Abstract: A method for representing a change in a tooth position includes creating a volume data record of an initial position of teeth in a maxilla or mandible and ascertaining teeth boundaries therefrom. A surface data record is created following a real or virtual change in the tooth position. The surface data record includes surface data of the teeth and/or parts of the volume data record of the jaw in an altered tooth position. The surface data record is referenced with the volume data record via a reference structure. The change in the tooth position in the volume data record is transformed to align teeth boundaries with the surface data of corresponding teeth from the surface data record to move tooth structures contained in the volume data record and concealed under a surface. An altered volume record with the change in the tooth position is then outputted for representation purposes.

Abstract: A method for representing a tooth position under biting forces includes creating first surface data of a portion(s) of a maxilla tooth row and second surface data of an opposing portion(s) of a mandible tooth row, producing a digital surface model from the surface data, creating a data record which includes outer surface data of teeth lying in the portions of the maxilla tooth row and the mandible tooth row in a centric occlusion under biting forces, defining registration regions in the maxilla and mandible in the outer surface data which are not exposed to any force in the centric occlusion, registering the surface data on the outer surface data based on the registration regions, ascertaining movements of individual teeth outside of the registration regions from the outer surface data, transforming the movements ascertained into the surface data, and creating a modified digital surface model under consideration of the movements.

Abstract: A method for producing a holding apparatus for an x-ray film for teeth of a patient. The method includes performing an image registration of a first two-dimensional x-ray image of a tooth of an upper or lower jaw in a three-dimensional volume-tomographic data record of a jaw with a computer, determining a relative position of the first two-dimensional x-ray image within the three-dimensional volume-tomographic data record, preparing a virtual model for a holding apparatus that is attachable to the teeth of the upper or lower jaw in an interlocking fashion on the basis of the three-dimensional volume-tomographic data record, and producing the holding apparatus based on the virtual model. The holding apparatus includes a holding element which holds the x-ray film in a defined position. The defined position is established by the relative position of the first two-dimensional x-ray image in the three-dimensional volume-tomographic data record.

Abstract: A method for producing a holding apparatus for an x-ray film for teeth of a patient. The method includes performing an image registration of a first two-dimensional x-ray image of a tooth of an upper or lower jaw in a three-dimensional volume-tomographic data record of a jaw with a computer, determining a relative position of the first two-dimensional x-ray image within the three-dimensional volume-tomographic data record, preparing a virtual model for a holding apparatus that is attachable to the teeth of the upper or lower jaw in an interlocking fashion on the basis of the three-dimensional volume-tomographic data record, and producing the holding apparatus based on the virtual model. The holding apparatus includes a holding element which holds the x-ray film in a defined position. The defined position is established by the relative position of the first two-dimensional x-ray image in the three-dimensional volume-tomographic data record.

Abstract: A method for representing a change in a tooth position includes creating a volume data record of an initial position of teeth in a maxilla or mandible and ascertaining teeth boundaries therefrom. A surface data record is created following a real or virtual change in the tooth position. The surface data record includes surface data of the teeth and/or parts of the volume data record of the jaw in an altered tooth position. The surface data record is referenced with the volume data record via a reference structure. The change in the tooth position in the volume data record is transformed to align teeth boundaries with the surface data of corresponding teeth from the surface data record to move tooth structures contained in the volume data record and concealed under a surface. An altered volume record with the change in the tooth position is then outputted for representation purposes.

Abstract: A method for representing a tooth position under biting forces includes creating first surface data of a portion(s) of a maxilla tooth row and second surface data of an opposing portion(s) of a mandible tooth row, producing a digital surface model from the surface data, creating a data record which includes outer surface data of teeth lying in the portions of the maxilla tooth row and the mandible tooth row in a centric occlusion under biting forces, defining registration regions in the maxilla and mandible in the outer surface data which are not exposed to any force in the centric occlusion, registering the surface data on the outer surface data based on the registration regions, ascertaining movements of individual teeth outside of the registration regions from the outer surface data, transforming the movements ascertained into the surface data, and creating a modified digital surface model under consideration of the movements.

