Method and apparatus for generating periodontal data

Abstract

One purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a method capable of further conveniently and intuitively providing periodontal data for a dental patient. To this end, a method for generating periodontal data, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, may comprise the steps of: obtaining intra oral scan (IOS) data for a tooth portion of a patient, 3-dimensional (3D) face data for the face of the patient, including the tooth portion, and CT scan data including the tooth portion of the patient; generating a dental 3D avatar in which the IOS data, the 3D face data, and the CT scan data are matched with each other; and generating periodontal data for the teeth of the patient by using the dental 3D avatar.

Description

Method and device for generating periodontal data

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and device for generating periodontal data, and more specifically, to a method for more conveniently and intuitively diagnosing periodontal diseases such as periodontitis in dental patients by generating periodontal data using dental registration data that aligns oral scan images, 3D facial data, and CT scan data.

[0002] In dental consultations and treatments, there are limitations to relying solely on the dentist's verbal explanations, so there is a need to more intuitively show patients the current dental condition and the condition after treatment.

[0003] Accordingly, with the advancement of digital imaging technology, various types of image data are being widely utilized in dental treatment or consultation. This diverse utilization of image data is enabling improved dental diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient management. Typical image data used in dental consultation or treatment include CT scan data acquired using dental CT (Computerized Tomography) equipment, facial images obtained by photographing the patient's face with a facial imaging device, and oral scan images obtained by scanning the patient's oral cavity using a 3D oral scanner.

[0004] However, while CT scan data can easily identify the location of teeth's roots and nerves, it struggles to demonstrate the aesthetics of teeth or their harmony with the face. Furthermore, facial images and oral scans have limitations in that they cannot reveal the internal structures of the patient's face or teeth. Therefore, loading and utilizing image data, each with its own distinct purpose, for treatment or consultation purposes has proven cumbersome for users, such as dentists.

[0005] Meanwhile, the periodontal tissue is a complex organ that includes both soft and hard tissues such as the gingiva (gums), cementum, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone. The representative periodontal diseases related to the periodontal tissue include gingivitis and periodontitis. Periodontal disease is caused by poor oral hygiene, such as the formation of dental plaque by oral bacteria. Dental plaque is a clump of bacteria that adheres to the tooth surface using sticky substances in saliva as an adhesive and proliferates. If dental plaque is left untreated, it can cause inflammation, which can lead to gingivitis, which can sometimes cause bleeding gums and bad breath. If gingivitis progresses, the gap between the teeth and gums deepens, forming periodontal pockets. In these pockets, bacteria that cause periodontal disease can proliferate, leading to periodontitis.

[0006] In the past, to diagnose periodontitis, radiographic measurement methods were generally used, such as bitewing photography to measure the distance from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to the upper part of the alveolar bone crest, or periodontal probing to measure the length from the upper part of the gingiva to the lower part of the gingival sulcus. However, radiographic measurement methods only provide 2D images (X-ray images), which limits dentists' ability to understand or explain the condition of the patient's teeth to the patient. In addition, periodontal probing methods had the problem of taking a lot of time for diagnosis because the length of six areas for each tooth was measured.

[0007] Accordingly, there is a need for a more convenient and intuitive method for diagnosing periodontitis in dental patients.

[0008] Accordingly, one purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a method for more conveniently and intuitively diagnosing periodontitis in dental patients.

[0009] However, the problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and may include purposes that are not mentioned but can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0010] Hereinafter, specific means for achieving the purpose of the present disclosure will be described.

[0011] A method for generating periodontal data according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include the steps of: acquiring intraoral scan (IOS) data for a patient's teeth area, 3D (three-dimensional) facial data for a face including the patient's teeth area, and CT scan data including the patient's teeth area; and generating a dental 3D avatar by aligning the IOS data, the 3D facial data, and the CT scan data; and generating periodontal data for the patient's teeth using the dental 3D avatar.

[0012] In one embodiment, the step of generating the periodontal data may include generating the periodontal data based on a difference value of data values ​​near periodontal tissue in the IOS data and the CT scan data of the dental 3D avatar.

[0013] In one embodiment, the method may further include a step of determining at least one of the length and area of ​​the periodontal tissue by applying one of a clinical attachment level measurement method and a periodontal pocket depth measurement method to the periodontal data.

[0014] In one embodiment, applying one of the clinical attachment level measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth measurement method to the periodontal data may include selecting a measurement method having high accuracy in determining at least one of the length and area of ​​the periodontal tissue among the clinical attachment level measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth measurement method.

[0015] In one embodiment, applying one of the clinical attachment level measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth measurement method to the periodontal data may include applying a method preset by the user among the clinical attachment level measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth measurement method.

[0016] In one embodiment, the step of determining at least one of the length and area of ​​the periodontal tissue by applying one of the clinical attachment level measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth measurement method to the periodontal data may include the step of determining the area of ​​each periodontal tissue by applying one of the measurement methods; and the step of determining the longest part within the area of ​​each periodontal tissue as the length of the corresponding periodontal tissue.

[0017] In one embodiment, the method may further include the step of determining a color to be displayed for each region of the periodontal tissue based on the determined length of the periodontal tissue.

[0018] In one embodiment, the method may further include the step of displaying the periodontal data for the patient's teeth through a user interface along with a color for each region of the periodontal tissue determined based on the length of the periodontal tissue.

[0019] In one embodiment, the user interface may include at least one of a selection button for selecting an area to be displayed among the maxillary area and the mandibular area of ​​the patient, a color button for selecting whether to display a color for each area of ​​the periodontal tissue, and a report output button for synthesizing the periodontal data and checking it in the form of a report.

