Treatment planning using patient facial images

Abstract

Systems and methods for treatment planning using patient facial images are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a 2D image of a patient's face, generating at least one smile line based on the 2D image, receiving a 3D digital representation of the patient's dental arch, determining a correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation, generating a 3D projection of the at least one smile line based on the correspondence, and determining a target arrangement of the patient's teeth based on the 3D projection of the at least one smile line.

Description

Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 579,865, filed August 31, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This technology generally relates to treatment planning, and in particular to treatment planning using images of the patient's face. Background Technology

[0003] Orthodontic and restorative treatment procedures are used to treat dental conditions such as malocclusion, damaged or missing teeth, and jaw dysfunction / misalignment. However, traditional treatment planning software may rely solely on clinical goals provided by the clinician to determine appropriate treatment for a patient's teeth and may lack the ability to consider dental aesthetics in conjunction with the rest of the patient's face. In some cases, treatment plans that achieve clinical goals may still produce aesthetically undesirable results. While the output of treatment planning software can be manually modified to conform to aesthetic preferences, this process is time-consuming, subjective, may produce inconsistent results, and may conflict with clinical constraints and requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0004] Many aspects of this disclosure can be better understood by referring to the following figures. The components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Rather, the focus is on clearly illustrating the principles of this disclosure.

[0005] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of a system for treatment planning according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0006] Figure 2 This is a flowchart providing a general overview of a method for generating a treatment plan for a patient's teeth according to embodiments of the present technology.

[0007] Figure 3 This is a representative example of a patient image labeled with multiple smile lines according to embodiments of the present technology.

[0008] Figure 4A The image shows the target alignment of a patient's teeth generated by an automated treatment planning algorithm without taking the smile line into account.

[0009] Figure 4B The diagram illustrates the target alignment of a patient's teeth generated by an automated treatment planning algorithm that takes into account the smile line, according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0010] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for planning treatment for a patient's teeth based on a smile line, according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0011] Figure 6A A 2D image of a patient's teeth is shown according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0012] Figure 6B A 3D model of a patient's teeth according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0013] Figure 6C A 3D model of a patient's teeth and a smile plane are shown according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0014] Figure 7A The image shows a patient smiling with excessive visible gums.

[0015] Figure 7B A patient smile with reduced visible gingival reduction is shown according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0016] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of a method for planning treatment for a patient's teeth based on visible gingiva, according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0017] Figure 9 These are representative examples of patient images labeled with lip and tooth outlines according to embodiments of the present technology.

[0018] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining a target alignment of a patient's teeth to reduce visible gingiva, according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0019] Figure 11A This is a schematic diagram of patient teeth in a target arrangement corresponding to a general leveling surface, according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0020] Figure 11B This is a schematic diagram of the patient's teeth in the target arrangement corresponding to the adjusted leveling surface according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0021] Figure 12 This is a flowchart of a workflow for generating a treatment plan to reduce visible gingiva, according to embodiments of the present technology.

[0022] Figure 13A A representative example of a tooth repositioning appliance configured according to embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0023] Figure 13B A tooth repositioning system comprising multiple appliances according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0024] Figure 13C An orthodontic treatment method using multiple appliances according to an embodiment of the present technology is illustrated.

[0025] Figure 14A method for designing orthodontic appliances according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0026] Figure 15 A method for digitally planning orthodontic treatment and / or designing or manufacturing appliances according to embodiments of the present technology is illustrated. Detailed Implementation

[0027] This technology relates to treatment planning based on patient facial images. For example, in some embodiments, a method for planning treatment for a patient's teeth includes receiving a 2D image of the patient's face, such as a photograph showing the patient smiling. The method may include generating at least one smile line based on the 2D image representing the patient's target smile. The method may include receiving a 3D digital representation of the patient's dental arch in an initial alignment. The method may further determine a correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation, and generate a 3D projection of at least one smile line based on that correspondence. The target alignment of the patient's teeth may be determined based on the 3D projection of at least one smile line. For example, the position of one or more teeth may be adjusted to more closely align with the target smile represented by the smile line.

[0028] As another example, a method for planning treatment for a patient's teeth may include receiving a 2D image of the patient's face, such as a photograph showing the patient smiling. The method may include determining the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image (e.g., by generating the outlines of the patient's teeth and lips and measuring the distance of exposed gingiva between the teeth and lips). A target alignment of the patient's teeth can be determined based on the amount of visible gingiva. For example, a target alignment may maintain or reduce the amount of gingiva visible when the patient smiles.

[0029] Compared to traditional treatment planning techniques, this technique offers numerous advantages. For example, the method described herein can be implemented through automated software algorithms to ensure that aesthetic principles are automatically considered when planning the target alignment of the patient's teeth, thereby saving time by reducing the need for multiple rounds of manual adjustments to modify the treatment plan. Furthermore, this approach can improve patient satisfaction by providing more consistent and aesthetically pleasing results.

[0030] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same elements in several figures, and exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the drawings. However, the embodiments of the claims may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The examples set forth herein are non-limiting examples and are merely examples of other possible examples.

[0031] As used herein, the terms “vertical,” “lateral,” “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” etc., can refer to the relative orientation or position of a feature of the embodiments disclosed herein, given the orientation shown in the figures. For example, “upper” or “topmost” can refer to a feature positioned closer to the top of the page than another feature. However, these terms should be interpreted broadly to include embodiments with other orientations, such as inverted or tilted orientations, where top / bottom, above / below, above / below, up / down, and left / right can be interchanged depending on the orientation.

[0032] The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not define the scope or meaning of the claimed technology. Embodiments under any heading may be used in conjunction with embodiments under any other heading. I. Systems and methods used in treatment planning

[0033] This technology provides systems and methods for planning treatment for a patient's dentition. In some embodiments, the treatment is orthodontic treatment or includes orthodontic treatment procedures. An orthodontic treatment procedure may include the application of a series of dental appliances (e.g., braces, palatal expanders) configured to progressively move teeth through a series of intermediate dentitions. Some or all of the dental appliances may include a polymer housing comprising a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities configured to receive teeth and resiliently reposition teeth toward a particular intermediate dentition. Further details and examples of dental appliances suitable for this technology are provided in Section II below.

[0034] Alternatively or in combination, treatment may be or include restorative treatment procedures. Restorative treatment procedures may include applying at least one restorative object to a patient's dental arch to increase the quality of existing teeth or replace missing teeth (“tooth quality enhancement”), remove a portion of an existing tooth (“tooth quality reduction”), or a suitable combination thereof. Examples of restorative objects (also referred to herein as “restorations” or “prostheses”) include, but are not limited to, crowns, veneers, marginal adhesives, composites, implants, and prostheses. In some cases, a portion of a tooth may be removed to provide a mounting surface to receive the restorative object in order to facilitate mounting the restorative object onto an existing tooth. Different types of restorative objects may require different amounts of tooth reduction (e.g., veneers may require less tooth reduction than crowns). The amount of tooth quality reduction may also vary depending on the tooth's location. Optionally, one or more adjacent teeth may also be reduced to provide space for the restorative object.

[0035] In some embodiments, the treatment is a combined orthodontic and restorative treatment procedure, also known as an "orthodontic-restorative" or "ortho-restorative" treatment procedure. An orthodontic-restorative treatment procedure may include: (1) an orthodontic treatment procedure in which one or more teeth are repositioned from an initial tooth alignment to a target tooth alignment, and (2) a restorative treatment procedure in which the shape of one or more existing teeth is modified and / or one or more missing teeth are replaced. Orthodontic and restorative treatment procedures may be performed sequentially (e.g., all tooth repositioning is performed before any restorative treatment, or vice versa), concurrently (e.g., any particular phase of the treatment plan may include tooth repositioning and restorative treatment), or in an appropriate combination of both.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system 100 for treatment planning according to an embodiment of the present technology. System 100 can be configured to provide a software platform that offers a single ecosystem for planning and visualizing orthodontic, restorative, orthodontic-repair, and / or other treatment procedures performed on a patient's craniofacial region. System 100 includes a data input component 102, a treatment planning component 104, a treatment visualization component 106, and a manufacturing component 108.

[0037] Data input unit 102 is configured to receive patient data from one or more input devices. Patient data may include any data related to the treatment procedures used on the patient. For example, patient data may include data on any other hard or soft tissues of the patient's teeth, gums, dental arches, oral cavity, jaw, face, and / or craniofacial region. Patient data may include photographs, videos, scan data (e.g., intraoral and / or extraoral scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, radiographic data (e.g., standard X-ray data, such as alarplasty, panoramic X-ray, cephalometric X-ray, computed tomography (CT) data, cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data, fluoroscopy data), motion data, etc. Patient data may include 2D data (e.g., 2D photographs or videos), 3D data (e.g., 3D photographs, intraoral and / or extraoral scans, digital models), 4D data (e.g., fluoroscopy data, dynamic joint data, hard and / or soft tissue motion capture data), or suitable combinations thereof.

[0038] Data input unit 102 is operatively coupled to various peripheral devices (not shown) to receive patient data from these devices. These peripheral devices may be associated with and / or operated by a healthcare provider (e.g., a clinician), technician, patient, or any other suitable user. Peripheral devices may be or include computing devices (e.g., personal computers, laptops, workstations, servers, mobile devices) that receive, store, and / or process patient data for transmission to data input unit 102. Patient data may be transmitted to data input unit 102 via any suitable combination of wired and / or wireless communication methods.

[0039] For example, in some embodiments, data input unit 102 receives data from a scanner configured to obtain a 3D digital representation (e.g., images, surface topography data) of a patient's teeth, such as via direct intraoral scanning or indirectly via castings, impressions, models, etc. The scanner may include a probe (e.g., a handheld probe) for optically capturing 3D structures (e.g., through confocal focusing of a beam array). Examples of scanners suitable for use with system 100 include, but are not limited to, the iTero® intraoral digital scanner manufactured by Allianz Technologies Ltd., the 3M True Definition scanner, and the Cerec Omnicam manufactured by Sirona®. Data obtained by the scanner may be sent to a clinician's computing device, which in turn may send the data to data input unit 102.

[0040] As another example, data input component 102 may receive patient data from an imaging device (e.g., a camera) that generates image data of the patient's teeth, dental arches, jaw, face, head, and / or other craniofacial anatomy. The image data may include one or more 2D images (e.g., photographs) depicting the patient from one or more views, such as a side view of the patient's head, a frontal view of the patient's head with a neutral expression, a frontal view of the patient's head when smiling, a maxillary view, a mandibular view, a right cheek view with the jaw closed, a frontal view with the jaw closed, a left cheek view with the jaw closed, a right cheek view with the jaw open, a frontal view with the jaw open, and / or a left cheek view with the jaw open. Alternatively or in combination, the image data may include video data of the patient, such as video data showing the patient smiling, speaking, moving their jaw, turning their head, etc. In some embodiments, the imaging device is part of or operatively coupled to a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, tablet), which may be operated by a patient, a healthcare provider (e.g., a clinician), or other suitable user. The mobile device can implement a mobile application that instructs the user to capture image data and then transmits the image data to the data input unit 102.

[0041] Treatment planning component 104 is configured to generate a treatment plan for a patient based on patient data from data input component 102. As previously described, the treatment plan may include orthodontic treatment, restorative treatment, or a combination of orthodontic and restorative treatment. In some embodiments, for example, treatment planning component 104 is configured to receive a digital representation of the patient's initial tooth alignment from data input component 102. Treatment planning component 104 may then determine a target tooth alignment to be achieved through orthodontic and / or restorative treatment. The target tooth alignment may be the patient's tooth alignment to achieve desired aesthetic and / or functional treatment goals (e.g., correcting malocclusion and / or restoring missing, malformed, and / or damaged teeth). The target tooth alignment may be determined at least in part based on image data of the patient (e.g., a photograph of the patient smiling). Treatment planning component 104 may then generate a treatment plan for achieving the target tooth alignment, such as a series of intermediate tooth alignments and / or one or more tooth quality modifications configured to reposition the teeth from the initial tooth alignment toward the target tooth alignment. The target tooth alignment and treatment plan may be determined manually based on technician input, automatically using software algorithms, or in a suitable combination thereof. The following describes further details of the process that can be performed by the treatment planning component 104.

[0042] Treatment visualization component 106 is configured to output visualizations that graphically represent the treatment plan generated by treatment planning component 104. For example, in embodiments where the treatment plan includes repositioning the patient's teeth from an initial tooth arrangement toward a target tooth arrangement via a series of intermediate tooth arrangements, treatment visualization component 106 may output multiple 3D models and / or 2D images displaying the initial tooth arrangement, the target tooth arrangement, and / or intermediate tooth arrangements. As another example, in embodiments where the treatment plan includes tooth mass increase and / or decrease, treatment visualization component 106 may display the amount and / or location of tooth mass increase and / or decrease. Optionally, treatment visualization component 106 may also receive and display patient data (e.g., an image of the patient smiling) received from data input component 102 to provide additional guidance to the user viewing the treatment plan. In some embodiments, treatment visualization component 106 uses graphical user interface elements to simultaneously display multiple types of patient data (e.g., 2D, 3D, and / or 4D data), such as side-by-side views, overlay maps (e.g., where each layer can be independently turned on, off, or have its opacity adjusted), animations, etc. This method allows users to visualize the planned treatment in different environments, such as regarding the patient's facial features, soft tissue, hard tissue, jaw joint, etc. Additional details of the process that can be performed by the treatment visualization component 106 are described below.

[0043] In some embodiments, the treatment plan generated by the treatment planning component 104 is displayed to a user (e.g., a clinician, technician, or patient) through visualization generated by the treatment visualization component 106. The treatment visualization component 106 may also provide user interface tools that allow the user to provide feedback on the treatment plan, as described in detail below. For example, the user can modify the treatment plan by changing the position of one or more teeth, changing the amount of increase and / or decrease in tooth quality, changing the shape of the restoration, changing the number of treatment stages, etc. This feedback can be used to directly update the treatment plan, or it can be transmitted to the treatment planning component 104, which can update the treatment plan accordingly. The updated treatment plan can be transmitted back to the treatment visualization component 106 for further review by the user. This process can be repeated until the user approves the treatment plan.

