Oral scanning method, computing device and computer program product

Abstract

The present disclosure proposes an oral scanning method, a computing device and a computer program product. The method comprises: obtaining first scanning data of an oral cavity, including three-dimensional data of a complete dental arch; obtaining second scanning data of the oral cavity, the second scanning data including three-dimensional data of a plurality of scanning rods and / or three-dimensional data of auxiliary features; obtaining relative positional relationships of the plurality of scanning rods based on the second scanning data; obtaining third scanning data of the oral cavity, including three-dimensional data of a partial dental arch and three-dimensional data of at least part of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the auxiliary features; aligning the first scanning data and the second scanning data based on the third scanning data; and generating three-dimensional data of the oral cavity, including aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch and aligned positional information corresponding to the plurality of scanning rods. The method uses auxiliary features to obtain accurate relative positional relationships between scanning rods, simplifying the scanning process while ensuring the positioning accuracy of the scanning rods.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to dental implant technology, specifically to the use of an intraoral scanner to acquire three-dimensional oral cavity data. Embodiments of this disclosure provide oral scanning methods, computing devices, and computer program products. Background Technology

[0002] Oral scanning refers to the process of digitally acquiring detailed three-dimensional (3D) images of the oral cavity's internal structures (including teeth, gums, and surrounding tissues) using specialized optical technology. During an intraoral scan, dental professionals use a handheld device equipped with a camera and sensors (an intraoral scanner) to capture multiple images of the oral cavity from different angles. These images are transmitted to a computer workstation, where sophisticated algorithms rapidly stitch them together to generate a three-dimensional image of the patient's teeth and soft tissues.

[0003] In dental implant technology, the scanning bar is a crucial auxiliary tool. It is a small component, typically with a specific shape and structure, usually mounted on the implant or abutment. The main function of the scanning bar is to help the intraoral scanner accurately acquire three-dimensional positional information of the implant and surrounding tissues. How to efficiently and conveniently acquire three-dimensional data of the oral cavity using the scanning bar presents a challenge for relevant technicians. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, an oral cavity scanning method is provided. The method includes: acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner when no scanning rods are present in the oral cavity, the first scan data including three-dimensional data of a complete dental arch; acquiring second scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner when multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity, the multiple scanning rods being connected to auxiliary features, the second scan data including three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features; acquiring a relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods based on the second scan data; acquiring third scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner when multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity, the third scan data including three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch and at least a portion of three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or auxiliary features; aligning the first scan data and the second scan data based on the third scan data; and generating three-dimensional data of the oral cavity, the three-dimensional data of the oral cavity including aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch and aligned positional information corresponding to the multiple scanning rods, wherein the aligned positional information corresponding to the multiple scanning rods is obtained based on the relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods.

[0005] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, an oral cavity scanning method is provided. The method includes: acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner in the absence of scanning rods, the first scan data including three-dimensional data of a complete dental arch; acquiring second scan data of the oral cavity using the intraoral scanner, wherein multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity and connected to auxiliary features respectively, the second scan data including three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features; determining the relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods based on the second scan data; acquiring third scan data including three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch using the intraoral scanner when multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity; and generating three-dimensional data of the oral cavity based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods.

[0006] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a computing device is provided, comprising: a processing unit; and a memory coupled to the processing unit and containing instructions stored thereon, the instructions causing the device to perform the method according to the first aspect or the second method of this disclosure when executed by the processing unit.

[0007] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided, which is tangibly stored in a computer storage medium and includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method described according to a first or second aspect of this disclosure.

[0008] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable medium is provided that stores machine-executable instructions thereon, which, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method described according to a first or second aspect of this disclosure.

[0009] The summary section is provided for the purpose of presenting the chosen concepts in a simplified form, which will be further described in the detailed description below. The summary section is not intended to identify key or principal features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 Exemplary environments in which various embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented are shown;

[0011] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary dental arch with a scanning bar mounted is shown;

[0012] Figure 3 Exemplary implementations of the mounting scanning rod and auxiliary feature body according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown;

[0013] Figure 4Another exemplary implementation of the mounting scanning rod and auxiliary feature body according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0014] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart of an oral scanning method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0015] Figure 6 A schematic diagram illustrating the process of aligning scan data according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0016] Figure 7 A schematic flowchart of an oral scanning method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0017] Figure 8 A schematic flowchart of an oral scanning method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0018] Figure 9 A block diagram of a computing device capable of implementing some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0019] In these accompanying figures, the same or similar reference symbols are used to indicate the same or similar elements. The figures are for illustrative purposes only, and the sizes of the elements are not necessarily drawn to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0020] This disclosure will now be discussed with reference to several example implementations. It should be understood that these implementations are discussed only to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and thus implement this disclosure, and not to imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure.

[0021] As used herein, the term "comprising" and its variations are to be interpreted as open-ended terms meaning "including but not limited to". The term "based on" is to be interpreted as "at least partially based on". The terms "an implementation" and "an implementation" are to be interpreted as "at least one implementation". The term "another implementation" is to be interpreted as "at least one other implementation". The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0022] Implant scanning typically requires the use of scanning rods. An intraoral or extraoral scanner is used to accurately position multiple scanning rods relative to the dental arch within the mouth. Currently, the mainstream intraoral scanning rods are cylindrical. When using an intraoral scanner, the 3D data of the dental arch exposed through the cuff is usually acquired first. A copy of the scanned 3D data is made, and the cuff data is removed, leaving only the dental arch data. Then, the scanning rods are installed on the cuff, and 3D data of the dental arch with the scanning rods installed is acquired again based on the copied and removed cuff data. Because the dental arch of an edentulous jaw is a non-rigid body, soft and easily deformable, and relatively flat with indistinct features and poor reflectivity, the quality of the acquired 3D data is poor. Moreover, the traditional scanning rod positioning is based on the mutual registration of the dental arch 3D data, so its accuracy is often not guaranteed.

