Patent ID: 8170327

Claim:
A method for preparing information for automated or semi-automated dental implant planning from image information relating to the jaw of a patient, comprising: (a) generating 3D models of parts of the jaw bone, and (b1) detecting anatomical and artificial elements in the 3D model of the jaw bone based on image analysis, and (b2) automatically selecting zones in the 3D model of the jaw bone where implants can or cannot be placed, wherein the step of generating 3D models of parts of the jaw comprises the steps of: slicing the 3D model of the jaw into a number of 2D slice images, generating a panoramic curve for each of the 2D slice images, evaluating in each slice image if one or more 2D features are present along the panoramic curve, and combining the information of multiple slices to confirm the presence of a tooth.