Abstract: A method for generating optimal arch forms for a patient's dental arch is presented. The method comprises: receiving first positional digital data for one or more teeth from a reconstructed 3D digital volume of the patient dental arch; (b) generating second positional digital data for the one or more teeth according to a desired dental arch form for the patient; (c) calculating a first displacement data for one or more teeth according to the first positional and second positional digital data; (d) detecting teeth collision values based on the first displacement data; (e) calculating a second displacement data for one or more teeth based on the detected teeth collision values; and (f) reporting a combination of the first displacement data and second displacement data for repositioning one tooth or more teeth of the dental arch.

Abstract: A method for visualizing patient dentition acquires a contour image of patient dentition and segments the contour image to identify one or more segmented teeth. At least one deciduous tooth among the one or more segmented teeth is identified. A virtual model of a target dentition arrangement of the patient dentition is generated, wherein the at least one deciduous tooth is replaced by a replacement permanent tooth.

Abstract: A method for generating a digital model of dentition, executed at least in part by a computer, acquires a 3-D digital mesh that is representative of the dentition along a dental arch, including includes braces, teeth, and gingival tissue. The method modifies the 3-D digital mesh to generate a digital mesh dentition model by processing the digital mesh and automatically detecting one or more initial bracket positions from the acquired mesh, processing the initial bracket positions to identify bracket areas for braces that lie against tooth surfaces, identifying one or more brace wires extending between brackets, removing one or more brackets and one or more wires from the dentition model, and forming a reconstructed tooth surface within the digital mesh dentition model where the one or more brackets have been removed. The modified 3-D digital mesh dentition model is displayed, stored, or transmitted over a network to another computer.

Abstract: A method and system for fabricating a dental appliance for orthodontic treatment. The method comprises the steps of obtaining three-dimensional dental data from a patient scan, locating initial tooth positions, generating optimal arch forms, and determining a digital model for fabricating an orthodontic aligner with additive device. The system comprises a scanning apparatus to acquire three-dimensional dental data, and a computer apparatus programmed with instructions for generating optimal arch forms, and determining a digital model for fabricating an orthodontic aligner with additive device.

Abstract: Method and/or apparatus embodiments for 3-D cephalometric analysis of a patient according to the application can display reconstructed volume image data from a computed tomographic scan of a patient's head including segmented dentition elements having an initial arrangement from one or more 2D/3D views; can compute and display a plurality of cephalometric parameters for the patient according to the reconstructed volume image data; then use the patient specific cephalometric parameters and population biometry data, to identify one or more maxillofacial/dental abnormalities; and compose patient specific treatment plans to correct selected dentition abnormalities using maxillofacial/dental structure, which can be composed in a final tooth arrangement in a final virtual CT volume. One or more aligners can be generated to incrementally move dentition from the initial arrangement to the final tooth arrangement.

Abstract: Method and/or apparatus embodiments for 3-D cephalometric analysis of a patient according to the application can display reconstructed volume image data from a computed tomographic scan of a patient's head including segmented dentition elements having an initial arrangement from one or more 2D/3D views; can compute and display a plurality of cephalometric parameters for the patient according to the reconstructed volume image data; then use the patient specific cephalometric parameters and population biometry data, to identify one or more maxillofacial/dental abnormalities; and compose patient specific treatment plans to correct selected dentition abnormalities using maxillofacial/dental structure, which can be composed in a final tooth arrangement in a final virtual CT volume. One or more aligners can be generated to incrementally move dentition from the initial arrangement to the final tooth arrangement.

Abstract: A method for generating a digital model of dentition, executed at least in part by a computer, acquires a 3-D digital mesh that is representative of the dentition along a dental arch, including includes braces, teeth, and gingival tissue. The method modifies the 3-D digital mesh to generate a digital mesh dentition model by processing the digital mesh and automatically detecting one or more initial bracket positions from the acquired mesh, processing the initial bracket positions to identify bracket areas for braces that lie against tooth surfaces, identifying one or more brace wires extending between brackets, removing one or more brackets and one or more wires from the dentition model, and forming a reconstructed tooth surface within the digital mesh dentition model where the one or more brackets have been removed. The modified 3-D digital mesh dentition model is displayed, stored, or transmitted over a network to another computer.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system and methods for autonomous segmentation of volumetric dental images, such as those produced by an imaging system, The methods, implemented by the system, acquire a volume image of a patient and extract a volume of interest comprising patient dentition from the acquired volume image. A first plane is extended through maxillary portions of the patients jaw and a second plane through mandibular portions of the patients jaw. A maxillary sub-volume is generated from the volume of interest according to the first plane and a mandibular sub-volume from the volume of interest according to the second plane. Maximum intensity projection images are formed for each sub-volume and teeth are delineated from these images. Teeth are segmented within each sub-volume according to the tooth delineation for their respective sub-volume.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods for improving semi-automatic and/or fully automatic tooth segmentation in reconstructed images of X-ray scans using multi-energy X-ray spectra and/or a multi-energy X-ray scanner at more than one energy. Such improved segmentation of teeth in a reconstructed image of an X-ray scan is a critical first step in the utilization of the image for applications in orthodontics, endodontics, and implant planning In accordance with the methods, tooth segmentation may be performed semi-automatically or automatically for images which are reconstructed from a multi-energy X-ray scan. The results of the tooth segmentation may be represented as an image map which identifies voxels which are within a tooth or as a three-dimensional (3D) grid or any other representation of a three-dimensional (3D) spatial region.

