Method for providing occlusion simulation according to mandibular movement, and apparatus and recording medium therefor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for providing an occlusion simulation according to mandibular movement, and an apparatus and a recording medium therefor. The method comprises: generating integrated data by registering CT data of a patient with first oral scan data regarding static occlusion and second oral scan data regarding dynamic occlusion; segmenting a preset portion of each tooth on the basis of the registered data to form a bounding box for an individual tooth; selecting, from among a plurality of teeth, a specific tooth for which an occlusion image is to be displayed; determining a position of a virtual camera on the basis of the bounding box of the tooth and an occlusive plane included in the registered data; and then displaying an image acquired through the virtual camera so as to provide a simulation of the patient's occlusion state.

Description

Method for providing occlusal simulation according to mandibular movement, device for the same, and recording medium

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for providing an occlusal simulation according to mandibular movement, an apparatus for the same, and a recording medium.

[0002]

[0003] When establishing treatment plans for teeth and jaws, including various restorative treatments using prosthetics such as dentures, crowns, and implants, as well as orthodontic procedures, the process involves analyzing the static and dynamic occlusion states of the upper and lower jaws. For reference, dynamic occlusion refers to the positional relationship that changes according to the movement and rotation of the lower jaw relative to the fixed upper jaw.

[0004] According to conventional technology, occlusal function is evaluated using an articulator. An articulator is a device designed to simulate the relative movement of the mandible with respect to the maxilla using a geometric model that simplifies the human skull. Dental professionals simulate mandibular movement through the geometric model of the articulator; by inserting articulating paper between the upper and lower teeth within the articulator and reproducing the movement, they test for tooth collision and determine malocclusion and evaluate the occlusal function of restorations based on the staining of the articulating paper.

[0005] However, mandibular movement is highly complex because it occurs in a complex manner due to the close interrelationship between the temporomandibular joint, teeth, and masticatory muscles. In this regard, articulators simplify mandibular movement using a few variables to simulate it, but there are inherent limitations in accurately simulating actual mandibular movement.

[0006] In addition, since it is practically difficult to reproduce all the very complex and diverse movements of the mandible through the mechanical mechanism of the articulator, simulation is performed only on the limit movements corresponding to the maximum range of motion in which the mandible can move. Therefore, there is a problem in that information about mandibular movements within the boundaries according to the limit movements cannot be reflected, and thus the overall mandibular movements cannot be simulated.

[0007] Furthermore, with the recent spread of digital design trends in the dental field, various dental prosthetics are being designed using software. Consequently, there is a growing need for software that integrates occlusal simulation and prosthetic design functions, enabling the virtual simulation of occlusal states based on mandibular movements and the incorporation of the results into the design.

[0008]

[0009] The present invention is proposed to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and aims to provide a method for providing an occlusion simulation and an apparatus for performing the same, which virtually simulates static and dynamic occlusion and provides images that can identify the occlusion state and TMJ function through various layouts according to the type of mandibular movement and the position of individual teeth during the simulation process.

[0010]

[0011] The above objective can be achieved by a method for providing an occlusal simulation according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein each step is performed through a computing device, comprising: a step of generating matching data by matching a patient's CT data, a first oral scan data regarding static occlusion, and a second oral scan data regarding dynamic occlusion; a step of segmenting each predetermined part of the CT data, the first oral scan data, and the second oral scan data, and generating a bounding box for each individual tooth in the matching data based on the segmented result; a step of determining a first individual tooth among a plurality of individual teeth to display an occlusal image; a step of determining the position of a virtual camera based on the first bounding box for the first individual tooth and an occlusal plane identified in the matching data; and a step of displaying an occlusal image regarding the first individual tooth obtained through the virtual camera.

[0012] At this time, the method further includes the step of performing an occlusion simulation including dynamic occlusion and static occlusion according to mandibular movement using the above-mentioned matching data, and the occlusion image regarding the first individual tooth may be provided during the process of the occlusion simulation.

