Method and apparatus for selecting a prescription for an orthodontic brace

Abstract

A prescription for an orthodontic brace is selected by providing data representing a number of teeth of the dental arch and by displaying images of the teeth in two or more different positions. Images of at least one tooth when in the first position and when in the second position are simultaneously displayed in superimposed fashion, and any difference in orientations of the displayed tooth images between the first position and the second position appears in contrast. As a consequence, the relative difference in positions can be readily observed. The invention is particularly useful for selecting a prescription of a brace from two or more prescriptions, and is also useful for observing the relative effect of a single prescription when used on certain teeth in comparison to the position of the same teeth during an earlier stage of treatment.

1 - 21 . (cancelled)  
     
     
         22 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace comprising: 
 providing a set of data representative of a number of teeth of a dental arch;    displaying at least one tooth of the dental arch as a first image in an orientation as it appears during a first stage of orthodontic treatment;    selecting a certain group of orthodontic appliances for the dental arch, wherein the certain group of appliances includes an archwire having a certain prescription and a number of brackets, each of the brackets of the certain group corresponding to one of the teeth and having a certain prescription;    determining second positions of the teeth as they might appear when the brackets of the certain group are mounted on corresponding teeth, the archwire of the certain group is connected to the brackets of the certain group and the teeth have moved in response to forces exerted on the brackets of the certain group; and    displaying at least one tooth in its second position as an image, wherein any difference in the orientations of the teeth in the displayed second positions appears as an image that contrasts with the image of the teeth in the displayed first positions so that the effect of the certain group of appliances can be observed.    
     
     
         23 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 22  wherein the first stage is an initial stage.  
     
     
         24 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 22  wherein the first stage in an intermediate stage that represents movement of the teeth in response to an archwire having characteristics that are different than the archwire of the certain group.  
     
     
         25 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 22  wherein the second position substantially represents a final position.  
     
     
         26 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 22  wherein the contrast in the images appears as a color contrast.  
     
     
         27 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 22  wherein the contrast in the images appears as a difference in shading of the images.  
     
     
         28 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 22  wherein the contrast in the images appears as a difference in the shape of the perimeter of the images.  
     
     
         29 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 22  wherein the teeth when displayed are displayed without at least part of the certain group of appliances.  
     
     
         30 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 22  and including the act of purchasing the brace.  
     
     
         31 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 30  wherein the act of purchasing includes the act of creating an order entry using, at least in part, digital data corresponding to at least part of the certain group of appliances.  
     
     
         32 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 31  wherein the act of creating an order entry includes the act of creating a purchase order.  
     
     
         33 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace comprising: 
 providing a set of data representative of a number of teeth of a dental arch;    displaying at least one tooth of the dental arch as a first image in an orientation as it appears during a first stage of orthodontic treatment;    selecting a brace for the dental arch, wherein the brace has a certain prescription;    determining second positions of the teeth as they might appear when the brace is mounted in the oral cavity and the teeth have moved in response to forces exerted by the brace; and    displaying at least one tooth in its second position as an image, wherein any difference in the orientations of the teeth in the displayed second positions appears as an image that contrasts with the image of the teeth in the displaced first positions so that the effect of the brace can be observed.    
     
     
         34 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 33 , wherein the first stage is an initial stage.  
     
     
         35 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 33  wherein the first stage is an intermediate stage that represents movement of the teeth in response to an archwire having characteristics that are different than the archwire of the certain group.  
     
     
         36 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 33  wherein the second position substantially represents a final position.  
     
     
         37 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 33  wherein the contrast in the images appears as a color contrast.  
     
     
         38 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 33  wherein the contrast in the images appears as a difference in shading of the images.  
     
     
         39 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 33  wherein the contrast in the images appears as a difference in the shape of the perimeter of the images.  
     
     
         40 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 33  wherein the teeth when displayed are displayed without at least part of the certain group of appliances.  
     
     
         41 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 33  and including the act of purchasing the brace.  
     
