Abstract: Creating, executing, and managing flow plans by performing at least the following: presenting on a display an operational view of an executing flow plan within an operational view user interface that includes: a flow plan graphical outline associated with the executing flow plan, wherein the flow plan graphical outline comprises a trigger instance graphical element for a trigger instance, at least one action instance graphical element for at least one action instance, and at least one step instance graphical element for at least one step instance; one or more state indicators adjacent to the flow plan graphical outline that provide an overall state of the trigger instance, the action instance, and the step instance; and one or more metrics relating to executing the trigger instance, the action instance, and the step instance.

Abstract: A method for constructing a graphical representation of a plurality of tables in a restaurant is carried out by a computer system. A receiver coupled to the computer system is in communication with a plurality of transmitters, each transmitter being responsive to a stimulus that causes the transmitter to transmit a unique message frame to the receiver. The computer system responds to a received message frame by checking to determine if the unique message frame had already been received during the current construction process, and if the message frame had not been received, displaying an icon representing a table associated with the transmitter. Each transmitter is subjected to the stimulus, thereby causing each transmitter to send the message frame to the receiver, and thereby causing the computer system to display one icon for each table.

Abstract: A system automatically adjusts an orthodontic bracket to a desired mesio-distal position on a tooth within a 3D environment. The system allows a practitioner to specify a desired mesio-distal position at which to place the bracket on the tooth. The practitioner may choose the desired mesio-distal position from a standardized set of mesio-distal positions or may create a customized mesio-distal position to meet a patient's particular needs. Based on the desired mesio-distal position, the system automatically adjusts the placement of the orthodontic bracket to the desired mesio-distal position on the tooth within the 3D environment. The system then generates a visual representation of the resulting bracket placement within the 3D environment.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing an environment to model and depict a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a patient's dental arch, i.e., a virtual dental arch, and a separate cross section tool, such as a graphical user interface (GUI), as a visual aid to an orthodontic practitioner for selecting a position of cross section planes relative to the virtual dental arch. The GUI may display a control image and two moveable parallel lines. The position of the parallel lines relative to the control image approximates the position of the cross section planes relative to the virtual dental arch. Thus, by interacting with the GUI, the practitioner is able to change the position of the cross section planes within the 3D environment. Consequently, the practitioner can visualize the cross sections of the virtual dental arch within the 3D environment while selecting the position of the cross section planes.

Abstract: An orthodontic treatment planning system is described that models the effects of torque losses within an orthodontic archwire-appliance system when computing a predicted final occlusion for a dental arch. The treatment planning system models engagement of the archwire with the orthodontic appliances at each appliance position along the length of the archwire. The treatment planning system iteratively determines the twist angle of the archwire at each appliance position along the length of the archwire and incrementally adjusts the orientation and the position of each tooth based on the determined twist angles until the twist angle at each position along the archwire is within a defined tolerance of zero. When the twist angle at each position along the archwire is within a defined tolerance of zero, the archwire is relaxed and a 3D representation of the computed final occlusion of the dental arch may be displayed.

Abstract: A system automatically determines positions of orthodontic objects, such as teeth and/or orthodontic appliances, along an archwire within a three-dimensional (3D) environment based on a proposed orthodontic prescription. The resulting placement of the orthodontic objects in the dentition predicts a final occlusion that may result from the proposed orthodontic prescription. An orthodontic practitioner may interact with the system to enter a proposed orthodontic prescription, or the system may choose the proposed orthodontic prescription from a number of standardized prescriptions stored in a database. The system may also display a digital representation of the orthodontic objects at the determined positions. The practitioner may modify the proposed prescription and view the resulting placement of the orthodontic objects until a desired result is obtained.

Abstract: Techniques are described for moving an orthodontic object (e.g., an orthodontic appliance and/or its associated tooth) in response to input indicative of a desired movement of the object along a virtual archwire. The movement of objects along the archwire may be used to generate a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a patient's dental arch. The manner in which the object is to be moved along the virtual archwire may be determined automatically during creation of a treatment plan for a patient, or may be determined and input by an orthodontic practitioner as part of the creation of the treatment plan.

Abstract: A system automatically adjusts an orthodontic bracket to a desired occlusal height on a tooth within a 3D environment. The system allows a practitioner to specify a desired occlusal height at which to place the bracket on the tooth. The practitioner may choose the desired occlusal height from a standardized set of occlusal heights or may create a customized occlusal height to meet a patient's particular needs. Based on the desired occlusal height, the system automatically adjusts the placement of the orthodontic bracket to the desired occlusal height on the tooth within the 3D environment. The system then generates a visual representation the resulting bracket placement within the 3D environment.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing an environment for modeling and depicting a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a patient's dental arch to assist practitioners in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment. A system is described, for example, that includes modeling software executing on a computing device to provide a three-dimensional (3D) environment. The modeling software comprises a rendering engine that renders a digital representation of a dental arch within the 3D environment, and a user interface that displays a planar guide within the 3D environment as a visual aid to a practitioner in the placement of an orthodontic appliance relative to the dental arch. By interacting with the system, orthodontic practitioners are able to visualize the 3D representation of the dental arch, and precisely position “virtual” orthodontic appliances relative to the modeled dental arch.

Abstract: The relative orientation of an orthodontic appliance and a tooth is selected by providing a first relative orientation between the appliance and the tooth, and defining a first set of hypothetical reference lines or rays between the base of the appliance and the tooth in virtual three-dimensional space. The distance along each ray is then determined. Next, the relative orientation of the appliance and the tooth is changed to a second orientation. A second set of rays is defined between the appliance and the tooth, and the distance along each ray is determined. A mathematical computation is then carried out on the determined distances in order to help determine whether the first orientation or the second orientation provides a better fit between the base of the appliance and the tooth surface.