3m Innovative Properties Company

Midmark Corporation

Eric B Paley

Janos Rohaly

Micah J Rosenbloom

Edward K Tekeian

Ilya A Kriveshko

Steven V Weeks

Patrick Colm Dunne

Michael Patrick Girard

Joseph Boerjes

Robert N Nazzal

David E Altobelli

Douglas M Johnston

Simon K J Schiessl

Michael P Girard

Douglas P Hart

Joseph Boeries

Simon KJ Schiessl

Steven J Weeks

Tools are described for preparing digital dental models for use in dental restoration production processes, along with associated systems and methods. Dental modeling is improved by supplementing views of three-dimensional models with still images of the modeled subject matter. Video data acquired during a scan of the model provides a source of still images that can be displayed alongside a rendered three-dimensional model, and the two views (model and still image) may be synchronized to provide a common perspective of the model's subject matter. This approach provides useful visual information for disambiguating surface features of the model during processing steps such as marking a margin of a prepared tooth surface for a restoration. Interactive modeling tools may be similarly enhanced. For example, tools for margin marking may synchronize display of margin lines between the still image and the model so that a user can interact with either or both of the visual representations, with changes to a margin reflected in both displays.

Video-assisted margin marking for dental models

Video data acquired during a three-dimensional scan of dentition provides a source of still images that can be displayed alongside a rendered three-dimensional model of the dentition, and the two views (model and still image) may be synchronized to provide a common perspective of the model's subject matter. This approach provides useful visual information for disambiguating surface features of the model during interactive model processing steps such as marking a margin of a prepared tooth surface for a restoration.

Synchronized views of video data and three-dimensional model data

The systems and methods disclosed herein employ a scanning system for capturing highly detailed digital dental models. These models may be used within a dentist's office for a wide array of dental functions including quality control, restoration design, and fitting. These models may also, or instead, be transmitted to dental laboratories that may, alone or in collaboration with the originating dentist or other dental professionals, transform the digital model into a physical realization of a dental hardware item.

Digital dentistry

Tools are described for preparing digital dental models for use in dental restoration production processes, along with associated systems and methods. Dental modeling is improved by supplementing views of three-dimensional models with still images of the modeled subject matter. Video data acquired during a scan of the model provides a source of still images that can be displayed alongside a rendered three-dimensional model, and the two views (model and still image) may be synchronized to provide a common perspective of the model's subject matter. This approach provides useful visual information for disambiguating surface features of the model during processing steps such as marking a margin of a prepared tooth surface for a restoration.

The systems and methods disclosed herein employ a combination of digital three-dimensional modeling and rapid fabrication technologies to provide pre-indexed, pre-registered, and/or precut components for articulated dental models. Dental articulators and components of dental models as described herein use a positioning key to encode positional information for components of the dental model, and/or a reference grid on mounting surfaces to enforce local accuracy of fabricated parts against a fixed reference array.

Local enforcement of accuracy in fabricated models

The systems and methods disclosed herein provide real time display of three-dimensional dental data acquired intraorally from a dental patient.

Real time display of acquired 3D dental data

The systems and methods disclosed herein provide visual feedback concerning one or more scanning parameters to a user during acquisition of a three dimensional scan.

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Eric B Paley