Method and system for assessing the outcome of an orthodontic treatment

Abstract

The present invention provides a virtual orthodontic treatment method, comprising, providing a virtual diagnostic setup model of teeth of at least one jaw of an individual, associating virtual orthodontic appliances with all teeth in the model to obtain a first composite model and repositioning teeth into an initial treatment state according to pre-defined appliances-dependent rules; in the initial treatment state, detaching one or more teeth from their corresponding one or more orthodontic appliances, repositioning one or more appliances, reassociating one or more appliances with the teeth, permitting the teeth to reposition according to the appliances-dependent rules to obtain an altered treatment state, yielding a better grade, according to one or more systems for grading an orthodontic model, as compared to the grade of initial treatment state.

1 . A virtual orthodontic treatment method, comprising: 
 providing a virtual diagnostic setup model of teeth of at least one jaw of an individual, associating virtual orthodontic appliances with all teeth in said model to obtain a first composite model and repositioning teeth into an initial treatment state according to pre-defined appliances-dependent rules;    in said initial treatment state, detaching one or more teeth from their corresponding one or more orthodontic appliances, repositioning said one or more appliances, reassociating said one or more appliances with the teeth, permitting the teeth to reposition according to the appliances-dependent rules to obtain an altered treatment state, yielding a better grade, according to one or more systems for grading an orthodontic model, as compared to the grade of said initial treatment state.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the grading is based on measuring one or more of alignment, marginal ridges, buccolingual inclination, overjet, occlusal relationship, occlusal contacts and interproximal contacts.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the grading is carried out according to the grading system the American Board of Orthodontics.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said orthodontic appliances include brackets that are attached to teeth and a straight arch wire received in a slot of said bracket.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein a user selects a set of orthodontic appliances for associating with the teeth.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising any one of 
 automatically selecting a set of orthodontic appliances for associating with the teeth;    automatically defining one or more additional orthodontic interventions.    
     
     
         7 . A method for designing a real life orthodontic treatment, comprising: 
 (a) providing a virtual diagnostic setup model of an initial state of teeth of at least one jaw of an individual, associating virtual orthodontic appliances with all teeth in said model in a first association arrangement to obtain a first composite virtual model;    (b) permitting the teeth to reposition according to pre-defined appliances-dependent rules into an initial treatment state with a second association arrangement of said teeth and said appliances;    (c) in said initial treatment state 
 selecting one or more teeth and virtually detaching at least the selected teeth from said orthodontic appliances,  
 repositioning said appliances on the selected teeth and reassociating appliances to the teeth and permitting the teeth to reposition according to appliance-dependent rules into a second composite virtual model with an altered treatment state, yielding a better grade, according to one or more systems for grading an orthodontic model, as compared to the grade of said initial treatment state.  
   (d) permitting the teeth to revert back from their state in said second composite virtual model into said initial state with said orthodontic appliance remaining associated with the teeth in a manner as in said second composite virtual model to obtain a treatment-design virtual model with orthodontic appliances associated with the teeth in a manner of association to be applied in a real life orthodontic treatment.    
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the grading is based on measuring one or more of alignment, marginal ridges, buccolingual inclination, overjet, occlusal relationship, occlusal contacts and interproximal contacts.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the grading is carried out according to the grading system the American Board of Orthodontics.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein said orthodontic appliances include brackets that are attached to teeth and an arch wire received in a slot of said bracket.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein a user selects a set of orthodontic appliances for associating with the teeth.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 7 , comprising any one of: 
 automatically selecting a set of orthodontic appliances for associating with the teeth;    automatically defining one or more additional orthodontic interventions.    
     
     
         13 . A system for virtual orthodontic treatment, comprising: 
 (i) a digital interface for receiving digital data representative of a virtual diagnostic setup model of teeth; 
 a processor including a software for 
 associating virtual orthodontic appliances with all teeth in said model to obtain a first composite model,  
 repositioning teeth according to appliance-dependent rules into an initial treatment state according to pre-defined appliances-dependent rules, and for  
 selecting teeth in said initial treatment state and virtually detaching one or more teeth from their corresponding orthodontic appliances, repositioning said one or more appliances and reassociating said one or more appliances with the teeth and permitting the positioning of the teeth according to appliance-dependent rules, to obtain a second composite virtual model with an altered treatment state, yielding a better grade, according to one or more systems for grading an orthodontic model, as compared to the grade of said initial treatment position; and  
 
   (iii) a user interface comprising at least a display for displaying results of the virtual orthodontic treatment.    
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein the grading is based on measuring one or more of alignment, marginal ridges, buccolingual inclination, overjet, occlusal relationship, occlusal contacts and interproximal contacts.  
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 14 , wherein the grading is carried out according to the grading system of the American Board of Orthodontics.  
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein said orthodontic appliances include brackets that are attached to teeth and an arch wire received in a slot of said bracket.  
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein said reassociating can be repeated a plurality of times with different positions of brackets and the resulting improved treatment state is graded after each time, for achieving best grade after said repositioning.  
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of: 
 the set of orthodontic appliances is selected automatically by said software;    if applicable, said software defines one or more additional orthodontic interventions;    the user interface permits a user to define one or more additional orthodontic interventions.    
     
     
         19 . A system for designing a real life orthodontic treatment, comprising: 
 a digital interface for inputting a virtual diagnostic setup model of an initial state of teeth of an individual;    a user interface comprising at least an output for outputting results of virtual orthodontic treatment and information on design of real life orthodontic treatment;    a processor including a software running thereon for 
 associating virtual orthodontic appliances with all teeth in said model to obtain a first composite model,  
 repositioning teeth according to appliance-dependent rules into an initial treatment state with a second association arrangement of said teeth and said appliances,  
 selecting teeth in said initial treatment state and virtually detaching one or more teeth from their corresponding orthodontic appliances, repositioning said one or more appliances and reassociating said one or more appliances with the teeth and permitting the positioning of the teeth according to appliance-dependent rules, to obtain a second composite virtual model with an altered treatment state, yielding a better grade, according to one or more systems for grading an orthodontic model, as compared to the grade of said initial treatment position,  
 permitting the teeth to revert back from their state in said second composite virtual model into said initial state with said orthodontic appliance remaining associated with the teeth in a manner as in said second composite virtual model to obtain treatment-design virtual model with orthodontic appliances associated with the teeth in a manner of association to be applied in a real life orthodontic treatment, and  
 outputting data representative of said treatment-design virtual model in a manner suitable for use in the design of the real life orthodontic treatment.  
   
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein the grading is based on measuring one or more of alignment, marginal ridges, buccolingual inclination, overjet, occlusal relationship, occlusal contacts and interproximal contacts.  
     
     
         21 . A system according to  claim 20 , wherein the grading is carried out according to the grading system of the American Board of Orthodontics.  
     
     
         22 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein said orthodontic appliances include brackets that are attached to teeth and an arch wire received in a slot of said bracket.