Color tone acquisition support method

Abstract

To improve efficiency of dental prosthesis production work for both of a requester and a request destination of dental prosthesis production.SOLUTION: A color tone acquisition support method for supporting to acquire color tone when requesting dental prosthesis production, includes: allowing a requester of the dental prosthesis production to input an image obtained by photographing both an oral cavity and a color chart of teeth of a patient who uses the dental prosthesis, and request information from the requester, by using a first electronic device; and allowing the request destination of the dental prosthesis production to output the image and the request information by using a second electronic device. The first and second electronic devices can use a social network service, and the communication of the image and the request information between the first and second electronic devices is performed via the social network service.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a color tone acquisition support method for supporting color tone acquisition performed when a dentist requests a dental laboratory to manufacture a dental prosthesis. [Background technology]

[0002] When a dentist requests a dental laboratory to manufacture a dental prosthesis such as a veneer crown, the dentist communicates the numerous different colors of the patient's teeth to the dental laboratory by comparing the color of the patient's teeth with a tooth color sample called a shade guide (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] However, the information on the color sample alone is insufficient to convey the patient's color information due to individual differences, so in practice, dentists communicate the color of the patient's teeth by taking a photograph of the shade guide and the patient's teeth (intraoral cavity) at the same time and sending it to the dental laboratory. This process of capturing information on the color of the teeth by photographing them is called "color acquisition," and is essential information for producing dental prostheses with accurate colors.

[0004] Generally, when a dentist (dental clinic) sends a photograph to a dental laboratory (dental laboratory), the procedure is complicated, such as: 1) taking a photograph with a digital camera and recording the image data on a portable recording medium such as an SD card or USB memory attached to the camera body, and then sending the recording medium; 2) temporarily importing the image data taken with the digital camera into a personal computer, transferring the image data to the recording medium, and then sending it; or 3) temporarily importing the image data taken with the digital camera into a personal computer, attaching the image data to an e-mail, and then sending it (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-90223 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-25612 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the color tone acquisition involving the sending of the above-mentioned photographs requires at least the work of taking a photograph of the patient's oral cavity and sending the photographed photograph as an e-mail attachment, and each of these steps is time-consuming due to the cumbersome procedures. In addition, the degree of freedom in the camera operation on the sending side is such that the color tone of the photograph of the patient's oral cavity and the resulting dental prosthesis are likely to vary due to the characteristics of the lighting and image sensor. Furthermore, even if a shade guide is attached to the patient's oral cavity and a photograph is taken, a deviation in color tone may occur depending on the position and angle of the shade guide and the teeth in the photograph, which hinders the smooth production of dental prostheses.

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention aims to provide a color acquisition support method that realizes the efficiency of dental prosthesis production work at both the requester and the recipient of the dental prosthesis production. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the color acquisition support method of the present invention is a color acquisition support method that supports color acquisition when requesting the production of a dental prosthesis, characterized in that a requester of the production of the dental prosthesis can use a first electronic device to input an image of the oral cavity of a patient who will use the dental prosthesis and a color sample of the teeth, as well as request information from the requester, a requestee of the production of the dental prosthesis can use a second electronic device to output the image and the request information, the first and second electronic devices can use a social network service, and communication of the image and the request information between the first and second electronic devices is via the social network service.

[0009] The social network service used in the color tone acquisition support method of the present invention is a communication service that allows text and images to be sent to a specific communication partner, and is capable of sending and receiving information using a mobile phone such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal (hereinafter, these will be collectively referred to as "mobile terminals"). It is a service that allows sending and receiving text and images without using a mailer for email, which is common on personal computers. Known examples of such social network services include LINE (registered trademark) from LINE Corporation, Messenger (registered trademark) from Meta Platforms Inc., Kakao Talk (registered trademark) from Kakao Corporation, and WeChat (registered trademark) from Tencent Holdings Limited, and it is possible to select a good one in a short time after the application is loaded. These mobile terminals allow applications for using the social network services to be downloaded, and these services are still used by many people today.

[0010] In the color tone acquisition support method of the present invention, the requester is typically a dentist or a dental clinic, and provides a dental prosthesis to a patient and performs dental treatment. On the other hand, the requestee is a dental laboratory or a person with a similar processing technique. The requester uses a first electronic device, and the requestee uses a second electronic device, which are both mobile terminals. In a typical color tone acquisition support method of the present invention, a dedicated application can be downloaded to the first and second electronic devices, respectively, and the first and second electronic devices can open the downloaded application and communicate images and request information. Assuming that the other party has not yet installed the dedicated application, a URL for downloading the application can be included in the communication information.