[0023] Some existing solutions have incorporated extraoral scanning technology into intraoral scanners to address the aforementioned accuracy issues. Extraoral scanners use photogrammetry to obtain the relative positional relationship of the scanning rods, which is then fused with the three-dimensional data of the dental arch acquired by the intraoral scanner. While this approach improves the positioning accuracy of the scanning rods, the high cost of extraoral scanners and the cumbersome process of two separate scans (extraoral and intraoral) limit its widespread adoption.

[0024] Traditionally, dental scanning systems locally acquire data from the dental arch and scanning arm, then send this data to a dental laboratory where it is used to synthesize oral images. The problem with this approach is that the dental laboratory may lack sufficient information to determine the positional relationship of the scanning arm relative to the dental arch. This limits the application of dental scanning technology.

[0025] In view of this, an improved scanning process based on intraoral scanning technology is proposed. Compared with existing solutions, the embodiments of this disclosure achieve a simpler scanning process while also improving the positioning accuracy of the scanning rod.

[0026] According to embodiments of this disclosure, without any scanning rods or auxiliary scanning components installed in the oral cavity, an intraoral scanner is used to acquire first scan data, including three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. When multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity (each scanning rod rigidly connected to an implant or implant abutment), auxiliary features are used to rigidly connect the scanning rods. These auxiliary features can have rich three-dimensional features, facilitating precise positioning of the relative positions between the scanning rods. After installation, an intraoral scanner is used to acquire second scan data, including three-dimensional data of the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features, and the relative positions of the scanning rods are determined based on this data. When scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity, an intraoral scanner is used to scan and acquire third scan data, including partial dental arch data and partial scanning rod and / or auxiliary feature data. The third scan data can combine the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch with the obtained relative positions of the scanning rods to generate three-dimensional data of the oral cavity. In some implementations, partial dental arch data is used for the first scan data, i.e., the 3D data of the complete dental arch is registered, while partial scan bar and / or auxiliary feature data is used for registration with the second scan data. Thus, with the aid of the third scan data, the relative positions of the complete dental arch's 3D data and the scan bars can be mapped to the same coordinate system. In some implementations, during the third scan, the 3D data of the scan bars and / or auxiliary features from the second scan data can be reused to obtain partial dental arch data for registration with the complete dental arch's 3D data.

[0027] The following is for reference Figures 1 to 9 Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail.

[0028] Figure 1 Exemplary environments in which various embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented are illustrated. One exemplary environment shows an intraoral scanning system 100, which includes an intraoral scanner 110 coupled together with a computing device 120 (e.g., a laptop computer, desktop computer, etc.). A communication link between the intraoral scanner 110 and the computing device 120 allows captured images to be transferred from the intraoral scanner 110 to the computing device 120 for further processing. The communication link between the intraoral scanner 110 and the computing device 120 can be a wired connection (e.g., Universal Serial Bus USB) or a wireless connection (e.g., Wi-Fi). It should be understood that other communication implementations are also possible.

[0029] The intraoral scanner 110 can be a handheld device that a user (dentist or related professional) can insert into a patient's mouth to capture images. As shown, the intraoral scanner 110 includes a tip 101 and a body 102. The tip 101 can be a pluggable component or integrated integrally with the intraoral scanner 110. A camera or optical system is located at the top of the tip 101 for capturing images of teeth and surrounding tissues (such as gums). During the scan, the intraoral scanner 110 acquires detailed information about intraoral entities, such as the scanning bar, teeth, gums, and surrounding soft tissues, converting the morphology of the oral cavity into digital image data.

[0030] The computing device 120 is the data processing and computing center of the intraoral scanning system 100. It receives image data transmitted from the intraoral scanner 110 and processes this data using its computing power. The computing device 120 uses specific algorithms to stitch and fit numerous discrete image data points, thereby constructing three-dimensional scan data. The three-dimensional scan data can be displayed on the screen 115 for user viewing and operation. The computing device 120 can also have data analysis capabilities, such as automatically identifying the classification of data in the three-dimensional scan data (e.g., dental arch, teeth, scanning rod, or other components), thereby achieving image segmentation.

[0031] In some embodiments, the computing device 120 may use a machine learning-based deep neural network to perform image segmentation. Generally, machine learning can include three phases: a training phase, a testing phase, and a usage phase (also known as an inference phase). In the training phase, a given model is trained using a large amount of training data, iteratively updating parameter values ​​until the model can consistently obtain inferences from the training data that meet the expected goals. Through training, the model can be considered to have learned the association between inputs and outputs (also known as an input-output mapping) from the training data. The parameter values ​​of the trained model are determined. In the testing phase, test inputs are applied to the trained model to test whether the model can provide the correct output, thereby determining the model's performance. In the usage phase, the model can be used to process actual inputs based on the trained parameter values ​​to determine the corresponding output.

[0032] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary dental arch equipped with scanning rods is shown. As shown, several scanning rods 20 are mounted on the dental arch 10. In the field of dental implantology, the scanning rods serve as auxiliary scanning tools and are connected to the implant or implant abutment. Figure 2In the image, the implant or implant abutment is obscured by the scanning rod 20 (not shown). The main function of the scanning rod is to help the intraoral scanner accurately acquire the three-dimensional position information of the implant within the oral cavity during the scanning process. Its surface usually has special markings or geometric shapes, which facilitate the scanner's identification and precise recording of key data such as the implant's position and angle.

[0033] In practical applications, the positioning accuracy of the scanning rod is crucial. Even the slightest connection error can lead to inaccurate scanning data, which in turn affects subsequent implant restoration work. For example, when fabricating crowns or other restorations, if the scanning data is incorrect, the restoration may not fit the implant precisely, resulting in poor restoration outcomes such as malocclusion or loose margins.

[0034] To improve the positioning accuracy of the scanning rod, an improved scanning rod is provided. One end of the scanning rod is fixed to the dental implant in the dental arch, and the other end is rigidly connected to an auxiliary feature with scanning and recognition capabilities. During scanning, multiple scanning rods are installed intraorally. A rigid connection is established between the scanning rods through the auxiliary feature. Three-dimensional scanning is performed on the scanning rods, the auxiliary feature, and a portion of the dental arch to obtain the relative positional relationship of the scanning rods and the three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch. In this paper, the rigid connection can be a physically contacting rigid connection or a physically non-contact but close-to-each connection, allowing the intraoral scanner to cover multiple scanning rods or auxiliary features within the same field of view.