[0020] In one embodiment, the method may further include a step of determining at least one of a length and an area of ​​periodontal tissue using a pre-learned artificial neural network model for the periodontal data.

[0021] A device for generating periodontal data according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a memory in which an application for generating periodontal data is stored; and a processor operative to implement a plurality of modules by executing the application stored in the memory, wherein the plurality of modules may include an acquisition module for acquiring an intraoral scan (IOS) image of a patient's teeth area, a 3D facial image of a face including the patient's teeth area, and CT scan data including the patient's teeth area; a registration module for generating a dental 3D avatar by aligning the IOS data, the 3D facial data, and the CT scan data; and a periodontal data generation module for generating periodontal data for the patient's teeth using the dental 3D avatar.

[0022] In one embodiment, the periodontal data generation module may generate the periodontal data based on a difference value of data values ​​near periodontal tissue in the IOS data and the CT scan data of the dental 3D avatar.

[0023] In one embodiment, the periodontal data generation module may be further configured to determine at least one of the length and area of ​​periodontal tissue by applying one of a clinical attachment level measurement method and a periodontal pocket depth measurement method to the periodontal data.

[0024] In one embodiment, the periodontal data generation module may determine at least one of the length and area of ​​the periodontal tissue by applying one of the measurement methods to determine the area of ​​each periodontal tissue, and determine the longest part within the area of ​​each periodontal tissue as the length of the periodontal tissue.

[0025] In one embodiment, the periodontal data generation module may be further configured to determine a color to be displayed for each region of the periodontal tissue based on the determined length of the periodontal tissue.

[0026] In one embodiment, the device further comprises a display module, wherein the display module is configured to display the periodontal data for the teeth of the patient through a user interface together with a color for each region of the periodontal tissue determined based on a length of the periodontal tissue.

[0027] In a computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the computer program may include instructions for causing a processor to perform a method for generating periodontal data, the method including an operation of acquiring intraoral scan (IOS) data for a patient's teeth area, 3D facial data for a face including the patient's teeth area, and CT scan data including the patient's teeth area, an operation of generating a dental 3D avatar by matching the IOS data, the 3D facial data, and the CT scan data, and an operation of generating periodontal data for the patient's teeth using the dental 3D avatar.

[0028] According to the method for generating periodontal data according to embodiments of the present disclosure, periodontal data can be generated using dental registration data that aligns oral scan images, 3D facial data, and CT scan data, thereby providing periodontal data of dental patients more conveniently and intuitively, thereby facilitating diagnosis of periodontal diseases such as periodontitis.

[0029] In addition, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, by showing the length and area of ​​periodontal tissue to the dentist and the patient through periodontal data, it can be more effective when explaining or counseling the patient about the current condition.

[0030] In addition, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, by displaying the risk or possibility of periodontitis in color through periodontal data, it is possible to more conveniently and intuitively understand the risk or possibility of periodontitis in dental patients.

[0031] However, the effects that can be obtained from the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects that are not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0032] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to further understand the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure, and therefore, the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited to matters described in such drawings.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a drawing schematically illustrating the basic configuration of a device for generating periodontal data according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the principle of generating dental alignment data by a alignment module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of displaying the length and area of ​​periodontal tissue for a tooth using periodontal data according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of displaying the length and area of ​​periodontal tissue for multiple teeth using periodontal data according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 5 shows an example of outputting a report in the form of a report by dividing teeth into multiple groups using periodontal data according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for generating periodontal data according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] FIGS. 7 to 10 are exemplary drawings of a user interface representing periodontal data generated using a dental 3D avatar according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] The various embodiments described in this specification are exemplified for the purpose of clearly explaining the technical concept of the present disclosure and are not intended to be limited to specific embodiments. The technical concept of the present disclosure includes various modifications, equivalents, alternatives, and embodiments selectively combined from all or part of the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure is not limited to the various embodiments presented below or the specific descriptions thereof.

[0041] Terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, unless otherwise defined, may have the meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs.

[0042] As used herein, expressions such as "includes," "may include," "comprises," "may have," "have," and "may have" indicate the presence of a target feature (e.g., a function, operation, or component), but do not exclude the presence of other additional features. In other words, such expressions should be understood as open-ended terms that imply the possibility of including a second embodiment.

[0043] In this specification, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, plural expressions include singular expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. When a part of the specification is said to include a component, this does not exclude other components, but rather implies that other components may be included, unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0044] Also, the term 'module' or 'part' used in the specification means a software or hardware component, and the 'module' or 'part' performs certain roles. However, the 'module' or 'part' is not limited to software or hardware. The 'module' or 'part' may be configured to reside on an addressable storage medium and may be configured to execute one or more processors. Thus, as an example, the 'module' or 'part' may include at least one of components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, or variables. The functionality provided within the components and 'modules' or 'parts' may be combined into a smaller number of components and 'modules' or 'parts', or further separated into additional components and 'modules' or 'parts'.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a 'module' or 'unit' may be implemented as a processor and a memory. 'Processor' should be broadly construed to include a general-purpose processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a controller, a microcontroller, a state machine, and the like. In some circumstances, a 'processor' may also refer to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and the like. A 'processor' may also refer to a combination of processing devices, such as, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a combination of multiple microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such combination of configurations. In addition, 'memory' should be broadly construed to include any electronic component capable of storing electronic information. 'Memory' may refer to various types of processor-readable media, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), flash memory, magnetic or optical data storage, registers, etc. Memory is said to be in electronic communication with the processor if the processor can read information from, and / or write information to, the memory. Memory integrated in a processor is in electronic communication with the processor.

