Abstract: Methods for generating intermediate stages for orthodontic aligners using machine learning or deep learning techniques. The method receives a malocclusion of teeth and a planned setup position of the teeth. The malocclusion can be represented by translations and rotations, or by digital 3D models. The method generates intermediate stages for aligners, between the malocclusion and the planned setup position, using one or more deep learning methods. The intermediate stages can be used to generate setups that are output in a format, such as digital 3D models, suitable for use in manufacturing the corresponding aligners.

Abstract: A method of making a transfer apparatus includes providing a physical mockup having a shape that corresponds to a positive shape of a patient's dental arch and one or more carrier assemblies that each include a crane body releasably connected to an orthodontic appliance. A transfer apparatus may be formed over the physical mockup, with the transfer tray representing a negative replica of at least a portion of the mockup. The transfer apparatus may be used to seat the appliance on a patient's dental arch, after which point the appliance can be separated from the crane body and bonded to the associated tooth.

Abstract: A method of making a transfer apparatus includes providing a physical mockup having a shape that corresponds to a positive shape of a patient's dental arch and a positive shape of one or more appliance analogs including ramps extending in a generally gingival direction from the analog. A transfer tray may be formed over the physical mockup, with the transfer tray representing a negative replica of at least a portion of the mockup. One or more receptacles and related channels are accordingly formed in the ray, each receptacle approximating a least a portion of the shape of an appliance analog and each channel approximating at least a portion of the shape of a ramp. An appliance associated with an appliance analog is placed into a receptacle of the one or more receptacles, and the appliance may be bonded to a tooth surface of the patient's dental arch.

Abstract: Methods for recognizing a virtual tooth surface, defining a virtual tooth coordinate system, and simulating a collision between virtual teeth are provided. Methods include receiving input data specifying a point on the rendered surface model associated with a tooth, deriving a perimeter on the surface model of the tooth based on the input data, and analyzing the surface model along a plurality of paths outwardly extending from points on the perimeter along the three-dimensional surface to produce gingival margin data. Methods also include receiving point input data that defines a point on the virtual tooth, receiving axis input data that defines first and second axes associated with the virtual tooth, computing a substantially normal vector for a portion of the tooth surface surrounding the point, and computing a coordinate system based on the axis input and the computed vector.

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: Methods for recognizing a virtual tooth surface, defining a virtual tooth coordinate system, and simulating a collision between virtual teeth are provided. Methods include receiving input data specifying a point on the rendered surface model associated with a tooth, deriving a perimeter on the surface model of the tooth based on the input data, and analyzing the surface model along a plurality of paths outwardly extending from points on the perimeter along the three-dimensional surface to produce gingival margin data. Methods also include receiving point input data that defines a point on the virtual tooth, receiving axis input data that defines first and second axes associated with the virtual tooth, computing a substantially normal vector for a portion of the tooth surface surrounding the point, and computing a coordinate system based on the axis input and the computed vector.

Abstract: Methods for recognizing a virtual tooth surface, defining a virtual tooth coordinate system, and simulating a collision between virtual teeth are provided. Methods include receiving input data specifying a point on the rendered surface model associated with a tooth, deriving a perimeter on the surface model of the tooth based on the input data, and analyzing the surface model along a plurality of paths outwardly extending from points on the perimeter along the three-dimensional surface to produce gingival margin data. Methods also include receiving point input data that defines a point on the virtual tooth, receiving axis input data that defines first and second axes associated with the virtual tooth, computing a substantially normal vector for a portion of the tooth surface surrounding the point, and computing a coordinate system based on the axis input and the computed vector.

Abstract: Methods for recognizing a virtual tooth surface, defining a virtual tooth coordinate system, and simulating a collision between virtual teeth are provided. Methods include receiving input data specifying a point on the rendered surface model associated with a tooth, deriving a perimeter on the surface model of the tooth based on the input data, and analyzing the surface model along a plurality of paths outwardly extending from points on the perimeter along the three-dimensional surface to produce gingival margin data. Methods also include receiving point input data that defines a point on the virtual tooth, receiving axis input data that defines first and second axes associated with the virtual tooth, computing a substantially normal vector for a portion of the tooth surface surrounding the point, and computing a coordinate system based on the axis input and the computed vector.