[0035] Figure 3 Exemplary implementations of mounting scanning rods and auxiliary features according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. As shown, a dental arch 10 is equipped with a plurality of scanning rods 20, each scanning rod 20 being fixed to an implant in the dental arch 10. One end of an auxiliary feature 30 is connected to a scanning rod 20, for example, it can be detachably connected to the corresponding scanning rod 20. Alternatively, the auxiliary feature 30 can be integrally formed to the corresponding scanning rod 20. In this document, the auxiliary feature 30 can be considered as part of a scanning rod, which can be considered as including a component 20 connected to the implant and the additional auxiliary feature 30. In some embodiments, in a non-secured state, the auxiliary feature 30 can rotate about the scanning rod 20 to which it is connected. During scanning, the auxiliary feature 30 is secured to the scanning rod 20. The other end of the auxiliary feature 30 can extend outside the mouth. Extending the auxiliary feature 30 outside the mouth reduces the need for the patient to keep their mouth open for extended periods, which is beneficial for obtaining stable scan images and improving the patient experience.

[0036] Outside the oral cavity, multiple auxiliary features 30 can be close to or in contact with each other, allowing a single field of view of the intraoral scanner to accommodate multiple auxiliary features 30 to determine their relative positional relationships. Then, based on the correspondence between the pose of the auxiliary features 30 and the position of their connected scanning rods 20, the relative positional relationships among the multiple scanning rods 20 can be calculated. These relative positional relationships are obtained from the scanning registration relationships of the auxiliary features 30 connected to the scanning rods 20. Because these three-dimensional auxiliary features are rigid objects with good reflective properties and prominent three-dimensional features, they are easy to scan and image, resulting in high-quality images and significantly improving the positioning accuracy of the scanning rods.

[0037] In some implementations, the field of view of the intraoral scanner does not necessarily need to cover all auxiliary features 30; covering at least two scanning rods or auxiliary features is sufficient to determine the relative positions of at least two scanning rods. If more scanning rods exist, the relative positions of all scanning rods can be determined by spatial derivation through pairwise transfer. This ensures that the cumulative error during actual scanning is smaller, especially since the end-to-end distance between the two farthest scanning rods is minimized by converging them together. Therefore, it is not necessary to scan or reconstruct the entire scanning rod (including auxiliary features, which can be considered part of the scanning rod); only a portion of the scanning rod or auxiliary feature needs to be scanned or reconstructed. When the field of view of the intraoral scanner can cover a portion of at least two scanning rods, the relative positions of two scanning rods can be reliably determined, thereby obtaining the relative positions of all scanning rods.

[0038] In some embodiments, if the multiple auxiliary features 30 are far apart, the end of the auxiliary feature 30 furthest from the scanning rod 20 can be permanently attached to a tray 40, for example, by attaching the tray 40 to all the auxiliary features 30 outside the mouth. After installation, only a three-dimensional scan of the tray 40 and the multiple auxiliary features 30 on the tray is needed. The three-dimensional pose of each auxiliary feature can uniquely determine the position of the intraoral scanning rod to which it is connected, thereby determining the relative positional relationship of the multiple intraoral scanning rods.

[0039] Figure 4 Another exemplary implementation of the mounting scanning rod and auxiliary feature body according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Compared to Figure 3 The auxiliary feature 30 is located entirely inside the oral cavity, with its ends away from the scanning bar 20 close to each other (or in contact). Optionally, the auxiliary feature 30 can be attached to the tray 40. The tray 40 can be temporarily bonded to the dental arch 10 or the scanning bar 20.

[0040] The tray 40 can be a rigid object with a fixed shape and relatively rich three-dimensional features. It can be connected to the auxiliary feature 30, the scanning rod 20, or the patient's dental arch 10 by mechanical fixing or adhesive methods such as positioning screws or clips. The tray can also be made of easily solidifying materials such as alginate or glue, and can be temporarily bonded to the auxiliary feature 30, the scanning rod 20, or the patient's dental arch 10. The tray 40 can have rich three-dimensional features, such as a certain degree of undulation in its overall shape, with relatively rich and random details, avoiding large areas of smooth, flat surfaces. The function of the tray 40 is to help establish better scanning registration relationships between the scanning rods when the connection distance between the auxiliary feature or the scanning rod is far, or when the scannable range is relatively small compared to the scanner's field of view.

[0041] The tray 40 is an optional auxiliary scanning accessory. Its main function is to help establish better scanning registration relationships between scanning rods when the interconnection distance between scannable rigid objects (scanning rods 20 or auxiliary features 30) is relatively large, or when the scannable range of the rigid objects is relatively small relative to the scanner's field of view. If the scanning rods 20 are connected relatively close or in contact through the auxiliary features 30, and the scannable area is sufficient, and multiple scanning rods (at least two) are covered within the same field of view of the scanner, and the covered scannable feature range is large enough, the tray is not needed. On the other hand, if the distance between multiple scanning rods 20 with auxiliary features 30 is large, and it is difficult for the scanner to simultaneously cover the relatively rich feature patterns between multiple scanning rods 20 within the same field of view, the tray 40 can be used, such as... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown.

[0042] To simplify processes and improve efficiency, embodiments of this disclosure provide an automated method for identifying data categories in scanned data using a deep neural network. The deep neural network can be trained to identify point cloud categories in 3D data, determining whether they belong to dental arches, scan bars, or auxiliary features. In some embodiments, the 3D data can be classified into three categories: dental arches, scan bars, and auxiliary features. Alternatively, the scanned data can be classified into two categories: dental arches and scan bars and / or auxiliary features. Then, based on the results of the automated identification, point clouds identified as scan bars and auxiliary features, or data identified as dental arches, are extracted.

[0043] In some embodiments, a deep neural network can be trained using the following method. First, point cloud data of the dental arch, including scanning rods and auxiliary features, is collected. The point cloud data has labeled category information. The point cloud data may include 3D point coordinate information, normal vector information, color information, etc. The point clouds are then manually labeled, assigning unique labels to different types of point clouds, such as 0 for the gingiva, 1 for the scanning rods, and 2 for the auxiliary features.