[0013] And, the step of performing the occlusal simulation may include: a step of dividing the mandibular movement path according to the second oral scan data into a plurality of individual mandibular movement paths; and a step of providing an occlusal simulation according to each individual mandibular movement based on the divided individual mandibular movement paths.

[0014] Here, the step of dividing the mandibular movement path according to the second oral scan data into the plurality of individual mandibular movement paths may include: a step of generating a graph representing the mandibular movement path by tracking the position of a preset reference point located on the mandible in the second oral scan data; a step of identifying a plurality of path division points to distinguish different types of individual mandibular movements in the graph; and a step of determining each individual mandibular movement path based on the path division points.

[0015] Meanwhile, the segmenting step includes the step of segmenting the upper and lower teeth and the upper and lower jawbones respectively in the CT data; and the step of additionally segmenting the TMJ region in the upper and lower jawbones, and may further include the step of displaying a TMJ image for the TMJ region during the process of the occlusion simulation.

[0016] In addition, the occlusal simulation may further include an occlusal simulation according to different individual mandibular movements and a step of determining the position of the virtual camera for acquiring the TMJ image according to the type of the individual mandibular movement.

[0017] Here, the step of determining the position of the virtual camera for acquiring the TMJ image may determine the position of the virtual camera to provide a sagittal view of the TMJ region when the individual mandibular movement is at least one of anterior movement, posterior movement, and opening movement, and determine the position of the virtual camera to provide a coronal view of the TMJ region when the individual mandibular movement is leftward movement or rightward movement.

[0018] In addition, the occlusal simulation may further include an occlusal simulation according to different individual mandibular movements, and a step of determining the magnification of an occlusal image regarding the first individual tooth based on the type of the individual mandibular movement and the distance between the first individual tooth and the opposing tooth during the individual mandibular movement.

[0019] Meanwhile, the method may further include a step of designing a virtual prosthesis for restoring the individual teeth based on the results of the occlusal simulation.

[0020] Here, the step of designing a virtual prosthesis for restoring the individual tooth may include: a step of identifying a modified portion in which the path after designing the virtual prosthesis is changed compared to the path before designing the virtual prosthesis or the path of movement of the TMJ according to the mandibular movement before and after designing the virtual prosthesis; a step of identifying the location of an occlusal point on the virtual prosthesis corresponding to the modified portion; and a step of modifying the virtual prosthesis based on the identified location of the occlusal point.

[0021] In addition, the virtual prosthesis corresponds to an implant crown, and the step of designing a virtual prosthesis for restoring the individual tooth may include: identifying the location of one or more dynamic occlusal points where the virtual implant crown contacts other individual teeth in a dynamic occlusal state according to mandibular movement; and modifying the virtual implant crown based on the identified location of the dynamic occlusal point.

[0022] In addition, it may further include the step of generating tooth alignment data in which one or more individual teeth have been moved to establish a tooth orthodontic treatment plan based on the results of the above occlusion simulation.

[0023] Meanwhile, the step of displaying an occlusal image regarding the first individual tooth may display it by adjusting the transparency of at least a portion of the other individual tooth when the first individual tooth is obscured by another individual tooth at the position of the virtual camera.

[0024] Additionally, the method further includes a step of detecting a patient's dental lesion based on the CT data, the first oral scan data, or the second oral scan data, and the step of determining the position of the virtual camera may determine the position of the virtual camera based on the position of the dental lesion.

[0025] In addition, the above-mentioned objective may also be achieved by an occlusal simulation providing device according to another aspect of the present invention, which provides an occlusal simulation of the maxilla and mandible, comprising a processor and a display, wherein the processor aligns CT data of a patient, first oral scan data regarding static occlusion, and second oral scan data regarding dynamic occlusion to generate alignment data, segments each of the pre-set parts of the CT data, the first oral scan data, and the second oral scan data, generates a bounding box for each individual tooth based on the segmented result, determines a first individual tooth among a plurality of individual teeth to display an occlusal image, determines the position of a virtual camera based on the first bounding box for the first individual tooth and the occlusal plane identified in the alignment data, and performs a process to display an occlusal image regarding the first individual tooth obtained through the virtual camera on the display.

