Method for preparing a physical plaster model

Abstract

The invention provides a method for creating a physical teeth model. The method comprises the following steps: providing a virtual three dimensional (3D) representation of a patient's dentition that comprises at least a region of the teeth that includes a tooth stump on which a crown is to be fitted or a region on to which a bridge is to be fitted; and preparing a physical model of the jaws of a subject from a blank, based on information from said virtual 3D image.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for generating a physical model for dental treatment, the system comprising:
 a processor operably coupled to a computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:   generate a first 3D digital model of a first dental arch of a patient;   generate a second 3D digital model of a second dental arch of a patient;   generate a 3D digital data of the first dental arch and second dental arch in occlusion; and   determine a spatial relationship of the first 3D digital model of the first dental arch and the second digital mode of the second arch based on the first 3D model, the second 3D model, and the 3D digital data;   output to a CAM apparatus to produce the physical model based on the first 3D model, the second 3D model, and the spatial relationship.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:
 digitally orientate the first 3D digital model with the second 3D digital model based on the spatial relationship.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first 3D digital model includes a first tooth of the patient, the second 3D digital model includes a second tooth of the patient, and the 3D digital data includes the first tooth in occlusion with the second tooth.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first 3D digital model includes a prepared tooth and surrounding teeth of the first dental arch and the second 3D digital model includes corresponding teeth of the second dental arch.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the 3D digital data includes the surrounding teeth of the first arch in occlusion with the corresponding teeth of the second arch.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:
 generate a prosthetic for the prepared tooth based on the spatial relationship between the 3D digital model of the first dental arch and the 3D digital model of the second dental arch in occlusion.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the prosthetic is a crown or bridge.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:
 virtually combine the first and second 3D digital models with an articulator.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:
 generate a virtual alignment structure to align the first and second 3D digital models in occlusion with the articulator.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to cause the fabrication of a physical model based on the 3D model of the first arch, the 3D model of the second arch, and the virtual alignment structures. 
     
     
         11 . A system for generating a tooth model for dental treatment, the system comprising:
 a processor operably coupled to a computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:   image a first dental arch of the patient to generate a first 3D digital model of the first dental arch of a patient;   image a second dental arch of the patient to generate a second 3D digital model of a second dental arch of a patient;   image the first dental arch and second dental arch in occlusion; and   determine a spatial relationship of the first 3D digital model of the first dental arch and the second 3D digital model of the second arch based on the imaging of the first dental arch and the second dental arch in occlusion.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:
 digitally orientating the first 3D digital model with the second 3D digital model based on the spatial relationship.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first 3D digital model includes a first tooth of the patient, the second 3D digital model includes a second tooth of the patient, and the 3D digital data includes the first tooth in occlusion with the second tooth.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first 3D digital model includes a prepared tooth and surrounding teeth of the first dental arch and the second 3D digital model includes corresponding teeth of the second dental arch.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the 3D digital data includes the surrounding teeth of the first arch in occlusion with the corresponding teeth of the second arch.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:
 generate a prosthetic for the prepared tooth based on the spatial relationship between the 3D digital model of the first dental arch and the 3D digital model of the second dental arch in occlusion.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the prosthetic is a crown or bridge.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:
 virtually combine the first and second 3D digital models with an articulator.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:
 generate a virtual alignment structure to align the first and second 3D digital models in occlusion with the articulator.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions which, when executed, cause the system to:
 fabricate a physical model based on the 3D model of the first arch, the 3D model of the second arch, and the virtual alignment structures.