[0044] Next, the 3D point cloud data is normalized and augmented. Data normalization can include, but is not limited to, methods such as min-max normalization and mean normalization to standardize information such as coordinates and normal vectors of the point cloud, aiming to eliminate the impact of dimensional differences between data on the network. Data augmentation is used to augment the collected point cloud to expand the data volume. For example, one or more rotation matrices can be created to give dental arches, scan rods, or auxiliary feature bodies various different orientations to enhance the robustness of the network.

[0045] Then, using the normalized and enhanced 3D point cloud data as training data, a deep neural network is trained to obtain the trained deep neural network. A classification-related deep neural network (including but not limited to dynamic graph convolutional networks) is used for classification training based on the training data. The input of the deep neural network is the enhanced point cloud data mentioned above, and the output label is the label for each point cloud. After the deep network model converges, the final network used for the classification task is determined.

[0046] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart of an oral cavity scanning method 500 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Method 500 can be, for example... Figure 1 The method is implemented using the computing device 120 shown. It should be understood that the method 500 may also include additional actions not shown and / or the actions shown may be omitted, and the scope of this disclosure is not limited in this respect.

[0047] In general, method 500 synthesizes a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity through three scans. One scan is performed without a scanning rod (hereinafter referred to as the first scan) to acquire data of the complete dental arch. The other two scans are performed with a scanning rod installed in the oral cavity, including a scan for acquiring the relative positional relationship of the scanning rod (hereinafter referred to as the second scan) and a scan for partial dental arch data and partial scanning rod and / or auxiliary feature data for data registration (hereinafter referred to as the third scan). The scan data obtained from each scan can have their own coordinate system. The order of the first, second, and third scans can be changed, and this disclosure does not limit this. For example, the first scan without a scanning rod can be performed first, followed by the second and third scans with a scanning rod, or the second and third scans with a scanning rod can be performed first, followed by the first scan without a scanning rod. It is understood that performing the second and third scans consecutively is advantageous, as it avoids the repeated installation and removal of the scanning rod and auxiliary features.

[0048] The following explanation uses the example of executing the first scan, second scan, and third scan in sequence.

[0049] Method 500 includes: in block 510, acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner without a scanning rod inside the oral cavity. The first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. The first scan data has a first coordinate system. The first scan data can be transmitted and saved to a computing device connected to the intraoral scanner.

[0050] In frame 520, with multiple scanning rods installed in the oral cavity, a second scan of the oral cavity is acquired by an intraoral scanner. These multiple scanning rods are connected to auxiliary features. The second scan data includes three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features. The second scan data has a second coordinate system. The second scan data can be transmitted and saved to a computing device connected to the intraoral scanner.

[0051] Prior to the scan, multiple scanning rods are pre-installed in the oral cavity, each connected to an auxiliary feature. During the scan, the intraoral scanner acquires scan data that may include 3D data of the scanning rods, 3D data of the auxiliary features, and 3D data of a portion of the dental arch (the scanning rods and auxiliary features may obscure a portion of the dental arch). Optionally, the auxiliary features or scanning rods may be connected to a tray, and the scan data may also include 3D data of the tray. In some embodiments, the scan data can be automatically categorized to obtain the 3D data of the scanning rods, the auxiliary features, and a portion of the dental arch.

[0052] In box 530, the relative positional relationship of multiple scanning rods is determined based on the second scan data. In some embodiments, the relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods can be represented by the coordinate information or three-dimensional data of each scanning rod in a second coordinate system. In some embodiments, the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods can be calculated in real time during the execution of the second scan. When sufficient scanning rod data and / or auxiliary feature body data have been acquired and the relative positional relationship has been calculated, the user can be prompted to stop the second scan.

[0053] In some embodiments, the ends of the auxiliary features furthest from the scanning levers can be positioned close to or in contact with each other. In the second scan, a single field of view of the intraoral scanner accommodates at least two auxiliary features, allowing the relative positional relationship between the corresponding scanning levers connected to the auxiliary features to be determined. Specifically, the relative positional relationship between the scanning levers is obtained through the scanning registration relationship of the auxiliary features, without needing to reference soft tissues within the oral cavity (such as gums). Compared to soft tissues with fewer features, auxiliary features are rigid objects with good reflectivity and prominent three-dimensional features, significantly improving the positioning accuracy of the scanning levers.

[0054] In frame 540, with multiple scanning rods installed intraorally, a third scan of the oral cavity is acquired using an intraoral scanner. This third scan data includes three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch and at least a portion of the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or auxiliary features. The third scan data has a third coordinate system. The three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch may be data of the gingiva connected to or near the base of the scanning rods. The three-dimensional data of at least a portion of the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features may be scan data of the portion of the scanning rod and the portion of the auxiliary feature near the gingiva.

[0055] In the third scan, the intraoral scanner acquires three-dimensional data including dental arch data, scan bar data, and auxiliary feature data. Through automated identification, the three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch, as well as the three-dimensional data of multiple scan bars and / or auxiliary features, can be identified.

[0056] In some embodiments, the three-dimensional data of the scanning rod and auxiliary features obtained during the second scan can be reused as the three-dimensional data of the scanning rod and / or auxiliary features in the third scan data. During the third scan, scanning continues based on the second scan data to obtain three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch. In this case, the third scan data and the second scan data have the same second coordinate system.

[0057] In box 550, the first and second scan data are aligned based on the third scan data. Through alignment, the first and second scan data can be transformed into the same coordinate system, referred to herein as the target coordinate system. By registering the first and third scan data and configuring the second and third scan data, the first and second scan data can be transformed into the same target coordinate system. The target coordinate system can be determined based on the third coordinate system; for example, it can be the third coordinate system itself or a coordinate system with a predetermined transformation relationship to the third coordinate system.