[0044] Optionally, once the treatment plan is approved, the treatment planning component 104 can transmit instructions (e.g., STL files, CLI files, CAD files) to the manufacturing component 108 for manufacturing one or more devices to be used with the treatment plan. For example, the manufacturing component 108 can produce a series of dental appliances (e.g., orthodontic appliances, palatal expanders) configured to reposition the patient's teeth from their initial dentition toward a target dentition. The manufacturing component 108 may also produce attachments, attachment placement templates, and / or other devices used in conjunction with dental appliances, for example, to improve control over the forces applied to the patient's teeth. As another example, the manufacturing component 108 can produce one or more restorative objects to be applied to the patient's dental arch, such as crowns, veneers, prostheses, implants, etc. In another example, the manufacturing component 108 can produce guides or templates to be placed in the patient's mouth to assist clinicians in performing treatment procedures, such as preparing teeth for restorative objects, performing tooth mass augmentation or reduction, placing attachments or restorative objects on teeth, etc.

[0045] In some embodiments, manufacturing component 108 is configured to manufacture an apparatus using additive manufacturing technology. Additive manufacturing (also referred to herein as “3D printing”) includes various techniques for directly manufacturing 3D objects from a digital model via additive processes. In some embodiments, additive manufacturing includes depositing a precursor material (e.g., a polymerizable resin) onto a build platform. The precursor material may be cured, polymerized, melted, sintered, fused, and / or otherwise cured to form a portion of an object and / or to combine that portion with a previously formed portion of the object. In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing techniques provided herein build object geometry in a layer-by-layer manner, with successive layers formed in discrete build steps. Alternatively or in combination, the additive manufacturing techniques described herein may allow for the continuous construction of object geometry.

[0046] Examples of additive manufacturing techniques applicable to the methods described herein include, but are not limited to, the following techniques: (1) barrel photopolymerization, which constructs objects from barrels of liquid photopolymer resin, including techniques such as stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), continuous liquid interface production (CLIP), two-photon induced photopolymerization (TPIP), and volumetric additive manufacturing (VAM); (2) material spraying, in which materials are sprayed onto a build platform using a continuous or drop-on-demand (DOD) method; and (3) binder spraying, in which alternating layers of build material (e.g., powder-based materials) and binder material (e.g., liquid binders) are deposited through a printhead. (4) Material extrusion, in which material is drawn through a nozzle, heated, and deposited layer by layer, such as fused deposition modeling (FDM) and direct ink writing (DIW); (5) powder bed fusion, including techniques such as direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), electron beam melting (EBM), selective thermal sintering (SHS), selective laser melting (SLM), and selective laser sintering (SLS); (6) sheet lamination, including techniques such as layered solid fabrication (LOM) and ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM); and (7) directional energy deposition, including techniques such as laser engineered mesh forming, directional light fabrication, direct metal deposition, and 3D laser cladding. Optionally, the additive manufacturing process may use a combination of two or more additive manufacturing techniques.

[0047] In some embodiments, system 100 is used to monitor and / or update the treatment plan after the treatment procedure has begun. For example, data input unit 102 may receive patient data indicating the state of the patient's teeth, gums, dental arch, jaw, face, etc., after treatment has begun. The patient data may be sent to treatment planning unit 104 for comparison with the original treatment plan. If treatment planning unit 104 determines that the treatment plan should be modified (e.g., the patient's teeth have deviated from the progress), treatment planning unit 104 may generate a revised treatment plan. For example, the revised treatment plan may include modifications to the alignment of target teeth and / or the alignment of one or more intermediate teeth. The revised treatment plan may be sent to treatment visualization unit 106 for user review. Once the revised treatment plan is approved, treatment planning unit 104 may send instructions to manufacturing unit 108 to manufacture one or more devices (e.g., new dental appliances, attachments, restorations, etc.) to implement the revised treatment plan. This process may be repeated as needed until the patient achieves the desired treatment goals.

[0048] Figure 1The illustrated system 100 can be configured in many different ways. For example, the various components 102-108 of system 100 can be implemented by one or more computing devices (e.g., servers, personal computers, workstations, mainframes, laptops, mobile devices) having software and hardware components (e.g., processors, memory, user input and output devices, network interfaces, etc.) configured to perform the various operations described herein. For example, some or all of components 102-108 can be implemented as a distributed “cloud” service across any suitable combination of hardware and / or virtual computing resources. In some embodiments, some or all of components 102-108 can be arranged on a single computing device and / or can be part of a single communications network. Alternatively, some or all of components 102-108 can be located on different and separate computing devices. Components 102-108 can be operatively coupled via one or more communication networks, such as any of the following: wired network, wireless network, metropolitan area network (MAN), local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), virtual local area network (VLAN), Internet, extranet, intranet and / or any other suitable type of network or combination thereof.

[0049] although Figure 1 Components 102-108 of system 100 are illustrated as individual functional elements; however, in other embodiments, some or all of components 102-108 may be combined. For example, data input component 102 may be combined with treatment planning component 104, treatment planning component 104 may be combined with treatment visualization component 106, and so on. Furthermore, any of components 102-108 may be divided into smaller sub-components, and / or system 100 may include… Figure 1 Other components not shown.

[0050] Figure 2 This is a flowchart providing a general overview of a method 200 for generating a treatment plan for a patient's teeth according to embodiments of the present technology. Method 200 can be performed by any suitable system or apparatus, such as... Figure 1 The data input component 102 and / or treatment planning component 104 of system 100 are executed. In some embodiments, part or all of the process of method 200 is implemented as computer-readable instructions (e.g., program code), which are configured to be executed by one or more processors of a computing device.

[0051] Method 200 may begin at box 202 by receiving image data of a patient's face. The image data may be received from any suitable imaging device (e.g., a camera). The imaging device may be a standalone device (e.g., a DSLR camera) or may be integrated into another device (e.g., a camera on a mobile device). The image data may include the patient's mouth region, including visible portions of the teeth and gums, and the patient's lips. The image data may include at least one image of the patient's mouth in one or more locations. For example, the patient's mouth may be in a smiling position (e.g., a social smiling position), a resting position with relaxed muscles and slightly open lips, an open or closed position with retracted anterior teeth, etc. Optionally, the image data may also depict other parts of the patient's anatomy, such as other facial features (e.g., eyes, eyebrows, nose, subnasal point, cheeks, chin, jawline), head, neck, shoulders and / or trunk, or the patient's entire body. For example, the image data may include at least one image showing the patient's entire face from a frontal view when the patient is smiling ("full-face smiling image"). As another example, the image data may include at least one image showing the patient's entire face from a frontal view when the patient's mouth is in a resting position ("full-face resting image"). In another example, the image data may include at least one intraoral image (e.g., an intraoral anterior view image and / or an intraoral buccal image). In some embodiments, the image data includes a single 2D image (e.g., a single photograph of the patient smiling). In other embodiments, the image data may include multiple 2D images (e.g., consecutive image frames of multiple photographs or videos showing different views of the patient's face).

[0052] In box 204, method 200 may continue to generate at least one facial reference marker based on the image data. The facial reference marker may include one or more points, lines, curves, contours, shapes, and / or any other geometric elements corresponding to unique anatomical features of the patient's face. At least some facial reference markers may indicate one or more features of the facial features, such as the location, size (e.g., height, width, length), and / or shape (e.g., curvature, proportion) of the facial features. Optionally, some facial reference markers may indicate spatial relationships between facial features, such as the distance between a first facial feature and a second facial feature (e.g., the distance between canines, the distance between the lower edge of the upper lip and the gingival margin of the upper teeth). Some facial markers may correspond to actual features of the patient's face (e.g., the location of the facial midline may correspond to the actual line of symmetry of the patient's face, and the lip contour may correspond to the actual location and curvature of the patient's lips), while other facial markers may define the target location and / or shape of the facial features (e.g., the target location of visible teeth, the target curvature of the patient's smile).

[0053] For example, facial reference markers may include one or more smile lines that define a target smile for a patient (e.g., a smile considered aesthetically pleasing based on the patient's specific facial anatomy). Smile lines may define one or more parameters of the target smile, such as the curvature of the smile (e.g., the curvature of the incisal edge and / or gingival margin of the teeth in the upper dental arch), the midline of the smile, and / or the position and / or geometry of the teeth exposed in the smile (e.g., the central incisors, lateral incisors, and / or canines in the upper dental arch). The following is combined with... Figure 3 Additional details and examples of smile lines are provided.

[0054] As another example, facial reference markers can include one or more geometric elements within the mouth region that can be used to determine the amount of gingiva visible in a patient's smile. For instance, facial reference markers can include a lip contour (also known as a "lip curve" or "lip spline") corresponding to the lower edge of the patient's upper lip, and a tooth contour corresponding to the gingival margin of the visible teeth in the patient's upper dental arch. The distance between the lip contour and the tooth contour can be used to assess the amount and location of the upper dental arch gingiva exposed when the patient smiles. (The following is a continuation of the previous paragraph.) Figure 9 Additional details and examples of facial reference markers for assessing visible gums are provided.

[0055] In some embodiments, facial reference markers are provided by a software platform for treatment planning (e.g., Figure 1 The system 100 generates a treatment plan component 104. The software platform can implement an automatic facial reference marker generation algorithm that utilizes appropriate computer vision and / or machine learning techniques (e.g., convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and / or other deep learning techniques) to analyze image data to identify the location of one or more facial reference markers. Optionally, the facial reference markers generated by the algorithm can be displayed to a user (e.g., a technician or clinician) for viewing. The user can, for example, via... Figure 1 The system 100's treatment visualization component 106 is used to view a digital representation of facial landmarks (e.g., overlaid on the patient's image data) and can approve or modify facial reference landmarks as needed.

[0056] At box 206, method 200 may include determining a target alignment of the patient's teeth based on at least one facial reference marker. The target alignment may be a specified alignment of teeth that meets the patient's desired aesthetic and / or clinical treatment goals. For example, the target alignment may correspond to the patient's improved (e.g., "ideal") arch form and / or smile. In some embodiments, the step at box 206 includes receiving a digital representation (e.g., intraoral scan data) of an initial alignment of the patient's teeth, analyzing the initial alignment to identify indications for treatment (e.g., malocclusion, malformation, damaged, and / or missing teeth), and then determining a target alignment to correct part or all of the indications through orthodontic repositioning, tooth quality modification, or a combination of both. For example, a tooth repositioning protocol may be developed to correct malocclusion and / or create space for restorative objects applied to the patient's arch. A tooth quality modification protocol may be developed to target damaged, malformed, missing, or deviated teeth and / or create space for orthodontic movements. Therefore, the target arrangement may include (1) one or more teeth that have been repositioned relative to the initial tooth arrangement (e.g., by tilting, translating, rotating, squeezing, intruding, or root movement), and / or (2) one or more teeth that have undergone a change in quality relative to the initial arrangement (e.g., an increase in tooth quality or a decrease in tooth quality).

[0057] In some embodiments, the target alignment is designed at least in part based on the patient's unique facial features, and is also referred to herein as a "face-driven" treatment plan. A face-driven treatment plan may include, for example, using facial reference markers generated in box 204 to determine the patient's target smile, and then generating a target tooth alignment that will produce the target smile. For example, as combined below... Figures 3-6C Further described, the smile line can be used to determine the target position and / or shape of the patient's teeth, which will make the patient's smile more closely match the target smile defined by the smile line. It can be used alternatively or in combination, as follows: Figures 7A-12 Furthermore, lip and tooth contours can be used to determine the position of a patient's teeth, which will reduce the amount of gum visible in the patient's smile. Optionally, the target alignment can also be determined in part based on other considerations, such as orthodontic principles, treatment plans developed by the clinician, and / or patient preferences.

[0058] In some embodiments, the target arrangement is determined by a software platform for treatment planning (e.g., Figure 1The treatment planning component 104 of the system 100 is determined. The software platform can implement an automated treatment planning algorithm that utilizes facial reference markers when generating a target alignment. In some embodiments, the treatment planning algorithm is a rule-based algorithm that applies a set of rules to determine the target alignment, and at least some of these rules are associated with the facial reference markers. For example, the algorithm can implement at least one rule that instructs how one or more teeth in the target alignment should be positioned relative to one or more facial reference markers (e.g., whether the teeth should be aligned with, intersect with, or spaced apart from the facial reference markers). As another example, the algorithm can implement at least one rule that sets a target value or range for a parameter associated with one or more facial reference markers (e.g., the maximum amount of gum tissue visible in a patient's smile). In yet another example, the algorithm can implement at least one rule that selects a technique for determining the position of one or more teeth based on one or more facial reference markers. Optionally, different rules can be weighted differently or prioritized over others (e.g., based on considerations such as clinical efficacy, aesthetics, clinician preference, patient preference, etc.).

[0059] In some embodiments, the target arrangement generated by the treatment planning algorithm is delivered to a user (e.g., a technician or clinician) for viewing. For example, it can be achieved through... Figure 1 The treatment visualization component 106 of system 100 displays the target arrangement to the user. The user can view a digital representation of the target arrangement (e.g., a 3D digital model) and approve or modify it appropriately. Optionally, the user can provide feedback to the treatment planning algorithm to generate a modified version of the target arrangement. Feedback may include adjustments to one or more facial reference markers (e.g., changing the size, shape, position, etc. of the smile line). The treatment planning algorithm can then use the adjusted facial reference markers to generate the modified target arrangement. This process can be repeated until the desired target arrangement is achieved.

[0060] In box 208, method 200 may include generating a treatment plan to adjust the patient's teeth from an initial alignment to a target alignment. For example, the treatment plan may include a series of intermediate tooth arrangements to reposition the patient's teeth from the initial alignment toward the target alignment. Each intermediate arrangement may correspond to a specific orthodontic treatment stage to be achieved using appropriate dental appliances. Intermediate arrangements may be generated automatically using a treatment planning algorithm, manually based on input from a technician, or a suitable combination of the above.

[0061] At box 210, method 200 may include generating instructions for manufacturing at least one dental appliance configured to perform a treatment plan. As described in more detail elsewhere herein, the dental appliance may be configured to progressively reposition the patient's teeth from an initial alignment toward a target alignment according to the treatment plan. In some embodiments, the instructions are configured to manufacture the dental appliance using direct manufacturing, such as by directly printing the appliance according to various additive manufacturing techniques described herein. In other embodiments, the instructions may be configured to indirectly manufacture the appliance, such as by thermoforming the appliance on a mold of the patient's teeth.

[0062] Method 200 can be varied in many ways. For example, it can be omitted. Figure 2 Some of the processes shown (e.g., the processes in boxes 208 and / or 210), and / or methods 200 may include Figure 2 Additional processes are not shown. Furthermore, method 200 can be combined with any other method described herein.