[0046] As used herein, the expressions “first,” “second,” or “first,” “second,” etc., unless the context indicates otherwise, are used to refer to multiple similar objects and to distinguish one object from another, and do not limit the order or importance among the objects.

[0047] As used herein, the expressions "A, B, and C," "A, B, or C," "A, B, and / or C," or "at least one of A, B, and C," "at least one of A, B, or C," "at least one of A, B, and / or C," "at least one selected from A, B, and C," "at least one selected from A, B, or C," "at least one selected from A, B, and / or C," and the like can mean each listed item or all possible combinations of the listed items. For example, "at least one selected from A and B" can refer to (1) A, (2) at least one of A, (3) B, (4) at least one of B, (5) at least one of A and at least one of B, (6) at least one of A and B, (7) at least one of B and A, and (8) both A and B.

[0048] The expression "based on" as used herein is used to describe one or more factors that influence a decision, act of judgment, or action described in a phrase or sentence containing the expression, and this expression does not exclude additional factors that influence the decision, act of judgment, or action.

[0049] As used herein, the expression that a component (e.g., a first component) is “connected” or “connected” to another component (e.g., a second component) may mean that the component is directly connected or connected to the other component, as well as connected or connected via a new other component (e.g., a third component).

[0050] The expression "configured to" used herein may have the meanings of "set to", "having the ability to", "modified to", "made to", "capable of", etc., depending on the context. The expression is not limited to the meaning of "specifically designed in hardware", and for example, a processor configured to perform a specific operation may mean a generic-purpose processor that can perform the specific operation by executing software.

[0051] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In the attached drawings and the description of the drawings, identical or substantially equivalent components may be assigned the same reference numerals. Furthermore, in the description of various embodiments below, duplicate descriptions of identical or corresponding components may be omitted, but this does not mean that the corresponding components are not included in the embodiments.

[0052] Basic structure of a device for generating periodontal data

[0053] FIG. 1 is a drawing schematically illustrating a basic configuration of a device for generating periodontal data according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 2 is a drawing schematically illustrating a principle for generating dental alignment data by a alignment module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 1, a device (100) for generating periodontal data may include a memory (110) and a processor (120).

[0055] According to one embodiment, the memory (110) can store various applications, including personal information and treatment data (15, 25, 35) of each patient, and an application (SW) (45) for generating periodontal data. According to one embodiment, the patient's treatment data can include at least one of an intraoral scan (IOS) image (15), a three-dimensional (3D) facial image (25), and a CT (computed tomography) image (35). The configuration of the memory (110) illustrated in FIG. 1 is exemplary, and various other data can be stored.

[0056] The processor (120) can execute an application (45) for generating periodontal data stored in the memory (110). According to one embodiment, a plurality of modules including an acquisition module (130), a matching module (140), a periodontal data generation module (150), and a display module (160) can be implemented in software according to the execution of the application for generating periodontal data. However, depending on the design of the device, some modules may be implemented in hardware, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0057] The processor (120) can execute an application (45) for generating periodontal data to generate dental alignment data using the patient's treatment data, and can generate periodontal data for diagnosing periodontal disease such as periodontitis of the patient using the generated dental alignment data.

[0058] First, let's look at the treatment data used to generate dental alignment data, i.e., intraoral scan (IOS) images (15), 3D facial data (25), and CT scan data (35).

[0059] According to one embodiment, the IOS data (15) may be obtained by scanning the patient's teeth area, i.e., the inside of the oral cavity, using a 3D oral scanner (10). The 3D oral scanner (10) is a non-contact scanner that collects surface data of the structure of the patient's oral cavity and generates IOS data based on the data using a confocal method or an optical triangulation method. In this way, when the IOS data is obtained as a digital impression through the 3D oral scanner (10), there is an advantage in that there is no need to go through the cumbersome process of physically obtaining the structure of the patient's oral cavity by performing an impression work (mockup work) using an impression material contained in a tray of the patient's oral cavity. The IOS data (15) may be obtained through various types of 3D oral scanners available on the market, but is not limited thereto.

[0060] The 3D facial data (25) may be obtained by photographing a patient's face using a 3D facial photographing device (20). According to one embodiment, the 3D facial photographing device (20) may include a plurality of cameras, and may be driven in a manner in which the plurality of cameras photograph the patient's face in one shot to obtain a 3D facial image (25). However, the 3D facial photographing device (20) may also be driven in a manner in which the patient's face is photographed at a time difference while the patient's face is fixed or moved, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0061] In addition, according to one embodiment, the plurality of cameras of the 3D facial photographing device (20) may include at least one dental photographing camera for photographing the dental area of ​​the patient, together with the plurality of facial photographing cameras. The plurality of facial photographing cameras may be installed on the front, left, right, and lower portions of the 3D facial photographing device (20) so as to be able to photograph the front, left, right, and lower portions of the patient's face. According to one embodiment, the dental photographing cameras may be different from the facial photographing cameras, for example, may have different lens magnifications. The dental photographing cameras may be installed on the left and right portions of the 3D facial photographing device (20), for example, so as to be able to photograph the left and right sides of the dental area of ​​the patient, but there is no limitation on the number or installation positions of the dental photographing cameras. Equipping a separate camera for dental photography like this not only allows for more precise photography of the patient's teeth, but also allows for more precise and smoother alignment with other data (e.g., CT scan data or IOS data) by utilizing the precisely photographed tooth area when generating dental alignment data.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the 3D facial data (25) may be captured while the patient's teeth are exposed. That is, when capturing the patient's face using the 3D facial capturing device (20), the patient may be guided to fix his or her face in the correct position and expose the teeth before capturing. To this end, the 3D facial capturing device (20) may be designed to have a guide function. Accordingly, the patient's face as well as the teeth can be captured more accurately to generate the 3D facial data (25). However, in some cases, it may not be necessary to acquire the 3D facial data (25) while the patient's teeth are exposed, and in such cases, the 3D facial data (25) may or may not expose the teeth.