[0058] In frame 560, three-dimensional data of the oral cavity is generated. This three-dimensional data includes aligned 3D data of the complete dental arch and aligned positional information corresponding to multiple scanning rods. The aligned positional information corresponding to the multiple scanning rods is obtained based on the relative positional relationships of the multiple scanning rods. The aligned 3D data of the complete dental arch and the aligned positional information corresponding to the multiple scanning rods are in the same target coordinate system.

[0059] In some embodiments, aligned 3D data of the complete dental arch and aligned position information corresponding to multiple scanning rods can be combined to form a 3D image of the oral cavity. In some embodiments, separate files can be generated to store the dental arch data and the position information of the scanning rods in the target coordinate system, respectively. In some embodiments, the position information of the scanning rods may include the 3D coordinates of the positions of multiple scanning rods, the 3D data of multiple scanning rods, or the 3D data of components that can replace the scanning rods. The generated 3D data of the oral cavity can be sent to a technical institution for dental implant fabrication.

[0060] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a process for aligning scan data according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The alignment of scan data can be performed in a separate process (i.e., offline mode) after three scans have been completed and first, second, and third scan data have been acquired respectively. Alternatively, the alignment process can be performed during the third scan (i.e., real-time mode). Scan data alignment is achieved by registering the first and second scan data with the third scan data, converting the first and second scan data to the same target coordinate system.

[0061] The alignment process may include, based on the registration of the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data with the three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch in the third scan data, determining a first transformation relationship from a first coordinate system to a target coordinate system in the first scan data. Through this first transformation relationship, the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first coordinate system can be converted to the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the target coordinate system. The alignment process also includes, based on the registration of at least a portion of the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or auxiliary features in the third scan data with the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods in the second scan data, determining a second transformation relationship from the second coordinate system to the target coordinate system. Through this second transformation relationship, the relative positional relationship of the scanning rods in the second coordinate system can be converted to the positional information of the scanning rods in the target coordinate system. Thus, the alignment of the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch and the positional information of the scanning rods is achieved.

[0062] In some embodiments, the third scan data may be obtained based on the second scan data, and both have the same second coordinate system. In this case, the registration between the second and third scan data can be omitted. To align the first and second scan data, a transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the second coordinate system can be determined based on the registration of the 3D data of a portion of the dental arch in the third scan data with the 3D data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data. Then, based on the transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the second coordinate system, the 3D data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data is converted into aligned 3D data of the complete dental arch, i.e., data in the target coordinate system.

[0063] Figure 7 A schematic flowchart of an oral cavity scanning method 700 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Method 700 can be, for example... Figure 1 The method is implemented using the computing device 120 shown. It should be understood that method 700 may also include additional actions not shown and / or the actions shown may be omitted, and the scope of this disclosure is not limited in this respect. According to method 700, during the third scan, the first scan data and the second scan data are aligned based on real-time acquired partial dental arch data and scan data / auxiliary feature data.

[0064] In frame 702, without a scanning rod inside the oral cavity, the first scan data of the oral cavity is acquired using an intraoral scanner. The first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. After completing the first scan, the scanning rod and auxiliary feature are installed, and then the second and third scans are performed sequentially.

[0065] In box 704, a second scan is performed to acquire second scan data, including 3D data of the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features. During the execution of the second scan, the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods can be calculated in real time. When sufficient 3D data of the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features is acquired, the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods can be calculated.

[0066] In box 706, it is determined whether the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods has been determined. If not, return to box 704 and continue acquiring 3D data of the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features. If yes, proceed to box 708 to perform a third scan and acquire third data, including 3D data of a portion of the dental arch and 3D data of the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features. In some embodiments, if it is determined that the relative positional relationship of the scanning rods has been calculated, the user may be prompted to use an intraoral scanner to acquire the third scan data. For example, the display screen of the computing device may display a prompt message, or the intraoral scanner may vibrate or emit a prompting sound to alert the user.

[0067] In some embodiments, scanning can continue based on the second scan data to acquire third scan data. For example, after being prompted, the user uses an intraoral scanner to scan part of the dental arch to acquire partial dental arch data. This partial dental arch data is used for registration with the first scan data. For example, the partial dental arch data includes scan data of the gingiva connected to the scanning rod or near the bottom of the scanning rod. During the third scan, registration of the first and third scan data can be performed in real time. The first scan data is acquired separately and already contains sufficient complete dental arch data. During the third scan, when sufficient partial dental arch data is acquired, registration of the first and third scan data can be completed. In some embodiments, the acquired three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch can be displayed on the screen, without displaying the three-dimensional data of the scanning rod and auxiliary features.

[0068] During the third scan, registration of the first and third scan data, as well as registration of the second and third scan data, can be performed in real time. During the acquisition of the third scan data, for example, before the registration of the first and third scan data is completed, the user can be prompted to use an intraoral scanner to acquire more dental arch data for registration of the first and third scan data. Similarly, during the acquisition of the third scan data, before the registration of the second and third scan data is completed, the user can be prompted to use an intraoral scanner to acquire more data on the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features for registration of the first and third scan data.

[0069] In box 710, it is determined whether registration has been completed. If not, method 700 returns to box 708 to continue acquiring the third scan data. If yes, method 700 proceeds to box 712 to convert the complete dental arch data and scan bar position information to the same coordinate system. This step is similar to... Figure 5 Step 550 is similar and will not be repeated here.

[0070] In box 714, generate 3D oral cavity data. This step is related to... Figure 5 Steps 5 and 60 are similar and will not be repeated here.

[0071] The advantage of Method 700 is that it can align the position of the scanning rod and the dental arch data during intraoral scanning. In some cases, insufficient scanning of part of the dental arch data may lead to unsuccessful alignment after the scanning rod is removed. This requires rework, reinstalling the scanning rod and rescanning, which is inconvenient and increases patient time and pain. Method 700, however, first scans the entire dental arch to obtain sufficient complete arch data; after installing the scanning rod, completing the scanning, and obtaining the relative positional relationship, data alignment is performed while continuing to scan part of the dental arch data, significantly improving the probability of successful alignment. Even if rework is required, there is no need to reinstall the scanning rod, reducing patient time and pain. Moreover, if the alignment result is unsatisfactory after obtaining the third scan data, it is easy to obtain the third scan data again to obtain a better alignment result, increasing the flexibility of accurately obtaining data alignment relationships.

