U.S. patent application number 14/145996 was filed with the patent office on 2018-09-13 for orthodontic treatment planning using lip tracer.
This patent application is currently assigned to OraMetrix, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is OraMetrix, Inc.. Invention is credited to Charles L Abraham, Phillip Getto, Markus Kaufmann, Peer Sporbert.
Application Number | 20180256294 14/145996 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53480515 |
Filed Date | 2018-09-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180256294 |
Kind Code |
A9 |
Abraham; Charles L ; et
al. |
September 13, 2018 |
ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT PLANNING USING LIP TRACER
Abstract
The present invention discloses orthodontic treatment planning
which enables designing the desired smile line with the help of a
computer workstation. A new lip trace feature enables cutting out
the portion of a photograph corresponding to the area inside the
lips. The 3D model of the teeth is then completely visible when
overlaid with the facial photograph. One can use this feature to
superimpose the patient photo over the 3-D model of the teeth to
see how much intrusion or extrusion is needed to design the smile
line. Three dimensional model of dentition obtained by scanning of
teeth along with the patient's two dimensional facial photograph is
used to design the desired smile line for the patient by means of
software instructions in the workstation.
Inventors: |
Abraham; Charles L;
(Richardson, TX) ; Getto; Phillip; (Plano, TX)
; Sporbert; Peer; (Berlin, DE) ; Kaufmann;
Markus; (Berlin, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
OraMetrix, Inc. |
Richardson |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
OraMetrix, Inc.
Richardson
TX
|
Prior
Publication: |
|
Document Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20150182303 A1 |
July 2, 2015 |
|
|
Family ID: |
53480515 |
Appl. No.: |
14/145996 |
Filed: |
January 1, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61748076 |
Jan 1, 2013 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61C 9/0053 20130101;
A61C 7/002 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A61C 7/00 20060101
A61C007/00; A61C 9/00 20060101 A61C009/00 |
Claims
1. A method of designing smile line for orthodontic treatment of a
patient using a computer workstation, comprising the steps of: a.
placing a digital facial photograph of said patient in a first
window on screen display of said workstation; and a digital copy of
said facial photograph in a second window on display of said
workstation; b. marking area inside lips to be cut-out from said
facial photograph in said second window; c. placing a virtual three
dimensional model of said patient's teeth in said first window
behind said facial photograph in a manner such that said virtual
three dimensional model is synchronized with said facial
photograph; d. synchronizing placement of said patient's teeth in
said virtual three dimensional model with said facial photograph of
said patient in said first window; e. performing cut-out of said
area inside said lips marked in step b. for removal from said
facial photograph in said second window; f. simultaneously
performing cut-out of same area inside lips from said facial
photograph in said first window; thereby making said teeth from
said virtual three dimensional model of said patient visible along
with said facial photograph in said first window modified with said
cut-pout; and g. examining said teeth from said virtual three
dimensional model of said patient in conjunction with said facial
photograph in said first window and designing said smile line for
said orthodontic treatment of said patient based upon intrusion or
extrusion required.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said patient is smiling in said
digital facial photograph.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual three dimensional
model of said patient's teeth include brackets bonded to said
teeth.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein in step g virtual treatment
simulation can be performed on the workstation in order to find
acceptable solutions to correct the problems.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said area marked inside lips to
be cut-out can be modified.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual three dimensional
model of said teeth of a patient is obtained by in-vivo scanning of
dentition of said patient.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein a white-light scanner is used to
obtain virtual images of dentition from which said virtual three
dimensional model is derived.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said workstation provides
`Show/Hide Gingiva` menu option to turn on/off said virtual three
dimensional model's gingiva, when included in the three dimensional
virtual model of the teeth of the patient, obtained through in-vivo
scanning, for a more lifelike appearance.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein Synchronize Image Fade button can
be used to toggle said lip cutout on or off as desired during
simulation of treatment planning or review.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a non-provisional application of the
provisional application, Ser. No. 61/748,076, filed Jan. 1, 2013.
Priority of the filing date of the provisional application is
hereby claimed for the instant application. The subject matter of
this application is related to the subject matter of the following
applications. Priority to the related applications is not claimed
under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120.
[0002] Application Ser. No. 13/107,913, filed May 15, 2011,
pending; provisional application Ser. No. 61/642,646, filed May 4,
2012; and non-provisional application Ser. No. 13/887,323,
pending.
[0003] The entire contents of each of the above listed patent
applications are incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A. Field of the Invention
[0005] This invention relates generally to the field of
orthodontics. More particularly, the invention relates to planning
orthodontic treatment for a patient using lip tracer.
[0006] B. Description of Related Art
[0007] There are numerous patents issued in the area of orthodontic
treatment planning to cure mal-occlusion of a patient. However,
they lack in the area of planning the treatment in order to provide
proper smile.
[0008] The present invention meets this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention discloses orthodontic treatment
planning which enables designing the desired smile line with the
help of a computer workstation.
[0010] A lip trace feature is disclosed which enables the user in
cutting out the portion of a facial photograph corresponding to the
area inside the lips. The 3D model of the teeth is then completely
visible when overlaid with the facial photograph.
[0011] One can use this feature to see how much intrusion or
extrusion is needed to design the smile line during the treatment
planning.
[0012] Three dimensional model of dentition obtained by scanning of
the patient's teeth along with the patient's two dimensional facial
photograph is used to design the desired smile line for the patient
by means of software instructions in the workstation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are
described below in reference to the appended drawings, wherein like
reference numerals refer to like elements in the various views, and
in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 shows the virtual 2-D photograph of the patient's
face.