[0063] According to one embodiment, a 3D facial photographing device (20) can acquire 3D facial data (25) based on a plurality of images obtained by photographing a patient's face using a plurality of cameras while irradiating a structured light pattern onto the patient's face. However, the method of acquiring the 3D facial data (25) may include various methods, such as a laser scanning method, a method using a depth sensor, and a method of reconstructing 3D facial data using artificial intelligence (AI), in addition to a method using structured light, and is not limited thereto.

[0064] The CT scan data (35) may be obtained by capturing a facial area including a patient's teeth area using a CT device (30). The CT device (30) may be a dental CT device, for example, a cone beam CT device. In the case of a cone beam CT device, it has the advantage of being able to obtain CT scan data for a patient's teeth area while minimizing radiation exposure to the patient by scanning a cone-shaped X-ray beam. However, the CT device (30) may also be a fan beam CT device, which is a device that scans a fan-shaped X-ray beam. That is, the CT scan data (35) according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may be obtained through various CT devices, and is not limited thereto.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the acquisition module (130) of the device (100) for generating periodontal data can acquire IOS data (15), 3D facial data (25) and CT scan data (35) as described above from a 3D oral scanner (10), a 3D facial scan device (20) and a CT device (30), respectively. However, the acquisition module (130) can also acquire at least one of the IOS data (15), 3D facial data (25) and CT scan data (35) by downloading it from another storage medium or from the cloud.

[0066] The IOS data (15), 3D facial data (25), and CT scan data (35) acquired by the acquisition module (130) can be stored in the memory (110) of the device (100) for generating periodontal data. The IOS data (15), 3D facial data (25), and CT scan data (35) can be stored in the memory (110) by differentiating them for each patient, and if there are multiple copies of the same type of data taken at different times, they can also be stored by differentiating them for each time period. In addition, the memory (110) can store personal information of each patient, treatment data such as comments from a dentist, and various applications including an application for generating periodontal data.

[0067] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the alignment module (140) can create a dental 3D avatar by aligning IOS data (15), 3D facial data (25), and CT scan data (35). In one embodiment, a method of extracting landmarks of a patient's face and / or teeth and performing alignment between images using the landmarks can be used for such alignment. However, other methods may be used in addition to the method using landmarks, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the alignment module (140) can extract three or more landmarks of the patient's face and teeth area. The reason why three or more landmarks are required is that the IOS data (15), 3D facial data (25), and CT scan data (35) according to the embodiments of the present disclosure are all three-dimensional or at least two or more are three-dimensional data, so it is impossible to align all of the x, y, and z axes with only two (or one) landmarks.

[0069] According to a method for generating dental alignment data according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, landmark extraction can be manually designated by a user, such as a dentist or a dental laboratory manager. For example, a user can designate landmarks using a pointer, such as a mouse, through a user interface of an application for generating periodontal data presented to the user by a display module (150).

[0070] In another embodiment, three or more landmarks may be extracted by an application for generating periodontal data. Such an application may employ a method of generating reference lines or reference planes, such as the midline, alar line, occlusal plane, or campers plane, and extracting landmarks based on these reference lines or reference planes in a rule-based manner.

[0071] Meanwhile, according to another embodiment, an application for generating periodontal data may extract landmarks based on artificial intelligence by embedding an artificial neural network model pre-trained through a large amount of data or by being connected to such an artificial neural network model through a network.

[0072] In one embodiment, the IOS data (15) may not include facial data because it corresponds to a 3D image generated by scanning the inside of the patient's oral cavity. Therefore, when matching the IOS data (15) with other images (25, 35), the landmarks of the tooth area may be utilized. In addition, when matching the 3D facial data (25) with the CT scan data (35), the landmarks of the facial area excluding the patient's tooth area may be utilized, or both the landmarks of the patient's tooth area and the landmarks of the facial area may be utilized.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the alignment module (140) may first align 3D facial data (25) with one of IOS data (15) and CT scan data (35) based on three or more landmarks to generate first alignment data. Thereafter, the other of IOS data and CT data may be aligned with the first alignment data based on three or more landmarks to generate final alignment data. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, such final alignment data is referred to as a dental 3D avatar. The landmarks used to generate the first alignment data and the landmarks used to generate the dental 3D avatar may be the same or different.

[0074] According to another embodiment, the alignment module (140) may align one of the 3D facial data (25) and the CT scan data (35) to the IOS data (15) based on landmarks of three or more tooth regions to generate first alignment data, and then align the other of the 3D facial data (25) and the CT scan data (35) to the first alignment data based on three or more landmarks to generate a dental 3D avatar. In this case, the 3D facial data (25) may be a facial image in which the tooth regions are exposed. That is, the alignment module (140) may perform alignment centered on the 3D facial data (25) or centered on the IOS data (15), and this may vary depending on the treatment pattern of the patient or the design of the system, and is therefore not limited thereto.

[0075] As described above, the dental 3D avatar according to the embodiments of the present disclosure is based on 3D facial data rather than 2D facial images, and is aligned with IOS data (15) and CT scan data (35), so that it can provide a realistic expression as if it were an exact representation of the patient's actual face, and is therefore effective in providing explanations or consultations to patients. Furthermore, it is possible to intuitively explain the condition of the patient's teeth before and after dental treatment such as orthodontic treatment, implant treatment, or prosthesis by showing not only the tooth surface but also the tooth root obtained from CT scan data, and it also has the effect of providing various expressions such as presenting the changes before and after treatment through distinguishable colors or transparency. Furthermore, the dental 3D avatar has expandability in that it can be applied to various fields such as plastic surgery, computer games, and multimedia in addition to dentistry.