[0072] Figure 8 A schematic flowchart of an oral cavity scanning method 800 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Method 800 can be, for example... Figure 1 The method is implemented using the computing device 120 shown. It should be understood that the method 800 may also include additional actions not shown and / or the actions shown may be omitted, and the scope of this disclosure is not limited in this respect.

[0073] Method 800 includes: in block 810, acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner without scanning rods in the oral cavity, the first scan data including three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch; and in block 820, acquiring second scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner, wherein multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity and are respectively connected to auxiliary features, the second scan data including three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features.

[0074] In block 830, the relative positional relationship of multiple scanning rods is determined based on the second scan data. The specific implementation of blocks 810 to 830 is similar to that of blocks 710 to 730 in method 700, and will not be described again here.

[0075] Method 800 further includes: at block 840, with multiple scanning rods installed in the oral cavity, acquiring third scan data including three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch using an intraoral scanner. In this step, the third scan data acquired by the intraoral scanner may also include three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or three-dimensional data of auxiliary features. The three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features can be removed from the third scan data. The retained three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch is used to align the first scan data and the second scan data. In some embodiments, during the acquisition of the third scan data, the three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch is displayed on a screen, without displaying the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and auxiliary features.

[0076] In frame 850, a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity is generated based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the three-dimensional data of a partial dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationships of multiple scanning rods. The positional information of the scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch can be determined using the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch from the third scan data, as this part of the dental arch is adjacent to the scanning rods and carries their positional information. Then, a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity is generated based on the positional relationships of the scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch and the relative positional relationships among the scanning rods. The resulting three-dimensional image of the oral cavity contains spatial information of the dental arch and the precise positioning of the scanning rods within it.

[0077] It should be noted that the above is for reference only. Figures 5 to 8 Some steps or details of any method or process described herein also apply to other methods, and will not be repeated hereafter.

[0078] Figure 9 A schematic block diagram of an example device 900 that can be used to implement embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. As shown, device 900 includes a computing unit 901, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to computer program instructions stored in read-only memory (ROM) 902 or loaded from storage unit 906 into random access memory (RAM) 903. Various programs and data required for the operation of device 900 may also be stored in RAM 903. The computing unit 901, ROM 902, and RAM 903 are interconnected via bus 904. Input / output (I / O) interface 905 is also connected to bus 904.

[0079] Multiple components in device 900 are connected to I / O interface 905, including: input unit 906, such as keyboard, mouse, etc.; output unit 907, such as various types of monitors, speakers, etc.; storage unit 908, such as disk, optical disk, etc.; and communication unit 909, such as network card, modem, wireless transceiver, etc. Communication unit 909 allows device 900 to exchange information / data with other devices through computer networks such as the Internet and / or various telecommunications networks.

[0080] The computing unit 901 can be a variety of general-purpose and / or special-purpose processing components with processing and computing capabilities. Some examples of the computing unit 901 include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), various special-purpose artificial intelligence (AI) computing chips, various computing units running machine learning model algorithms, a digital signal processor (DSP), and any suitable processor, controller, microcontroller, etc. The computing unit 901 performs the various methods and processes described above. For example, in some embodiments, method 500 may be implemented as a computer software program tangibly contained in a machine-readable medium, such as storage unit 908. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program may be loaded and / or installed on device 900 via ROM 902 and / or communication unit 909. When the computer program is loaded into RAM 903 and executed by computing unit 901, one or more steps of any of the methods described above may be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, computing unit 901 may be configured to perform the methods provided in this disclosure by any other suitable means (e.g., by means of firmware).

[0081] In some embodiments, the methods and processes described above can be implemented as a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions loaded thereon for performing various aspects of this disclosure.

[0082] Computer-readable storage media can be tangible devices capable of holding and storing instructions for use by an instruction execution device. Computer-readable storage media can be, for example—but not limited to—electrical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, electromagnetic storage devices, semiconductor storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media include: portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital multifunction disc (DVD), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanical encoding devices, such as punch cards or recessed protrusions storing instructions thereon, and any suitable combination thereof. The computer-readable storage media used herein are not to be construed as transient signals themselves, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses through fiber optic cables), or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0083] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from computer-readable storage media to various computing / processing devices, or downloaded via a network, such as the Internet, local area network, wide area network, and / or wireless network, to an external computer or external storage device. The network may include copper cables, fiber optic cables, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards them to computer-readable storage media within the respective computing / processing device.

[0084] Computer program instructions used to perform the operations of this disclosure may be assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, status setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​and conventional procedural programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may execute entirely on a user's computer, partially on a user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on a user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving a remote computer, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)—or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry, such as programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or programmable logic arrays (PLAs), is personalized by utilizing the status information of the computer-readable program instructions to implement various aspects of this disclosure.

[0085] These computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processing unit of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine such that, when executed by the processing unit of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, they create means for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that causes a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to operate in a particular manner. Thus, the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions for implementing aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0086] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby causing the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to perform the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0087] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of devices, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of an instruction containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than those shown in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0088] The following lists some example implementations of this disclosure.

[0089] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides an oral cavity scanning method, comprising: acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner when no scanning rods are present in the oral cavity, the first scan data including three-dimensional data of a complete dental arch; acquiring second scan data of the oral cavity using the intraoral scanner when multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity, the multiple scanning rods being connected to auxiliary features, the second scan data including three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features; acquiring a relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods based on the second scan data; acquiring third scan data of the oral cavity using the intraoral scanner when the multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity, the third scan data including three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch and at least a portion of the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or the auxiliary features; aligning the first scan data and the second scan data based on the third scan data; and generating three-dimensional data of the oral cavity, the three-dimensional data of the oral cavity including aligned three-dimensional data of a complete dental arch and aligned positional information corresponding to the multiple scanning rods, wherein the aligned positional information corresponding to the multiple scanning rods is obtained based on the relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods.