[0026]

[0027] As described above, according to the present invention, a simulation of static occlusion and dynamic occlusion is provided based on the actual mandibular movement of a patient, and by providing simulation images through various view layouts during the simulation process, the user can be helped to easily understand the occlusal state.

[0028] In addition, by linking occlusal simulation with the generation of tooth alignment data for prosthetic design or orthodontic treatment, it is possible to achieve a design optimized for the patient's static and dynamic occlusal state.

[0029]

[0030] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing an occlusal simulation according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] FIG. 3 is a reference diagram illustrating a method for an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention to align CT data with oral scan data regarding static occlusion;

[0033] FIGS. 4a, 4b, and 4c are reference diagrams for explaining a method for an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention to further align oral scan data regarding dynamic occlusion;

[0034] FIG. 5 is a reference diagram illustrating a method for a occlusion simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention to segment a TMJ region in CT data;

[0035] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing an example in which a bounding box for each individual tooth is generated by an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the detailed process of an occlusal simulation of an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] FIG. 8 is an example of multiple graphs generated by tracking multiple patient mandibular movements shown in oral scan data regarding dynamic occlusion;

[0038] FIG. 9 is a reference diagram for explaining a method for determining the path of each individual mandibular movement using an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] FIG. 10 is an example of a GUI provided by an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention to receive selection of individual mandibular movements of a simulation target from a user;

[0040] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the process of an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention providing an occlusal simulation image;

[0041] FIG. 12 is an example of a GUI provided by an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention to receive target area information for image display from a user;

[0042] FIG. 13 is an example of a GUI provided by an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention to receive a user's selection of a view of an occlusal image for a specific individual tooth;

[0043] FIGS. 14 to 17 are examples of screens provided by an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention during an occlusal simulation process;

[0044] FIG. 18 is an example of a TMJ movement simulation image provided by an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating the process of an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention designing a virtual prosthesis by reflecting the results of an occlusal simulation; and

[0046] FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating the process of an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention designing an implant by reflecting the results of the occlusal simulation.

[0047]

[0048] The detailed description of the invention, drawings, and embodiments described in this specification are materials intended to explain the means for realizing the invention according to the specifically described embodiments and drawings so that a person skilled in the art can understand them.

[0049] These descriptions clearly convey the technical concept and core principles of the invention, and the described embodiments and drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, but rather to supplementarily explain that the scope of protection described in the claims can be sufficiently supported by the descriptions.

[0050] In this specification, each of the phrases such as “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, “at least one of A or B”, “A, B or C”, “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, and “one or more combinations of A, B, and C” may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or all possible combinations thereof.

[0051] Terms such as "first" or "second" may be used to describe various components, but these terms should be interpreted solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, "first component" may be named "second component," and similarly, "second component" may be named "first component."

[0052] A singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0053] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this specification.

[0054] When it is stated that a component is "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected to or coupled with that other component, or that there may be other components in between.

[0055] In this specification, terms such as “comprising” or “having” are intended to specify the existence of the described features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof, and should not be understood as precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0056] The embodiments, drawings, definitions, and descriptions of terms described in this specification are intended to show that the scope of the invention is not limited thereto and that the invention may be implemented in various modified and altered forms. Components according to the described embodiments may be replaced by equivalents having the same function and effect by a person skilled in the art without altering the technical concept or essential features thereof.

[0057] The scope of protection of the present invention (disclosure) shall be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto, such as equivalents (equivalents), shall be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of the technical ideas defined by the present invention.

[0058] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings. In order to facilitate an overall understanding of the present invention, the same reference numerals are used for identical components in the drawings, and redundant descriptions of identical components are omitted.

[0059] The occlusal simulation providing device according to the present invention simulates the occlusion of the maxilla and mandible and supports the generation of tooth alignment data for designing dental prosthetics and establishing orthodontic treatment plans based on the simulation results. In addition, during the occlusal simulation process, it provides images that allow for the identification of occlusal states and functions through various layouts depending on the type of mandibular movement and the position of individual teeth. For reference, the occlusal simulation includes not only morphological static occlusion, which refers to the contact relationship between the upper and lower teeth, but also dynamic occlusion, which is the physiological process in which the upper and lower dentition occlude and interlock due to mandibular movement.