[0076] Referring to FIG. 1, the periodontal data generation module (150) can generate periodontal data using a dental 3D avatar generated by the alignment module (140).

[0077] In one embodiment, periodontal data can be generated based on the differential value of data values ​​near periodontal tissue in the matched IOS data and CT data. While IOS data is a three-dimensional scan of the external appearance of not only teeth but also periodontal tissue, CT data clearly shows teeth and gum bones, allowing data on periodontal tissue to be determined based on the differential value between the two data values.

[0078] In addition, the periodontal data generation module (150) can determine at least one of the length and area of ​​the periodontal tissue by applying one (or both) of the clinical attachment level (CAL) measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth (Probing Pocket Depth (PPD) measurement method) to the periodontal data for the dental 3D avatar. Here, the clinical attachment level (CAL) is a value that estimates the position of the structure supporting the tooth, and corresponds to the standard for judging the stability of the tooth and the loss of alveolar bone, and the periodontal pocket refers to a gap created when the tooth root (root) and the gum are separated due to destruction of the gum bone (alveolar bone) supporting the tooth around the tooth due to periodontitis or other causes, and the PPD can refer to the depth of the formed periodontal pocket.

[0079] As a non-limiting example, the periodontal data generation module (150) can determine a measurement method to which periodontal data can be applied from a dental 3D avatar among a clinical attachment level (CAL) measurement method and a periodontal pocket depth (PPD) measurement method. That is, the periodontal data generation module (150) can determine a measurement method with high accuracy for generation of periodontal data (i.e., in determining at least one of the length and area of ​​periodontal tissue) among the clinical attachment level measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth measurement method, and select the determined measurement method as the measurement method to be used for generation of periodontal data.

[0080] This is because the periodontal data generation module (150) can calculate the clinical attachment level by detecting the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) in the dental 3D avatar (for example, by calculating the distance from the detected cementoenamel junction to the gingival margin), or calculate the periodontal pocket depth by detecting the supragingival line and the supragingival crest, but the periodontal data generation module (150) may not easily detect the cementoenamel junction from the dental 3D avatar, or may not easily detect the supragingival line or the supragingival crest, due to poor shooting quality of at least one of the IOS data (15), the 3D facial data (25), and the CT scan data (35), or due to reasons such as the condition of the patient's teeth or gums. Accordingly, the periodontal data generation module (150) determines a measurement method to be applied to the periodontal data in the dental 3D avatar among the clinical attachment level measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth measurement method, and determines at least one of the length and area of ​​the periodontal tissue in the periodontal data using the determined measurement method. That is, according to one embodiment, the periodontal data may include the length of the periodontal tissue for each tooth in the dental 3D avatar. In addition, the periodontal data may include the area of ​​the periodontal tissue for each tooth, and the color of the area of ​​the periodontal tissue may be determined according to the length of the periodontal tissue.

[0081] In another embodiment, the periodontal data generation module (150) may determine at least one of the length and area of ​​periodontal tissue of the periodontal data based on a method preset by a user, such as a dentist, among a clinical attachment level (CAL) measurement method and a periodontal pocket depth (PPD) measurement method.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the periodontal data generation module (150) may enable a user, such as a dentist, to adjust at least one of the length and area of ​​the periodontal tissue, such as by manually pointing to both ends of the periodontal tissue through a user interface.

[0083] Meanwhile, in the present disclosure, periodontal tissue may be understood to mean a tissue that physically supports teeth, assists in the movement of teeth, and supplies necessary blood flow to teeth. More specifically, periodontal tissue may include gingiva, cementum, periodontal ligament (PDL), alveolar bone, etc.

[0084] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment, the periodontal data generation module (150) may determine the area of ​​periodontal tissue for each tooth for periodontal data generated using a dental 3D avatar. In one embodiment, the periodontal data generation module (150) may determine the area of ​​periodontal tissue for each tooth, and determine the longest part (e.g., vertical length from the gums to the teeth) within the area of ​​periodontal tissue as the length of the periodontal tissue. For example, the periodontal data generation module (150) may determine at least one of the area and length of periodontal tissue for each tooth in the dental 3D avatar using a pre-trained artificial neural network model. Thereafter, the periodontal data generation module (150) may enable a user, such as a dentist, to manually adjust at least one of the area and length of the periodontal tissue.

[0085] However, in some cases, the periodontal data generation module (150) may not determine the periodontal tissue on its own, but may only provide a user interface and visual data that allow a user, such as a dentist, to manually designate the area of ​​the periodontal tissue. The periodontal data generation module (150) is not limited to the method for designating the area of ​​the periodontal tissue.

[0086] In addition, according to one embodiment, the periodontal data generation module (150) may determine a color to be displayed for an area of ​​periodontal tissue based on the length of the periodontal tissue. Since it may be determined that the longer the periodontal tissue, the greater the risk (or the higher the possibility) of periodontitis, the periodontal data generation module (150) may determine different colors for the area of ​​periodontal tissue depending on the length of the periodontal tissue so that the user (or patient) can intuitively understand the risk (or possibility) of periodontitis. For example, the periodontal data generation module (150) may determine the color of the area of ​​periodontal tissue to be green when the risk (or possibility) of periodontitis is low, determine the color of the area of ​​periodontal tissue to be yellow when the risk (or possibility) of periodontitis is moderate, and determine the color of the area of ​​periodontal tissue to be red when the risk (or possibility) of periodontitis is high.

