Method of making a customized intraoral positioning device for user radiation therapy treatment

Abstract

A method is disclosed of making a customized intraoral positioning device to be positioned within a patient's mouth for radiation therapy planning and treatment of a head and/or neck of the patient, the method comprising: receiving a prescribed treatment plan using the customized intraoral positioning device, wherein the treatment plan includes a prescribed incisor separation and/or tongue position of the patient for intended treatment; creating impressions of the patient's upper and lower arches of the patient's mouth; introducing a registration device into the patient's mouth to position the upper and lower arches at the prescribed incisor separation, so as to enable a model of the patient's upper and lower arches to be registered; creating models of the patients upper and lower arches based upon the impressions of the patient's upper and lower arches; digitizing the models of the patient's upper and lower arches; assembling the models of the patient's upper and lower arches on registration device; and digitizing the assembly of the models on the registration device so as to obtain a relationship between the upper and lower arches at the prescribed incisor separation.

1 . A method of making a customized intraoral positioning device to be positioned within a patient's mouth for radiation therapy planning and treatment for a head and/or neck of the patient, the method comprising:
 receiving a prescribed treatment plan for using the customized intraoral positioning device, wherein the prescribed treatment plan includes an incisor separation and/or tongue position of the patient;   introducing a registration device into the patient's mouth to a position to align the upper and lower arches at the incisor separation;   digitizing the upper and lower arches with the registration device in alignment so as to obtain a relationship between the upper and lower arches at the prescribed incisor separation; and   creating a customized intraoral positioning device for the patient based on the relationship between the upper and lower arches at the incisor separation and prescribed treatment plan.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising creating dental impressions of upper and lower arches of the patient's mouth, wherein creating dental impressions include taking molds of the upper and lower arches of the patient's mouth. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising configuring one or more bite blocks on a base of the registration device to the prescribed separation of incisors of the patient. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising applying impression material to one or more arms of the base of the registration device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising creating models of the upper and lower arches of the patient's mouth from the impressions. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising digitizing the models of the upper and lower arches of the patients mouth. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising assembling the models on the registration device for proper placement and the incisor separation, so as to enable subsequent digitization of models in a prescribed position of the incisors. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising manufacturing the customized intraoral positioning device. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of making a customized intraoral positioning device to be positioned within a patient's mouth for a prescribed radiation therapy treatment plan for a head and/or neck of the patient, wherein the prescribed radiation treatment plan includes separation of incisors, the method comprising:
 obtaining dental records using digital scanning or imaging;   introducing a registration device into the patient's mouth at a set the separation to obtain positioning data including a relationship between upper and lower arches of the patient's mouth; and   using obtained positioning data, dental records and the prescribed radiation treatment plan to create a customized intraoral positioning device for the patient.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising creating dental impressions of the upper and lower arches of a patient's mouth, wherein creating dental impressions include the upper and lower arches, teeth, gums and soft pallet of the patient. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising configuring one or more bite blocks on a base of the registration device to the prescribed separation of incisors of the patient. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising taking digital scans of one or more points in the patient's mouth with the registration device deployed. 
     
     
         18 . A method of making a customized intraoral positioning device to be positioned within a mouth of a patient for radiation therapy treatment of a head and/or neck of the patient, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving digital records of an upper arch and a lower arch of the mouth of the patient;   (b) obtaining a relationship between the upper arch and lower arch based on the digital records; and   (c) creating a customized intraoral positioning device for the patient based on the relationship between the upper arch and the lower arch.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  18  further comprising receiving a treatment plan for using the customized intraoral positioning device on the patient, wherein the treatment plan includes an incisor separation and/or tongue position of the patient. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further including setting the incisor separation. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the relationship between the upper and lower arches is obtained at the incisor separation. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the customized intraoral positioning device is created based on the relationship between upper and lower arches at the incisor separation. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the digital records include computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 
     
     
         24 . A method of making a customized intraoral positioning device to be positioned within a mouth of a patient for radiation therapy treatment of a head and/or neck of the patient, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving a prescribed treatment plan for using the customized intraoral positioning device on the patient, wherein the prescribed treatment plan includes an incisor separation;   (b) receiving digital records of an upper arch and lower arch of the mouth of the patient at the incisor separation;   (b) obtaining a relationship between the upper arch and lower arch at the incisor separation based on the digital records; and   (c) creating a customized intraoral positioning device for the patient based on the relationship between the upper arch and lower arch at the incisor separation.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  further including setting the incisor separation. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the customized intraoral positioning device is created based on the relationship between the upper and the lower arch at the incisor separation. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the digital records include computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).