[0090] In some implementations, the first scan data has a first coordinate system, the second scan data has a second coordinate system, and aligning the first scan data and the second scan data includes: determining a first transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the target coordinate system based on the registration of the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch in the third scan data with the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data; and determining a second transformation relationship from the second coordinate system to the target coordinate system based on the registration of at least a portion of the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the auxiliary features in the third scan data with the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the auxiliary features in the second scan data.

[0091] In some implementations, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods includes coordinate information or three-dimensional data of each scanning rod in the second coordinate system. The method further includes: converting the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data into the aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch based on the first transformation relationship; and converting the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods into the aligned positional information corresponding to the plurality of scanning rods based on the second transformation relationship.

[0092] In some implementations, acquiring third scan data of the oral cavity via the intraoral scanner includes: continuing to scan based on the second scan data to acquire the third scan data.

[0093] In some implementations, the first scan data has a first coordinate system, the second scan data and the third scan data have the same second coordinate system, and wherein aligning the first scan data and the second scan data includes: determining a transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the second coordinate system based on the registration of the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch in the third scan data with the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data; and converting the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data into the aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch based on the transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the second coordinate system.

[0094] In some implementations, the plurality of scanning rods are connected to an auxiliary feature, and the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning components is obtained based on the second scan data by: determining the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods based on the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature in the second scan data.

[0095] In some implementations, the method further includes: calculating the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods during the acquisition of the second scan data.

[0096] In some implementations, the method further includes prompting the use of the intraoral scanner to acquire the third scan data in response to completing the calculation of the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods.

[0097] In some implementations, during the acquisition of the third scan data, the first scan data and the second scan data are aligned based on the acquired third scan data.

[0098] In some implementations, during the acquisition of the third scan data, the method further includes: prompting the user to use the intraoral scanner to acquire more dental arch data for registration of the first scan data and the third scan data; and / or prompting the user to use the intraoral scanner to acquire more scanning rod data for registration of the second scan data and the third scan data.

[0099] In some implementations, the aligned position information includes at least one of the following: three-dimensional coordinates of the positions of the plurality of scanning rods; three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods; or three-dimensional data of a component that replaces the plurality of scanning rods.

[0100] In some implementations, the method further includes: automatically identifying data belonging to the dental arch, data belonging to the scanning rod, and / or three-dimensional data belonging to auxiliary features in the second and third scan data.

[0101] In some implementations, the auxiliary feature is detachably connected to the corresponding scanning rod.

[0102] In some implementations, the auxiliary feature body is integrally formed and connected to the corresponding scanning rod.

[0103] In some implementations, the auxiliary feature body can rotate about the scanning rod to which it is connected when it is not tightened.

[0104] In some implementations, one end of the auxiliary feature is connected to the scanning rod, and the other end is immovably connected to a tray with three-dimensional features.

[0105] In some implementations, one end of the auxiliary feature is connected to the scanning rod, and the other end is located outside the oral cavity.

[0106] In some implementations, one end of each of the plurality of auxiliary feature bodies is connected to a corresponding scanning rod, and the other ends are close to or in contact with each other.

[0107] In some implementations, when the intraoral scanner is used to acquire the first scan data, a single field of view of the intraoral scanner can accommodate at least two auxiliary features, such that the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods connected to the at least two auxiliary features can be determined.

[0108] In some implementations, the method further includes using a trained deep neural network to identify data in the first scan data belonging to the dental arch and three-dimensional data belonging to the scan bar and / or the auxiliary feature body.

[0109] In some implementations, determining the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods includes: determining the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods based on the identified three-dimensional data belonging to the auxiliary feature and / or the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods.

[0110] In some implementations, the deep neural network is obtained by: collecting three-dimensional point cloud data of the dental arch including the scanning rod and the auxiliary feature body, the three-dimensional point cloud data having labeled category information; normalizing and enhancing the three-dimensional point cloud data; and training the deep neural network using the normalized and enhanced three-dimensional point cloud data to obtain the trained deep neural network.

[0111] In some implementations, synthesizing a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity includes: determining the positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch based on the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch and the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch; and synthesizing a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity based on the positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch and the relative positional relationship between the plurality of scanning rods.

[0112] In some implementations, the method is performed by a computing device locally connected to the intraoral scanner.

[0113] In a second aspect, this disclosure provides an oral cavity scanning method, comprising: acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner when no scanning rods are present in the oral cavity, the first scan data including three-dimensional data of a complete dental arch; acquiring second scan data of the oral cavity using the intraoral scanner, wherein multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity and the multiple scanning rods are respectively connected to auxiliary features, the second scan data including three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features; determining the relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods based on the second scan data; acquiring third scan data including three-dimensional data of a partial dental arch using the intraoral scanner when the multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity; and generating three-dimensional data of the oral cavity based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods.

[0114] In some implementations, the third scan data acquired by an intraoral scanner, which includes three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch, includes displaying the three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch on a display screen, without displaying the three-dimensional data of multiple scanning rods and auxiliary features.

[0115] In some implementations, acquiring third scan data, including three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch, via an intraoral scanner includes: acquiring three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch in response to a prompt that the relative positional relationships of multiple scanning rods have been calculated, wherein the portion of the dental arch includes the gingiva connected to or near the bottom of the scanning rods.

[0116] In some implementations, the third scan data acquired by an intraoral scanner, which includes three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch, includes: acquiring three-dimensional data of multiple scanning rods, three-dimensional data of auxiliary features, and three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch; and removing the three-dimensional data of multiple scanning rods and the three-dimensional data of auxiliary features from the third scan data.

[0117] In some implementations, generating a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity includes: determining the positional relationship of multiple scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch based on three-dimensional data of a partial dental arch and three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch; and synthesizing a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity based on the positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch and the relative positional relationship between the multiple scanning rods.

[0118] In some implementations, determining the relative positional relationship of multiple scanning rods based on the second scan data includes: determining the relative positional relationship of multiple scanning rods based on the three-dimensional data of multiple scanning rods and / or the three-dimensional data of auxiliary feature bodies in the second scan data.