Abstract: Methods for recognizing a virtual tooth surface, defining a virtual tooth coordinate system, and simulating a collision between virtual teeth are provided. Methods include receiving input data specifying a point on the rendered surface model associated with a tooth, deriving a perimeter on the surface model of the tooth, and analyzing the surface model along a plurality of paths outwardly extending from points on the perimeter. Methods also include receiving point input data, receiving axis input data that defines first and second axes associated with the virtual tooth, computing a substantially normal vector for a portion of the tooth surface surrounding the point, and computing a coordinate system. Methods also include receiving permissible movement input data directed to permissible movement of a first virtual tooth, bringing the first virtual tooth into contact with a second virtual tooth, and displaying data resulting from the simulation.

Abstract: Methods for recognizing a virtual tooth surface, defining a virtual tooth coordinate system, and simulating a collision between virtual teeth are provided. Methods include receiving input data specifying a point on the rendered surface model associated with a tooth, deriving a perimeter on the surface model of the tooth, and analyzing the surface model along a plurality of paths outwardly extending from points on the perimeter. Methods also include receiving point input data, receiving axis input data that defines first and second axes associated with the virtual tooth, computing a substantially normal vector for a portion of the tooth surface surrounding the point, and computing a coordinate system. Methods also include receiving permissible movement input data directed to permissible movement of a first virtual tooth, bringing the first virtual tooth into contact with a second virtual tooth, and displaying data resulting from the simulation.

Abstract: A digital orthodontic treatment planning system provides a practitioner with digital representations of at least a part of a tooth of a patient and at least part of a coupling matrix within a three-dimensional environment. By interacting with the system, orthodontic practitioners are able to visualize a coupling matrix that results from a specific orthodontic appliance position relative to a tooth of the patient's dental arch. The digital representation of the coupling matrix represents a substance, such as a cured adhesive, that connects an orthodontic appliance to a tooth of a patient. The system determines a thickness of at least a portion of the coupling matrix. In one embodiment, the system indicates the total thickness via a thickness map, such as a color-coded thickness map. In another embodiment, the system indicates a deviation from a baseline thickness via a thickness map.

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 includes 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: A digital orthodontic treatment planning system provides a practitioner with a digital representation of at least a part of a tooth of a patient within a three-dimensional environment. The practitioner may provide input indicative of a desired movement for a tooth of a patient via a user interface. Based on the desired movement for the tooth, a position of a virtual orthodontic appliance is calculated. The digital representation of the tooth may be moved in accordance with the adjusted position of the virtual orthodontic appliance. In this way, the system provides the practitioner with the perception that the input is being directly applied to the tooth, whereas the input is being indirectly applied to the tooth.

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: 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: 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: Computer-based techniques are described that use orthodontic prescription templates to assist an orthodontic practitioner in creating a patient-specific orthodontic prescription. In particular, an orthodontic practitioner may retrieve a stored electronic orthodontic prescription template. The practitioner may then generate an orthodontic prescription that is specific to a patient's teeth by modifying one or more bracket attributes of the template within orthodontic modeling software. Subsequently, the practitioner may communicate the patient-specific orthodontic prescription to a manufacturing facility that constructs an indirect bonding tray for use in physically placing brackets on the patient's teeth.

Abstract: A digital orthodontic treatment planning system provides a practitioner with digital representations of at least a part of a tooth of a patient and at least part of a coupling matrix within a three-dimensional environment. By interacting with the system, orthodontic practitioners are able to visualize a coupling matrix that results from a specific orthodontic appliance position relative to a tooth of the patient's dental arch. The digital representation of the coupling matrix represents a substance, such as a cured adhesive, that connects an orthodontic appliance to a tooth of a patient. The system determines a thickness of at least a portion of the coupling matrix. In one embodiment, the system indicates the total thickness via a thickness map, such as a color-coded thickness map. In another embodiment, the system indicates a deviation from a baseline thickness via a thickness map.

Abstract: A digital orthodontic treatment planning system provides a practitioner with a digital representation of at least a part of a tooth of a patient within a three-dimensional environment. The practitioner may provide input indicative of a desired movement for a tooth of a patient via a user interface. Based on the desired movement for the tooth, a position of a virtual orthodontic appliance is calculated. The digital representation of the tooth may be moved in accordance with the adjusted position of the virtual orthodontic appliance. In this way, the system provides the practitioner with the perception that the input is being directly applied to the tooth, whereas the input is being indirectly applied to the tooth.