Patent ID: 8725465

Claim:
A method of projecting tooth travel of a patient, comprising: creating a first virtual model of the patient's teeth; identifying a first reference point on a first virtual tooth of the model; identifying a second reference point on the patient's mandible; creating a second virtual model of the patient's teeth after a time period; tracking the travel of the first reference point from a first location to a second location over the time period; tracking the travel of the second reference point from a third location to a fourth location over the time period; extending a first segment between the first location and the second location; extending a second segment between the third location and the fourth location; projecting a first perpendicular bisector from the first segment; projecting a second perpendicular bisector from the second segment; determining an intersection of the first and second bisectors; defining a rotational axis; plotting an arc centered on the rotational axis along which the first reference point will travel.