[0119] In some implementations, the auxiliary feature body is detachably connected to the corresponding scanning rod.

[0120] In some implementations, the auxiliary feature body is integrally connected to the corresponding scanning rod.

[0121] In some implementations, the auxiliary feature can rotate about the scanning rod to which it is connected when it is not in a fixed state.

[0122] In some implementations, one end of the auxiliary feature body is connected to the scanning rod, while the other end is immovably connected to a tray with three-dimensional features.

[0123] In some implementations, one end of the auxiliary feature is connected to the scanning rod, and the other end is located outside the oral cavity.

[0124] In some implementations, one end of multiple auxiliary feature bodies is connected to a corresponding scanning rod, while the other ends are close to or in contact with each other.

[0125] In some implementations, when using an intraoral scanner to acquire second scan data, a single field of view of the intraoral scanner can accommodate at least two auxiliary features, such that the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods connected to at least two auxiliary features can be determined.

[0126] In some implementations, the method also includes: automatically identifying 3D data belonging to the dental arch and 3D data belonging to the scanning rod and / or auxiliary features.

[0127] In some implementations, automated identification involves using a trained deep neural network to identify 3D data belonging to the dental arch and 3D data belonging to the scan bar and / or auxiliary features. The deep neural network is obtained by: collecting 3D point cloud data of the dental arch, including the scan bar and auxiliary features, with labeled category information; normalizing and enhancing the 3D point cloud data; and training the deep neural network using the normalized and enhanced 3D point cloud data to obtain the trained deep neural network.

[0128] In some implementations, the method is executed by a computing device locally connected to the intraoral scanner.

[0129] In a third aspect, this disclosure provides a computing device including: a processing unit; and a memory coupled to the processing unit and containing instructions stored thereon, the instructions causing the device to perform the method according to the first or second aspect when executed by the processing unit.

[0130] In a fourth aspect, a computer program product is provided, which is tangibly stored in a computer storage medium and includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform one or more implementations of the method according to the first or second aspect.

[0131] In a fifth aspect, this disclosure provides a computer-readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform one or more implementations of the methods described in the first or second aspect.

[0132] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or technical improvements to the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An oral cavity scanning method, comprising: In the absence of a scanning rod inside the oral cavity, the first scan data of the oral cavity is obtained by an intraoral scanner. The first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. When multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity, the second scanning data of the oral cavity is acquired by the intraoral scanner. The multiple scanning rods are connected to an auxiliary feature. The second scanning data includes the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature. Based on the second scan data, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scan bars is obtained; With the plurality of scanning rods installed in the oral cavity, the third scan data of the oral cavity is acquired by the intraoral scanner. The third scan data includes three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch, as well as three-dimensional data of at least a portion of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the auxiliary feature. Based on the registration with the third scan data, the first scan data and the second scan data are aligned so that the first scan data and the second scan data are transformed to the same target coordinate system; as well as Three-dimensional data of the oral cavity is generated, the three-dimensional data of the oral cavity including aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch and aligned position information corresponding to the plurality of scanning rods, wherein the aligned position information corresponding to the plurality of scanning rods is obtained based on the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first scan data has a first coordinate system, the second scan data has a second coordinate system, and aligning the first scan data and the second scan data includes: Based on the registration of the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch in the third scan data with the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data, a first transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the target coordinate system is determined; and Based on the registration of at least a portion of the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the auxiliary feature bodies in the third scan data with the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the auxiliary feature bodies in the second scan data, a second transformation relationship from the second coordinate system to the target coordinate system is determined.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods includes the coordinate information or three-dimensional data of each scanning rod in the second coordinate system.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The method further includes: Based on the first conversion relationship, the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data is converted into the aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch; and Based on the second conversion relationship, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods is converted into the aligned positional information corresponding to the plurality of scanning rods.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The third scan data of the oral cavity obtained by the intraoral scanner includes: Based on the second scan data, continue scanning to obtain the third scan data.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The first scan data has a first coordinate system, the second scan data and the third scan data have the same second coordinate system, and wherein aligning the first scan data and the second scan data includes: Based on the registration of the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch in the third scan data with the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data, the transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the second coordinate system is determined; and Based on the transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the second coordinate system, the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data is converted into the aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The plurality of scanning rods are connected to an auxiliary feature body, and wherein, based on the second scanning data, obtaining the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning components includes: Based on the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature body in the second scan data, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods is determined.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: During the acquisition of the second scan data, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods is calculated.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: In response to completing the calculation of the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods, a prompt is made to use the intraoral scanner to acquire the third scan data.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, During the acquisition of the third scan data, the first scan data and the second scan data are aligned based on the acquired third scan data.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein during the process of acquiring the third scan data, the method further comprises: The suggestion is to use the intraoral scanner to obtain more dental arch data for registration of the first scan data and the third scan data; and / or The suggestion is to use the intraoral scanner to acquire more scanning rod data for registration of the second and third scan data.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The aligned position information includes at least one of the following: The three-dimensional coordinates of the positions of the plurality of scanning rods; The three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods; or Three-dimensional data of the component that replaces the plurality of scanning rods.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Through automated identification, data belonging to the dental arch, data belonging to the scanning rod, and / or three-dimensional data belonging to auxiliary features in the second and third scan data are determined.

14. An oral cavity scanning method, comprising: In the absence of a scanning rod inside the oral cavity, the first scan data of the oral cavity is obtained by an intraoral scanner. The first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. The second scan data of the oral cavity is obtained by the intraoral scanner. Multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity and are respectively connected to the auxiliary feature. The second scan data includes the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature. Based on the second scan data, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scan bars is determined; With the plurality of scanning rods installed in the oral cavity, third scan data including three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch is acquired by the intraoral scanner; Based on the registration of the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch and the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch, the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch is transformed into the target coordinate system; as well as Three-dimensional data of the oral cavity are generated based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the target coordinate system and the determined relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods.

15. A computing device, comprising: Processing unit; as well as A memory, coupled to the processing unit and containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the processing unit, cause the device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. A computer program product tangibly stored in a computer storage medium and comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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