Method and system for assisting in applying an orthodontic treatment

Abstract

A method and system for providing information for correct placement of one or more brackets on one or more corresponding teeth according to a predetermined treatment scheme. A virtual representation of a three-dimensional teeth arrangement of one or both jaws of the individual with brackets placed on said teeth is obtained, wherein the position and orientation of the brackets on said teeth being designed so as to achieve a desired treatment outcome. The virtual representation is processed to generate an output data, the output data driving a display, such as a computer monitor or a printed “hard-copy”, to display an image of at least one tooth with a bracket thereon, the displayed image having three-dimensional qualities indicative of said at least one tooth as viewed from a defined viewpoint. The invention can be applied to the placement of brackets onto the buccal side of the teeth as well as onto the lingual side of the teeth.

1 . A method for providing information for correct placement of one or more brackets on corresponding one or more teeth according to a predetermined treatment scheme, the method comprising: 
 obtaining a virtual representation of a three-dimensional teeth arrangement of one or both jaws of the individual with brackets placed on said teeth, the position and orientation of the brackets on said teeth being designed so as to achieve a desired treatment outcome; and    processing said virtual representation to generate an output data, the output data driving a display to display an image of at least one tooth with a bracket thereon, the displayed image having three-dimensional qualities indicative of said at least one tooth as viewed from a defined viewpoint.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the defined viewpoint is a preferred viewpoint, being a viewpoint corresponding to that from which the at least one tooth is viewed when applying a bracket thereon.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the output data drives the display to display a set of images of the at least one tooth from two or more preferred viewpoints.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the output data drives the display to display a set of images of different teeth.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the different displayed teeth are displayed in an order in which the teeth are attended to during bracket placement procedure.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said display is a computer monitor.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said display is a printer.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining of a virtual representation comprises transmitting said representation from a remote location.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining of a virtual representation comprises receiving data representative of a three-dimensional arrangement of teeth of at least one jaw and processing said data to define position and orientation of brackets on the teeth to achieve a desired treatment outcome.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the data representative of a three-dimensional arrangement of teeth of at least one jaw is received from a remote location.  
     
     
         11 . A system for providing information for correct placement of one or more brackets on corresponding one or more teeth according to a predetermined treatment scheme, the system comprising: 
 a processor module for obtaining a virtual representation of a three-dimensional teeth arrangement of one or both jaws of the individual with brackets placed on said teeth, the position and orientation of the brackets on said teeth being designed so as to achieve a desired treatment outcome and for processing said virtual representation to generate an output data, the output data adapted to drive a display to display an image of at least one tooth with a bracket thereon, the displayed image having three-dimensional qualities indicative of said at least one tooth as viewed from a defined viewpoint; and    a display linked to said processor module for displaying said image.    
     
     
         12 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein said display is a computer monitor.  
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein said display is a printer.  
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein the defined viewpoint is a preferred viewpoint, being a viewpoint corresponding to that from which the orthodontist views the at least one tooth when applying a bracket thereon.  
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein the displayed image includes a set of images of the at least one tooth from two or more preferred viewpoint.  
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein the displayed image includes a set of images of different teeth.  
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 16 , wherein the different displayed teeth are displayed in an order in which the teeth are attended to during bracket placement procedure.  
     
     
         18 . A system for providing information for correct placement of one or more brackets on corresponding one or more teeth according to a predetermined treatment scheme, the system comprising: 
 a data input module for acquiring and storage of data representative of a three-dimensional teeth arrangement;    a processor and a software running in said processor for processing said data, to obtain a virtual representation of a three-dimensional teeth arrangement of one or both jaws of an individual (placed on said teeth);    an image generation module coupled to or running within said processor for generating an output data adapted to drive a display to display an image of at least one tooth with a bracket thereon, the displayed image having three-dimensional qualities indicative of said at least one tooth as used from a defined viewpoint; and    a display linked to said image generating module for displaying said image.    
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 18 , comprising: 
 a database of virtual brackets from which said software can import brackets for combining with the teeth.