[0060] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an occlusal simulation providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The occlusal simulation providing device (100) is an electronic device that executes software for performing an occlusal simulation process, and can be implemented through a computing device such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, or a smartphone.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 1, an occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a user input unit (10), a display (20), a memory (30), and a processor (40).

[0062] The user input unit (10) is a module for receiving various inputs from a user during the process of providing an occlusal simulation, and can be implemented with various input devices such as a mouse and a keyboard. The user input unit (10) can receive inputs such as selecting a view of the occlusal simulation image, selecting a specific location to be verified in the image during the simulation process, for example, selecting a specific individual tooth or TMJ area, and selecting one or more movements among a plurality of individual mandibular movements.

[0063] The display (20) is configured to display various information including text, graphics, etc. on a screen, including a patient's medical image, a matched image generated by matching multiple medical images, and occlusal images of various views provided during the occlusal simulation process, as well as various images, data, GUI, and processing outputs provided during the processing process through the occlusal simulation providing device (100). The display (20) may be a separate device connected to the occlusal simulation providing device (100), or if the occlusal simulation providing device (100) is implemented as a computing device such as a terminal that a user can carry, such as a smartphone or tablet, the display (20) may be a component of the computing device.

[0064] Memory (30) is a recording medium readable by a computing device and can store one or more combinations of computer program code executed by a processor (40), various data, commands, and information used by components of an occlusal simulation providing device (100). For example, memory (30) stores software containing commands for executing an occlusal simulation providing method according to the present invention, and all data necessary for occlusal simulation, such as a patient's medical image. Here, the patient's medical image may include image data according to various modalities, such as CT images, oral scan images, and oral panoramic images. At this time, the computer program code may be loaded into memory (30) from a floppy drive, disk, tape, DVD / CD-ROM drive, memory card, etc., which are separate from memory (30). Memory (30) may include volatile memory and / or nonvolatile memory, and nonvolatile memory may include a hard disk, floppy disk, magnetic tape, CD-ROM, DVD, floptical disk, SSD, and cloud storage.

[0065] The processor (40) performs basic logic, calculations, operations, etc., to execute and process computer program instructions, and can control the overall operation of each component of the occlusal simulation providing device (100). Depending on the execution of a program stored or loaded in memory (30), the processor (40) simulates dynamic occlusion and static occlusion according to mandibular movement based on the patient's medical image data, and provides simulation images such as multiple directional tooth occlusion images and TMJ images that can verify the occlusal state and TMJ function. In addition, based on the results of the occlusal simulation, it performs the generation of tooth alignment data for designing dental prosthetics and establishing an orthodontic treatment plan.

[0066] For reference, the processor (40) may be implemented as a processing circuit such as a system on chip (SoC) or an integrated circuit (IC). The processor (40) may include one or more processors. For example, the processor (40) may include a combination of one or more processors such as a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processor unit (MPU), a micro controller unit (MCU), a graphic processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application processor (AP), a communication processor (CP), or any form of processor (40) well known in the art of the present invention.

[0067] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 2 to 20, each step of the occlusal simulation providing method performed by the occlusal simulation providing device (100) will be described.

[0068] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing an occlusal simulation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 2, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) loads the patient's medical image data (S100). The medical image data is data captured of the oral cavity, maxilla / mandible, TMJ (temporomandibular joint), and surrounding areas of the patient's head skeleton for the simulation of static and dynamic occlusion of the upper and lower jaws, and includes CT data and oral scan data. Here, the oral scan data includes scan data showing the patient's static occlusion state (hereinafter referred to as 'first oral scan data') and scan data showing the dynamic occlusion state by scanning the patient's oral cavity during mandibular movement (hereinafter referred to as 'second oral scan data'). The first oral scan data is data that records the centric occlusion state when the patient closes their mouth and the upper and lower teeth come into contact, and can be obtained by scanning the patient's oral cavity with an oral scanner or by scanning an oral impression obtained using a scanning impression material with a model scanner. Meanwhile, the second oral scan data is data that scans the dynamic occlusal state when the patient performs mandibular movements to the left, right, forward, etc., and can be obtained by recording a video of the changes in the positional relationship between the maxillary and mandibular teeth as the patient performs forward, leftward, rightward, and opening / closing movements.