[0063] Figures 3-6C This paper illustrates the use of smile lines to plan treatment for a patient's teeth according to embodiments of the present technology. As described herein, smile lines can be used to define an aesthetically pleasing target smile for a patient and therefore to determine adjustments to the position and / or shape of the patient's teeth so that the patient's smile more closely matches the target smile. In some embodiments, the technology described herein allows for automated treatment planning that takes smile lines into account when planning the target alignment of a patient's teeth to be achieved through orthodontic and / or restorative treatment procedures.

[0064] Figure 3This is a representative example of a patient image 300 annotated with multiple smile lines according to embodiments of the present technology. The patient image 300 may depict at least a portion of a patient's face 302, including a mouth region 304 where the patient's lips and teeth are in a smiling position. Smile lines may include a facial midline 306, an intercanine width (ICW) line 308, a gingival line 310, an incisal edge line 312, a horizontal line 314, and / or multiple proportional lines 316. The facial midline 306 may be a vertical line corresponding to the center of the patient's face 302 (e.g., a line of symmetry of the patient's face 302). The ICW line 308 may be vertical lines indicating the positions of the left and right canines of the upper dental arch, such that the distance between ICW lines 308 corresponds to the patient's ICW. The gingival line 310 may be a curve corresponding to the gingival margin of the teeth in the upper dental arch. The incisal edge line 312 may be a curve corresponding to the apex of the incisal edge of the teeth in the upper dental arch. The horizontal line 314 may be perpendicular to the facial midline 306 and may be tangent to the lowest point of the gingival line 310. The proportion line 316 may correspond to the proportions of the patient's upper anterior teeth (e.g., central incisors, lateral incisors, canines), such as the ratio of the height to the width of the central incisors ("central incisor height-to-width ratio"), the ratio of the width of the lateral incisors to the width of the central incisors ("lateral incisor-central incisor width ratio"), and / or the ratio of the width of the canines to the width of the lateral incisors ("canine-lateral incisor width ratio"). In some embodiments, the facial midline 306 represents the actual midline (line of symmetry) of the patient's face 302, while the ICW line 308, gingival line 310, incisal edge line 312, horizontal line 314, and proportion line 316 represent features of the patient's "ideal" target smile determined from the actual features of the patient's face.

[0065] In some cases, treatment plans that do not consider the smile line may produce suboptimal results, or even worsen tooth positioning from an aesthetic point of view. For example, Figure 4A The image shows the target alignment 400a of a patient's teeth generated by an automated treatment planning algorithm without considering the smile line. Figure 4A As shown, the dental midline 402 in the target alignment 400a deviates from the facial midline 306, which may be aesthetically undesirable due to causing smile asymmetry. Other potential problems include tilting (e.g., teeth on one side of the mouth may be vertically misaligned with teeth on the other side) and incorrect leveling (e.g., adjacent teeth may be vertically misaligned with each other, and posterior teeth may be vertically misaligned with anterior teeth). Such problems may arise because the automated treatment planning algorithm lacks information about the position of the teeth relative to the rest of the patient's face.

[0066] In contrast, treatment plans that incorporate the smile line can produce aesthetically improved results because the position of the teeth relative to other facial features of the patient can also be taken into account. For example, Figure 4BThe diagram illustrates a target arrangement 400b of a patient's teeth generated by an automated treatment planning algorithm that takes into account the smile line, according to an embodiment of this technology. Figure 4B As shown, the tooth midline 402 in the target arrangement 400b is aligned with the facial midline 306, thereby producing a more symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing smile.

[0067] In some embodiments, the automated treatment planning algorithm operates using a 3D model of the patient's teeth. For example, the input to the treatment planning algorithm may be a 3D model of the patient's teeth in an initial alignment. The output of the treatment planning algorithm may include a 3D model of the target alignment of the patient's teeth (and optionally) one or more 3D models of one or more intermediate alignments to adjust the teeth from the initial alignment to the target alignment. However, smile lines can be generated from a 2D image of the patient and can therefore be defined relative to a 2D reference system (e.g., a 2D coordinate system) rather than a 3D reference system (e.g., a 3D coordinate system). Furthermore, the spatial relationship between the 2D reference system of the smile line and the 3D reference system of the 3D model of the teeth may be unknown, making it impossible to directly map the smile line onto the 3D model of the teeth. Therefore, to incorporate smile lines into the treatment planning algorithm, this disclosure provides techniques for projecting 2D smile lines onto the 3D reference system of the 3D model.

[0068] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a method 500 for planning treatment for a patient's teeth based on a smile line according to an embodiment of the present technology. Method 500 can be performed by any suitable system or device, such as... Figure 1 The data input component 102 and / or treatment planning component 104 of system 100 are executed. In some embodiments, part or all of the process of method 500 is implemented as computer-readable instructions (e.g., program code) configured to be executed by one or more processors of a computing device.

[0069] Method 500 may begin at frame 502 by receiving a 2D image of the patient's face. The 2D image (e.g., an image frame from a photograph or video) may be received from any suitable imaging device, such as a camera, e.g., a DSLR camera or a camera on a mobile device. The 2D image may include the patient's mouth region (including visible portions of the teeth and gums) and the patient's lips. The patient's mouth may be in any suitable position, such as a smiling position (e.g., a social smiling position). Optionally, the 2D image data may show other parts of the patient's anatomy, such as other facial features (e.g., eyes, eyebrows, nose, subnasal point, cheeks, chin, jawline), head, neck, shoulders and / or trunk, or the patient's entire body.

[0070] In box 504, method 500 can continue to generate at least one smile line based on the 2D image. The smile line can define one or more parameters of the patient's target smile, such as the curvature of the smile (e.g., the curvature of the incisal edge and / or gingival margin of the teeth in the upper dental arch), the midline of the smile, and / or the position and / or geometry of the teeth exposed in the smile (e.g., the central incisors, lateral incisors, and / or canines of the upper dental arch). For example, the smile line can include a combination of the above. Figure 3 Any smile lines described, such as the facial midline, ICW line, gingival line, incisal edge line, horizontal line, and / or proportional line.

[0071] Any suitable technique can be used to generate the smile line. For example, the process in box 504 may include identifying one or more facial landmarks in a 2D image and then generating a smile line based on the facial landmarks. Facial landmarks may be reference points corresponding to various anatomical features of a patient's face, such as eyes, eyebrows, nose, subnasal point, mouth, lips, teeth, gums, cheeks, chin, and / or jawline. The identification of facial landmarks can be performed by a facial landmark detection algorithm using appropriate computer vision and / or machine learning techniques (e.g., CNN and / or other deep learning techniques). The input to the algorithm may be a 2D image, and the output of the algorithm may be the position (e.g., x-coordinate and y-coordinate) of each facial landmark in the 2D image.

[0072] The smile line can then be automatically determined based on the identified facial landmarks. For example, the facial midline can be determined using facial landmarks associated with symmetrical facial features such as the eyes, eyebrows, nose, and / or subnasal point. The ICW line can be determined based on facial landmarks of the patient's eyes. The proportion line can be determined based on the patient's face shape, which can be calculated from facial landmarks of the glabella, chin, cheekbones, and / or jawline. The gingival line, incisal line, and / or horizontal line can be determined based on facial landmarks of the patient's teeth, lips, and / or gums. Further details and examples of methods for determining the smile line are provided in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023 / 0132201 and U.S. Patent No. 10,758,322, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0073] In box 506, method 500 may include receiving a 3D digital representation of the patient's dental arch. The 3D digital representation may be a surface model, mesh model, parametric model, or any other digital model of the teeth and gingiva of the patient's dental arch (e.g., the upper dental arch of the patient's dentition). As described elsewhere herein, the 3D digital representation may be generated from image data of the patient's dental arch, such as intraoral scan data. In some embodiments, the 3D digital representation depicts the patient's dental arch in its initial alignment prior to the commencement of treatment.

[0074] At block 508, method 500 may include determining a correspondence between a 2D image and a 3D digital representation. In some embodiments, the 2D image is provided in a 2D reference frame (e.g., 2D coordinate space), while the 3D digital representation of the patient's teeth is located in a 3D reference frame (e.g., 3D coordinate space). The process at block 508 may include projecting the 2D image onto the 3D reference frame of the 3D digital representation. The projected 2D image can then be used to determine a correspondence between 2D pixel locations in the 2D image and corresponding 3D coordinate locations in the 3D reference frame. The correspondence may be a mapping, transformation, function, etc., applied to the 2D pixel locations to determine the corresponding 3D locations.

[0075] For example, Figure 6A A 2D image 600a of a patient's tooth 602 according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown. Figure 6B A 3D model 600b of a patient's tooth 602 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The projection of a 2D image 600a into a 3D reference frame may be a 2D plane ("image plane 606") within the 3D reference frame of the 3D model 600b. The 2D image 600a can be projected into the 3D reference frame by determining a camera position 604 such that the projection of the 3D model 600b onto the 2D plane matches or resembles the 2D image 600a. In some embodiments, this process includes setting the camera position 604, projecting the 3D model 600b onto the 2D plane using the camera position 604 as the viewpoint for projection, and then comparing the 2D projection of the 3D model 600b with the 2D image 600a. If the 2D projection is sufficiently similar to the 2D image 600a, the camera position 604 is used as the projection viewpoint of the 2D image 600a, and the 2D plane is used as the image plane 606. Optionally, multiple 2D projections of the 3D model 600b can be generated from multiple different camera positions 604, and the camera position 604 and the 2D plane that produce the 2D projection with the highest similarity to the 2D image 600a can be selected as the projection viewpoint and image plane 606, respectively. Once the position of the image plane 606 in the 3D reference frame has been determined, each pixel position within the 2D image 600a can be mapped to the corresponding 3D coordinate position in the image plane 606, thereby mapping to the 3D reference frame of the 3D model 600b.

[0076] Refer again Figure 5In block 510, method 500 can continue by generating a 3D projection of at least one smile line based on the correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation. As described herein, the smile line can be determined from the 2D image and can therefore be initially defined relative to a 2D reference frame of the 2D image (e.g., as a set of 2D coordinates). The 3D projection of the smile line can be a projection of the smile line onto a 3D reference frame of the 3D digital representation. For example, the 3D projection of smile line 608 can be generated by mapping the 2D position of the smile line to a corresponding 3D position in the 3D reference frame using the correspondence determined in block 508. In some embodiments, the 3D projection of the smile line is a 2D plane (“smile plane”) in the 3D reference frame. As used herein, the term “smile plane” includes any surface in 3D space (e.g., a plane or curved surface) that contains some or all of the 3D coordinates of the smile line and also intersects with the projection viewpoint. In some embodiments, if the smile line is a curve (e.g., the gingival line or incisal edge), the corresponding smile plane can be a surface that contains part or all of the 3D coordinates of the curve and also intersects with the projection viewpoint. Alternatively, for simplicity, the smile plane corresponding to a curved smile line can be represented as a plane rather than a surface.

[0077] For example, such as Figure 6A As shown, one or more smile lines 608, such as facial midline, ICW line, gingival line, incisal edge line, horizontal line, and / or proportion line, can be generated from a 2D image 600a. Each smile line 608 may include multiple 2D pixels defining the position and shape of the smile line 608. Figure 6B As shown, the position of the 2D pixels of the smile line 608 can be mapped to corresponding 3D coordinates in the image plane 606 in a 3D reference frame. Optionally, a 2D smile plane 610 can be determined for each smile line 608. The smile plane 610 can intersect with the 3D position of the smile line 608 on the image plane 606, and can also intersect with the camera position 604, which is related to the projection viewpoint of the image plane 606.

[0078] Refer again Figure 5At box 512, method 500 may include determining a target alignment of a patient's teeth based on a 3D projection of at least one smile line. In some embodiments, the process at box 512 includes determining a current spatial relationship between the teeth and the 3D projection of the smile line in a 3D digital representation, such as the current distance between the teeth and the smile plane corresponding to the smile line. The process may then include comparing the current spatial relationship with a target spatial relationship between the 3D projections of the teeth and the smile line, such as a target distance between the teeth and the smile plane. For example, if the teeth need to touch, be tangent to, and / or intersect the smile line in the target alignment, the target distance may be zero or approximately zero. As another example, if the teeth need to be spaced apart from the smile line in the target alignment, the target distance may be greater than zero. If the current spatial relationship differs significantly from the target spatial relationship, the position of the teeth in the 3D digital representation may be adjusted to better fit the target spatial relationship. For example, if the difference between the current distance and the target distance is greater than a threshold, the position of the teeth may be adjusted until the current distance falls within the threshold.

[0079] For example, Figure 6C A 3D model of a patient's teeth 612 and a smile plane 614 according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown. As described herein, the smile plane 614 may be a 3D projection of a smile line 616. The spatial relationship between the teeth 612 and the smile plane 614 can be correlated with the spatial relationship between the teeth 612 and the smile line 616 in a 2D image, and can therefore be used to determine how to adjust the patient's teeth to more closely fit the target smile defined by the smile line 616.

[0080] For example, in some embodiments, the spatial relationship between the teeth 612 and the smiling plane 614 is represented by the distance D between the teeth 612 and the smiling plane 614. If the teeth 612 are aligned with (e.g., tangent to) the smiling plane 614, the distance D can be zero. Figure 6C As shown, if tooth 612 intersects with and protrudes beyond the smiling plane 614, the distance D can be positive. If tooth 612 is spaced apart from the smiling plane 614, the distance D can be negative. The position of tooth 612 in the target arrangement can be determined by comparing distance D with the target distance between tooth 612 and the smiling plane 614. For example, if the distance D between tooth 612 and the smiling plane 614 is greater than the target distance, tooth 612 can be moved to the left to reduce the degree to which tooth 612 protrudes beyond the smiling plane 614. Conversely, if the distance D is less than the target distance, tooth 612 can be moved to the right to reduce the gap between tooth 612 and the smiling plane 614.

[0081] Refer again Figure 5In some embodiments, a treatment planning algorithm is used to execute the process of box 512, which implements one or more rules for determining the position of the teeth in a target alignment. These rules may include targets and / or constraints based on a smile line definition, such as: target position of the teeth relative to the smile line, acceptable range of positions of the teeth relative to the smile line, prohibited range of positions of the teeth relative to the smile line, target distance between the teeth and the smile line, acceptable range of distances between the teeth and the smile line, prohibited range of distances between the teeth and the smile line, etc. For example, a rule may instruct that the teeth should align, contact, and / or intersect with the smile line. As another example, a rule may instruct that the teeth should not intersect with the smile line. In another example, a rule may instruct that the teeth should be within a specific distance of the smile line. In yet another example, a rule may instruct that the teeth should be at least a certain distance from the smile line. Any rule may be represented by the smile line, a 3D projection of the smile line (e.g., the smile plane), or both. Optionally, in embodiments using multiple rules, the rules may be weighted differently or otherwise prioritized (e.g., some rules may be mandatory, while others may be optional).