[0087] In addition, the periodontal data generation module (150) may divide the patient's teeth into a plurality of groups according to predetermined criteria, and may generate periodontal data indicating the risk (or possibility) of periodontitis for each group. That is, the periodontal data generation module (150) may generate periodontal data for each group of teeth divided into a plurality of zones, rather than for each tooth, depending on the user's selection. In this case, the periodontal data generation module (150) may determine a color indicating the risk (or possibility) of periodontitis for each group of teeth. According to one embodiment, the periodontal data generation module (150) may calculate the length of the periodontal tissue of each tooth included in the group of teeth, and determine a color indicating the risk (or possibility) of periodontitis for the corresponding group of teeth using the average of the calculated lengths, but is not limited thereto.

[0088] The display module (160) can display the dental 3D avatar generated by the alignment module (140) through the display of the device (100). According to one embodiment, the display module (160) can display the dental 3D avatar on a user interface provided by an application for generating periodontal data. In addition, the display module (160) can adjust the transparency of some of the three images that constitute the dental 3D avatar, i.e., the IOS data (15), the 3D facial data (25), and the CT data (35) described above, or select whether to display them, so that users such as dentists or dental laboratory managers can view appropriate expressions as needed. In addition, the display module (160) can display reference lines or reference planes, such as the Mid-line, the Alar line, the Occlusal Plane, and the Campers Plane, together with the dental 3D avatar, so that users can utilize them for treatment and consultation of patients. Additionally, the user may be able to adjust some data, for example, the position or shape of an oral scan image (15), in a dental 3D avatar displayed through the display module (160).

[0089] In addition, the display module (160) can provide the periodontal data generated by the periodontal data generation module (150) to a user interface displayed through the display of the device (100). According to one embodiment, the display module (160) can display the periodontal data on a user interface provided by an application for generating periodontal data. In addition, the display module (160) can display the periodontal data on a dental 3D avatar. That is, the display module (160) can display the area of ​​the periodontal tissue of the corresponding tooth, the length of the periodontal tissue of the corresponding tooth, or the area of ​​the periodontal tissue together with the length of the periodontal tissue, on the tooth portion of the dental 3D avatar. At this time, the display module (160) can display the area of ​​the periodontal tissue of the tooth by displaying it in different colors according to the length of the periodontal tissue. In addition, the display module (160) can divide the teeth of the patient into tooth groups according to predetermined criteria and display the divided teeth, and display periodontal data for each tooth group by tooth group.

[0090] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of displaying the length and area of ​​periodontal tissue for a tooth using periodontal data according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 4 illustrates an example of displaying the length and area of ​​periodontal tissue for a plurality of teeth using periodontal data according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 5 illustrates an example of outputting a report in the form of dividing teeth into a plurality of groups using periodontal data according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0091] First, referring to FIG. 3, when a user wants to check periodontal data for the first tooth (T1) in the maxilla, the display module (160) can display '7 mm', which is the length (PL1) of the periodontal tissue for the first tooth (T1), together with the area (PA1) of the periodontal tissue for the first tooth (T1). At this time, when the risk (or possibility) of periodontitis is high in the length (PL1) of the periodontal tissue calculated by the periodontal data generation module (150), the display module (160) can display the area (PA1) of the periodontal tissue and the length (PL1) of the periodontal tissue for the first tooth (T1) in red, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0092] Referring to FIG. 4, when a user wants to check periodontal data for multiple teeth (T1, T2, T3) in the maxilla, the display module (160) can display periodontal data for each of the multiple teeth (T1, T2, T3) together. That is, the display module (160) can display '7 mm', which is the length (PL1) of the periodontal tissue for the first tooth (T1), together with the area (PA1) of the periodontal tissue for the first tooth (T1), '4 mm', which is the length (PL2) of the periodontal tissue for the second tooth (T2), together with the area (PA2) of the periodontal tissue for the second tooth (T2), and '3 mm', which is the length (PL3) of the periodontal tissue for the third tooth (T3), together with the area (PA3) of the periodontal tissue for the third tooth (T3). At this time, the display module (160) may display the area (PA1) of the periodontal tissue and the length (PL1) of the periodontal tissue for the first tooth (T1) in red, the area (PA2) of the periodontal tissue and the length (PL2) of the periodontal tissue for the second tooth (T2) in yellow, and the area (PA3) of the periodontal tissue and the length (PL1) of the periodontal tissue for the third tooth (T3) in green, depending on the risk (or possibility) of each periodontitis.

[0093] In addition, referring to FIG. 5, when the patient's teeth are divided into six groups, such as 'upper right', 'upper incisors', 'upper left', 'lower right', 'lower incisors', and 'lower left', the display module (160) can display periodontal data for 'upper right' with a red identifier, periodontal data for 'upper incisors' with a green identifier, periodontal data for 'upper left' with a yellow identifier, periodontal data for 'lower right' with a green identifier, periodontal data for 'lower incisors' with a green identifier, and periodontal data for 'lower left' with a yellow identifier, according to the risk (or possibility) of periodontitis of each group.

[0094] Method for generating periodontal data

[0095] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for generating periodontal data according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0096] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, in a method for generating dental alignment data according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in step S10, IOS data (15) for a patient's tooth area, 3D facial data (25) for a face including the patient's tooth area, and CT scan data (35) including the patient's tooth area can be acquired. Acquisition of these images can be performed by an acquisition module (130), and the IOS data (15), 3D facial data (25), and CT scan data (35) can be acquired from a 3D oral scanner (10), a 3D facial photographing device (20), and a CT device (30), respectively, or downloaded from another storage medium or stored on a cloud.