[0070] Next, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) aligns CT data and oral scan data to generate alignment data (S200). At this time, the CT data and the first oral scan data may be aligned first, and then the second oral scan data may be additionally aligned.

[0071] FIGS. 3, FIGS. 4a, FIGS. 4b, and FIGS. 4c are reference drawings for explaining the process of generating alignment data by an occlusion simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 shows an example of aligning CT data and first oral scan data, and FIGS. 4a to FIGS. 4c show an example of additionally aligning second oral scan data regarding dynamic occlusion to the first alignment data in which CT data and first oral scan data are aligned.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 3, alignment can be achieved by applying at least one landmark that appears in common with the CT data and the first oral scan data as an alignment reference point (301). As an example, alignment can be performed based on three points, such as anterior teeth and left and right posterior teeth. At this time, the location of the alignment reference point (301) in each image data can be identified by user input entered through the user input unit (10), or through a learning model trained to recognize the alignment reference point (301) in each image data through machine learning or deep learning.

[0073] FIGS. 4a to 4c show specific movement states among the movements appearing in the second oral scan data, where FIG. 4a shows an example of the image being aligned with the state where the mandible is moved forward, FIG. 4b shows an example of the state where the mandible is moved to the left, and FIG. 4c shows an example of the image being aligned with the state where the mandible is moved to the right. For reference, although the data is divided into three figures for convenience to show how the dynamic occlusion data is aligned, it should be noted that the second oral scan data is essentially a single data set showing the dynamic occlusion state that changes according to mandibular movement.

[0074] Referring to FIGS. 4a to 4c, when aligning the second oral scan data, alignment can be performed by applying the anterior teeth and left and right molars as alignment reference points (401), just as when aligning the CT data and the first oral scan data.

[0075] For reference, the alignment reference points (301, 401) shown in FIGS. 3 and FIGS. 4a to 4c are examples, and any landmark that appears commonly in the alignment target data can be used as a reference point during alignment. Meanwhile, in cases where there are almost no teeth, such as in edentulous patients, image data including a separate resin marker may be acquired, and alignment may be performed based on the resin marker.

[0076] As a result of the above S200 process, aligned data is generated in which the CT data, the first oral scan data, and the second oral scan data are aligned.

[0077] The occlusal simulation providing device (100) segments each of the preset parts of the CT data, the first oral scan data, and the second oral scan data (S300). At this time, the upper and lower teeth and the upper and lower jawbones are segmented in the CT data, and the upper and lower teeth (crown area) and the gingival area can be segmented in the oral scan data.

[0078] Looking at examples of segmentation methods, for CT data, 2D images in which the maxillary teeth, mandibular teeth, maxillary bone, and mandibular bone are each masked are applied as training data. A segmentation model that divides each region is generated through deep learning using CNN (Convolutional Neural Network), RNN (Recurrent Neural Network), DBN (Deep Belief Network), and RBM (Restricted Boltzmann Machine), and based on this, individual maxillary and mandibular teeth and maxillary and mandibular bones can be segmented from the CT data. Additionally, for oral scan data, individual tooth regions and gingival regions can be segmented by utilizing changes in gingival curvature appearing at the boundary between each individual tooth and the gingiva. It goes without saying that an object segmentation model that divides individual tooth regions and gingival regions can also be generated through deep learning for oral scan data and segmented based on this.

[0079] As such, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) is capable of segmenting pre-set areas appearing in CT data and oral scan data based on a rule-based segmentation algorithm or machine learning and deep learning, and is not limited to a specific segmentation method.

[0080] Meanwhile, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) can further segment the TMJ region in the maxillary and mandibular objects segmented from CT data. The TMJ region refers to an area including the mandibular condyle and the mandibular fossa.

