Dental analysis method and system

Abstract

A dental analysis system and method for designing the dentition of a patient, comprising the steps of: providing a visual representation of the dentition, inputting a value representative of the number of teeth on a side of the dentition, inputting at least two quantities taken from a group consisting of a ratio, an inter-teeth distance and a central incisor width, computing the position of the teeth within the dentition by applying a mathematical function to the value representative of the number of teeth on a side of the dentition and the at least two quantities and juxtaposing positioning lines over the visual representation of the dentition, the positioning lines indicating the position of the teeth as computed.

1 . A method for designing the dentition of a patient, comprising the steps of:
 a. inputting a value representative of the number of teeth on each side of the dentition;   b. inputting at least two quantities taken from a group consisting of a ratio, an inter-molar distance and a central incisor width; and   c. computing the position of the teeth within the patients dentition by applying a mathematical function to the value representative of the number of teeth on each side of the dentition and the at least two quantities.   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the value representative of the number of teeth on each side of the dentition is a number between 3 and 10. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the position of the teeth within the dentition is a measure of a visible width of each teeth as seen from a frontal view of the dentition. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 d. displaying positioning lines corresponding to the position of the teeth.   
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 d. printing positioning lines corresponding to the position of the teeth.   
   
   
       6 . A method for designing the dentition of a patient, comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a visual representation of the dentition;   b. inputting a value representative of the number of teeth on a side of the dentition;   c. inputting at least two quantities taken from a group consisting of a ratio, an inter-teeth distance and a central incisor width;   d. computing the position of the teeth within the dentition by applying a mathematical function to the value representative of the number of teeth on a side of the dentition and the at least two quantities; and   e. juxtaposing positioning lines over the visual representation of the dentition, the positioning lines indicating the position of the teeth as computed in step d.   
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the value representative of the number of teeth on a side of the dentition is a number between 3 and 10. 
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the position of the teeth within the dentition is a measure of a visible width of each teeth as seen from a frontal view of the dentition. 
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the visual representation of the dentition is taken from a group consisting of a 2D digital image of the dentition, a 3D digital image of the dentition, a digital picture of a patient's dentition, a digital image of virtual diagnostic wax up and a digital picture of a diagnostic wax up. 
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
 f. printing the results of step e.   
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein step d. also computes a missing quantity taken from a group consisting of a ratio, an inter teeth distance and a central incisor width. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
 f. outputting the missing quantity.   
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the positioning lines are generally parallel to an axis defined by the length of the teeth. 
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the positioning lines are angled with respect to an axis defined by the length of the teeth. 
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 f. adjusting the angle of at least one of the positioning lines.   
   
   
       16 . A system for designing the dentition of a patient, comprising:
 means for providing a visual representation of the dentition;   means for inputting a value representative of the number of teeth on a side of the dentition;   means for inputting at least two quantities taken from a group consisting of a ratio, an inter-teeth distance and a central incisor width;   means for computing the position of the teeth within the dentition by applying a mathematical function to the value representative of the number of teeth on a side of the dentition and the at least two quantities; and   means for displaying positioning lines over the visual representation of the dentition, the positioning lines indicating the position of the teeth as computed in step d.   
   
   
       17 . A system according to  claim 16 , wherein the visual representation of the dentition is taken from a group consisting of a 2D digital image of the dentition, a 3D digital image of the dentition, a digital picture of a patient's dentition, a digital image of virtual diagnostic wax up and a digital picture of a diagnostic wax up. 
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising means for printing the positioning lines. 
   
   
       19 . A system according to  claim 16 , wherein the computing means computes a missing quantity taken from a group consisting of a ratio, an inter teeth distance and a central incisor width. 
   
   
       20 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein the displaying means displays the missing quantity. 
   
   
       21 . A system according to  claim 16 , wherein the positioning lines are generally parallel to an axis defined by the length of the teeth. 
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the positioning lines are angled with respect to an axis defined by the length of the teeth. 
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 22 , further comprising means for adjusting the angle of at least one of the positioning lines.