System and method for effective planning, visualization, and optimization of dental restorations

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for planning, visualizing, and/or optimizing dental restoration on at least a part of the pre-prepared teeth of a patient, wherein said method include the steps of: providing at least one 3D digital model of at least a part of the pre-prepared teeth; designing at least one dental restoration CAD model based on the 3D digital model of at least a part of the pre-prepared teeth; providing at least one 3D digital model of at least a part of the prepared teeth, where the prepared teeth are provided by preparing the pre-prepared teeth by dental restorative work, at least partly based on the dental restoration CAD model; and aligning the 3D models of the pre-prepared and the prepared teeth.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer readable program code being executable by a hardware data processor to cause the hardware data processor to:
 obtain a facial 3D digital model of the patient with at least a part of the teeth being visible;   obtain a dental restoration CAD model;   align the dental restoration CAD model with the visible teeth in the facial 3D digital model; and   visualize a dental restoration along with the patient's face by displaying the dental restoration CAD model aligned with the visible teeth in the facial 3D digital model.   
     
     
         3 . The computer program product according to  claim 2 , the computer readable program code being executable by the hardware data processor to cause the hardware data processor to cut and/or remove teeth from the obtained facial 3D digital model. 
     
     
         4 . The computer program product according to  claim 2 , the computer readable program code being executable by the hardware data processor to cause the hardware data processor to obtain a 3D digital model of at least a part of the patient's pre-prepared teeth. 
     
     
         5 . The computer program product according to  claim 4 , the computer readable program code being executable by the hardware data processor to cause the hardware data processor to align the 3D digital model of the pre-prepared teeth with the visible teeth in the facial 3D digital model. 
     
     
         6 . The computer program product according to  claim 2 , wherein the dental restoration CAD model comprises at least one dental restoration 3D digital model. 
     
     
         7 . The computer program product according to  claim 6 , the computer readable program code being executable by the hardware data processor to cause the hardware data processor to design the at least one dental restoration 3D digital model based on the 3D digital model of the pre-prepared teeth and/or on the 3D facial model. 
     
     
         8 . The computer program product according to  claim 2 , the computer readable program code being executable by the hardware data processor to cause the hardware data processor to predict a change in facial soft-tissue around the patient's mouth resulting from restorative work on the patient's teeth. 
     
     
         9 . The computer program product according to  claim 6 , the computer readable program code being executable by the hardware data processor to cause the hardware data processor to visualize the dental restoration 3D digital model aligned in the facial model 3D digital model on a computer screen. 
     
     
         10 . A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer readable program code being executable by a hardware data processor to cause the hardware data processor to:
 obtain a facial 3D digital model of the patient with at least a part of the teeth being visible;   obtain a dental restoration CAD model;   align the dental restoration CAD model with the visible teeth in the facial 3D digital model; and   visualize a dental restorative work on the patient by displaying the dental restoration CAD model aligned with the visible teeth in the facial 3D digital model.   
     
     
         11 . The computer program product according to  claim 10 , the computer readable program code being executable by the hardware data processor to cause the hardware data processor to modify and/or optimize the dental restoration CAD model. 
     
     
         12 . A method for visualizing proposed restorations along with the patient's face, the method comprising:
 obtaining a facial 3D digital model of the patient with at least a part of the teeth being visible;   obtaining a dental restoration CAD model;   aligning the dental restoration CAD model with the visible teeth in the facial 3D digital model; and   visualizing proposed restorations along with the patient's face by displaying the dental restoration CAD model aligned with the visible teeth in the facial 3D digital model.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the method comprises cutting and/or removing teeth from facial 3D digital model 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein obtaining the dental restoration CAD model comprises designing at least one dental restoration 3D digital model. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the dental restoration 3D digital model at least partly is designed based on biometric information for optimizing the aesthetic impression of the dental restoration. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the biometric information is derived from the facial 3D digital model. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein biometric information relates the facial midline, the arch midline, the incisal plane, the interpupillary line, the degree of maxillary anterior tooth display (Morley ratio), the upper lip drape, and/or the gingival display. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 12 , the method comprising obtaining a 3D digital model of at least a part of the patient's pre-prepared teeth and aligning the 3D digital model of the pre-prepared teeth with the visible teeth in the facial 3D digital model.