[0081] FIG. 5 is a reference diagram for explaining how an occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention segments the TMJ region in CT data.

[0082] Referring to FIG. 5, a plane (505) in which the mandible (501) and the mandibular condyle (503) are divided is identified based on the axial view of the CT data, and a partial area (507) is extracted using the upper plane (505) as the reference for the lower boundary surface to segment the TMJ area. For reference, since the mandibular condyle (503) is a structure located in the mandible (501) and the mandibular fossa is a structure located in the maxilla, the mandibular condyle (503) and the mandibular fossa can be segmented within the partial area (507) using the previously segmented maxilla and mandible. Through the TMJ area segmented in this way, a simulation image is provided to the user that allows verification of TMJ movement during dynamic occlusion simulation according to mandibular movement, as described later, thereby enabling the design of a dental prosthesis that takes TMJ function into account.

[0083] Next, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) generates a bounding box for each individual tooth based on the segmented results (S400). The bounding box can be generated on the alignment data.

[0084] For reference, since a geometric correspondence is derived through the aforementioned image registration process in which image data of different modalities or different viewpoints, such as CT data and oral scan data, are aligned in the same coordinate system and mapped to each other, the segmentation results of each image data can be reflected in the registration data by utilizing the coordinate information of the segmented regions (e.g., individual tooth regions) in each image data prior to registration.

[0085] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing an example in which a bounding box for each individual tooth is generated by an occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 6, the bounding box (610) is a box surrounding each segmented individual tooth, and is created based on the longest area in the horizontal, vertical, and width directions that abuts the boundary of the individual tooth in three dimensions. The bounding box (610) has a rectangular shape in three dimensions and a rectangular shape in two dimensions.

[0087] The upper bounding box (610) is used as a reference for determining the position of a virtual camera to provide occlusal images for each individual tooth in various views during occlusal simulation, together with the occlusal plane, as described below.

[0088] Meanwhile, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) can detect lesions present in the patient's teeth or TMJ based on the patient's medical imaging data, such as CT data, first oral scan data, or second oral scan data (S500). At this time, lesions can be detected in the original medical imaging data or segmented data, and the location of the lesion and the type of the lesion can be detected. The detection of lesions can be performed through an artificial intelligence model trained to identify the location and type of lesion present in each individual tooth or TMJ by applying an image in which the lesion is masked on each individual tooth and TMJ as training data. For reference, training can be performed using various machine learning or deep learning networks such as U-net, CNN, RNN, DBNetwork, and RBM, and is not limited to a specific network. The detected lesions can be displayed and provided on various medical images, including CT images and dental panoramic images generated based on CT images.

[0089] Next, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) simulates dynamic and static occlusion according to mandibular movement shown in the second oral scan data using alignment data, and provides a simulation image that can evaluate the occlusal state and TMJ function during the simulation process (S600). The occlusal simulation can be performed before and / or after designing a virtual prosthesis for treating a lesion on a 3D model based on the alignment data. Through this, changes in the occlusal state and mandibular and TMJ movement paths before and after designing the virtual prosthesis can be identified, and a virtual prosthesis can be designed based on this.

[0090] In the following, the detailed processing steps for performing an occlusal simulation and the detailed processing steps for displaying a simulation image of the occlusal simulation providing device (100) will be explained separately.

[0091] First, FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the detailed process of the occlusal simulation of the occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0092] Mandibular movements are subdivided into individual movements, such as anterior, posterior, lateral, lateral, and opening movements, depending on the direction of mandibular movement. Therefore, to individually simulate the dynamic occlusion associated with each individual mandibular movement, it is necessary to divide the mandibular movement paths shown in the second oral scan data into multiple individual mandibular movement paths.

[0093] Referring to FIG. 7, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) generates a graph representing the entire mandibular movement path by tracking the position of a preset reference point located on the mandible in the second oral scan data in order to distinguish individual mandibular movement paths (S610). At this time, a point on the anterior part of the mandible may be applied as the reference point for the mandible, but is not limited thereto, and any point on the mandible whose position moves in response to the movement of the mandible may be applied as the reference point.