Abstract: A method for producing a computer-aided virtual articulator for dentistry includes recording and collating body-related data from a plurality of persons to provide a data collection, generating a model of a masticatory apparatus from the data collection via statistical methods, and using the model to supplement body-related data recorded from a single patient to provide a simulated individual movement model of the masticatory apparatus of the single patient and to simulate a movement of the masticatory apparatus.

Abstract: A method for recording jaw movements of a patient includes detachably adhering dental brackets to teeth surfaces of the teeth of a lower jaw of the patient, attaching a position marker and a sensor element which detects the position marker to a head of the patient, and recording, via a jaw movement, a relative movement of the sensor element relative to the position marker. The sensor element is attached to a skull of the patient, and the position marker is attached to the lower jaw of the patient via the dental brackets, or the sensor element is attached to the lower jaw of the patient via the dental brackets, and the position marker is attached to the skull of the patient.

Abstract: A method for determining an individual biting force of a patient includes providing a test piece with a deformable nature, individually pre-shaping a surface of the test piece for the patient so as to obtain at least one of a defined positioning of the test piece on teeth of the patient and on a device supported by at least one of an upper jaw and a lower jaw of the patient, introducing the test piece between the upper jaw and the lower jaw of the patient, biting, via the patient, onto the test piece so as to provide a deformation of the test piece, and determining the individual biting force by examining the deformation of the test piece.

Abstract: A method for planning a treatment includes recording a first data record of three-dimensional image data of surfaces of an upper and lower jaw. A bite plate with cured impressions of the upper and lower jaw and markers is fitted to the patient. A second data record is recorded of three-dimensional image data of surface data of the bite plate without the patient. A movement recorder is fastened to the lower jaw while the patient bites on the bite plate. The bite plate is removed from the patient. Movements of the movement recorder during mastication movements are recorded and stored in a third data record as movement data. The three-dimensional image data of the first data record is combined with the movement data. A registration is performed using the second data record. The mastication movements of the lower jaw relative to the upper jaw are displayed for treatment planning.

Abstract: A method for planning a root canal treatment of a tooth which includes a cavity of a patient. The method includes measuring a surface of the cavity with an optical three-dimensional method to generate three-dimensional measurement data of the cavity. A 3D-model of a guide template is planned based on the generated three-dimensional measurement data. The 3-D model is designed in its dimensions as a counterpart to the cavity. Three-dimensional volume data of the tooth is displayed. A position and an orientation of a root canal of the tooth is determined based on the three-dimensional volume data of the tooth. A guide opening for a tool is planned to expose the root canal. The guide opening is arranged within the guide template so that the guide opening points at an entry point of the root canal and in an entry direction of the root canal.

Abstract: A method for generating a virtual jaw image includes performing a movement recording method to obtain a movement record which comprises producing at least one position data record over a defined time. A position data record describes a spatial position of a lower jaw to an upper jaw at a specific time. Surface sections of the upper and lower jaw are scanned at the defined time during the movement recording method to obtain a spatial relation of the surface sections during the defined time. Digital upper and lower jaw images are recorded. A position data record of a virtual position of the digital lower jaw image is assigned to the digital upper jaw image. A position data record is selected to obtain a selected position data record. The digital lower and upper jaw images are virtually aligned based on the selected position data record to produce the virtual jaw image.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for defining a common reference system in a record of volume data that represents an area of a patient's jaw and is captured by means of an X-ray imaging process and a record of surface data, at least some of which represents the same area of the patient's jaw and which is captured by means of a process for measuring visible surfaces. Volume data and surface data are unhidden on a screen. An object, especially a tooth, which is recognizable in both the volume data and the surface data, is superimposed on each other as congruently as possible in a preliminary positioning step. A volume structure characterizing the object is extracted from the volume data, particularly as a type of edge image, and is made to overlap as much as possible with a corresponding surface structure of the surface data by means of a transformation function, the overlap of the volume structure being adjusted to the surface structure in iterative steps by optimizing a predefined quality level.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generating and presenting a panorama image of a jaw region, where first a set of volume data representing the jaw region of a patient is generated by means of a tomographic method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generating and presenting a panorama image of a jaw region, wherein first a set of volume data representing the jaw region of a patient is generated by means of a tomographic method, wherein the volume data is composed of a plurality of individual volume elements (“voxels”), wherein multiple horizontal section planes intersecting the jaw are determined, wherein a contour surface (1) of the jaw delimited by an inner (2) and an outer contour line (3) is defined inside each of the section planes, wherein focus curves (4, 8) are defined inside the contour surfaces (1), wherein a common involute (9) is determined from the focus curves (4, 8) of superposed section planes, wherein the involute (9) defines an area that is positioned particularly in a vertical manner, wherein projection beams (10, 12) are defined starting from said area in each section plane, said beams being positioned perpendicular on said area and intersecting the respective contour lines (2, 3), wherein integr