[0015] FIG. 2 show a copy of the photograph of FIG. 1 superimposed
after cutting out the portion of the facial photograph
corresponding to the area inside the lip on the virtual
three-dimensional model of the teeth of the patient.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] A lip trace feature is disclosed which enables cutting out
the portion of a digital facial photograph corresponding to the
area inside the lips using a computer workstation. The 3D model of
the patient's teeth is then completely visible when overlaid with
the modified facial photograph.
[0017] This feature is used to see how much intrusion or extrusion
is needed in order to design the smile line during the orthodontic
treatment of a patient.
[0018] The process is described below.
[0019] Step 1. A digital facial photograph of a patient is selected
by an user from a collection in the workstation and placed in the
first window on the screen display of the workstation. A digital
copy of the same facial photograph is then placed in the second
window on the display of the workstation. Preferably, the facial
photograph selected shows a smiley face. For example, FIG. 1 shows
a digital copy of the facial photograph 10 of the patient in the
second window on the display of the workstation.
[0020] Step 2. Lip Trace function is then invoked in the second
window by the user in conjunction with the digital copy of the
facial photograph. The workstation software provides this
capability. The user then identifies the general area from which
the desired cut-out on the facial photograph in the second window
will be performed; e.g., the area 15 in FIG. 1. The user then
invokes the `Add Lip Trace` function from the Lip Trace function
and, with the help of the curser attached to the workstation, marks
the actual area inside the lips, including teeth, to be cut-out
from the facial photograph in the second window; for example the
patient's teeth 20, including the brackets 25 attached to teeth 20,
and the surrounding areas inside the lips as shown in FIG. 1.
Marking the actual area inside the lips defines the `smile line.`
The workstation software automatically and simultaneously transfers
the tasks performed on the facial photograph in the second window,
e.g. marking the area 15 and marking of the actual area inside the
lips, including teeth and brackets to be cut-out, to the facial
photograph in the first window.
[0021] Step 3. A virtual three dimensional model of the patient's
teeth is placed in the first window behind the facial photograph.
This can be done prior to Step 1, during Step 1 or at the beginning
of Step 3. After Step 2 is completed, the user clicks on the
`Synchronize Image Fade` icon on the workstation display; which
causes proper synchronization of the placement of the patient's
teeth in the virtual three dimensional model with the facial
photograph of the patient in the first window, and simultaneous
cut-out of the actual area inside the lips marked for removal in
Step 2 from both the facial photographs in the first and second
windows; thereby making the teeth from the virtual three
dimensional model of the patient visible along with the modified
facial photograph in the first window. When the brackets are placed
on the patient's teeth, their placement on the facial photograph
can be used in conjunction with the brackets placed on the teeth in
the virtual three dimensional model for achieving synchronization.
Otherwise, some other markers placed both in the facial photograph
and in the virtual three dimensional model can be used for
synchronization. The result is displayed in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows
the modified facial photograph 50 of the patient in the first
window, including the teeth 40 from the virtual three dimensional
model along with the portion 30 of the face from FIG. 1 that
remained after the cut-out of the area inside the lips, including
teeth 20 and brackets 25. In this case, the virtual three
dimensional model of the patient's teeth includes the brackets 45
attached to the teeth. General marked area 15 in FIG. 1 for the lip
trace cut-out also is marked automatically in FIG. 2.
[0022] Step 4. See how much intrusion or extrusion is needed in
order to design the smile line during planning or review of the
orthodontic treatment of the patient. The virtual treatment
simulation can be performed on the workstation in order to find
acceptable solutions to correct the problems.
[0023] The Lip Trace function provides additional functionality as
well, such as: [0024] a. "Subtract Lip Trace` function provides the
capability to erase a portion of the lip trace added with the `Add
Lip Trace` function in order to make corrections. [0025] b. Prior
lip trace can be saved; and retrieved in future using `Show Lip
Trace` function. [0026] c. `Delete Lip Trace` enables removal of
the lip trace.
[0027] The virtual three dimensional model of the teeth of a
patient can be obtained by in-vivo scanning of the dentition of the
patient. This virtual dentition model can be obtained for teeth
without bonded brackets or with bonded brackets. A white-light
scanner can be used to obtain virtual images of the dentition from
which the virtual three dimensional model can be derived.
[0028] The workstation also provides `Show/Hide Gingiva` menu
option to turn on/off the model's gingiva, when included in the
three dimensional virtual model of the teeth of the patient,
obtained through in-vivo scanning, for a more lifelike
appearance.
[0029] Synchronize Image Fade button can be used to toggle the lip
cutout on or off as desired during simulation of the treatment
planning or review.
[0030] In summary, the present invention discloses orthodontic
treatment planning which enables designing the desired smile line
with the help of a computer workstation.
[0031] A new lip trace feature enables cutting out the portion of a
photograph corresponding to the area inside the lips. The 3D model
is then completely visible when overlaid with the facial
photograph.
[0032] One can use this feature to superimpose the patient photo
over the 3-D model of the teeth to see how much intrusion or
extrusion is needed to design the smile line.
[0033] Three dimensional model of dentition obtained by scanning of
teeth along with the patient's two dimensional facial photograph is
used to design the desired smile line for the patient by means of
software instructions in the workstation.
[0034] Presently preferred and alternative embodiments of the
invention have been set forth. Variation from the preferred and
alternative embodiments may be made without departure from the
scope and spirit of this invention.
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