[0082] Any rules described herein may be applied to a single tooth or to multiple teeth (e.g., two, three, four, five, or more teeth). In some embodiments, rules may apply only to one or more of the six anterior teeth in the patient's upper dental arch (e.g., central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines). However, in other embodiments, these rules may apply to other teeth (e.g., other teeth in the patient's upper dental arch and / or teeth in the patient's lower dental arch). Furthermore, some teeth may be weighted or otherwise prioritized over others; for example, certain teeth must comply with the rules, while compliance with the rules is optional for other teeth.

[0083] The rules described in this paper can be represented as one or more mathematical functions, implemented by a treatment planning algorithm to determine the target alignment. These functions can define penalty parameters used to optimize tooth positions in the target alignment. The penalty parameters can indicate the degree to which a tooth violates a particular rule. For example, the penalty parameter can be larger if the current spatial relationship between the tooth and the smile plane differs significantly from the target spatial relationship specified by the rule, and smaller if the current spatial relationship between the tooth and the smile line matches or is close to the target spatial relationship. The treatment planning algorithm can determine the target tooth position by reducing or minimizing the sum of penalty parameters evaluated for all teeth.

[0084] For example, in some embodiments, the process of box 512 includes determining the distance between the teeth and the smiling plane, which can be mathematically defined using the following equation: in It's a dot on a tooth. It is the projection of that point onto the smile plane, and It is a unit vector perpendicular to the smiling plane (e.g., a normal vector pointing away from the teeth).

[0085] An evaluation function can be determined to measure the amount by which teeth protrude beyond the smile plane. The evaluation function can have the following form: It can also be used as an objective function or constraint.

[0086] In some embodiments, the shape of a tooth can be approximated using multiple 3D shapes, which can improve computational efficiency compared to approximation using multiple vertices. For example, the 3D shapes can be capsules, each having an elongated body and a hemispherical end. Thus, the shape of a tooth can be approximated by filling a portion or all of the tooth volume with 3D shapes. The 3D shapes can then be used to calculate the distance between the tooth and the smiling plane, for example, by calculating the distance between the smiling plane and the 3D shape closest to the smiling plane. Further details of this approximation technique are provided in U.S. Patent No. 11,096,763, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0087] For example, the distance between teeth and the smiling plane, approximated by multiple capsule bodies, can be defined as: in It is the endpoint of the capsule segment. It is the radius of the capsule.

[0088] The corresponding evaluation function can have the following form: It can also be used as an objective function or constraint.

[0089] In some embodiments, the rule for ensuring that the amount of teeth protruding beyond the smile line does not exceed a threshold has the following form (Equation 1): in It is the smiling plane corresponding to the smiling line, and It is a threshold.

[0090] In some embodiments, the rule for ensuring that the gap between the teeth and the smile line is less than a threshold has the following form (Equation 2): in It is the smiling plane corresponding to the smiling line, and It is a threshold.

[0091] In some embodiments, the rule for minimizing the amount by which teeth protrude beyond the smile line has the following form (Equation 3): in The smile plane corresponding to the smile line.

[0092] In some embodiments, the rule for minimizing the amount of space between the teeth and the smile line has the following form (Equation 4): in It is the smile plane corresponding to the smile line.

[0093] For example, in the target alignment, the right edge of the left central incisor can be aligned with the facial midline, and the left edge of the right central incisor can be aligned with the facial midline. Using the smile plane corresponding to the facial midline, the corresponding objective function can be the sum of Equations 3 and 4 for the left and right central incisors. This objective function minimizes the squared distance between the central incisors and the facial midline by bringing the corresponding edges of these teeth as close to the facial midline as possible.

[0094] As another example, in the target alignment, the incisal edges of the six maxillary anterior teeth can be aligned with the incisal line. The corresponding objective function could be the sum of Equations 3 and 4, respectively, using the smile plane corresponding to the incisal line for the six maxillary anterior teeth. This objective function minimizes the squared distance between the six maxillary anterior teeth and the incisal line by positioning the corresponding edges of these teeth close to the incisal line. Alternatively or in combination, using this method, the gingival margins of the six maxillary anterior teeth can be aligned with the gingival line.

[0095] Once the target alignment is determined, method 500 may continue to generate one or more intermediate alignments of the patient's teeth to reposition the teeth toward the target alignment and generate manufacturing instructions for one or more dental appliances, as described elsewhere in this document.

[0096] Method 500 can be varied in many ways. For example, it can be omitted. Figure 5 Some of the processes and / or methods shown in 500 may include Figure 5 Additional processes are not shown in the diagram. Furthermore, method 500 can be combined with any other method described herein, such as... Figure 2 Method 200.

[0097] Figures 7A-12 A treatment plan technique for reducing the amount of visible gum in a patient's smile, according to an embodiment of this technology, is illustrated. In some cases, a smile that exposes a large amount of gum may be aesthetically undesirable. For example, Figure 7AA patient smile 700a with excessive visible gingiva 702 is shown. The gingiva 702 between the patient's upper lip 704 and anterior teeth 706 is exposed in smile 700a, which may be aesthetically undesirable. If aesthetic factors are not considered during treatment planning, for example, if the upper anterior teeth 706 of the treated patient are pushed out, the amount of visible gingiva 702 may even increase after orthodontic treatment.

[0098] Figure 7B A patient smile 700b is shown after visible gingival reduction 708 according to an embodiment of the present technology. (See example...) Figure 7B As shown, when the patient smiles, the gingiva 708 of the upper dental arch is now largely obscured by the patient's upper lip 704, which may be a more aesthetically pleasing outcome. The amount of exposed gingiva 708 can be reduced by decreasing the extent to which the patient's anterior teeth 706 are pushed out during treatment or by intruding into the patient's anterior teeth 706. This outcome can be achieved using an automated treatment planning algorithm that assesses the amount of gingiva initially visible in the patient's smile and determines the target alignment of the patient's teeth to maintain or reduce the amount of visible gingiva after treatment.

[0099] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a method 800 for planning treatment for a patient's teeth based on visible gingiva, according to an embodiment of the present technology. Method 800 can be performed by any suitable system or device, such as... Figure 1 The data input component 102 and / or treatment planning component 104 of system 100 are executed. In some embodiments, part or all of the process of method 800 is implemented as computer-readable instructions (e.g., program code), which are configured to be executed by one or more processors of a computing device.

[0100] Method 800 may begin at frame 802 and receive a 2D image of the patient's face. The 2D image (e.g., an image frame from a photograph or video) may be received from any suitable imaging device, such as a camera, e.g., a DSLR camera or a camera on a mobile device. The 2D image may include the patient's mouth region (including visible portions of the teeth and gums) and the patient's lips. The patient's mouth may be in any suitable position, such as a smiling position (e.g., a social smiling position). Optionally, the 2D image data may show other parts of the patient's anatomy, such as other facial features (e.g., eyes, eyebrows, nose, subnasal point, cheeks, chin, jawline), head, neck, shoulders and / or trunk, or the patient's entire body.

[0101] In box 804, method 800 may include generating a lip contour based on a 2D image. The lip contour may be a spline curve, curve, or other geometric element representing the position and shape of at least one lip (e.g., upper lip, lower lip, or both lips) of a patient. The lip contour may indicate the boundaries of the lips near the patient's teeth (e.g., the lower boundary of the upper lip and / or the upper boundary of the lower lip). Any suitable technique may be used to generate the lip contour, such as using computer vision algorithms and / or machine learning algorithms to detect the position of the lips in the 2D image. Additional details of the technique for generating a lip contour are provided in U.S. Patent No. 11,007,036, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0102] In box 806, method 800 may include generating a tooth profile based on a 2D image. The tooth profile may be a spline curve, curve, or other geometric element representing the position and shape of the gingival margin of one or more teeth, such as one or more anterior teeth (e.g., central incisors, lateral incisors, and / or canines) in the upper dental arch, one or more anterior teeth in the lower dental arch, and / or other teeth visible in the 2D image. Any suitable technique may be used to generate the tooth profile, such as using computer vision algorithms and / or machine learning algorithms to detect the position of teeth in the 2D image. Additional details of the technique for generating tooth profiles are provided in U.S. Patent No. 11,007,036, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0103] For example, Figure 9 This is a representative example of a patient image 900 labeled with a lip contour 902 and a tooth contour 904 according to embodiments of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the lip contour 902 corresponds to the lower edge of the patient's upper lip, and the tooth contour 904 corresponds to the gingival margin of the six anterior teeth of the patient's upper dental arch. However, in other embodiments, a lip contour corresponding to the upper edge of the lower lip may be generated as an alternative to or supplement to the lip contour 902. Furthermore, the tooth contour 904 may be based on different teeth in the upper dental arch (e.g., only the central incisors), and / or a tooth contour may be generated for the teeth of the lower dental arch as an alternative to or supplement to the tooth contour 904.

[0104] Refer again Figure 8 In box 808, method 800 can continue to determine the amount of visible gingiva based on the lip contour and tooth contour. For example, the amount of visible gingiva can be determined by measuring the distance between the lip contour and the tooth contour, which can be correlated with the distance between the edge of the patient's lips and the gingival margin of the patient's teeth. In some embodiments, this distance is the vertical distance between the vertices of the lip contour and the tooth contour (corresponding to the gingival apex of the teeth). For example, as... Figure 9As shown, the amount of visible gingiva 906 between the patient's upper lip and upper teeth can be represented by distances D1 and D2, which are measured vertically between the lip contour 902 and the apex of the tooth contour 904 corresponding to the gingival apex of the upper central incisor. Alternatively or in combination, distance measurements can be taken at other locations along the tooth contour 904, such as at the highest point corresponding to the gingival apex of another tooth (e.g., a lateral incisor or canine).

[0105] Refer again Figure 8 The distance can be measured at a single location (e.g., from the gingival apex of a single tooth) or at multiple locations (e.g., from the gingival apex of multiple teeth). In embodiments where multiple distance measurements are taken, the measurements can be averaged or otherwise combined to produce a single value representing the total amount of visible gingiva. Some distance measurements may be weighted more heavily than others; for example, measurements of the central incisors may be weighted more heavily than measurements of the lateral incisors. Alternatively, the largest distance measurement may be selected as the measurement representing the total amount of visible gingiva.

[0106] In addition to distance-based measurements, the procedure of box 808 may alternatively or additionally include other techniques for determining the amount of visible gingiva. For example, the amount of visible gingiva may be determined by measuring the area between the lip contour and the tooth contour (e.g., the area corresponding to the region between the gingival margin of one or more teeth and the patient's lip margin).

[0107] At box 810, method 800 may continue to determine the target alignment of the patient's teeth based on the amount of visible gingiva. In some embodiments, the process at box 810 includes comparing the amount of visible gingiva determined in box 808 with a threshold. For example, the threshold may be a distance value representing the maximum distance at which gingiva exposure is considered acceptable, such as 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2.5 mm, 2 mm, 1.5 mm, or 1 mm. As another example, the threshold may be an area value representing the maximum area at which gingiva exposure is considered acceptable.

[0108] If the amount of visible gingiva is less than or equal to a threshold, the treatment planning algorithm can continue to determine the position of one or more teeth in the target arrangement such that the amount of visible gingiva remains unchanged, decreases, or increases but does not exceed the threshold. For example, the treatment planning algorithm can implement a rule that indicates the maximum extrusion distance of the anterior teeth should not exceed the difference between the maximum acceptable distance of the visible gingiva and the current measured distance of the visible gingiva. For example, if the maximum acceptable distance is 3 mm and the current measured distance is 2 mm, then the maximum extrusion distance should not exceed 1 mm.

[0109] If the amount of visible gingiva exceeds a threshold, the treatment planning algorithm can continue to determine the position of one or more teeth in the target alignment to reduce the amount of visible gingiva. For example, the treatment planning algorithm can invade one or more teeth to reduce the distance of exposed gingiva after treatment. The invasion distance can be determined based on the difference between the maximum acceptable distance of visible gingiva and the current measured distance of visible gingiva (e.g., if the maximum acceptable distance is 2 mm and the current measured distance is 3 mm, then the invasion distance should be at least 1 mm). Optionally, the invasion distance can be limited to not exceeding a maximum value corresponding to the clinically acceptable limit of movement (e.g., not exceeding 2 mm).

[0110] In some embodiments, the treatment planning algorithm determines the target tooth alignment in part based on a leveling surface that defines the vertical position of one or more teeth. Parameters of the leveling surface can be determined based on the amount of visible gingiva. For example, the parameters of the leveling surface can be configured to increase, decrease, or maintain the amount of visible gingiva. Therefore, the process at box 810 may include determining a leveling surface that produces a desired amount of visible gingiva when the patient's teeth are in the target alignment, as described below. Figures 10-12 Further description.

[0111] Once the target alignment is determined, method 800 may proceed to generate one or more intermediate alignments of the patient's teeth to reposition the teeth toward the target alignment and generate manufacturing instructions for one or more dental appliances, as described elsewhere in this document.

[0112] Method 800 can be varied in many ways. For example, it can be omitted. Figure 8 Some of the processes and / or methods shown in 800 may include Figure 8 Additional processes are not shown in the diagram. Furthermore, method 800 can be combined with any other method described herein, such as... Figure 2 Method 200 and / or Figure 5 Method 500.

[0113] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a method 1000 for determining a patient's target tooth alignment to reduce visible gingiva according to an embodiment of the present technology. Method 1000 can be performed by any suitable system or device, such as... Figure 1 The data input component 102 and / or treatment planning component 104 of system 100 are executed. In some embodiments, part or all of the process of method 1000 is implemented as computer-readable instructions (e.g., program code) configured to be executed by one or more processors of a computing device.

[0114] Method 1000 may begin at box 1002 to determine a universal leveling surface for the patient's teeth. The universal leveling surface may be a plane or other geometric element that indicates the target vertical position of one or more teeth (e.g., cusps in the teeth may be constrained to lie on the universal leveling surface). For example, the universal leveling surface may indicate the vertical position of incisors, canines, and / or premolars in the patient's maxillary arch to be achieved through orthodontic treatment. In some embodiments, the vertical position of the universal leveling surface is determined based on the current vertical position of one or more teeth (e.g., premolars), and the vertical position of the universal leveling surface is used to specify the target vertical position of one or more other teeth (e.g., central incisors, lateral incisors, and / or canines). The shape of the universal leveling surface can define how the teeth are positioned vertically relative to each other; for example, if the universal leveling surface is horizontal, the teeth may have the same vertical position, or if the universal leveling surface is inclined or curved, the teeth may have different vertical positions.

