Method and system for aligning digital 3D models of teeth

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for aligning digital three-dimensional models of a patient's dentition is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first digital three-dimensional model (101) of a patient's dentition comprising a first plurality of tooth regions and receiving a second digital three-dimensional model (102) of the patient's dentition comprising a second plurality of tooth regions. The method further includes obtaining closest tooth regions by identifying, for each tooth region in the first plurality of tooth regions, a closest tooth region in the second plurality of tooth regions. In addition, the method includes identifying corresponding tooth regions (200) of the first digital three-dimensional model (101) and the second digital three-dimensional model (102) by identifying, from the closest tooth regions, those closest tooth regions having a relative deviation below a threshold value for a surface feature below a threshold value for the surface feature, wherein the surface feature is a surface normal and wherein the threshold value is a threshold value for the surface normal selected from a range of 5 degrees to 30 degrees. Further, the method includes aligning the first digital three-dimensional model (101) and the second digital three-dimensional model (102) by minimizing a distance between the identified corresponding tooth regions (200) and displaying the aligned first digital three-dimensional model (101) and the second digital three-dimensional model (102).

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