[0094] Even if a patient attempts the same mandibular movement, the path of the movement may vary slightly with each attempt. Taking this into account, the second oral scan data may include movements in which the patient performs the mandibular movement multiple times within the limit range of motion.

[0095] FIG. 8 shows an example of multiple graphs generated by tracking multiple patient mandibular movements shown in the second oral scan data. For reference, FIG. 8 (a) shows a mandibular movement path graph tracked from the anterior side of the patient, (b) from the lateral side of the patient, and (c) from the superior side of the patient, respectively.

[0096] Referring to Fig. 8, multiple mandibular movement path graphs appear almost superimposed, but it can be seen that the graphs are slightly different.

[0097] The occlusal simulation providing device (100) can determine a representative mandibular movement path graph based on a plurality of mandibular movement path graphs. For example, the average graph of the plurality of graphs can be determined as the representative mandibular movement path graph.

[0098] Next, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) identifies a plurality of path division points to distinguish different types of individual mandibular movements in a determined representative graph, and determines the path of each individual mandibular movement based on the identified path division points (S611, S613).

[0099] FIG. 9 is a reference diagram for explaining how an occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention determines the path of each individual mandibular movement, wherein FIG. 9 (a) shows an example of the path of the mandibular movement and a path dividing point viewed from the front of the patient, (b) from the side of the patient, and (c) from the top of the patient, respectively.

[0100] Referring to Fig. 9, the slope of the tangent line of the graph curve changes abruptly when one individual mandibular movement ends and another individual mandibular movement begins. Using this, multiple path division points are identified in the representative mandibular movement path graph determined in the previous step. For example, by identifying the apex in the representative mandibular movement path graph, six path division points (A, B, C, D, E, F) for dividing the path of each individual mandibular movement can be identified.

[0101] In FIG. 9, a graph showing a series of movements starting from a central occlusion state, continuously performing each individual mandibular movement within a limit range of motion, and returning to a central occlusion state shows the results of identifying multiple path division points (A, B, C, D, E, F) and the paths (901-908) of the individual mandibular movements corresponding to the lines connecting each path division point (A, B, C, D, E, F). That is, in FIG. 9 (a), a first path division point (A) corresponding to the position of the reference point of the mandible in the centric occlusion state, a second path division point (B) corresponding to the limit point of the right-side limit movement, a third path division point (C) corresponding to the limit point of the left-side limit movement, a fourth path division point (D) corresponding to the position of the reference point of the mandible at maximum opening, a right-side movement path (901) connecting the first path division point (A) and the second path division point (B), a left-side movement path (902) connecting the first path division point (A) and the third path division point (C), a left-side opening movement path (903) connecting the third path division point (C) and the fourth path division point (D), and a right-side opening movement path (904) connecting the second path division point (B) and the fourth path division point (D) are shown.

[0102] In addition, in FIG. 9(b), in addition to the first path division point (A) and the fourth path division point (D) described above, a fifth path division point (E) corresponding to the limit point of the first rear opening limit movement and a sixth path division point (F) corresponding to the limit point of the forward limit movement are additionally shown, along with a first rear opening movement path (905) connecting the first path division point (A) and the fifth path division point (E), a second rear opening movement path (906) connecting the fifth path division point (E) and the fourth path division point (D), an opening movement path (907) connecting the sixth path division point (F) and the fourth path division point (D), and a forward movement path (908) connecting the first path division point (A) and the sixth path division point (F) are shown. Meanwhile, in Fig. 9 (c), as seen in (a), the first to fourth path division points (A, B, C, D) and the right side movement path (901), left side movement path (902), left side opening movement path (903), and right side opening movement path (904) are shown.

[0103] The occlusal simulation providing device (100) performs an occlusal simulation according to each individual mandibular movement based on individual mandibular movement paths separated by multiple path separation points (S615). At this time, the simulation may be performed according to the entire mandibular movement, or the simulation may be performed only for specific individual mandibular movements selected by the user.

