System for determining final position of teeth

Abstract

An apparatus and method define a fit of a set of upper and lower teeth of a patient by generating a computer representation of the teeth; and determining an occlusion from the computer representation of the teeth using one or more keys.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for determining appliance geometries for orthodontic treatment of a patient's masticatory system, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
 generate a computer representation of the masticatory system of the patient; 
 determine an arch curve corresponding to a desired arrangement for a set of teeth of the masticatory system; 
 digitally model the set of teeth in a plurality of different arrangements representing successive repositioning of the set of teeth from an initial arrangement toward the desired arrangement; and 
 generate a plurality of appliances corresponding to the plurality of different arrangements, the plurality of appliances each having teeth receiving cavities, wherein the teeth receiving cavities of successive appliances have different geometries shaped to receive and resiliently reposition the set of teeth from one arrangement to a successive arrangement, and wherein the plurality of appliances is generated prior to the patient wearing an appliance of the plurality so as to reposition the set of teeth. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the arch curve is derived from a template model, data of the patient under treatment, or an occlusion of another patient. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to position one or more markers on one or more teeth of the computer representation of the masticatory system. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more markers are positioned on a facial surface, a lingual surface, or an occlusal surface of the one or more teeth. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to adjust a position and orientation of the one or more teeth so that the arch curve passes near or through the one or more markers. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more markers are positioned based on user input. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to determine a functional occlusion from the computer representation of the masticatory system, and wherein the set of teeth are digitally modeled in the plurality of different arrangements based on the functional occlusion. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the functional occlusion is determined using one or more keys. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more keys comprise one or more of: a) a molar relationship, b) a crown angulation, c) a crown inclination, d) teeth rotations, e) a tooth contact point, or f) an occlusal surface. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a display device coupled to the processor. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computer system for determining appliance geometries for orthodontic treatment of a patient's masticatory system, cause the computer system to:
 generate a computer representation of the masticatory system of the patient;   determine an arch curve corresponding to a desired arrangement for a set of teeth of the masticatory system;   digitally model the set of teeth in a plurality of different arrangements representing successive repositioning of the set of teeth from an initial arrangement toward the desired arrangement; and   generate a plurality of appliances corresponding to the plurality of different arrangements, the plurality of appliances each having teeth receiving cavities, wherein the teeth receiving cavities of successive appliances have different geometries shaped to receive and resiliently reposition the set of teeth from one arrangement to a successive arrangement, and wherein the plurality of appliances is generated prior to the patient wearing an appliance of the plurality so as to reposition the set of teeth.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the arch curve is derived from a template model, data of the patient under treatment, or an occlusion of another patient. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to position one or more markers on one or more teeth of the computer representation of the masticatory system. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more markers are positioned on a facial surface, a lingual surface, or an occlusal surface of the one or more teeth. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to adjust a position and orientation of the one or more teeth so that the arch curve passes near or through the one or more markers. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more markers are positioned based on user input. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to determine a functional occlusion from the computer representation of the masticatory system, and wherein the set of teeth are digitally modeled in the plurality of different arrangements based on the functional occlusion. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the functional occlusion is determined using one or more keys. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more keys comprise one or more of: a) a molar relationship, b) a crown angulation, c) a crown inclination, d) teeth rotations, e) a tooth contact point, or f) an occlusal surface. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a display device coupled to the processor.