     
         42 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 41  wherein the act of purchasing includes the act of creating an order entry using, at least in part, digital data corresponding to at least part of the certain group of appliances.  
     
     
         43 . A method of selecting a custom orthodontic brace according to  claim 42  wherein the act of creating an order entry includes the act of creating a purchase order.  
     
     
         44 . A method of manipulating data of a dental patient's tooth comprising: 
 obtaining a first set of data representing the shape of at least a portion of a patient's tooth;    providing a second set of data that represents the shape of at least a portion of a model tooth that is of the same type of tooth as the tooth represented by the first set of data;    manipulating at least some of the data of at least one of the first set of data and the second set of data so that the scale of the patient's tooth and the scale of model tooth are substantially the same; and    combining at least some data of the first set and of the second set in order to obtain a third set of data that represents at least part of the model tooth and at least part of the patient's tooth.    
     
     
         45 . A method of manipulating data of a dental patient's tooth according to  claim 44  wherein the first set of data represents the shape of a crown portion of a patient's tooth.  
     
     
         46 . A method of manipulating data of a dental patient's tooth according to  claim 45  wherein the second set of data represents the shape of at least a portion of roots of a model tooth.  
     
     
         47 . A method of manipulating data of a dental patient's tooth according to  claim 44  wherein the act of manipulating at least some data is carried out visually by reference to an image.  
     
     
         48 . A method of manipulating data of a dental patient's tooth according to  claim 44  wherein the act of manipulating at least some data is carried out by a computer.  
     
     
         49 . A method of manipulating data of a dental patient's tooth according to  claim 44  wherein the act of manipulating at least some data includes the act of changing data corresponding to directions along one or more reference axes.  
     
     
         50 . A method of manipulating data of a dental patient's tooth according to  claim 49  wherein the act of changing the data includes the act of changing the second set of data.  
     
     
         51 . A computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program executable for performing selection of a prescription for an orthodontic brace, the computer readable medium comprising: 
 a set of data representative of a number of teeth of a dental arch;    first means for displaying images of at least some of the teeth in first positions as they might appear when a first brace is mounted on the teeth; and    second means for displaying images of at least some of the teeth in second positions as they might appear when a second brace is mounted on the teeth, said second means including means for simultaneously displaying at least some of the same teeth in the second positions and the first positions, and wherein at least part of the images of the displayed teeth in the first position and in the second position are superimposed.    
     
     
         52 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 51  wherein the first brace includes a set of brackets and an archwire.  
     
     
         53 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 51  wherein the first means is selected from a set that includes a monitor, a printer, and a projector.  
     
     
         54 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 51  wherein the superimposed part of the images appears as a color contrast or as a difference in shading.  
     
     
         55 . A computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program executable for performing selection of a prescription for an orthodontic brace, the computer readable medium comprising: 
 a set of data representative of a number of teeth of the dental arch;    first means for displaying images of at least some of the teeth in positions as they might appear preceding a final stage of orthodontic treatment; and    second means for displaying images of at least some of the teeth in final positions as they might appear when a certain group of orthodontic appliances is mounted on the teeth, said second means including means for simultaneously displaying at least some of the same teeth in the final position and in the preceding stage positions, and wherein at least part of the images of the displayed teeth in the preceding stage position and at the final position are superimposed.    
     
     
         56 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 55  wherein the first stage of orthodontic treatment is an initial stage of orthodontic treatment.  
     
     
         57 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 55  wherein the second positions of the teeth are substantially representative of positions of the teeth at the conclusion of orthodontic treatment.  
     
     
         58 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 55  wherein the second positions of the teeth are representative of positions of the teeth during an intermediate stage of orthodontic treatment.  
     
     
         59 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 55  wherein the first brace includes a set of brackets and an archwire.  
     
     
         60 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 55  wherein the first means is selected from a set that includes a monitor, a printer, and a projector.  
     
     
         61 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 55  wherein the superimposed part of the images appears as a color contrast or as a difference in shading.