[0011] The request information in the color tone acquisition support method of the present invention includes information such as the imaging date, the patient's name, the shade guide color tone number, and information on the requester and the requestee, and can also include notes as necessary. The requester can select the requestee when using a social network service, and according to an embodiment of the present invention, the requester can select the requestee information from the history or from advertisements.

[0012] One feature of the color tone acquisition support method of the present invention is that it is premised on taking an image of the patient's oral cavity together with a tooth color sample using a mobile terminal, and the image can be taken while displaying a guide contour line on the camera monitor. In addition, the position of the tooth color sample's unique number can be indicated by a second contour line in association with the guide contour line, and the contour line indicating the position of the tooth color sample relative to the patient's teeth can be switched between the upper and lower jaws. Furthermore, when taking an image of the patient's oral cavity together with a tooth color sample, it is essential to take the image with a flash, but it is also possible to take the image without a flash. In addition, when taking an image of the patient's oral cavity together with a tooth color sample, a photo of the patient's facial features can also be added.

[0013] In the color acquisition support method of the present invention, when taking an image of the inside of the patient's mouth and the face of the patient, a guide on the photography method can be displayed. Specifically, when the information button (tutorial button) on the monitor screen is selected, a tutorial screen can be displayed that shows the ideal angle when taking an image with a mobile terminal, the ideal position and orientation of the shade guide, and the like.

[0014] In the color tone acquisition support method of the present invention, the image of the patient's oral cavity taken may be incorporated so that the request information is clearly displayed. For example, the image may be displayed with the date of photography, the patient's name, the shade guide number, and the name of the clinic (requester) superimposed on the bottom left or right corner of the taken image.

[0015] In the color tone acquisition support method of the present invention, the second electronic device of the requesting party can gray the transmitted image and overlay some of the pixels of the photograph of the tooth color sample on some of the pixels of the photograph of the patient's teeth, or overlay some of the pixels of the photograph of the tooth color sample on some of the pixels of the photograph of the tooth color sample, thereby comparing differences in color tone. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic overall picture of a system for realizing a color tone acquisition support method according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a dental clinic menu screen. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a registration screen of a dental laboratory. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing an editing screen of a dental laboratory. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a registration screen of a dental clinic. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing an editing screen for a dental clinic. [Figure 7] 13A and 13B are schematic screenshots of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a screen of a list of advertisement information. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a screen of a history of color tone acquisition support work. [Figure 9]FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a tutorial screen of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] 13A and 13B are schematic screenshots of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing another tutorial screen. [Figure 11] 11A to 11C are schematic screenshots of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a photography screen. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing an upper jaw photographing screen (part 1). [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing an upper jaw photographing screen (part 2). [Figure 14] 11A to 11C are schematic screenshots of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a screen at the time of shooting. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a lower jaw photographing screen (part 1). [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a lower jaw photographing screen (part 2). [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a face photographing screen (part 1). [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a face photographing screen (part 2). [Figure 19] 11A to 11C are schematic screenshots of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a tutorial screen (taken along with a guide). [Figure 20] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a tutorial screen (upper jaw photographing part 1), which is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a tutorial screen (upper jaw photographing part 2), which is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a tutorial screen (mandibular photographing part 1), which is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment. [Diagram 23] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a tutorial screen (facial image capture), which is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment. [Figure 24] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a schematic screenshot of an additional shooting screen (part 1) of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment. [Diagram 25] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a schematic screenshot of an additional shooting screen (part 2) of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment. [Figure 26] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing an additional shooting screen (part 3). [Figure 27] 11A to 11C are schematic screenshots of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing an information input screen. [Figure 28]13 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining the workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a clinic side result confirmation screen. FIG. [Figure 29] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing an SNS usage screen (preparing to send). [Diagram 30] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing an SNS usage screen (talk screen). [Diagram 31] 13A to 13C are schematic screenshots of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing an email sending prompt screen. [Diagram 32] 13A to 13C are schematic screenshots of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing an email sending screen. [Diagram 33] 13A to 13C are schematic screenshots of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a photo storage screen. [Diagram 34] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a menu screen on the dental laboratory side. [Diagram 35] FIG. 13 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining the workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a color tone confirmation screen on the dental laboratory side. [Diagram 36] FIG. 11 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a gray conversion screen on the dental laboratory side. [Figure 37] FIG. 13 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining a workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a color tone determination screen on the dental laboratory side. [Figure 38] FIG. 13 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining the workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a facial photo editing tutorial screen on the dental laboratory side. [Figure 39] FIG. 13 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining the workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing a photo loading screen on the dental laboratory side. [Diagram 40] FIG. 13 is a schematic screenshot of a mobile device for explaining the workflow in the color tone acquisition support method according to the embodiment, showing an editing screen for a facial photo on the dental laboratory side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] An embodiment of the color tone acquisition support method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic overall view of a system for realizing the color tone acquisition support method of one embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state where a dentist D at a dental clinic requests a dental technician T at a dental laboratory to manufacture a dental prosthesis for a patient P. The dentist D, who is the requester, uses a mobile device M1, which is a first electronic device, to take a picture of the oral cavity of the patient P, and sends the picture of the oral cavity of the patient P and request information to a mobile device M2, which is a second electronic device of the dental technician T who is the requester. The mobile devices M1 and M2, which are the first and second electronic devices, are usually electronic terminals of a type called a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet that are available on the market. The color tone acquisition support method of this embodiment is a method realized through the execution of a program that can be installed in the form of an app on these mobile devices M1 and M2. A program for executing the color tone acquisition support method is also installed on these mobile devices M1 and M2, but it is assumed that social network services such as LINE and Messenger are also available at the same time.