[0115] In some embodiments, the universal leveling surface is the "default" leveling surface, which is determined in a manner independent of the amount of visible gingiva in the patient's smile. Therefore, repositioning the patient's teeth according to the universal leveling surface may result in excessive visible gingiva. For example, Figure 11A This is a schematic diagram of patient teeth in a target arrangement 1100a corresponding to the universal leveling surface 1102 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vertical position (height) of the universal leveling surface 1102 can be set based on the current vertical position of one or more premolars in the patient's maxillary arch. For example, the universal leveling surface 1102 can be aligned (e.g., intersecting or tangent) with the cusps of the premolar 1104. The universal leveling surface 1102 can be used to set the vertical position of the central incisor 1106 in the target arrangement 1100a, for example, the central incisor 1106 can be aligned (e.g., intersecting or tangent) with the universal leveling surface 1102. Alternatively or in combination, the universal leveling surface 1102 can be used to set the vertical position of other teeth (e.g., lateral incisors 1108 and / or canines 1110).

[0116] When the patient's teeth are in the target alignment 1100a, the amount of visible gingiva corresponds to the distance D3 between the vertical position of the lower edge of the patient's upper lip ("lip position 1112") and the vertical position of the gingival margin of one or more anterior teeth (such as the central incisors 1106) ("gingival margin 1114"). Therefore, if the anterior teeth are pushed out in the target alignment 1100a to align with the universal leveling surface 1102, this can increase the distance D3 and thus increase the amount of visible gingiva exposed.

[0117] Refer again Figure 10In box 1004, method 1000 may include determining an adjusted leveling surface for the patient's teeth based on the visible gingiva in a patient image. The adjusted leveling surface may be a plane or other geometric element indicating a target vertical position for one or more teeth; for example, cusps in the teeth may be constrained to lie on a universal leveling surface. For instance, the adjusted leveling surface may indicate the vertical position of incisors, canines, and / or premolars in the patient's maxillary arch to be achieved through orthodontic treatment. The shape of the adjusted leveling surface may define how the teeth are positioned vertically relative to each other; for example, if the universal leveling surface is a horizontal plane, the teeth may have the same vertical position, or if the universal leveling surface is a slope or curved surface, the teeth may have different vertical positions.

[0118] The adjusted leveling surface can be determined based on the amount of visible gingiva in the patient's image, which can be achieved using techniques previously described herein (e.g., in combination with...). Figure 8 The adjusted leveling surface is used for measurement (frames 802-808). In some embodiments, the adjusted leveling surface specifies a target vertical position for one or more teeth (e.g., central incisors, lateral incisors, and / or canines) that will reduce the amount of visible gingiva in a patient's smile, for example, by making the vertical distance less than or equal to a threshold. Optionally, the adjusted leveling surface may be constrained to prevent tooth movement from exceeding clinically acceptable movement limits (e.g., intrusion not exceeding 2 mm).

[0119] For example, Figure 11B This is a schematic diagram of patient teeth in a target arrangement 1100a corresponding to the adjusted leveling surface 1116 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the adjusted leveling surface 1116 is a curved surface aligned with the cusps of the premolars 1104. The adjusted leveling surface 1116 can set the vertical position of the central incisors 1106 in the target arrangement 1100b, thereby reducing or minimizing the distance between the labial position 1112 and the gingival margin 1114 of the central incisors 1106 (e.g., as shown). Figure 11B The adjusted leveling surface 1116 can also set the vertical position of the lateral incisors 1108 and / or canines 1110, for example, by defining the curve between the cusps of the central incisors 1106 and the cusps of the premolars 1104. Figure 11B As shown, compared to the universal leveling surface 1102, the adjusted leveling surface 1116 can cause intrusion of the central incisor 1106, lateral incisor 1108 and / or canine 1110.

[0120] Refer again Figure 10In block 1006, method 1000 may further include comparing the amount of visible gingiva associated with a universal leveling surface and an adjusted leveling surface. In some embodiments, the process in block 1006 includes determining a first amount of visible gingiva to be generated by repositioning the patient's teeth according to the universal leveling surface, determining a second amount of visible gingiva to be generated by repositioning the patient's teeth according to the adjusted leveling surface, and comparing the first amount of visible gingiva with the second amount of visible gingiva. As previously mentioned... Figure 8 The amount of visible gingiva can be determined using distance measurement, area measurement, and / or other suitable techniques. Optionally, the amount of visible gingiva after repositioning can be calculated based on the initial amount of visible gingiva and the positional change of one or more teeth during repositioning (e.g., if the initial amount of visible gingiva is 1 mm and the tooth is pushed out by 1 mm, the final amount of visible gingiva will be 2 mm).

[0121] At box 1008, method 1000 may continue to select a leveling surface (a general leveling surface or an adjusted leveling surface) based on this comparison. For example, a leveling surface that produces the minimum amount of visible gingiva may be selected. As another example, a general leveling surface may be selected if it does not increase the amount of visible gingiva relative to the patient's initial tooth alignment, while an adjusted leveling surface may be selected if it increases the amount of visible gingiva. In yet another example, a general leveling surface may be selected if the amount of visible gingiva caused by the general leveling surface does not exceed a threshold, while an adjusted leveling surface may be selected if the amount of visible gingiva caused by the general leveling surface exceeds a threshold.

[0122] The selected leveling surface can then be used to determine the target alignment of the patient's teeth, for example, by inputting the selected leveling surface into a treatment planning algorithm. The target alignment can then be used to determine the intermediate alignment and / or manufacturing instructions for dental appliances, as described elsewhere in this document.

[0123] Method 1000 can be varied in many ways. For example, it can be omitted. Figure 10 Some of the processes and / or methods shown in 1000 may include Figure 10 Additional processes are not shown in the diagram. Furthermore, method 1000 can be combined with any other method described herein, such as... Figure 2 Method 200 Figure 5 Method 500 and / or Figure 8 Method 800. For example, Method 1000 can be used as... Figure 8 The method is performed as part of the process in box 810 of method 800.

[0124] Figure 12This is a flowchart illustrating a workflow 1200 for generating a treatment plan to reduce visible gingiva according to an embodiment of the present technology. Workflow 1200 can be implemented by any suitable system or device, such as... Figure 1 The system 100 is implemented using the data input component 102 and / or the treatment planning component 104. In some embodiments, part or all of the processes of the workflow 1200 are implemented as computer-readable instructions (e.g., program code) configured to be executed by one or more processors of a computing device.

[0125] Workflow 1200 may include receiving photographs of the patient smiling (“smiling photographs”, box 1202) and calculating the amount of visible gingiva in the smiling photographs (boxes 1204, 1206). Optionally, if the amount of visible gingiva in the smiling photographs exceeds 2 mm, the amount used in subsequent procedures may be set to 2 mm to remain within clinically acceptable limits of tooth movement (box 1208).

[0126] Workflow 1200 may also include receiving data indicating the position of one or more of the patient's teeth in the initial alignment ("tooth position", box 1210). A general leveling surface for the patient's teeth can be generated based on the tooth position (boxes 1212, 1214). An adjusted leveling surface can be generated based on the tooth position and the amount of visible gingiva (boxes 1216, 1218).

[0127] Workflow 1200 may also include selecting a leveling target for the treatment planning algorithm (box 1220). In some embodiments, a universal leveling surface is used in the treatment planning algorithm if it does not result in visible gingiva in the patient's smile, or does not increase the amount of visible gingiva in the patient's smile (box 1222). Conversely, if the universal leveling surface does result in visible gingiva and / or increases the amount of visible gingiva, an adjusted leveling surface is used in the treatment planning algorithm box 1224.

[0128] Workflow 1200 can be varied in several ways. For example, it can be omitted. Figure 12 Some of the inputs, outputs, and / or processes, and / or workflows shown in the diagram 1200 may include Figure 12 Additional inputs, outputs, and / or processes not shown. Furthermore, workflow 1200 can be incorporated into any other method described herein, such as... Figure 2 Method 200 Figure 5 Method 500 Figure 8 Method 800 and / or Figure 10 Method 1000. II. Dental instruments and related methods

[0129] Figure 13AA representative example of a tooth repositioning appliance 1300 configured according to embodiments of the present invention is shown. Appliance 1300 can be manufactured using any of the systems, methods, and apparatus described herein. Appliance 1300 (also referred to herein as an "orthodontic appliance") can be worn by a patient to achieve incremental repositioning of individual teeth 1302 in the jaw. Appliance 1300 may include a housing (e.g., a continuous polymer housing or a segmented housing) having tooth-receiving cavities that accommodate and resiliently reposition the teeth. Appliance 1300 or portions thereof can be manufactured indirectly using a physical model of the teeth. For example, an appliance (e.g., a polymer appliance) can be formed using a physical model of the teeth and suitable polymer material sheets. In some embodiments, the physical appliance is manufactured directly from a digital model of the appliance, for example using additive manufacturing techniques.

[0130] The appliance 1300 can be fitted onto all or part of the teeth in the maxilla or mandible. The appliance 1300 can be specifically designed to fit the patient's teeth (e.g., the morphology of the tooth-receiving cavity matches the morphology of the patient's teeth) and can be manufactured based on a positive or negative model of the patient's teeth produced by impression, scanning, etc. Alternatively, the appliance 1300 can be a general-purpose appliance configured to receive teeth, but does not necessarily need to be shaped to match the morphology of the patient's teeth. In some cases, only certain teeth received by the appliance 1300 are repositioned by the appliance 1300, while other teeth can provide a base or anchoring area to hold the appliance 1300 in place when the appliance 1300 applies force to one or more teeth that are the targets of repositioning. In some cases, some, most, or even all of the teeth can be repositioned at some point during treatment. The moved teeth can also serve as a base or anchor to hold the appliance in place while the patient wears it. In a preferred embodiment, no wire or other means are provided to hold the appliance 1300 in proper position on the tooth. However, in some cases, it may be desirable or necessary to provide a separate attachment 1304 or other anchoring element on the tooth 1302, having a corresponding receiving portion 1306 or hole in the appliance 1300, so that the appliance 1300 can apply selected forces to the tooth. Representative examples of appliances, including those used in the Invisalign® system, are described in numerous patents and patent applications of Alain Technologies, Inc. (including, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,450,807 and 5,975,893) and on the company’s website accessible on the World Wide Web (e.g., see invisalign.com). Examples of attachments mounted on the teeth suitable for use with orthodontic appliances are also described in the patents and patent applications of Alain Technologies, Inc., including, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,309,215 and 6,830,450.

[0131] Figure 13B A tooth repositioning system 1310 comprising multiple appliances 1312, 1314, and 1316 according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Any appliance described herein may be designed and / or provided as part of a set of multiple appliances for use in a tooth repositioning system. Each appliance may be configured such that the tooth receiving cavity has a geometry corresponding to an intermediate or final tooth alignment of that appliance. By placing a series of incremental position adjustment appliances on the patient's teeth, the patient's teeth can be progressively repositioned from an initial tooth alignment to a target tooth alignment. For example, the tooth repositioning system 1310 may include: a first appliance 1312 corresponding to the initial tooth alignment, one or more intermediate appliances 1314 corresponding to one or more intermediate alignments, and a final appliance 1316 corresponding to the target alignment. The target tooth alignment may be the planned final tooth alignment selected for the patient's teeth at the end of all planned orthodontic treatment. Alternatively, the target alignment can be one of several intermediate alignments used for a patient's teeth during orthodontic treatment, and can include a variety of different treatment scenarios, including but not limited to cases where surgery is recommended, interproximal enamel reduction (IPR) is appropriate, schedule progress checks, anchor placement is optimal, palatal expansion is desired, and cases involving restorative dentistry (e.g., inlays, onlays, crowns, bridges, implants, veneers, etc.). Therefore, it should be understood that the target tooth alignment can be the final alignment of any planned patient's teeth following one or more incremental repositioning phases. Similarly, the initial tooth alignment can be any initial alignment of the patient's teeth followed by one or more incremental repositioning phases.

[0132] Figure 13CAn orthodontic treatment method 1320 using multiple appliances according to an embodiment of the present technology is illustrated. Method 1320 can be implemented using any of the appliances or sets of appliances described herein. In block 1322, a first orthodontic appliance is applied to the patient's teeth to reposition the teeth from a first dental alignment to a second dental alignment. In block 1324, a second orthodontic appliance is applied to the patient's teeth to reposition the teeth from the second dental alignment to a third dental alignment. Method 1320 can be repeated as needed using any suitable number of sequential appliances and combinations of sequential appliances to progressively reposition the patient's teeth from an initial alignment to a target alignment. Appliances can be manufactured all at once or in groups or batches (e.g., at the beginning of a treatment phase), or they can be manufactured one at a time, and the patient can wear each appliance until no pressure is felt on the teeth by each appliance, or until the maximum amount of tooth movement extrusion for that given phase has been reached. Multiple different appliances (e.g., a set) can be designed or even manufactured before the patient wears any of the multiple appliances. After wearing an appliance for an appropriate period of time, the patient can replace the current appliance with the next appliance in the series until no appliances remain. Appliances are typically not fixed to the teeth, and the patient can place and replace appliances at any time during the procedure (e.g., patient-removable appliances). The final appliance or several appliances in the series may have one or more geometries selected for overcorrection of tooth alignment. For example, one or more appliances may have geometries that will (if fully realized) move individual teeth beyond the alignment that has been selected as “final.” This overcorrection may be desired to counteract potential relapse after the repositioning approach has been terminated (e.g., allowing individual teeth to move toward their pre-correction position). Overcorrection can also facilitate faster treatment (e.g., appliances with geometries positioned outside the desired intermediate or final position can move individual teeth toward that position at a greater speed). In such cases, appliance use may be terminated before the teeth reach the position defined by the appliance. Furthermore, overcorrection may be intentionally applied to compensate for any inaccuracies or limitations of the appliances.

[0133] Figure 14 A method 1400 for designing orthodontic appliances according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Method 1400 can be applied to any embodiment of the orthodontic appliances described herein. Some or all of the steps of method 1400 can be performed by any suitable data processing system or apparatus (e.g., one or more processors configured with suitable instructions).

