Patent ID: 8113829

Claim:
A method for diagnosis and planning treatment of a human patient using a computer, comprising the steps of: obtaining a first set of digital data representing patient craniofacial image information from a first imaging device; obtaining a second set of digital data representing patient craniofacial image information from a second image device different from said first image device; wherein said first and second sets of data representing at least in part common craniofacial anatomical structures of said patient, at least one of said first and second sets of digital data including data representing the external visual appearance or surface configuration of the face of the patient; wherein said first and second digital data sets are each obtained at different points in time and are not captured in a correlated fashion; automatically, and/or with the aid of operator interaction, superimposing said first set of digital data and said second set of digital data so as to provide a composite, combined digital representation of said craniofacial anatomical structures created from said first and second digital data sets each obtained at different points in time and not captured in a correlated fashion in a common coordinate method; creating a virtual 3D face at least from a portion of said craniofacial anatomical structures using an active model matching strategy; wherein said craniofacial anatomical structures include upper and lower jaws and teeth of said patient; wherein said teeth are positioned relative to each other in malocclusion position of said patient; displaying said composite, combined digital representation of said craniofacial anatomical structures, including said virtual 3D face, said upper and lower jaws and said teeth of said patient on a screen display of said computer using a user interface of said computer; making measurements of said craniofacial anatomical structures using measurement tools; and performing interactive treatment planning steps using said computer for planning orthodontic treatment of said patient.