[0018] In the system for realizing the color tone acquisition support method of this embodiment, at least a pair of electronic devices capable of communication is sufficient, and furthermore, it is possible to support a system in which a plurality of clinics and a plurality of dental laboratories are connected to each other. As for the social network service, although the case where LINE is used is explained as a typical example in this embodiment, it is also possible to use other social network services that allow request information such as photos and text to be sent to a specific person. It is assumed that the mobile devices M1 and M2 also have cameras, but instead of the mobile devices M1 and M2, a device with a separate camera connected as an accessory or a device that can transmit captured data can also be used.

[0019] To realize the color tone acquisition support method of this embodiment, a color tone acquisition support app is downloaded from a download center corresponding to each carrier for the mobile devices M1 and M2, and made available for use on the mobile devices M1 and M2. Even if the app has not yet been installed on the mobile device M2 at first, the dental laboratory can send a URL for downloading the app when contacted by the mobile device M2, and the app can be downloaded by accessing the URL.

[0020] When ordering the manufacture of dental prostheses, it is important for the technician to grasp the color tone of the patient's teeth so as to minimize errors. Since lighting is not generally standardized in dental clinics, it is important to take a picture of both the patient's teeth and the tooth color sample (shade guide). A tooth color sample (shade guide) is a tooth color sample used when whitening or filling / capping, and lists the color and brightness of the teeth. A number is given to each sample tooth with a different color tone. For example, according to an example of a shade guide, in the case of Japanese people, most Japanese people are type A in terms of skin color, and A3 to 3.5 is the standard, and A is characterized by 3.5 being between 3 and 4. In the tooth color sample (shade guide), a number part is provided on the surface of the retaining part made of a metal piece protruding from each tooth of the sample, and when taking a picture of the patient's mouth and the tooth color sample together, it is important to take a picture of the color sample number at the same time. In particular, in the color tone acquisition support method of this embodiment, as will be described later, an effective tutorial for this purpose is displayed, and contour lines are displayed during shooting.

[0021] The color tone acquisition support method of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 2 to Fig. 40 along its flow. The flow of the color tone acquisition support method to be implemented includes, as the first step, the registration of the client dental clinic and the client dental laboratory. Then, there is a step of taking a photograph and inputting the requested information at the client dental clinic, which can be a work flow subsequent to the input of the client and client, or can be a separate work flow, followed by a step of transmitting the information data, and a step of receiving and using the data information at the client dental laboratory.

[0022] To explain the registration process of the requesting dental clinic and the requested dental laboratory, FIG. 2 shows a dental clinic menu screen 10 on a mobile device M1 at the requesting dental clinic. On the dental clinic menu screen 10, the name of the application "Color Tone Acquisition Assist" is displayed at the top of the screen, and in the upper right corner is a question button 11 linked to a tutorial. From the top to the middle of the screen is a display section 12 for the dental clinic menu, which includes a color acquisition button 13 with a camera icon and the words "Acquire color tone," and a history display button 14 with a retroactive clock icon and the words "View history." Further below that is a link 15 with the words "Switch to dental laboratory menu" for switching from the dental clinic menu to the dental laboratory menu. At the bottom of the dental clinic menu are a registration button 16 for the requesting dental clinic and the requested dental laboratory, a button 17 with the words "About this app" that links to an explanatory page about this app, and at the very bottom is an advertisement section 18 for displaying advertisements for dental laboratories and dental clinics.