[0134] In box 1402, a movement path for moving one or more teeth from an initial alignment to a target alignment is determined. The initial alignment can be determined based on a mold or scan of the patient's teeth or oral tissues, using techniques such as wax bite verification, direct contact scanning, X-ray imaging, tomography, ultrasound imaging, and other techniques for obtaining information about the position and structure of teeth, jaws, gingiva, and other orthodontic-related tissues. A digital dataset representing the initial (e.g., pre-treatment) alignment of the patient's teeth and other tissues can be derived from the obtained data. Optionally, the initial digital dataset is processed to segment the tissue components relative to each other. For example, a data structure digitally representing the individual crowns can be generated. Advantageously, a digital model of the entire tooth can be generated, including the measured or inferred hidden surfaces and root structures, as well as the surrounding bone and soft tissue.

[0135] The target alignment of teeth (e.g., the desired outcome and expected end result of orthodontic treatment) can be received from the clinician in the form of a treatment plan, calculated based on fundamental orthodontic principles, and / or inferred from the clinically developed plan. By specifying the desired final position of the teeth and a digital representation of the teeth themselves, the final position and surface geometry of each tooth can be specified to form a complete model of the tooth alignment at the end of the desired treatment.

[0136] Having both an initial position and a target position for each tooth, a movement path can be defined for the movement of each tooth. In some embodiments, the movement path is configured to move the tooth from its initial position to its desired target position in the fastest manner with the least amount of round trips. The tooth path can optionally be segmented (partitioned), and the segments can be computed such that the movement of each tooth within a segment remains within threshold limits of linear translation and rotational translation. In this way, the endpoints of each path segment can constitute a clinically feasible repositioning, and the set of segment endpoints can constitute a clinically feasible sequence of tooth positions such that moving from one point to the next in the sequence does not result in tooth collision.

[0137] In box 1404, a force system is defined to generate movement of one or more teeth along the movement path. This force system may include one or more forces and / or one or more torques. Different force systems can result in different types of tooth movement, such as tilting, translation, rotation, extrusion, intrusion, root movement, etc. Biomechanical principles, modeling techniques, force calculation / measurement techniques, etc. (including knowledge and methods commonly used in orthodontics) can be used to determine the appropriate force system to be applied to the teeth to achieve tooth movement. Sources may be considered when determining the force system to be applied, including literature, force systems determined through experimental or virtual modeling, computer-based modeling, clinical experience, minimization of unwanted forces, etc.

[0138] The determination of the force system can be performed in a variety of ways. For example, in some embodiments, the force system is determined on a case-by-case basis on an individual patient basis, for example, using patient-specific data. Alternatively or in combination, the force system can be determined based on a general model of tooth movement (e.g., based on experimental, modeling, clinical data, etc.), thus not necessarily using patient-specific data. In some embodiments, the determination of the force system includes calculating specific force values ​​to be applied to one or more teeth to produce a specific movement. Alternatively, the determination of the force system can be performed at a higher level without calculating specific force values ​​for the teeth. For example, block 1404 may include determining a specific type of force to be applied (e.g., extrusion force, invasive force, translational force, rotational force, tilting force, torsional force, etc.) without calculating the specific magnitude and / or direction of the force.

[0139] Determining the force system can include constraints on permissible forces, such as permissible directions and magnitudes, and constraints on the desired movement induced by the applied forces. For example, different patients may require different movement strategies when fabricating a palatal expander. For instance, the amount of force required to separate the palate can depend on the patient's age, as very young patients may not have fully formed sutures. Therefore, in adolescent patients and others without fully closed palatal sutures, palatal expansion can be accomplished with a lower force. Slower palatal movement can also help bone growth to fill the expanding suture. For other patients, a faster expansion may be required, which can be achieved by applying greater forces. The structure and materials of the appliance can be selected based on these requirements; for example, by selecting a palatal expander capable of applying large forces to break the palatal suture and / or cause rapid expansion of the palate. Subsequent appliance stages can be designed to apply varying amounts of force, such as initially applying large forces to break the suture, then applying smaller forces to maintain suture separation or gradually expand the palate and / or dental arch.

[0140] Determining the force system may also involve modeling the patient's facial structures, such as the skeletal structure of the jaw and palate. For example, scan data of the palate and dental arch (such as X-ray data or 3D optical scan data) can be used to determine parameters of the skeletal and muscular systems of the patient's oral cavity in order to determine the force sufficient to provide the desired expansion of the palate and / or dental arch. In some embodiments, the thickness and / or density of the palatal suture may be measured or input by a treatment professional. In other embodiments, the treatment professional may select appropriate treatment based on the patient's physiological characteristics. For example, the characteristics of the palate may also be estimated based on factors such as the patient's age; for instance, younger adolescent patients may require less force to expand the suture than older patients because the suture has not yet fully formed.

[0141] In box 1406, the design of an orthodontic appliance configured to generate a force system is defined. This design may include the appliance's geometry, material composition, and / or material properties, and may be determined in various ways, such as using a treatment or force application simulation environment. The simulation environment may include, for example, a computer modeling system, a biomechanical system, or a device. Optionally, a digital model of the appliance and / or teeth may be generated, such as a finite element model. The finite element model can be created using computer program application software available from multiple vendors. To create a solid geometry model, computer-aided engineering (CAE) or computer-aided design (CAD) programs can be used, such as AutoCAD® software products available from Autodesk, Inc., San Rafael, California. To create and analyze the finite element model, program products from multiple vendors can be used, including the finite element analysis package from ANSYS, Inc., Fort Cannons, Pennsylvania, and the SIMULIA (Abaqus) software product from Dassault Systèmes, Inc., Waltham, Massachusetts.

[0142] Optionally, one or more designs can be selected for testing or force modeling. As described above, the desired tooth movement and the required or desired force system to induce the desired tooth movement can be identified. Using a simulation environment, candidate designs can be analyzed or modeled to determine the actual force system generated by using candidate appliances. One or more modifications to candidate appliances can be optionally made, and force modeling can be further analyzed as described, for example, to iteratively determine appliance designs that generate the desired force system.

[0143] In block 1408, instructions for manufacturing an orthodontic appliance incorporating the design are generated. The instructions may be configured to control a manufacturing system or apparatus to produce an orthodontic appliance having the specified design. In some embodiments, the instructions are configured to manufacture the orthodontic appliance using direct manufacturing methods (e.g., stereolithography, selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling, 3D printing, continuous direct manufacturing, multimaterial direct manufacturing, etc.) according to various methods presented herein. In alternative embodiments, the instructions may be configured to indirectly manufacture the appliance, such as by thermoforming.

[0144] While the steps described above illustrate a method 1400 for designing orthodontic appliances according to some embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize some variations based on the teachings described herein. Some steps may include sub-steps. Some steps may be repeated frequently as needed. One or more steps of method 1400 can be performed using any suitable manufacturing system or apparatus, such as the embodiments described herein. Some steps may be optional; for example, the process in box 1404 may be omitted, such that the orthodontic appliance is designed based on desired tooth movement and / or determined tooth movement paths rather than on a force system. Furthermore, the order of the steps may be changed as needed.

[0145] Figure 15 A method 1500 for digitally planning orthodontic treatment and / or designing or manufacturing appliances according to an embodiment is shown. Method 1500 can be applied to any treatment procedure described herein and can be performed by any suitable data processing system.

[0146] In box 1502, a digital representation of the patient's teeth is received. This digital representation may include surface topography data of the patient's oral cavity (including teeth, gingival tissue, etc.). The surface topography data can be generated by directly scanning the oral cavity, a physical model (positive or negative) of the oral cavity, or an impression of the oral cavity using a suitable scanning device (e.g., a handheld scanner, a desktop scanner, etc.).

[0147] In box 1504, one or more treatment phases are generated based on the digital representation of the teeth. A treatment phase can be an incremental repositioning phase in the orthodontic treatment process, designed to move one or more of the patient's teeth from an initial tooth alignment to a target alignment. For example, a treatment phase can be generated by determining the initial tooth alignment indicated by the digital representation, determining the target tooth alignment, and determining the movement path for one or more teeth in the initial alignment required to achieve the target tooth alignment. The movement path can be optimized based on minimizing the total distance of movement, preventing collisions between teeth, avoiding more difficult tooth movements, or any other suitable criteria.

[0148] In box 1506, at least one orthodontic appliance is manufactured based on the generated treatment phase. For example, a set of appliances may be manufactured, each shaped according to the tooth alignment specified by a treatment phase, such that the appliances can be worn sequentially by the patient to progressively reposition the teeth from the initial alignment to the target alignment. This set of appliances may include one or more of the orthodontic appliances described herein. The manufacture of the appliance may include creating a digital model of the appliance as input to a computer-controlled manufacturing system. The appliance may be formed using direct manufacturing methods, indirect manufacturing methods, or a combination of both, as needed.

[0149] In some cases, the staging of various arrangements or treatment phases may not be necessary for the design and / or manufacture of the device. For example... Figure 15 As shown by the dashed lines, the design and / or manufacture of orthodontic appliances, and possibly specific orthodontic treatments, may include using a representation of the patient's teeth (e.g., including receiving a digital representation of the patient's teeth (box 1502)), and subsequently designing and / or manufacturing orthodontic appliances based on the representation of the patient's teeth in the arrangement represented by the received representation.

[0150] As described herein, the techniques described herein can be used to directly manufacture dental appliances (e.g., orthodontic appliances and / or a series of appliances with tooth-receiving cavities) configured to move a person's teeth from an initial alignment toward a target alignment according to a treatment plan. The appliances may include mandibular repositioning elements, such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 10,912,629, filed November 30, 2015, entitled "Dental Appliance with Repositioning Jaw Element"; U.S. Patent No. 10,537,406, filed September 19, 2014, entitled "Dental Appliance with Repositioning Jaw Element"; and U.S. Patent No. 9,844,424, filed February 21, 2014, entitled "Dental Appliance with Repositioning Palatal Element". The entire disclosure of these U.S. patents is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0151] The techniques used in this paper can also be used to manufacture attachment placement devices, such as appliances for placing prefabricated attachments onto a person's teeth according to one or more aspects of a treatment plan. Examples of attachment placement devices (also known as "attachment placement templates" or "attachment manufacturing templates") can be found in at least the following documents: U.S. Application No. 17 / 249,218, filed February 24, 2021, entitled "Flexible 3D Printed Orthodontic Appliance"; U.S. Application No. 16 / 366,686, filed March 27, 2019, entitled "Dental Attachment Placement Structure"; U.S. Application No. 15 / 674,662, filed August 11, 2017, entitled "Apparatus and System for Creating Attachments"; and U.S. Application No. 14, 2017, entitled "Dental Attachment Placement Structure". The following U.S. patents are cited in their entirety: U.S. Patent No. 11,103,330 entitled “Dental Attachment Placement Structure”; U.S. Application No. 14 / 963,527 entitled “Dental Attachment Placement Structure”, filed December 9, 2015; U.S. Application No. 14 / 939,246 entitled “Dental Attachment Placement Structure”, filed November 12, 2015; U.S. Application No. 14 / 939,252 entitled “Dental Attachment Forming Structure”, filed November 12, 2015; and U.S. Patent No. 9,700,385 entitled “Attachment Structure”, filed August 22, 2014.

[0152] Depending on one or more aspects of a treatment plan, the techniques described herein can be used to manufacture incremental palatal expanders and / or a series of incremental palatal expanders for expanding a person's palate from an initial position to a target position. Examples of incremental palatal expanders can be found in at least the following documents: U.S. Application No. 16 / 380,801, filed April 10, 2019, entitled "Releasable Palatal Expander"; U.S. Application No. 16 / 022,552, filed June 28, 2018, entitled "Apparatus, System, and Method for Dental Arch Expansion"; and U.S. Patent No. 16 / 022,552, filed June 8, 2018, entitled "Palatal Expander with Bone Anchoring Device". U.S. Application No. 11,045,283; U.S. Application No. 15 / 831,159, filed December 4, 2017, entitled "Palar Expander and Method of Palate Expanding"; U.S. Patent No. 10,993,783, filed December 4, 2017, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Customizing a Rapid Palate Expander"; and U.S. Patent No. 7,192,273, filed August 7, 2003, entitled "Palar Expanding System and Method". The entire disclosure of these U.S. applications / patents is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Example

[0153] The following embodiments are included to further describe some aspects of the present technology, and the following embodiments should not be used to limit the scope of the present technology.

[0154] Example 1. A method that includes: Receive 2D images of the patient's face; Generate at least one smile line based on the 2D image; Receive a 3D digital representation of the patient's dental arch; Determine the correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation; Generate a 3D projection of at least one smile line based on the correspondence; and The target alignment of the patient's teeth is determined based on the 3D projection of the at least one smile line.

[0155] Example 2. The method according to Example 1, wherein the 3D projection of the at least one smile line includes at least one smile plane.

[0156] Example 3. The method according to Example 2, wherein the at least one smiling plane includes the at least one smiling line and intersects with the projection viewpoint.

[0157] Example 4. The method according to Example 3, wherein the projection viewpoint corresponds to a camera position, and when the camera position is used to project the 3D digital representation onto a 2D plane, a 2D projection of the 3D digital representation similar to the 2D image is generated.

[0158] Example 5. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 4, wherein the 2D image and the at least one smile line are in a 2D reference frame, and the 3D digital representation and the 3D projection of the at least one smile line are in a 3D reference frame.

[0159] Example 6. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 5 further includes: determining a current spatial relationship between at least one tooth in the 3D digital representation and the 3D projection of the at least one smile line.

[0160] Example 7. The method according to Example 6 further includes: comparing the current spatial relationship with a target spatial relationship between the at least one tooth and the 3D projection.

[0161] Example 8. According to the method described in Example 7, wherein: The current spatial relationship includes the current distance between the at least one tooth and the 3D projection, and The target spatial relationship includes the target distance between the at least one tooth and the 3D projection.

[0162] Example 9. The method according to Example 7 or 8 further includes: if the current spatial relationship is different from the target spatial relationship, adjusting the position of the at least one tooth in the target arrangement.

[0163] Example 10. The method according to any one of Examples 6 to 9, wherein the at least one tooth comprises one or more of a central incisor, a lateral incisor, or a canine.

[0164] Example 11. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 10, wherein the target arrangement is determined using an automated treatment planning algorithm.

[0165] Example 12. The method according to Example 11, wherein the automated treatment planning algorithm executes one or more rules for determining the position of the patient's teeth in the target arrangement.

[0166] Example 13. The method according to Example 12, wherein the one or more rules are based on the at least one smile line.

[0167] Example 14. The method according to Example 12 or 13, wherein the one or more rules define penalty parameters based on the spatial relationship between the 3D projection of at least one tooth and the at least one smile line.

[0168] Example 15. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 14, wherein the 2D image is in a 2D reference frame, the 3D digital representation is in a 3D reference frame, and the correspondence includes a mapping relationship between the 2D reference frame and the 3D reference frame.

