The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 18, 2017
Filed:
Jul. 01, 2014
3m Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Guruprasad Somasundaram, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Evan J. Ribnick, St. Louis Park, MN (US);
Ravishankar Sivalingam, Woodbury, MN (US);
Aya Eid, St. Paul, MN (US);
Theresa M. Meyer, Osceola, WI (US);
Golshan Golnari, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Anthony J. Sabelli, Woodbury, MN (US);
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, Saint Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A method for detecting tooth wear using digital 3D models of teeth taken at different times. The digital 3D models of teeth are segmented to identify individual teeth within the digital 3D model. The segmentation includes performing a first segmentation method that over segments at least some of the teeth within the model and a second segmentation method that classifies points within the model as being either on an interior of a tooth or on a boundary between teeth. The results of the first and second segmentation methods are combined to generate segmented digital 3D models. The segmented digital 3D models of teeth are compared to detect tooth wear by determining differences between the segmented models, where the differences relate to the same tooth to detect wear on the tooth over time.