[0023] When the registration button 16 shown in Fig. 2 is clicked or touched, the dental clinic / dental laboratory registration screen shown in Fig. 3 is displayed. The dental clinic / dental laboratory registration screen has a dental clinic tab 20 and a dental laboratory tab 21 which can be switched using the tabs at the top of the screen. In Fig. 3, a list 22 of dental laboratories that have already been registered is displayed. To further add and register a new dental laboratory, the user clicks or touches the dental laboratory add button 23 labeled "Add new dental laboratory" at the bottom of the dental clinic menu screen 10.

[0024] Clicking or touching the Add Dental Laboratory button 23 displays a dental laboratory editing (registration) screen as shown in FIG. 4. From the top of the dental clinic menu screen 10, an input box 30 for the dental laboratory name, an input box 31 for an email address, and an input box 32 for the dental technician name are displayed, and inputting information into these boxes enables the dental laboratory to be registered and edited. Entering the dental laboratory name is required, but entering an email address is not necessary if using a social networking service such as LINE. Clicking or touching the Register button 33 at the bottom allows the dental laboratory information to be saved.

[0025] Next, when the tab is switched to the dental clinic tab 20 on the dental clinic / dental laboratory registration screen shown in Fig. 3, a list 24 of dental clinics that have already been registered is displayed, as shown in Fig. 5. If a new dental clinic is to be added and registered, the user clicks or touches the dental clinic addition button 24 labeled "Add new dental clinic" at the bottom of the dental clinic menu screen 10.

[0026] Clicking or touching the Add Dental Clinic button 24 displays a dental clinic editing (registration) screen as shown in FIG. 6. From the top of the dental clinic menu screen 10, an input box 34 for the dental clinic name, an input box 35 for an email address, and an input box 36 for the dentist name are displayed, and entering information into these boxes allows the dental clinic to be registered and edited. Entering the dental clinic name is required, but entering an email address is not necessary if using a social networking service such as LINE. Clicking or touching the Register button 37 at the bottom allows the dental clinic information to be saved.

[0027] The above registration process for dental clinics and dental laboratories is assumed to be completed before actually starting transmission, but it can also be set up just before sending image information or request information. Dental clinics can also register multiple dental laboratories to send to, and dental laboratories can register multiple dental clinics with which they do business.

[0028] In addition, below the advertisement column 18 at the bottom of the dental clinic menu screen 10 shown in Figure 2, there is a button 19 labeled "See more." Clicking or touching this button 19 displays advertisement cards 38, 39, 40 as shown in Figure 7, and businesses that have paid an advertising fee to the operator of the app can place advertisements that are based on the assumption that dental clinics and other facilities are frequently used.

[0029] Also, when viewing the history in the middle of the dental clinic menu screen shown in Fig. 2, clicking or touching the displayed button 14 displays history data 42 of past color tone acquisitions in list form as shown in Fig. 8, and when it is necessary to look back on what color tone acquisitions were performed in the past, the history data 42 can be easily viewed. Although not shown in Fig. 8, a history search window can be provided so that when there is a large amount of history data 42, it is possible to perform a search. As shown in Fig. 8, the history data 42 can be a combination of the transmission date and time, a thumbnail of the patient's intraoral photograph, and a character string of the request information, and further, it is also possible to extract and display a part of the memo.

[0030] In addition, in the application that executes the color tone acquisition support method of this embodiment, when the button 17 about this application on the dental clinic menu screen shown in Fig. 2 is clicked or touched, a screen explaining the application as shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 appears. Fig. 9 is a screen 43 that explains with illustrations the overall function of this application called color tone acquisition assist, and shows that color tone acquisition information can be sent via LINE or email. Fig. 10 is a screen 44 that explains that the storage of photos in the application is included in medical treatment fees, and has a sufficient message function for dental clinics.