[0169] Example 16. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 15, wherein determining the correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation comprises: Projecting the 3D digital representation onto a 2D plane, and The projection of the 3D digital representation is compared with the 2D image.

[0170] Example 17. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 16, wherein the 2D image shows the mouth of a patient in a smiling position.

[0171] Example 18. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 17, wherein the 2D image is a photograph.

[0172] Example 19. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 18, wherein the 2D image is received from a mobile device.

[0173] Example 20. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 19, wherein the at least one smile line comprises one or more of the following: a facial midline, an intercanine width line, a gingival line, an incisal edge line, a horizontal line, or a proportional line.

[0174] Example 21. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 20, wherein the at least one smile line defines the patient's target smile.

[0175] Example 22. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 21 further includes: identifying one or more facial features in the 2D image, wherein the at least one smile line is generated based on the one or more facial features.

[0176] Example 23. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 22, wherein the 3D digital representation comprises a 3D digital model of one or more teeth in a patient's dental arch in an initial arrangement.

[0177] Example 24. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 23, wherein the patient's dental arch is the upper dental arch.

[0178] Example 25. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 24 further includes: generating one or more intermediate arrangements to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target arrangement.

[0179] Example 26. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 25 further includes: generating instructions for manufacturing one or more dental appliances, the one or more dental appliances being configured to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target alignment.

[0180] Example 27. A system comprising: Processor; and A memory, operatively coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations, including: Receive 2D images of the patient's face; Generate at least one smile line based on the 2D image; Receive a 3D digital representation of the patient's dental arch; Determine the correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation; Generate a 3D projection of at least one smile line based on the correspondence; and The target alignment of the patient's teeth is determined based on the 3D projection of the at least one smile line.

[0181] Example 28. The system according to Example 27, wherein the 3D projection of the at least one smile line includes at least one smile plane.

[0182] Example 29. The system according to Example 28, wherein the at least one smile plane includes the at least one smile line and intersects with the projection viewpoint.

[0183] Example 30. The system according to Example 29, wherein the projection viewpoint corresponds to a camera position, and when the camera position is used to project the 3D digital representation onto a 2D plane, a 2D projection of the 3D digital representation similar to a 2D image is generated.

[0184] Example 31. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 30, wherein the 2D image and the at least one smile line are in a 2D reference frame, and the 3D digital representation and the 3D projection of the at least one smile line are in a 3D reference frame.

[0185] Example 32. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 31, wherein the operation further includes: determining a current spatial relationship between at least one tooth in the 3D digital representation and the 3D projection of the at least one smile line.

[0186] Example 33. The system according to Example 32, wherein the operation further includes: comparing the current spatial relationship with a target spatial relationship between the at least one tooth and the 3D projection.

[0187] Example 34. The system according to Example 33, wherein: The current spatial relationship includes the current distance between the at least one tooth and the 3D projection, and The target spatial relationship includes the target distance between the at least one tooth and the 3D projection.

[0188] Example 35. The system according to Example 33 or 34, wherein the operation further includes: adjusting the position of the at least one tooth in the target arrangement if the current spatial relationship is different from the target spatial relationship.

[0189] Example 36. The system according to any one of Examples 32 to 35, wherein the at least one tooth comprises one or more of a central incisor, a lateral incisor, or a canine.

[0190] Example 37. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 36, wherein the target arrangement is determined using an automated treatment plan algorithm.

[0191] Example 38. The system according to Example 37, wherein the automatic treatment planning algorithm executes one or more rules for determining the position of the patient's teeth in the target arrangement.

[0192] Example 39. The system according to Example 38, wherein the one or more rules are based on at least one smile line.

[0193] Example 40. A system according to Example 38 or 39, wherein the one or more rules define penalty parameters based on the spatial relationship between the 3D projection of at least one tooth and the at least one smile line.

[0194] Example 41. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 40, wherein the 2D image is in a 2D reference frame, the 3D digital representation is in a 3D reference frame, and the correspondence includes a mapping relationship between the 2D reference frame and the 3D reference frame.

[0195] Example 42. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 41, wherein determining the correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation comprises: Projecting the 3D digital representation onto the 2D plane, and The projection of the 3D digital representation is compared with the 2D image.

[0196] Example 43. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 42, wherein the 2D image shows the mouth of a patient in a smiling position.

[0197] Example 44. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 43, wherein the 2D image is a photograph.

[0198] Example 45. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 44, wherein the 2D image is received from a mobile device.

[0199] Example 46. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 45, wherein the at least one smile line comprises one or more of the following: a facial midline, an intercanine width line, a gingival line, an incisal edge line, a horizontal line, or a proportional line.

[0200] Example 47. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 46, wherein the at least one smile line defines the patient's target smile.

[0201] Example 48. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 47, wherein the operation further includes: identifying one or more facial features in the 2D image, wherein the at least one smile line is generated based on the one or more facial features.

[0202] Example 49. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 48, wherein the 3D digital representation comprises a 3D digital model of one or more teeth in the patient's dental arch in an initial arrangement.

[0203] Example 50. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 49, wherein the patient's dental arch is the upper dental arch.

[0204] Example 51. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 50, wherein the operation further includes: generating one or more intermediate arrangements to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target arrangement.

[0205] Example 52. The system according to any one of Examples 27 to 51, wherein the operation further comprises: generating instructions for manufacturing one or more dental appliances configured to reposition a patient's teeth toward the target alignment.

[0206] Example 53. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations, said operations including: Receive 2D images of the patient's face; Generate at least one smile line based on the 2D image; Receive a 3D digital representation of the patient's dental arch; Determine the correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation; Generate a 3D projection of at least one smile line based on the correspondence; and The target alignment of the patient's teeth is determined based on the 3D projection of the at least one smile line.

[0207] Example 54. A method comprising: Receive 2D images of the patient's face; Determine the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image; and The target alignment of the patient's teeth is determined based on the amount of visible gingiva.

[0208] Example 55. The method according to Example 54 further includes: generating a lip contour and a tooth contour based on the 2D image, wherein the amount of visible gingiva is determined based on the lip contour and the tooth contour.

[0209] Example 56. The method according to Example 55, wherein the lip contour corresponds to the boundary of the patient's lips.

[0210] Example 57. The method according to Example 56, wherein the lip contour corresponds to the lower boundary of the patient's upper lip.

[0211] Example 58. The method according to any one of Examples 55 to 57, wherein the tooth profile corresponds to the gingival margin of at least one tooth of the patient.

[0212] Example 59. The method according to Example 58, wherein the at least one tooth comprises anterior teeth in the patient's upper dental arch.

[0213] Example 60. The method according to Example 58 or 59, wherein the at least one tooth comprises one or more of a central incisor, a lateral incisor, or a canine.

[0214] Example 61. The method according to any one of Examples 55 to 60, wherein determining the amount of the visible gingiva includes measuring the distance between the lip contour and the tooth contour.

[0215] Example 62. The method according to Example 61, wherein the distance is measured at multiple locations.

[0216] Example 63. The method according to Example 61 or 62, wherein the distance is measured between the highest point of the lip contour and the tooth contour corresponding to the gingival apex of the anterior teeth.

[0217] Example 64. The method according to any one of Examples 55 to 63, wherein determining the amount of the visible gingiva comprises measuring the area between the lip contour and the tooth contour.

[0218] Example 65. The method according to any one of Examples 54 to 64, wherein determining the target arrangement comprises: The amount of visible gingiva was compared with a threshold, and If the amount of visible gingiva exceeds the threshold, the position of at least one tooth is adjusted to reduce the amount of visible gingiva.

[0219] Example 66. The method according to Example 65, wherein adjusting the position of the at least one tooth includes intruding into the at least one tooth.

[0220] Example 67. The method according to Example 66 further includes: limiting the invasive distance of the at least one tooth within clinically acceptable limits of tooth movement.

[0221] Example 68. The method according to any one of Examples 54 to 67, wherein determining the target arrangement comprises: Generate a universal leveling surface. An adjusted leveling surface is generated based on the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image. The amount of visible gingiva produced by the universal leveling surface was compared with the amount of visible gingiva produced by the adjusted leveling surface, and Based on the comparison, either the general leveling surface or the adjusted leveling surface is selected to determine the target arrangement.

[0222] Example 69. The method according to Example 68, wherein the universal leveling surface is generated without taking into account the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image, and the adjusted leveling surface is configured to reduce the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image.

[0223] Example 70. The method described according to Example 68 or 69, wherein: If the amount of visible gingiva produced by the universal leveling surface is less than or equal to the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image, then the universal leveling surface is selected, and If the amount of visible gingiva produced by the universal leveling surface is greater than the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image, then the adjusted leveling surface is selected.

[0224] Example 71. The method according to any one of Examples 54 to 70, wherein the 2D image shows the mouth of a patient in a smiling position.

[0225] Example 72. The method according to any one of Examples 54 to 71, wherein the 2D image is a photograph.

[0226] Example 73. The method according to any one of Examples 54 to 72, wherein the 2D image is received from a mobile device.

[0227] Example 74. The method according to any one of Examples 54 to 73 further includes: generating one or more intermediate arrangements to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target arrangement.

[0228] Example 75. The method according to any one of Examples 54 to 74 further includes: generating instructions for manufacturing one or more dental appliances, the one or more dental appliances being configured to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target alignment.

[0229] Example 76. A system comprising: Processor; and A memory, operatively coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing system to perform operations, including: Receive 2D images of the patient's face; Determine the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image; and The target alignment of the patient's teeth is determined based on the amount of visible gingiva.

[0230] Example 77. The system according to Example 76, wherein the operation further includes: generating lip contours and tooth contours based on the 2D image, and determining the amount of the visible gingiva based on the lip contours and tooth contours.

[0231] Example 78. The system according to Example 77, wherein the lip contour corresponds to the boundary of the patient's lips.

[0232] Example 79. The system according to Example 78, wherein the lip contour corresponds to the lower boundary of the patient's upper lip.

[0233] Example 80. The system according to any one of Examples 77 to 79, wherein the tooth profile corresponds to the gingival margin of at least one tooth of the patient.

[0234] Example 81. The system according to Example 80, wherein the at least one tooth comprises an anterior tooth in the patient's upper dental arch.

[0235] Example 82. The system according to Example 80 or 81, wherein the at least one tooth comprises one or more of a central incisor, a lateral incisor, or a canine.

[0236] Example 83. The system according to any one of Examples 77 to 82, wherein determining the amount of the visible gingiva includes measuring the distance between the lip contour and the tooth contour.

[0237] Example 84. The system according to Example 83, wherein the distance is measured at multiple locations.

[0238] Example 85. The system according to Example 83 or 84, wherein the distance is measured between the highest point of the lip contour and the tooth contour corresponding to the gingival apex of the anterior teeth.

[0239] Example 86. The system according to any one of Examples 77 to 85, wherein determining the amount of the visible gingiva comprises measuring the area between the lip contour and the tooth contour.

[0240] Example 87. The system according to any one of Examples 76 to 86, wherein determining the target arrangement comprises: The amount of visible gingiva was compared with a threshold, and If the amount of visible gingiva exceeds the threshold, the position of at least one tooth is adjusted to reduce the amount of visible gingiva.

[0241] Example 88. The system according to Example 87, wherein adjusting the position of the at least one tooth includes intruding into the at least one tooth.

[0242] Example 89. The system according to Example 88, wherein the operation further includes: limiting the invasive distance of the at least one tooth within a clinically acceptable limit of tooth movement.

[0243] Example 90. The system according to any one of Examples 76 to 89, wherein determining the target arrangement comprises: Generate a universal leveling surface. An adjusted leveling surface is generated based on the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image. The amount of visible gingiva produced by the universal leveling surface is compared with the amount of visible gingiva produced by the adjusted leveling surface, and Based on the comparison, either the general leveling surface or the adjusted leveling surface is selected.

[0244] Example 91. The system according to Example 90, wherein the universal leveling surface is generated without taking into account the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image, and the adjusted leveling surface is configured to reduce the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image.

[0245] Example 92. The system according to Example 90 or 91, wherein: If the amount of visible gingiva produced by the universal leveling surface is less than or equal to the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image, then the universal leveling surface is selected, and If the amount of visible gingiva produced by the universal leveling surface is greater than the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image, then the adjusted leveling surface is selected.

[0246] Example 93. The system according to any one of Examples 76 to 92, wherein the 2D image shows the mouth of a patient in a smiling position.

[0247] Example 94. The system according to any one of Examples 76 to 93, wherein the 2D image is a photograph.

[0248] Example 95. The system according to any one of Examples 76 to 94, wherein the 2D image is received from a mobile device.

[0249] Example 96. The system according to any one of Examples 76 to 95, wherein the operation further includes: generating one or more intermediate arrangements to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target arrangement.

[0250] Example 97. The system according to any one of Examples 76 to 96, wherein the operation further comprises: generating instructions for manufacturing one or more dental appliances, the one or more dental appliances being configured to reposition a patient's teeth toward the target alignment.

[0251] Example 98. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations, the operations including: Receive 2D images of the patient's face; Determine the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image; and The target alignment of the patient's teeth is determined based on the amount of visible gingiva. Summarize

[0252] Although numerous embodiments of systems, apparatuses, and methods for orthodontic and / or restorative treatments have been described above, this technology can be applied to other applications and / or other methods, such as other treatments applied to the craniofacial region of a patient (e.g., orthognathic surgery, plastic surgery). Furthermore, other embodiments besides those described herein are also within the scope of this technology. Additionally, several other embodiments of this technology may have different configurations, components, or procedures than those described herein. Therefore, those skilled in the art will accordingly understand that this technology can have other embodiments with additional elements, or that it can have embodiments without the foregoing references. Figures 1-15 Other embodiments of several features shown and described.

[0253] The various processes described herein can be implemented, partially or completely, using program code comprising instructions executable by one or more processors of a computing system to implement specific logical functions or steps within the process. The program code can be stored on any type of computer-readable medium, such as storage devices including disks or hard disk drives. Computer-readable media containing code or portions thereof can include any suitable medium known in the art, such as non-transitory computer-readable storage media. Computer-readable media can include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented using any method or technology for storing and / or transmitting information, including, but not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies; optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital video disc (DVD) or other optical storage devices; magnetic tape cassettes, magnetic tape, disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices; solid-state drives (SSDs) or other solid-state storage devices; or any other medium that can be used to store desired information and can be accessed by system devices.