Abstract: Method and/or apparatus embodiments for 3-D cephalometric analysis of a patient, acquires reconstructed volume image data from a computed tomographic scan of a patient's head including one or more dentition elements within the mouth of the patient, and computes one or more cephalometric parameters for the patient according to the reconstructed volume image data and the one or more dentition elements. One or more results generated from cephalometric analysis of the one or more computed cephalometric parameters can be stored, transmitted or displayed. The reconstructed volume image data is updated with 3D surface model from a subsequent optical scan of the patient's dentition and the one or more cephalometric parameters for the patient are re¬ computed based on the updated reconstructed volume image data.

Abstract: Exemplary method and apparatus embodiments of this application can obtain a digital model of an individual intraoral dentition and perform tooth surface restoration after brace representation removal that includes wires and brackets.

Abstract: A method, executed at least in part by a computer, acquires three-dimensional data from scans of maxillofacial and dental anatomy of a patient and computes cephalometric values from the acquired three-dimensional data. The method processes the computed cephalometric values and generates metrics indicative of tooth positioning along a dental arch of the patient. The generated metrics are analyzed to calculate desired movement vectors for individual teeth within the dental arch. The calculated desired movement vectors are displayed, stored, or transmitted.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating one or more segmented 3-D teeth models obtains a 3-D mesh model of a patient's dentition and executes a first segmentation procedure on the obtained 3-D mesh model, displaying one or more segmented teeth from the 3-D mesh model. At least one of the one or more segmented teeth is recorded according to operator instruction and removed from the 3-D mesh model to form a modified 3-D mesh model. A repeating sequence identifies a modified segmentation procedure, executes the modified segmentation procedure on the modified 3-D mesh model, displays one or more segmented teeth from the modified 3-D mesh model, records at least one of the one or more segmented teeth, and removes the recorded at least one tooth from the modified 3-D mesh model. Recorded segmentation results are displayed, stored, or transmitted.

Abstract: A method for visualizing patient dentition acquires a contour image of patient dentition and segments the contour image to identify one or more segmented teeth. At least one deciduous tooth among the one or more segmented teeth is identified. A virtual model of a target dentition arrangement of the patient dentition is generated, wherein the at least one deciduous tooth is replaced by a replacement permanent tooth.

Abstract: A method for generating a digital model of dentition, executed at least in part by a computer, acquires a 3-D digital mesh that is representative of the dentition along a dental arch, including includes braces, teeth, and gingival tissue. The method modifies the 3-D digital mesh to generate a digital mesh dentition model by processing the digital mesh and automatically detecting one or more initial bracket positions from the acquired mesh, processing the initial bracket positions to identify bracket areas for braces that lie against tooth surfaces, identifying one or more brace wires extending between brackets, removing one or more brackets and one or more wires from the dentition model, and forming a reconstructed tooth surface within the digital mesh dentition model where the one or more brackets have been removed. The modified 3-D digital mesh dentition model is displayed, stored, or transmitted over a network to another computer.

Abstract: Method and/or apparatus embodiments for 3-D cephalometric analysis of a patient according to the application can display reconstructed volume image data from a computed tomographic scan of a patient's head including segmented dentition elements having an initial arrangement from one or more 2D/3D views; can compute and display a plurality of cephalometric parameters for the patient according to the reconstructed volume image data; then use the patient specific cephalometric parameters and population biometry data, to identify one or more maxillofacial/dental abnormalities; and compose patient specific treatment plans to correct selected dentition abnormalities using maxillofacial/dental structure, which can be composed in a final tooth arrangement in a final virtual CT volume. One or more aligners can be generated to incrementally move dentition from the initial arrangement to the final tooth arrangement.

Abstract: A method for 3-D cephalometric analysis of a patient, executed at least in part on a computer processor, displays reconstructed volume image data from a computed tomographic scan of a patient's head from at least a first 2-D view and accepts an operator instruction that positions and displays at least one reference mark on the at least the first displayed 2-D view. One or more dentition elements within the mouth of the patient are segmented and cephalometric parameters for the patient computed and displayed according to data from the at least one reference mark and the one or more segmented dentition elements. Using the computed cephalometric parameters, one or more results indicative of maxillofacial asymmetry are computed and a graphical or text display energized to show the computed results indicative of asymmetry.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a digital model of an individual intraoral component from a digital model of a patient's dentition obtains a 3-D digital mesh model of the patient's dentition and performs automatic tooth component segmentation operation on the obtained mesh model. Automated segmentation results display. Interactive segmentation of the automated segmentation results is performed according to an operator instruction. Segmentation results are displayed and stored.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating one or more segmented 3-D teeth models obtains a 3-D mesh model of a patient's dentition and executes a first segmentation procedure on the obtained 3-D mesh model, displaying one or more segmented teeth from the 3-D mesh model. At least one of the one or more segmented teeth is recorded according to operator instruction and removed from the 3-D mesh model to form a modified 3-D mesh model. A repeating sequence identifies a modified segmentation procedure, executes the modified segmentation procedure on the modified 3-D mesh model, displays one or more segmented teeth from the modified 3-D mesh model, records at least one of the one or more segmented teeth, and removes the recorded at least one tooth from the modified 3-D mesh model. Recorded segmentation results are displayed, stored, or transmitted.

Abstract: Exemplary method and apparatus embodiments of this application can obtain a digital model of an individual intraoral dentition and perform tooth surface restoration after brace representation removal that includes wires and brackets.