[0031] Next, as an example of the color tone acquisition support method of this embodiment, the flow from shooting to transmission will be described with reference to Figs. 11 to 33. Fig. 11 shows a photo shooting screen for color tone acquisition, and three shooting methods can be performed from a mobile device M1, which is a mobile terminal displaying this screen. The first shooting method is the required shade taking, which is a method of shooting with a flash, and can be performed by clicking or touching a large button 51 located in the upper left corner and displaying "Shoot with flash ON". The second shooting method is an optional shade taking, which is a method of shooting without a flash, and can be performed by clicking or touching a large button 52 located in the upper right corner and displaying "Shoot with flash OFF". The third shooting method is face shooting, which can be performed by clicking or touching a large button 53 located in the lower left corner and displaying "Shoot" below the characters for face shooting. Radio buttons are arranged in the area 54, and as a transmission setting, it is possible to select either to send only the photo displayed here (this screen) or to send all the photos taken. Furthermore, if you select the ? (question) button 49 on the top right, a tutorial screen such as that described below will be displayed.

[0032] Next, the user can enter the photographing mode by clicking or touching the button 51 or the button 52. In photographing, in an example of the color tone acquisition support method of the present embodiment, when photographing an image of the patient's oral cavity and a tooth color sample together, the position of the tooth color sample relative to the patient's teeth can be indicated by a contour line. FIGS. 12 and 13 show an example of such a contour line shown on a black background when photographing the upper jaw. There are three kinds of contour lines shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, which are a contour line 55 that serves as a guide for the position of the tooth to be manufactured as a dental prosthesis, a contour line 56 that guides the tooth color sample, i.e., the tooth mold part of the shade guide, and a contour line 57 that guides the number part of the shade guide. The contour line 56 is the contour line of the shade guide corresponding to three teeth lined up horizontally, and the contour line 57 is also the number for these three, so it is a contour line of three circles lined up. The contour line 55, which serves as a guide for the position of the patient's teeth, and the contour line 56, which serves as a guide for the tooth mold portion of the shade guide, are drawn in white, but the contour line 57, which serves as a guide for the number portion of the shade guide, is particularly important and is easily forgotten, so it is drawn in a conspicuous color, for example, red. At the bottom of the screen, there are buttons 58 and 59 for switching between the upper and lower jaws, and the image from the camera attached to the mobile device M1 can be overlaid by, for example, hovering the mouse over the shutter button 60 or by one-clicking it. At the top of the screen that displays these contour lines 55, 56, and 57, short sentences and illustrations on tips for taking pictures are also displayed, and measures have been taken to prevent mistakes when taking pictures as much as possible. The difference between Figures 12 and 13 is whether or not explanations (gray semi-transparent background color) for each of the contour lines 55, 56, and 57 are added at each position. The dentist can select whether or not to include the explanations, and the explanations can also be made to fade out after a specified time. Although the photographs transmitted are basically still images, it is also possible to configure the system to transmit and receive video of the patient's oral cavity and tooth color samples instead of photographs.

[0033] 14 shows a screen when photographing the inside of a patient's mouth (upper jaw) together with a shade guide, and the photographer photographs while adjusting the position and direction of the mobile device M1 and the intensity of the lighting so that the guided object is captured in the position guided by the three contour lines 55, 56, and 57. Since the photograph is taken using the mobile device M1, it is possible to take several pictures and send the best one, or it is also possible to send multiple pictures.

[0034] Figures 15 and 16 show examples of such contour lines shown on a black background when photographing the lower jaw. There are three kinds of contour lines shown in Figures 15 and 16, as in the case of photographing the upper jaw shown above. These are a contour line 61 that serves as a guide for the position of the teeth to be manufactured for the dental prosthesis, a contour line 62 that serves as a guide for the tooth color sample, i.e., the tooth mold part of the shade guide, and a contour line 63 that serves as a guide for the number part of the shade guide. The contour line 62 is a contour line of the shade guide corresponding to three teeth arranged horizontally, and the contour line 63 is also the number for these three, so it is a contour of three circles arranged side by side. The contour line 61 that serves as a guide for the position of the patient's teeth and the contour line 62 that serves as a guide for the tooth mold part of the shade guide are drawn in white lines, but the contour line 63 that serves as a guide for the number part of the shade guide is particularly important and is easily forgotten, so a conspicuous color such as red is used for it. At the bottom of the screen, there are buttons 58 and 59 for switching between the upper and lower jaws, and by, for example, hovering the mouse over or clicking the shutter button 60, an image from the camera attached to the mobile device M1 can be superimposed. At the top of the screen that displays these contours 61, 62, and 63, short sentences and illustrations on tips for taking pictures are also displayed, and measures have been taken to prevent mistakes when taking pictures as much as possible. The difference between Figures 15 and 16 is whether or not an explanation (gray semi-transparent background color) for each of the contours 61, 62, and 63 is added at each position, and the dentist can select whether or not to include the explanation, and the explanation can also be made to fade out after a predetermined time.