[0254] The description of embodiments of this technology is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the technology to the precise forms disclosed above. Singular or plural terms may also include plural or singular terms, respectively, where the context permits. Although specific embodiments and examples of this technology have been described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of this technology, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art. For example, while the steps are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform the steps in a different order. The various embodiments described herein may also be combined to provide further embodiments.

[0255] As used herein, the terms “generally,” “basically,” “about,” and similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than terms of degree and are intended to explain the inherent variations in measured or calculated values ​​that would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0256] Furthermore, unless the word “or” is explicitly limited to referring to only a single item, excluding other items in a list of two or more items, its use in such a list should be interpreted as including (a) any single item in the list, (b) all items in the list, or (c) any combination of items in the list. As used herein, the phrase “and / or” in “A and / or B” refers to A alone, B alone, and both A and B. Additionally, the term “including” is used throughout to indicate that at least one or more of the stated features are included, such that no further number of the same features and / or additional features of the same type are excluded.

[0257] In the event of any conflict between this disclosure and any material incorporated herein by reference, this disclosure shall prevail.

[0258] It should also be understood that specific embodiments have been described herein for illustrative purposes, but various modifications may be made without departing from the present technology. Furthermore, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the present technology have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments must exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the present technology. Therefore, this disclosure and associated technologies may cover other embodiments not explicitly shown or described herein.

Claims

1. A method comprising: Receive 2D images of the patient's face; Generate at least one smile line based on the 2D image; Receive a 3D digital representation of the patient's dental arch; Determine the correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation; Generate a 3D projection of the at least one smile line based on the correspondence; as well as The target alignment of the patient's teeth is determined based on the 3D projection of the at least one smile line.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The 3D projection of the at least one smile line includes at least one smile plane.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The at least one smiling plane includes the at least one smiling line and intersects with the projection viewpoint.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, The projection viewpoint corresponds to the camera position, and when the camera position is used to project the 3D digital representation onto a 2D plane, a 2D projection of the 3D digital representation similar to the 2D image is generated.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The 2D image and the at least one smile line are in a 2D reference frame, and the 3D digital representation and the 3D projection of the at least one smile line are in a 3D reference frame.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: Determine the current spatial relationship between at least one tooth in the 3D digital representation and the 3D projection of the at least one smile line.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: The current spatial relationship is compared with the target spatial relationship between the at least one tooth and the 3D projection.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: The current spatial relationship includes the current distance between the at least one tooth and the 3D projection, and The target spatial relationship includes the target distance between the at least one tooth and the 3D projection.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising: If the current spatial relationship differs from the target spatial relationship, then the position of the at least one tooth in the target arrangement is adjusted.

10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein, The at least one tooth includes one or more of the central incisors, lateral incisors, or canines.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The target arrangement is determined using an automated treatment plan algorithm.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The automated treatment planning algorithm executes one or more rules to determine the position of the patient's teeth in the target arrangement.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The one or more rules are based on the at least one smile line.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein, The one or more rules define penalty parameters based on the spatial relationship between the 3D projection of at least one tooth and the at least one smile line.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein, The 2D image is in a 2D reference frame, the 3D digital representation is in a 3D reference frame, and the correspondence includes the mapping relationship between the 2D reference frame and the 3D reference frame.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein, Determining the correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation includes: Projecting the 3D digital representation onto a 2D plane, and The projection of the 3D digital representation is compared with the 2D image.

17. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The 2D image shows the patient's mouth in a smiling position.

18. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein, The 2D image is a photograph.

19. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein, The 2D image is received from the mobile device.

20. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein, The at least one smile line includes one or more of the following: the facial midline, the intercanine width line, the gingival line, the incisal edge line, the horizontal line, or the proportional line.

21. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein, The at least one smile line defines the patient's target smile.

22. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 21, further comprising: Identify one or more facial features in the 2D image, wherein the at least one smile line is generated based on the one or more facial features.

23. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein, The 3D digital representation includes a 3D digital model of one or more teeth in the patient's dental arch in the initial arrangement.

24. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein, The patient's dental arch is the upper dental arch.

25. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 24, further comprising: One or more intermediate arrangements are generated to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target arrangement.

26. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 25, further comprising: Instructions are generated for manufacturing one or more dental appliances configured to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target alignment.

27. A system comprising: processor; as well as A memory, operatively coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations, including: Receive 2D images of the patient's face; Generate at least one smile line based on the 2D image; Receive a 3D digital representation of the patient's dental arch; Determine the correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation; Generate a 3D projection of at least one smile line based on the correspondence; and The target alignment of the patient's teeth is determined based on the 3D projection of the at least one smile line.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein, The 3D projection of the at least one smile line includes at least one smile plane.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein, The at least one smiling plane includes the at least one smiling line and intersects with the projection viewpoint.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein, The projection viewpoint corresponds to the camera position, and when the camera position is used to project the 3D digital representation onto a 2D plane, a 2D projection of the 3D digital representation similar to the 2D image is generated.

31. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 30, wherein, The 2D image and the at least one smile line are in a 2D reference frame, and the 3D digital representation and the 3D projection of the at least one smile line are in a 3D reference frame.

32. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 31, wherein, The operation further includes: determining the current spatial relationship between at least one tooth in the 3D digital representation and the 3D projection of the at least one smile line.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein, The operation further includes comparing the current spatial relationship with the target spatial relationship between the at least one tooth and the 3D projection.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein: The current spatial relationship includes the current distance between the at least one tooth and the 3D projection, and The target spatial relationship includes the target distance between the at least one tooth and the 3D projection.

35. The system according to claim 33 or 34, wherein, The operation further includes: if the current spatial relationship is different from the target spatial relationship, then adjusting the position of the at least one tooth in the target arrangement.

36. The system according to any one of claims 32 to 35, wherein, The at least one tooth includes one or more of the central incisors, lateral incisors, or canines.

37. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 36, wherein, The target arrangement is determined using an automated treatment plan algorithm.

38. The system according to claim 37, wherein, The automated treatment planning algorithm executes one or more rules to determine the position of the patient's teeth in the target arrangement.

39. The system according to claim 38, wherein, The one or more rules are based on the at least one smile line.

40. The system according to claim 38 or 39, wherein, The one or more rules define penalty parameters based on the spatial relationship between the 3D projection of at least one tooth and the at least one smile line.

41. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 40, wherein, The 2D image is in a 2D reference frame, the 3D digital representation is in a 3D reference frame, and the correspondence includes the mapping relationship between the 2D reference frame and the 3D reference frame.

42. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 41, wherein, Determining the correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation includes: Projecting the 3D digital representation onto a 2D plane, and The projection of the 3D digital representation is compared with the 2D image.

43. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 42, wherein, The 2D image shows the patient's mouth in a smiling position.

44. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 43, wherein, The 2D image is a photograph.

45. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 44, wherein, The 2D image is received from the mobile device.

46. ​​The system according to any one of claims 27 to 45, wherein, The at least one smile line includes one or more of the following: the facial midline, the intercanine width line, the gingival line, the incisal edge line, the horizontal line, or the proportional line.

47. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 46, wherein, The at least one smile line defines the patient's target smile.

48. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 47, wherein, The operation further includes: identifying one or more facial features in the 2D image, wherein the at least one smile line is generated based on the one or more facial features.

49. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 48, wherein, The 3D digital representation includes a 3D digital model of one or more teeth in the patient's dental arch in the initial arrangement.

50. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 49, wherein, The patient's dental arch is the upper dental arch.

51. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 50, wherein, The operation further includes generating one or more intermediate arrangements to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target arrangement.

52. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 51, wherein, The operation further includes generating instructions for manufacturing one or more dental appliances configured to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target alignment.

53. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform an operation, the operation comprising: Receive 2D images of the patient's face; Generate at least one smile line based on the 2D image; Receive a 3D digital representation of the patient's dental arch; Determine the correspondence between the 2D image and the 3D digital representation; Generate a 3D projection of the at least one smile line based on the correspondence; as well as The target alignment of the patient's teeth is determined based on the 3D projection of the at least one smile line.

54. A method comprising: Receive 2D images of the patient's face; Determine the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image; as well as The target alignment of the patient's teeth is determined based on the amount of visible gingiva.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising: The lip contour and tooth contour are generated based on the 2D image, wherein the amount of visible gingiva is determined based on the lip contour and the tooth contour.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein, The lip contour corresponds to the boundary of the patient's lips.

57. The method according to claim 56, wherein, The lip contour corresponds to the lower boundary of the patient's upper lip.

58. The method according to any one of claims 55 to 57, wherein, The tooth profile corresponds to the gingival margin of at least one of the patient's teeth.

59. The method according to claim 58, wherein, The at least one tooth includes the anterior teeth in the patient's upper dental arch.

60. The method according to claim 58 or 59, wherein, The at least one tooth includes one or more of the central incisors, lateral incisors, or canines.

61. The method according to any one of claims 55 to 60, wherein, Determining the amount of visible gingiva includes measuring the distance between the lip contour and the tooth contour.

62. The method according to claim 61, wherein, The distances were measured at multiple locations.

63. The method according to claim 61 or 62, wherein, The distance is measured between the highest point of the lip contour and the highest point of the tooth contour corresponding to the gingival apex of the anterior teeth.

64. The method according to any one of claims 55 to 63, wherein, Determining the amount of visible gingiva includes measuring the area between the lip contour and the tooth contour.

65. The method according to any one of claims 54 to 64, wherein, Determining the target arrangement includes: The amount of visible gingiva was compared with a threshold, and If the amount of visible gingiva exceeds the threshold, the position of at least one tooth is adjusted to reduce the amount of visible gingiva.

66. The method according to claim 65, wherein, Adjusting the position of the at least one tooth involves intruding into the at least one tooth.

67. The method of claim 66, further comprising: The intrusion distance of the at least one tooth is limited to a clinically acceptable range of tooth movement.

68. The method according to any one of claims 54 to 67, wherein, Determining the target arrangement includes: Generate a universal leveling surface. An adjusted leveling surface is generated based on the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image. The amount of visible gingiva produced by the universal leveling surface is compared with the amount of visible gingiva produced by the adjusted leveling surface, and Based on the comparison, either the general leveling surface or the adjusted leveling surface is selected to determine the target arrangement.

69. The method according to claim 68, wherein, The universal leveling surface is generated without taking into account the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image, and the adjusted leveling surface is configured to reduce the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image.

70. The method according to claim 68 or 69, wherein: If the amount of visible gingiva produced by the universal leveling surface is less than or equal to the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image, then the universal leveling surface is selected, and If the amount of visible gingiva produced by the universal leveling surface is greater than the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image, then the adjusted leveling surface is selected.

71. The method according to any one of claims 54 to 70, wherein, The 2D image shows the patient's mouth in a smiling position.

72. The method according to any one of claims 54 to 71, wherein, The 2D image is a photograph.

73. The method according to any one of claims 54 to 72, wherein, The 2D image is received from the mobile device.

74. The method according to any one of claims 54 to 73, further comprising: One or more intermediate arrangements are generated to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target arrangement.

75. The method according to any one of claims 54 to 74, further comprising: Instructions are generated for manufacturing one or more dental appliances configured to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target alignment.

76. A system comprising: processor; as well as A memory, operatively coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing system to perform operations, including: Receive 2D images of the patient's face; Determine the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image; and The target alignment of the patient's teeth is determined based on the amount of visible gingiva.

77. The system according to claim 76, wherein, The operation further includes: generating lip contours and tooth contours based on the 2D image, and determining the amount of visible gingiva based on the lip contours and tooth contours.

78. The system according to claim 77, wherein, The lip contour corresponds to the boundary of the patient's lips.

79. The system according to claim 78, wherein, The lip contour corresponds to the lower boundary of the patient's upper lip.

80. The system according to any one of claims 77 to 79, wherein, The tooth profile corresponds to the gingival margin of at least one of the patient's teeth.

81. The system of claim 80, wherein the at least one tooth comprises an anterior tooth in the patient's upper dental arch.

82. The system according to claim 80 or 81, wherein, The at least one tooth includes one or more of the central incisors, lateral incisors, or canines.

83. The system according to any one of claims 77 to 82, wherein, Determining the amount of visible gingiva includes measuring the distance between the lip contour and the tooth contour.

84. The system according to claim 83, wherein, The distances were measured at multiple locations.

85. The system according to claim 83 or 84, wherein, The distance is measured between the highest point of the lip contour and the highest point of the tooth contour corresponding to the gingival apex of the anterior teeth.

86. The system according to any one of claims 77 to 85, wherein, Determining the amount of visible gingiva includes measuring the area between the lip contour and the tooth contour.

87. The system according to any one of claims 76 to 86, wherein, Determining the target arrangement includes: The amount of visible gingiva was compared with a threshold, and If the amount of visible gingiva exceeds the threshold, the position of at least one tooth is adjusted to reduce the amount of visible gingiva.

88. The system according to claim 87, wherein, Adjusting the position of the at least one tooth involves intruding into the at least one tooth.

89. The system according to claim 88, wherein, The procedure further includes limiting the intrusion distance of the at least one tooth to within clinically acceptable limits of tooth movement.

90. The system according to any one of claims 76 to 89, wherein, Determining the target arrangement includes: Generate a universal leveling surface. An adjusted leveling surface is generated based on the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image. The amount of visible gingiva produced by the universal leveling surface is compared with the amount of visible gingiva produced by the adjusted leveling surface, and Based on the comparison, either the general leveling surface or the adjusted leveling surface is selected.

91. The system according to claim 90, wherein, The universal leveling surface is generated without taking into account the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image, and the adjusted leveling surface is configured to reduce the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image.

92. The system according to claim 90 or 91, wherein: If the amount of visible gingiva produced by the universal leveling surface is less than or equal to the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image, then the universal leveling surface is selected, and If the amount of visible gingiva produced by the universal leveling surface is greater than the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image, then the adjusted leveling surface is selected.

93. The system according to any one of claims 76 to 92, wherein, The 2D image shows the patient's mouth in a smiling position.

94. The system according to any one of claims 76 to 93, wherein, The 2D image is a photograph.

95. The system according to any one of claims 76 to 94, wherein, The 2D image is received from the mobile device.

96. The system according to any one of claims 76 to 95, wherein, The operation further includes generating one or more intermediate arrangements to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target arrangement.

97. The system according to any one of claims 76 to 96, wherein, The operation further includes generating instructions for manufacturing one or more dental appliances configured to reposition the patient's teeth toward the target alignment.

98. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations, the operations including: Receive 2D images of the patient's face; Determine the amount of visible gingiva in the 2D image; as well as The target alignment of the patient's teeth is determined based on the amount of visible gingiva.

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