Method and system for providing indexing and cataloguing of orthodontic related treatment profiles and options

Abstract

Method and system for providing an orthodontic profile indexing and treatment plan including comparing an initial patient condition in each of a plurality of dentition categories with one or more reference conditions in each of the plurality of dentition categories, wherein each of the one or more reference conditions has a corresponding representation, selecting at least one reference condition in one or more of the plurality of dentition categories, where each selected reference condition is similar to the initial patient condition in a same dentition category, and generating a patient identifier based on the corresponding representations of each selected reference condition is provided.

1 . A method of orthodontic profile indexing, comprising:
 storing a matrix in a database, the matrix including an address for each of a plurality of levels of malocclusion for a corresponding dentition dimension within a dentition category;   storing a plurality of treatment options in the database, each of the plurality of treatment options associated with a number of combinations of the addresses;   storing asset information in the database in association with each paired combination of a particular treatment option and a particular combination of addresses;   generating a patient identifier, via a computer, based on the matrix, the patient identifier comprising a patient-specific combination of the addresses; and   querying the database, via the computer, to determine:
 a number of treatment options associated with the patient identifier; and 
 asset information associated with the number of treatment options. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the asset information comprises treatment plan information related to each paired combination of a particular treatment option and a particular combination of addresses. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the treatment plan information includes text description of the treatment condition and goals, treatment precautions, treatment length estimates, doctor skill set requirements, prescription data, sample case data, and case difficulty. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the asset information is generated using data including expert opinion data, computational algorithms data, historical case content data, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of treatment options associated with the number of combinations of the addresses are associated by formatting the treatment option in a same format as the number of combinations of the addresses, wherein a particular treatment option includes at least one different value than a particular associated combination of addresses. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one different value comprises a particular treatment goal, wherein the particular treatment goal comprises one of: align for restorative dentistry, esthetic alignment, align to Class 1 function, and align to ideal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the particular associated combination of addresses comprises the patient's current condition. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further including:
 defining a matrix, via the computer, the matrix including a first field, a second field, and a number of third fields; and   populating the matrix, via the computer, with:
 a plurality of dentition categories each including a dentition dimension in the first field; and 
 a plurality of malocclusion dentition components in the second field, each dentition component corresponding to a respective one of the dentition categories. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further including populating the matrix, via the computer, with a plurality of pre-defined options in each of the number of third fields, each pre-defined option including a level of malocclusion for a corresponding dentition dimension, wherein one of the pre-defined options includes a predetermined combination of different possible conditions for each dentition component, and wherein each pre-defined option includes an address. 
     
     
         10 . An orthodontic profile indexing system, comprising:
 a data storage unit configured to:
 store a matrix, the matrix including an address for each of a plurality of levels of malocclusion for a corresponding dentition dimension within a dentition category; 
 store a plurality of treatment options, each of the plurality of treatment options associated with a number of combinations of the addresses; and 
 store asset information in association with each paired combination of a particular treatment option and a particular combination of addresses; and 
   a terminal coupled to the data storage unit and configured to:
 generate a patient identifier based on the matrix wherein the patient identifier comprises a patient-specific combination of the addresses; and 
 query the data storage unit to determine:
 a number of treatment options associated with the patient identifier; and 
 asset information associated with the number of treatment options. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the asset information comprises treatment plan information related to each paired combination of a particular treatment option and a particular combination of addresses. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the treatment information includes a text description of the treatment condition and goals, treatment precautions, treatment length estimates, doctor skill set requirements, prescription data, sample case data, and case difficulty. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the terminal is configured to determine the asset information using expert opinion data, computational algorithms data, historical case content data, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the terminal is further configured to associate each of the plurality of treatment options associated with a number of combinations of the addresses by formatting the treatment option in the same format as the combinations of addresses, wherein a particular treatment option includes at least one different value than a particular associated combination of addresses. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one different value comprises a particular treatment goal, wherein the particular treatment goal comprises one of: align for restorative dentistry, esthetic alignment, align Class 1 function, and align to ideal. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the remainder of values comprise the patient's current condition. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , where the terminal is one of a personal computer, workstation, and mainframe. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a user interface input device operatively coupled to the terminal; and   a user interface output device operatively coupled to the terminal   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a central server coupled to the terminal and the data storage unit. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the terminal is coupled to the data storage unit over a data network.