[0035] Next, the facial photographing method will be described. Figure 17 shows contours 65, 66 when photographing a face, which are made up of a facial contour 65 and a mouth contour 66. It is desirable to photograph the patient with his / her mouth open so that the state of the oral cavity of the patient's face can be grasped, and a mouth contour 66 showing the state of the patient's mouth open is also provided for facial photographing. Figure 18 shows a screen when switching from a black background to a camera, and the face of patient P can be adjusted while looking at the facial contour 65 and the mouth contour 66, and the button 60 can be clicked or touched to photograph at a well-adjusted angle and distance.

[0036] In the color tone acquisition support method of this embodiment, three shooting methods can be carried out as shown in Fig. 11, the first shooting method is mandatory shade taking with flash, the second shooting method is optional shade taking without flash, and the third shooting method is facial shooting. For each of these three shooting methods, a tutorial screen with illustrations as shown in Figs. 19 to 23 can be displayed.

[0037] FIG. 19 is a tutorial screen for shade taking and facial image shooting. When, for example, a question button 49 on the upper right side is selected from the color tone acquisition photo shooting screen of FIG. 11, a screen showing an illustration and a photo of the oral cavity and teaching the shooting method is displayed, for example, in the form of a pop-up or modal window. FIG. 20 and FIG. 21 are tutorial screens for shooting the upper jaw. A screen 72 shown in FIG. 20 shows the correct position of the shade guide with an illustration, which also shows the correct position of the shade guide number. A screen 73 shown in FIG. 21 shows that the correct shooting is to align the direction of the mobile device M1 at the time of shooting and the end of the shade guide with the end of the upper teeth. FIG. 22 is a tutorial screen for shooting the lower jaw. A screen 74 shown in FIG. 22 shows that the correct shooting is to align the direction of the mobile device M1 at the time of shooting and the end of the shade guide with the end of the lower teeth. It is possible to provide a screen showing the correct position of the shade guide with an illustration as in FIG. 20 for the lower teeth, but in this embodiment, the upper and lower jaws are similar, so it is omitted. The tutorial screens for the upper and lower jaws can be displayed in pop-up or modal window format by touching the thumbnail (left side) and excerpt (right side) area 50 of the illustrations at the top of the screen in the shooting mode of Figures 12 to 16, or by selecting the ? (question) button 49 at the top right. Figure 23 shows a tutorial screen 75 for photographing a face, and if the ? (question) button 49 at the top right is selected when photographing a face, a screen 75 that teaches the shooting method is displayed.

[0038] In the color tone acquisition support method of this embodiment, when the required shade taking photography is completed, the screen returns to the color tone acquisition photography screen as shown in Fig. 24. Then, the area where the flash ON button was displayed is replaced with the captured photo 81. If facial image photography is also completed, when the screen returns to the color tone acquisition photography screen as shown in Fig. 25, the area where the flash ON button was displayed is replaced with the captured photo 81, and the facial image photography area is replaced with the captured facial image 82.

[0039] When the required shade taking is completed, if there are multiple photos of the patient's oral cavity, it is possible to narrow down the photos to be sent to one, and select some of the multiple photos to send. FIG. 26 shows that multiple shade takings of the patient's oral cavity and color samples are stored in the mobile device M1, and multiple shade taking photos can be handled in one session. A selected photo 83 is displayed at the top of the screen, and thumbnail photos 84 and 85 are displayed below it. The photo to be sent can be selected by selecting a thumbnail photo and touching or clicking the decision button 86 at the bottom of the screen to decide which photo to send.

[0040] The request information is added to the data of the photograph to be sent. FIG. 27 shows the input screen for the added request information. The top of the input box is a patient name input box 91, which can be input by operating a software keyboard 96 displayed at the bottom of the screen. Below that is a shade number input section 92, which can be selected by displaying guide numbers, for example, A1, A2, A3, A3.5, A4, B1, B2, B3, B4, C1, C2, C3, C4, D2, D3, and D4, using a pull-down menu or other simple input. Below that are a dental clinic name box 93, a dentist name box 94, and a dental technician name box 95, and request information can be added by inputting information in these boxes. In the dental clinic name box 93, dentist name box 94, and dental technician name box 95, pre-registered data can be called up and input, and previous history, etc. can also be reflected.

