bit away from the tooth surface and above the gingival line. Quadratic curves are constructed at each angle from top control point to the gingival point and passing through the crown control point. Next, through all the points thus found for crown controls, a spline is fit around the z-axis. Thus the crown surface is defined by generating a grid of points that are quadratic along x-axis and cubic around z-axis. The crown control points can be edited to change the shape of the crown portion of the surface (step 254). For example, the point above the top of the tooth can be moved in the z-direction to change the shape of the crown surface portion.
i a*sqrt(z)+b*z=r where �a� and �b� are constants. The function can be used to find radius of the point that is equidistant from z-axis for any given z value. The constants a and b are determined by the points through which the curve is passing, namely, a top point 774, a crown point 776 and the gingival point 777.
r=d � a*(z−d � b)**2+d � c
where d_a, d_b and d_c are constants and can be computed from the conditions that the curve has to go through the the root control point 778 and the bottom control point 775.
The meridian curves 771, 772 and 773 are determined for each of the control angles that divide 360 degrees around z-axis into a preset number of intervals. Then the points on the meridian curves at uniform z-increments are found. These points at each of the elevations are used to construct a cubic periodic hermite curve 779 around z-axis. Then each of these elevation curves such as curve 779 are evaluated for uniformly distributed preset number of points around the z axis. Thus using the grid of points generated by the elevation curves, meridian curves are used to generate the whole grid for the cutter.
The initial placement of the crown control points is done using an approximate tooth shape inferred from the tooth identification information (step 256 of FIG. 8A). For example for a molar these points should be farther away from z-axis than for an incisor. The root part of the gingival cutting surface is then generated (step 258). The root part can be made up of a parabolic surface at the bottom of the surface and a ruled surface that connects this parabolic surface to the crown surface.
In cases where the gingival line is deep, the crown surface constructed using tooth type information might cut through part of gingiva. For this purpose an �AutoCrown� procedure shown in FIG. 10 can be used. The process of FIG. 10 creates a compact crown portion of the gingival cut, yet it does not cut through the crown portion of the tooth. Turning now to FIG. 10, in each of the directions away from z-axis, the tangent directions are computed from the corresponding point on the gingival line to the crown portion of the tooth (step 272). These tangents are selected so that they are farthest from the z-Axis (step 274). In other words, this tangent does not intersect the crown portion of the gingival cut, but touches the crown portion at one or more points. FIG. 11 shows one particular (z, phi) plane. These tangents are used to automatically locate the crown control points that define the crown surface of the gingival cut (step 276).
FIG. 11 shows one exemplary operation of the process of FIG. 10 on a tooth model 301. The tooth model 301 rests above a gingiva 300. The tooth model 301 interfaces with the gingiva 300 at a gingival line 316. Further, a crown surface 310 covers the tooth 301. A tangent line 312 is projected from the gingival line 316 toward a corresponding point on the crown surface 310. The process of FIG. 11 computes an alternate tangent line 314 by shifting the tangent line 312 by a small offset. The intersection of the alternate tangent line 314 with the crown surface 310 is a new crown point 318 in accordance with the process of FIG. 10.
The user interface allows the user to turn a solids option on and off so that the surface of the gingival cutter 500 can be visualized from its wire-frame model. The root can be displayed or can remain hidden using a transparency setting and is useful for visualizing the root structure inside the tooth. Intersection geometry can be shown, and the root and crown points and root depth can be specified.
FIG. 14 is a simplified block diagram of a data processing system 800 that may be used to develop orthodontic treatment plans. The data processing system 800 typically includes at least one processor 802 that communicates with a number of peripheral devices via bus subsystem 804. These peripheral devices typically include a storage subsystem 806 (memory subsystem 808 and file storage subsystem 814), a set of user interface input and output devices 818, and an interface to outside networks 816, including the public switched telephone network. This interface is shown schematically as �Modems and Network Interface� block 816, and is coupled to corresponding interface devices in other data processing systems via communication network interface 824. Data processing system 800 could be a terminal or a low-end personal computer or a high-end personal computer, workstation or mainframe.
In this context, the term �bus subsystem� is used generically so as to include any mechanism for letting the various components and subsystems communicate with each other as intended. With the exception of the input devices and the display, the other components need not be at the same physical location. Thus, for example, portions of the file storage system could be connected via various local-area or or wide-area network media, including telephone lines. Similarly, the input devices and display need not be at the same location as the processor, although it is anticipated that personal computers and workstations typically will be used.
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