Abstract: A system and method include performing digital block-out of one or more digital preparation teeth.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system of automatically detecting and removing extraneous material from a digital dental impression includes detecting one or more dental features in a digital dental impression, filtering the one or more dental features, digitally joining the one or more dental features, and determining one or more regions of interest from the joined one or more digital dental features.

Abstract: Computer-implemented method and system automatically detects an out-of-view CT scan by receiving a voxel density file, determining a threshold iso-value of density between air density and a material density of one or more scanned objects in the voxel density file, and evaluating, using the threshold iso-value of density, one or more horizontal slices of the voxel density file to determine whether at least a portion of the one or more scanned objects is out of view.

Abstract: A system and method include digitally determining a virtual insertion path of a digital dental restoration.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system of determining a material surface from a volumetric density file includes generating a density frequency distribution of a volumetric density file of a dental impression and determining an iso-value of density between air and a particular material in the density frequency distribution. A computer-implemented method and system of creating a digital model from a CT scan of a physical dental impression includes selecting an iso-value of density for a digital volumetric density file having one or more voxels, generating one or more digital surface points in virtual 3D space for each of one or more voxels, and selecting a subset of digital surface points from the one or more digital surface points. A computer-implemented method and system of optimizing a digital surface includes moving one or more digital surface points to satisfy a criteria of optimum digital surface selection.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for generating computer 3D models of an object, by registering two or more scans of physical models of an object. The scans may be 3D scans registered by a curve-based registration process. A method is provided for generating a 3D model of a portion of a patient's oral anatomy for use in dental restoration design. Also provided are scanning workflows for scanning physical models of an object to obtain a 3D model. A scanner is provided for scanning physical models of a patient's dentition to obtain scans for generating a 3D model of a patient's dentition.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for transferring, inspecting, and tracking dental prosthesis during the manufacturing process. The method for transferring, inspecting, and tracking dental prosthesis includes: detecting a first article being transferred from a first container to a second container using one or more images captured by a camera; determining where the first article is transferred to the second container by tracking where the first article is dropped in the second container using the one or more images; and transmitting the location of the first article in the second container to remote server.

Abstract: A method for enhancing optical properties of sintered, zirconia ceramic bodies and zirconia ceramic dental restorations is provided. The porous or pre-sintered stage of a ceramic body is treated with an yttrium-containing composition and sintered, resulting in sintered ceramic bodies having enhanced optical properties. The enhanced optical properties may be substantially permanent, remaining for the useful life of the sintered ceramic body.

Abstract: A polymeric resin that includes a photocured reaction product of at least one urethane (meth)acrylate polymer that includes at least one polycarbonate unit; at least one monofunctional monomer; and at least one crosslinking agent.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of generating a reduction coping includes receiving a digital model comprising a virtual preparation tooth, determining one or more virtual reduction regions on the virtual preparation tooth, and generating a virtual reduction coping comprising one or more exposed regions corresponding to the one or more virtual reduction regions. A method of generating a physical reduction coping includes receiving a 3D digital model of a virtual reduction coping and performing additive manufacturing to generate a physical reduction coping from the virtual reduction coping.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are example embodiments of methods and systems for identifying manufacturing defects of a manufactured dentition model. One of the methods for performing quality control comprises: determining whether the manufactured dentition model is a good or a defective product based on a statistical characteristic of a differences model. The differences model can be generated based on differences between a scanned 3D patient-dentition data and a scanned 3D manufactured-dentition data. The scanned 3D patient-dentition data can be generated using 3D data of a patient's dentition, and the scanned 3D manufactured-dentition data can be generated using 3D data of the manufactured dentition model. The manufactured dentition model can be a 3D printed model.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for processing a plurality of customized dental restorations from individual millable material blocks in an automated process. The system comprises processing units that may comprise one or more of a milling center comprising one or more milling units, a plurality of material blocks a separating unit, a scrap disposal unit, a heating unit and a cooling unit. A carrier for holding a plurality of individual workpieces in spaced arrangement is also disclosed for use in the system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for generating computer 3D models of an object, by registering two or more scans of physical models of an object. The scans may be 3D scans registered by a curve-based registration process. A method is provided for generating a 3D model of a portion of a patient's oral anatomy for use in dental restoration design. Also provided are scanning workflows for scanning physical models of an object to obtain a 3D model. A scanner is provided for scanning physical models of a patient's dentition to obtain scans for generating a 3D model of a patient's dentition.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for pressure casting ceramic bodies. Methods and apparatus are provided for rapid ejection of cast ceramic bodies from a mold. A mold is described that has an impermeable cavity surface to provide dry release of the cast body.

Abstract: A method for making a ceramic body comprised of a ceramic material having an inhibitory effect on bacterial growth is provided. A dental prosthesis may be made of a ceramic material that comprises a molybdenum-containing component on a portion of the prosthesis that contacts the gingival surface of a patient. In one method, a porous zirconia ceramic structure is shaped in the form of a dental prosthesis, and then infiltrated with a molybdenum-containing composition, before sintering to densify the ceramic structure.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of recognizing dental information associated with a dental model of dentition includes training a deep neural network to map a plurality of training dental models representing at least a portion of each one of a plurality of patients' dentitions to a probability vector including probability of the at least a portion of the dentition belonging to each one of a set of multiple categories. The category of the at least a portion of the dentition represented by the training dental model corresponds to the highest probability in the probability vector. The method includes receiving a dental model representing at least a portion of a patient's dentition and recognizing dental information associated with the dental model by applying the trained deep neural network to determine a category of the at least a portion of the patient's dentition represented by the received dental model.

Abstract: A method is provided for shaping a custom dental restoration from a preform, wherein the preform comprises a preform body and a preform stem. A method is further disclosed for generating one or more nesting positions for the restoration design within the geometry of the preform body relative to the position of the preform stem. A method is further disclosed for generating machining instructions based on the selected nesting position to optimize machining for chair-side applications.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of generating a reduction coping includes receiving a digital model comprising a virtual preparation tooth, determining one or more virtual reduction regions on the virtual preparation tooth, and generating a virtual reduction coping comprising one or more exposed regions corresponding to the one or more virtual reduction regions. A method of generating a physical reduction coping includes receiving a 3D digital model of a virtual reduction coping and performing additive manufacturing to generate a physical reduction coping from the virtual reduction coping.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for processing a plurality of customized dental restorations from individual millable material blocks in an automated process. The system comprises processing units that may comprise one or more of a milling center comprising one or more milling units, a plurality of material blocks a separating unit, a scrap disposal unit, a heating unit and a cooling unit. A carrier for holding a plurality of individual workpieces in spaced arrangement is also disclosed for use in the system.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are example embodiments of methods and systems for identifying manufacturing defects of a manufactured dentition model. One of the methods for performing quality control comprises: determining whether the manufactured dentition model is a good or a defective product based on a statistical characteristic of a differences model. The differences model can be generated based on differences between a scanned 3D patient-dentition data and a scanned 3D manufactured-dentition data. The scanned 3D patient-dentition data can be generated using 3D data of a patient's dentition, and the scanned 3D manufactured-dentition data can be generated using 3D data of the manufactured dentition model. The manufactured dentition model can be a 3D printed model.