[0097] In step S20, the alignment module (140) can generate first alignment data by aligning the 3D facial data (25) with either the IOS data (15) or the CT scan data (35) based on landmarks. According to one embodiment, since each image corresponds to 3D data, three or more landmarks may be used to generate the first alignment data, and may be extracted from the patient's face and / or teeth area. Based on the three or more landmarks extracted in this way, the 3D facial data (25) can be aligned with either the IOS data (15) or the CT scan data (35) to generate the first alignment data.

[0098] In step S30, the alignment module (140) can align the other one of the IOS data (15) and the CT scan data (35) to the first alignment data generated in step S20 based on a landmark to generate the final alignment data, which is a dental 3D avatar.

[0099] In step S40, the periodontal data generation module (150) can generate periodontal data using the dental 3D avatar generated in step S30. In one embodiment, the periodontal data can be generated by calculating the difference between the data values ​​near the periodontal tissue in the aligned IOS data and CT data. While the IOS data is a three-dimensional scan of the appearance of not only the teeth but also the periodontal tissue, the CT data clearly shows the teeth and the gum bone, etc., so data on the periodontal tissue can be determined through the difference between the two data values.

[0100] In step S50, the periodontal data generation module (150) can determine at least one of the length and area of ​​the periodontal tissue by applying one of the clinical attachment level (CAL) measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth (PPD) measurement method to the periodontal data.

[0101] Here, the periodontal data generation module (150) can select a method suitable for the patient's dental condition or a dental 3D avatar from among the clinical attachment level (CAL) measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth (PPD) measurement method and apply it to the periodontal data. Alternatively, the periodontal data generation module (150) can also apply a method preset by a user, such as a dentist, to the periodontal data.

[0102] In one embodiment, the periodontal data generation module (150) may apply either a clinical attachment level (CAL) measurement method or a periodontal pocket depth (PPD) measurement method to the periodontal data to determine the area of ​​the periodontal tissue for each tooth, and may determine the longest part (e.g., vertical length from the gums to the tooth) within the area of ​​the periodontal tissue as the length of the periodontal tissue. For example, the periodontal data generation module (150) may determine the area of ​​the periodontal tissue for each tooth in a dental 3D avatar using a pre-trained artificial neural network model. Thereafter, the periodontal data generation module (150) may enable a user, such as a dentist, to manually adjust the area of ​​the periodontal tissue.

[0103] Accordingly, the periodontal data may include at least one of the length and area of ​​periodontal tissue for each tooth in the dental 3D avatar, and the color of the area of ​​periodontal tissue to be displayed may be determined based on the length of the periodontal tissue.

[0104] User interface representing periodontal data

[0105] FIGS. 7 to 10 are exemplary drawings of a user interface representing periodontal data generated using a dental 3D avatar according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0106] Referring to FIG. 7, in one embodiment, the alignment module (140) and the periodontal data generation module (150) can segment a dental 3D avatar for a patient's teeth into maxillary regions of the teeth and mandibular regions of the teeth, and the display module (160) can provide a selection button (AJ) that allows a user to select a region to be displayed among the maxillary region and the mandibular region through a user interface (e.g., which can be displayed on a display of a dentist's PC). As shown in FIG. 7, both the maxillary region and the mandibular region are displayed, and periodontal data (PA) can be displayed semitransparently in the maxillary region and the mandibular region. In addition, the user interface can include a color button (CB) for selecting whether to display the periodontal data (PA) by color for each tooth (i.e., for each periodontal tissue) according to the length of the periodontal tissue.

[0107] Referring further to FIGS. 8 and 9, the display module (160) may display only the maxillary region on the user interface when the user selects the button (UJ) for displaying only the maxillary region of the patient (FIG. 8), and may display only the mandibular region on the user interface when the user selects the button (LJ) for displaying only the mandibular region of the patient (FIG. 9). At this time, when the user activates the color button (CB) by turning it on, the user interface may display periodontal data by tooth or by color (C) according to the periodontal length for the selected tooth.

[0108] Referring to FIG. 10, when a user selects a report output button (RV) to output a report for synthesizing and confirming periodontal data of a previously confirmed tooth, the display module (160) can display a report screen such as FIG. 5, which allows the periodontal data of the patient's teeth and the health status of the periodontal tissue to be viewed on one screen.

[0109] That is, the display module (150) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may provide one or more buttons including at least one of a selection button (AJ) for selecting an area to be displayed among the maxillary area and the mandibular area of ​​the patient on the user interface, a color button (CB) for selecting whether to display a color for each area of ​​the periodontal tissue, and a report output button (RV) for synthesizing periodontal data and checking it in the form of a report.

[0110] computer-readable recording medium

[0111] It is obvious that each step or operation of the method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can be performed by a computer including one or more processors according to the execution of a computer program stored in a computer-readable recording medium.

[0112] The computer-executable instructions stored in the aforementioned recording medium can be implemented through a computer program programmed to perform each corresponding step, and such a computer program can be stored in a computer-readable recording medium and executed by a processor. The computer-readable recording medium may be a non-transitory readable medium. In this case, the non-transitory readable medium means a medium that semi-permanently stores data and can be read by a device, rather than a medium that stores data for a short period of time, such as a register, a cache, or a memory. Specifically, the programs for performing the various methods described above can be stored and provided in a non-transitory readable medium, such as semiconductor memory devices such as erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), and flash memory devices, magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks, optical-magnetic disks, and non-volatile memories including CD-ROMs and DVD-ROM disks.

