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Leo J Malin

Thomas J Arendt

Patrick C Bell

Robert J Harter

Example dental scanning methods for analyzing jaws of a patient involve taking multiple radiographic scans of the jaws, and/or models thereof, and then applying digital image analytics to shift the image of one scan to match that of another. The resulting properly scaled and shifted image serves as a virtual 3D jaw model that can be manipulated and analyzed to aid in various orthodontic and other dental treatments.

Computer assisted dental methods for analyzing jaws

Example dental methods involve using a marker transfer jig that captures the location of one or more fiducial markers on a patient's jaw and then helps position an alternate marker, tool, fixture or some other chosen device on a cast model of the patient's jaw. The cast model with the attached alternate marker, tool, fixture or other chosen device is radiographically scanned and analyzed to aid in various orthodontic and other dental treatments.

Dental methods with fiducial marker transfer jigs

Example fiducial markers include features that make them particularly useful in dental scanning methods for analyzing jaws of a patient, wherein the dental scanning methods involve taking multiple scans of the jaws, and/or models thereof, and then shifting the image of one scan to match that of another. Prior to scanning, the fiducial markers are attached to the patient's jaws to accurately identify and track the relative position of the jaws.

Fiducial markers for analyzing human jaws

Example radiographic dental jigs include a generally vertical post traversed by a generally horizontal beam to create a cross that can be used for marking a dental patient's midline (vertical line centered between the eyes), incisal edge plane, and forward lip position. The jig is radiographically scanned along with multiple fiducial markers on the patient's jaw to generate a first scan result. In some examples, physical models of the patient's jaws are also scanned to generate upper and lower jaw images. The upper and lower jaw images are shifted to coincide with the first scan result. Portions of the first scan result, including an image of the dental jig, are superimposed onto the properly shifted upper and lower jaw images to create a composite image. The composite image shows the dental jig in proper relation to the patient's upper and lower jaws, thereby rendering a conventional stick bite virtually obsolete.

Radiographic dental jigs and associated methods

Example dental scanning methods for analyzing jaws of a patient involve taking multiple scans of the jaws, and/or models thereof, and then shifting the image of one scan to match that of another. In some examples, fiducial markers are attached to the patient's jaws beforehand to accurately identify and track the relative position of the jaws. The methods provide a way for creating a precise image of an upper jaw and a lower jaw in their proper bite registration, even though the resulting image may show an insufficient number of teeth to readily do so. The final, properly shifted image serves as a virtual 3D jaw model that can be manipulated and analyzed to aid in various orthodontic and other dental treatments.

Dental scanning methods for analyzing jaws

A utensil can remove a food product such as toast from the slot of an appliance. The utensil has an opposing pair of longitudinally disposed tongs that are interconnected at their proximal ends. Each tong has a distal paddle that is wider than the interconnected proximal ends. Each paddle has a tapered distal edge that is sloped to increase clearance at the inside face of the paddle. Each paddle has on its inside face a number of projections, with the ones adjacent to the paddle's distal edge having a distal flank that is sloped to facilitate ingressive passage across them. The tongs can be held with a single hand and kept in a substantially parallel orientation that allows insertion into the slot around either side of the food product. The tongs can be manually pressed together to embed the projections into the food product before lifting and removing it.

Utensil for toasters and other appliances

Toaster utensil

A method of installing a dental implant includes positioning a drill guide tube adjacent to a jawbone and taking a tomographical scan of the two. Based on the scan, a computer-generated image is created and analyzed to confirm whether the drill guide tube is properly aligned. If the drill guide tube is in the correct position, that same tube to used to guide a drill bit into the jawbone. In some cases, the tube also helps guide a biopsy punch in cutting just a small, round opening into the gum tissue, which minimizes the time needed for healing.

Method of installing a dental implant

A method for a dental implant process involves creating an overall image that shows a trajectory of a drill bushing in relation to a patient's jaw. The overall image shows a trajectory image that represents the trajectory of the drill bushing and a jaw image that represents the jaw. The method allows a user to move the trajectory image relative to the jaw image, which can be useful when adjusting the angular position of the actual drill bushing.

Growing community of inventors

La Crosse, WI, United States of America

Leo J Malin