Abstract: Process for manufacturing a treatment template, in particular a drilling template 7, which is used for pinpoint guidance of an instrument in the oral cavity of a patient, whereby the treatment template is secured in a detachable manner during an operative intervention in the jaw area of the patient in defined position, whereby in the jaw area, a holder is anchored especially by implantation for detachable fastening of the treatment template 7, whereby the holder has marker structures 1a that put up a three-dimensional coordinate system and that can be shown by an imaging process together with the anatomy of the patient, whereby a set of three-dimensional image data of the jaw area 2 that is equipped with a holder is recorded, in that based on the image data, the planning of the implants and the planning of the treatment template 7 that is to be secured in a defined manner to the holder is done, whereby the plans relate to the coordinate system that is put up by the marker structures 1a.

Abstract: Method for creating and presenting layer images that are generated from a set of volume data, whereby the volume data are recorded with a tomographic recording device, for example with a “cone beam CT” device, and show the jaw area of a patient, whereby planning data are assigned to the volume data, and said planning data describe the position of an implant that is to be inserted into the jaw and that has an implant axis, whereby a coordinate system that is adapted to a panoramic curve or a panoramic surface is defined that is formed by the vectors u, v, and w that are orthogonal to one another, whereby for the creation and presentation of a layer image, a representational plane is selected that intersects an implant that is described by the planning data, whereby in a first case, the v vector is orthogonal to the panoramic surface and/or the panoramic curve, and the implant axis intersects in a reference point, whereby the reference point is selected as the origin of the coordinate system, whereby the w-vect

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for defining a common reference system in a record of volume data that represents an area of a patient's jaw and is captured by means of an X-ray imaging process and a record of surface data, at least some of which represents the same area of the patient's jaw and which is captured by means of a process for measuring visible surfaces. Volume data and surface data are unhidden on a screen. An object, especially a tooth, which is recognizable in both the volume data and the surface data, is superimposed on each other as congruently as possible in a preliminary positioning step. A volume structure characterizing the object is extracted from the volume data, particularly as a type of edge image, and is made to overlap as much as possible with a corresponding surface structure of the surface data by means of a transformation function, the overlap of the volume structure being adjusted to the surface structure in iterative steps by optimizing a predefined quality level.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for pictorially representing and determining tissue densities of a body region, especially in the mouth/jaw/face region (1), of a patient. According to said method, a set of three-dimensional image data representing the body region as well as calibration data that is provided as three-dimensional image data and represents a calibration phantom (5, 8, 15) having a previously known density are photographed by generating an image while the tissue densities are derived from a comparison of the calibration data with the image data. The image data and the calibration data are photographed in the framework of the same shot and in an upright position of the patient, particularly during sitting or standing. The calibration phantom (5, 8, 15) is held in the immediate vicinity of the body region (1) that is to be photographed during the shot by means of a fixture (4, 10, 14) which is fixed independently of the patient's body and in a defined relation to the imaging device.