[0041] FIG. 28 shows the color tone acquisition result confirmation screen. At the top of the screen, a shade taking photo 96 and a facial photo 97 to be sent are lined up, and below that is a confirmation screen 98 that displays information on each item of the request information, such as the shooting date, patient name, shade number, dental clinic, dental laboratory, and transmission settings. The requesting dentist checks the information on this screen and operates four buttons at the bottom of the color tone acquisition result confirmation screen to perform the next task. The four buttons are a line send button 99, an email send button 100, a print button 101, and an end button 102. For immediate transmission, the line send button 99 is touched, and if there is a reason such as not being able to use line, email or the like can be used instead.

[0042] When the LINE transmission button 99 is touched and selected, a modal window 103 for setting the destination for LINE transmission is displayed as shown in FIG. 29. If the requested dental laboratory is already displayed, the destination can be easily set by selecting it. Even if the dental laboratory to which the data is to be sent has not yet been set at this point, it is possible to set the destination again here. Also, as will be described later, it is possible to send the data by e-mail instead of using a social network service. It is also possible to put the work on hold here and send the results of the color tone acquisition after a certain amount of time has passed.

[0043] FIG. 30 shows a LINE screen 110 of the requesting dentist's mobile device M1 after sending a LINE message. The request information is displayed as text in a message 111 on the LINE chat screen, and a photo is also sent according to the LINE service, and the other party can automatically save the photo. In addition, according to the LINE chat function, when the other party receives and opens the message, the sender is displayed with the word "read" along with the time. In addition to the request information, the message 111 can include a URL 113 for downloading the app, and advertisements can also be added. In addition, when sending, part of the request information (date, patient name, shade guide number, clinic name) can be superimposed on, for example, the lower right corner of the shade taking photo, and a barcode linked to part of the request information can also be added.

[0044] Fig. 31 shows a prompt window 114 when the destination is a carrier email address (for example, the email address of a mobile phone company). In this case, a prompt is displayed encouraging the use of LINE for sending and receiving or PC email. Fig. 32 shows an email editing screen 115 when email is used instead. It contains a message similar to that of LINE, and can be sent even if the recipient is not compatible with mobile devices.

[0045] Next, the work at the dental laboratory, which is the receiving side, will be described. Figures 33 to 40 are diagrams showing the screen of the mobile device M2 at the dental laboratory, which is the request destination. Figure 33 is a LINE chat screen 120, which is also the screen on which the result of color tone acquisition is received. The received message includes the request information, and shows that the photo sent from the dentist has also been received.

[0046] After receiving the line, the dental laboratory mobile device M2 opens the color tone acquisition support application and displays the dental laboratory menu screen 121 shown in FIG. 34. This dental laboratory menu screen 121 is also the screen displayed as a result of selecting the link 15 displayed as "Switch to dental laboratory menu" for switching from the dental clinic menu shown in FIG. 2 to the dental laboratory menu. There is a color tone confirmation button 122 displayed as "Check the color tone of the photo" on the upper side, and a facial photo editing button 123 displayed as "Edit facial photo" on the lower side, which allow the user to proceed to the color tone confirmation work and the facial photo editing work, respectively. A button 127 displayed as "About this app" links to an explanation page about this app, and the user can read the explanation page about the color tone acquisition support app, such as disclaimers and copyrights, as necessary. An advertisement column 128 is arranged at the bottom, and a company that has paid an advertising fee to the operator of the app can insert advertisements on the assumption that the app is frequently used by dental laboratories and the like. It is also possible to move to the dental clinic menu by following a link 129 labeled "Switch to dental clinic menu."

[0047] 35 shows a tutorial screen 124 on the dental laboratory side, and when the ? (question) button 124 in the upper right corner of the dental laboratory menu screen 121 is touched or clicked, a tutorial screen 125 on the dental laboratory side is displayed. This tutorial screen 125 may be displayed as a modal window when the color tone confirmation button 122 is selected.