[0113] The methods according to various examples disclosed in this document may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or online through an application store (e.g., Play Store™). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0114] As described above, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure can be implemented in other specific forms without altering the technical spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the following claims rather than the detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and equivalent concepts should be construed as being included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0115] The features and advantages described in this specification are not exhaustive, and many additional features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the drawings, specification, and claims. Furthermore, it should be noted that the language used in this specification has been primarily selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not be intended to delineate or circumscribe the subject matter of the present disclosure.

[0116] The above description of the embodiments of the present disclosure has been presented for illustrative purposes. It is not intended to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed, nor to omit anything. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure.

[0117] Therefore, the scope of this disclosure is not limited by the detailed description, but is defined by any claims of the application based on this description. Accordingly, the disclosure of embodiments of this disclosure is illustrative and does not limit the scope of this disclosure, which is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. As a method for generating periodontal data, A step of acquiring intraoral scan (IOS) data for a patient's dental area, 3D (three-dimensional) facial data for a face including the patient's dental area, and CT scan data including the patient's dental area; A step of creating a dental 3D avatar by aligning the above IOS data, the 3D facial data, and the CT scan data; and A step of generating periodontal data for the patient's teeth using the above dental 3D avatar. A method for generating periodontal data including:

2. In paragraph 1, The steps for generating the above periodontal data are: Including generating the periodontal data based on the difference value of the data value near the periodontal tissue in the IOS data and the CT scan data of the dental 3D avatar. Method for generating periodontal data 3. In paragraph 1, The above method, For the above periodontal data, a step of determining at least one of the length and area of the periodontal tissue by applying one of the clinical attachment level measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth measurement method. A method for generating periodontal data including more.

4. In paragraph 3, For the above periodontal data, applying either the clinical attachment level measurement method or the periodontal pocket depth measurement method is Including selecting a measurement method with high accuracy in determining at least one of the length and area of the periodontal tissue among the clinical attachment level measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth measurement method. Method for generating periodontal data.

5. In paragraph 3, For the above periodontal data, applying either the clinical attachment level measurement method or the periodontal pocket depth measurement method is Including applying a method preset by the user among the above clinical attachment level measurement method and the above periodontal pocket depth measurement method. Method for generating periodontal data.

6. In paragraph 3, For the above periodontal data, the step of determining at least one of the length and area of the periodontal tissue by applying one of the clinical attachment level measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth measurement method is as follows. A step of determining the area of each periodontal tissue by applying any one of the above measurement methods; and A step for determining the length of the periodontal tissue by the longest part within the area of each periodontal tissue. A method for generating periodontal data including:

7. In paragraph 3, The above method, A step of determining a color to be displayed for each area of the periodontal tissue based on the length of the periodontal tissue determined above. A method for generating periodontal data including more.

8. In paragraph 7, The above method, A step of displaying the periodontal data for the teeth of the patient through a user interface along with a color for each area of the periodontal tissue determined based on the length of the periodontal tissue. A method for generating periodontal data including more.

9. In paragraph 8, The user interface includes at least one of a selection button for selecting an area to be displayed among the maxillary area and the mandibular area of the patient, a color button for selecting whether to display a color for each area of the periodontal tissue, and a report output button for synthesizing the periodontal data and checking it in the form of a report. Method for generating periodontal data.

10. In paragraph 1, The above method, For the above periodontal data, a step of determining at least one of the length and area of periodontal tissue using a pre-learned artificial neural network model A method for generating periodontal data including more.

11. As a device for generating periodontal data, Memory in which the application for generating periodontal data is stored; and A processor that operates to implement multiple modules by executing the application stored in the memory. Including, The above multiple modules are, An acquisition module for acquiring an intraoral scan (IOS) image of a patient's dental area, a 3D facial image of a face including the patient's dental area, and CT scan data including the patient's dental area; A matching module for creating a dental 3D avatar by matching the above IOS data, the above 3D facial data, and the above CT scan data; and A periodontal data generation module for generating periodontal data for the patient's teeth using the above dental 3D avatar. A device for generating periodontal data including:

12. In paragraph 11, The above periodontal data generation module is, The periodontal data is generated based on the difference value of the data value near the periodontal tissue in the IOS data and the CT scan data of the dental 3D avatar. Device for generating periodontal data.

13. In paragraph 11, The above periodontal data generation module is, For the above periodontal data, it is further configured to determine at least one of the length and area of the periodontal tissue by applying one of the clinical attachment level measurement method and the periodontal pocket depth measurement method. Device for generating periodontal data.

14. In paragraph 13, The above periodontal data generation module determines at least one of the length and area of the periodontal tissue, By applying any one of the above measurement methods, the area of each periodontal tissue is determined, and The longest part within each area of the above periodontal tissue is determined as the length of the corresponding periodontal tissue. A device for generating periodontal data including:

15. In paragraph 13, The above periodontal data generation module is, Based on the length of the periodontal tissue determined above, it is further configured to determine a color to be displayed for each area of the periodontal tissue. Device for generating periodontal data.

16. In paragraph 15, The device further comprises a display module, The above display module, configured to display the periodontal data for the teeth of the patient through a user interface together with a color for each area of the periodontal tissue determined based on the length of the periodontal tissue; Device for generating periodontal data.

17. A computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program, The above computer program, An operation of acquiring intraoral scan (IOS) data for a patient's dental area, 3D facial data for a face including the patient's dental area, and CT scan data including the patient's dental area; An operation of creating a dental 3D avatar by aligning the above IOS data, the above 3D facial data, and the above CT scan data, and An action of generating periodontal data for the patient's teeth using the above dental 3D avatar. A method of generating periodontal data including instructions for causing a processor to perform the method. Computer-readable recording medium.

Images