Assisted dental implant treatment and replication system

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and methods for planning and/or delivering an oral or facial endosseous implantation in a patient are described. In certain embodiments, systems according to the invention include a processing module; a bone imaging module that communicates bone data about the patient to the processing module; a surface imaging module that communicates surface data about the patient to the processing module; and the processing module processes the bone data and the surface data into an output that includes three-dimensional (3-D) representation data indicative of at least one of an oral structure and a facial structure of the patient. In certain embodiments, a system includes a fabrication module that produces a physical model based on the 3-D representation data and indicating a planned location of an endosseous implant. In certain embodiments, a system includes a surgical module that guides implantation of an endosseous implant based on the 3-D representation data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, for planning an oral or facial endosseous implantation in a patient, comprising:
 a processing module;   a bone imaging module that communicates bone data to the processing module,   the bone data representative of at least a portion of a bone of the skull of the patient;   a surface imaging module that communicates surface data to the processing module, the surface data representative of at least a portion of a surface, of the patient, that is apart from the bone;   wherein the processing module processes the bone data and the surface data into an output comprising three-dimensional (3-D) representation data indicative of at least one of an oral structure and a facial structure of the patient;   a fabrication module that, based on the 3-D representation data, produces a temporary non-metal physical model of the at least one of the patient's oral structure or facial structure, the model indicating a planned location of an endosseous implant; and   a replicator device which utilizes the temporary non-metal physical model and replicates the pattern on the temporary non-metal physical model onto a metal, permanent blank giving the blank the same physical characteristics of the temporary non-metal physical model.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a hole in the model indicates the planned location of the endosseous implant. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a surgical module that, based on the 3-D representation data, guides implantation of the endosseous implant in the patient. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the bone comprises at least one of the mandible and the maxilla of the patient, and wherein the surface comprises an oral surface. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the oral surface comprises a surface of at least one of a gingiva, a tooth, and a dental prosthetic. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a treatment planning module that, based on a combination of the 3-D representation data and input received from a treatment planner, outputs a treatment plan to a machine-readable medium, the treatment plan comprising a parameter for a planned hole in the portion of the bone;
 wherein the planned hole is configured to receive the endosseous implant; and   wherein the parameter comprises at least one of a spatial location, a depth, a diameter, and an angular orientation of the planned hole.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the treatment planning module determines, based on at least one of a measured density, a measured absorption, and a measured intensity of a region of the portion of the bone, at least one of a number of planned holes and the parameter. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the fabrication module uses the input received from the treatment planner to produce the physical model. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a guide module that produces a surgical guide based on the physical model. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising the physical model. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising the surgical guide. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surface data are derived from imaging of a cast of oral structures of the patient. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the imaging of the oral structures comprises imaging with at least one of computed tomography, x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, optical imaging, acoustic imaging, and optical coherence tomography. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surface data are derived from imaging of oral structures of the patient. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the imaging of the oral structures comprises imaging with at least one of computed tomography, x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, optical imaging, acoustic imaging, and optical coherence tomography. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the bone data are derived from imaging by at least one of computed tomography, x-ray, and magnetic resonance imaging. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one imaging device comprises both the bone imaging module and the surface imaging module. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fabrication module comprises a milling machine that produces the physical model. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the fabrication module comprises a milling machine that produces the physical model. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the treatment planner comprises a human user. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the treatment planner comprises a computer program. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising the computer program. 
     
     
         23 . A system, for planning an oral or facial endosseous implantation in a patient, comprising:
 a processing module;   a bone imaging module that communicates bone data to the processing module,   the bone data representative of at least a portion of a bone of the skull of the patient;   a surface imaging module that communicates surface data to the processing module, the surface data representative of at least a portion of a surface, of the patient, that is apart from the bone;   wherein the processing module processes the bone data and the surface data into an output comprising three-dimensional (3-D) representation data indicative of at least one of an oral structure and a facial structure of the patient; and   a surgical module that, based on the 3-D representation data, guides implantation of an endosseous implant in the patient.   
     
     
         24 . A method, of planning an oral or facial endosseous implantation in a patient, comprising:
 providing a processing module;   communicating bone data to the processing module, the bone data representative of at least a portion of the bone of the skull of the patient;   communicating surface data to the processing module, the surface data representative of at least a portion of a surface, of the patient, that is apart from, and near, the bone;   with the processing module, processing the bone data and the surface data into an output comprising three-dimensional (3-D) representation data indicative of at least one of an oral structure and a facial structure of the patient;   a fabrication module that, based on the 3-D representation data, produces a temporary non-metal physical model of the at least one of the patient's oral structure or facial structure, the model indicating a planned location of an endosseous implant;   a replicator device which utilizes the temporary non-metal physical model and replicates the pattern on the temporary non-metal physical model onto a metal, permanent blank giving the blank the same physical characteristics of the temporary non-metal physical model.