[0048] The dental laboratory's work on the intraoral photographs includes an arbitrary gray conversion as shown in FIG. 36, and a comparison between the photographs of the shade guide and the actual patient's teeth as shown in FIG. 37. The gray conversion is a work to prevent optical illusions, and aims to change the periphery of the teeth and shade guide in the shade-taking image 131 to gray so that the color of the teeth and shade guide is not confused by the surrounding color. In general, optical illusions are psychological phenomena in which something looks different from the actual color depending on the environment, and the color tone of the teeth also looks different from the actual color due to the influence of the surrounding gums, etc. For this reason, it is important to prevent optical illusions by gray conversion around the teeth and shade guide. The other color comparison work involves extracting the target tooth photograph 133 and shade guide photograph 134 from the shade-taking image 132, cutting out and transplanting certain pixels, and comparing the color difference. In this case, in the color tone acquisition support app, some pixels of the tooth color sample photo can be superimposed on some pixels of the patient's tooth photo, or some pixels of the patient's tooth photo can be superimposed on some pixels of the tooth color sample photo, and the differences in color tone can be compared. If there is a difference in color, the characteristics of the natural tooth can be understood and the color of the prosthesis can be harmonized.

[0049] Also, when the facial photo editing button 123 is selected from the dental laboratory menu in FIG. 34, a tutorial screen 141 for editing facial photos as shown in FIG. 38 is displayed once, and by selecting the "Load photo" button 142 at the bottom, a facial photo loading screen 140 as shown in FIG. 39 appears. A specific patient's facial features are selected from the facial photo loading screen 140, and then the facial photo editing mode as shown in FIG. 40 is entered. When prosthetically correcting anterior teeth, it is difficult to determine the inclination of the dentition from a working model, and a photo showing the facial features is useful as a countermeasure. By placing a guideline on the facial photo, the inclination can be intuitively detected. This type of facial photo editing work makes it possible to provide a beautiful dental prosthesis that is balanced with the entire face.

[0050] As described above, according to the color tone acquisition support method of the present invention, it is possible for both the requester and the recipient of the dental prosthesis to utilize social network services to improve the efficiency of the dental prosthesis production process. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] M1, M2 mobile devices P patient D. Dentist T Dental technician 10 Dental clinic menu screen 55~57 Contour 121 Dental laboratory menu screen

Claims

1. A color tone acquisition support method for supporting color tone acquisition when ordering the manufacture of a dental prosthesis, comprising: A requester of the dental prosthesis can input, using a first electronic device, an image of the oral cavity of a patient who will use the dental prosthesis and a tooth color sample, and request information from the requester; The person who has requested the production of the dental prosthesis can output the image and the request information using a second electronic device; The first and second electronic devices are enabled to use a social network service, and the communication of the image and the request information between the first and second electronic devices is via the social network service; The second electronic device of the requesting party can compare differences in color tone by superimposing some of the pixels of the photograph of the tooth color sample on some of the pixels of the photograph of the patient's teeth, or by superimposing some of the pixels of the photograph of the patient's teeth on some of the pixels of the photograph of the tooth color sample. A color tone acquisition support method comprising:

2. 2. The color tone acquisition support method according to claim 1, wherein a part of the request information is information selected when using the social network service.

3. 2. The color tone acquisition support method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electronic devices open a downloaded application and communicate the image and the request information.

4. 2. The color tone acquisition support method according to claim 1, wherein when an image of the patient's oral cavity and a tooth color sample are captured, the position of the tooth color sample relative to the patient's teeth is indicated by a contour line.

5. 5. A color tone acquisition support method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of indicating a position of a unique number of the tooth color sample by a second contour line in association with said contour line.

6. 5. The color tone acquisition support method according to claim 4, wherein the contour line indicating the position of the tooth color sample relative to the patient's teeth is switched between the upper jaw and the lower jaw.

7. 2. A color tone acquisition support method according to claim 1, characterized in that, when taking an image of the patient's oral cavity and a tooth color sample, the image must be taken with a flash, but it is also possible to take the image without a flash.

8. 2. The color tone acquisition support method according to claim 1, wherein when an image of the patient's oral cavity and a tooth color sample are taken, a photograph of the patient's facial features can also be added.

9. 2. A color tone acquisition support method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying a tutorial on a photographing method when photographing the inside of the patient's oral cavity and the facial features of the patient.

10. 2. A color tone acquisition support method according to claim 1, wherein the request information is captured so as to be clearly indicated in the captured image of the patient's oral cavity.

11. 2. The color tone acquisition support method according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic device of the request destination is capable of performing gray conversion processing on a part of the transmitted image.

Images