[0104] FIG. 10 shows an example of a GUI provided by an occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention to receive individual mandibular movements of a simulation target from a user.

[0105] Referring to FIG. 10, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) can determine the mandibular movement path to be simulated based on user input. To this end, a plurality of option buttons (1001) corresponding to each individual mandibular movement, such as anterior movement, posterior movement, rightward movement, leftward movement, and opening movement, can be provided in a GUI so that the user can select the mandibular movement they wish to simulate. The user can select a single or multiple option buttons (1001). If multiple option buttons (1001) are selected by the user, the simulation can be provided sequentially according to the simulation order pre-set for each individual mandibular movement or the order in which the option buttons (1001) are selected by the user.

[0106] When user input selecting a specific option button (1001) is received through the user input section (10), the occlusal simulation providing device (100) performs a dynamic occlusal simulation in which the mandible of the matching data moves according to the individual mandibular movement path determined in step S613. At this time, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) may provide an automatic simulation function in which the mandible moves according to the mandibular movement path, but may also provide a manual simulation function in which the user manually controls the movement of the mandible by operating the manual simulation GUI (1003). That is, the amount of movement of the mandible according to the individual mandibular movement path can be divided into equal parts of a predetermined distance, so that the mandible moves by the divided distance in a specific direction each time the manual simulation GUI (1003) is operated (e.g., clicked). In addition, when user input operating the 'R' button, such as clicking the 'R' button in the center of the manual simulation GUI (1003), is received, the predetermined previously moved distance can be reset and provided.

[0107] Meanwhile, as another example, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) may determine the individual mandibular movement to be simulated based on detected lesion information without receiving selection from the user for the individual mandibular movement to be simulated as described above.

[0108] To this end, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) can determine at least one individual mandibular movement to perform simulation among a plurality of individual mandibular movements by comparing the location of a specific point on an individual tooth where the distance between the individual tooth and the opposing tooth becomes very close to a predetermined distance or less, even if there is no direct contact, with the location of a lesion on the individual tooth. That is, considering that pain may be induced by occlusion with the opposing tooth through the food when performing mandibular movements for chewing with food inserted at a point where the location of the occlusal point and the lesion overlap at least partially during a specific individual mandibular movement or where the distance to the opposing tooth becomes close to a predetermined distance or less, the device can determine a specific individual mandibular movement to perform simulation based on the location of a lesion on the individual tooth.

[0109] The occlusal simulation providing device (100) provides images of certain areas where the occlusal state needs to be observed in detail, such as occlusal images of specific individual teeth and images of the TMJ area, in the process of simulating dynamic occlusion and static occlusion according to individual mandibular movements selected by the user or automatically determined as described above. Through this, the user is able to determine how the dynamic occlusal state of individual teeth changes according to the movement of the mandible, and whether the movement of the TMJ appears normally by observing the movement path of the TMJ area.

[0110] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 11 to 18, a method of providing a simulation image during the process of simulating occlusion by an occlusion simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0111] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a method in which an occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention provides an occlusal simulation image, and FIG. 12 to 18 are reference diagrams for explaining the method according to FIG. 11.

[0112] Referring to FIG. 11, a target area for providing simulation images individually during the occlusion simulation process is determined (S650). Here, the target area may be a specific individual tooth and / or TMJ area. Meanwhile, the individually provided simulation images include an occlusion image showing a static occlusion state and a dynamic occlusion state according to mandibular movement, and a movement image of the TMJ area. For reference, the occlusion image refers to an image showing the occlusal relationship between a selected specific individual tooth and an opposing tooth.

[0113] The occlusal simulation providing device (100) can determine a portion of the area to provide a simulation image based on user input through the user input unit (10).

[0114] FIG. 12 is an example of a GUI provided by an occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention to receive target area information for image display from a user.

[0115] Referring to FIG. 12, it may be decided to provide a dental diagram GUI (1201) showing all teeth for user selection, and to provide an occlusal image for a specific individual tooth (1203) selected from among them. Alternatively, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) may independently determine a portion of the occlusal image to be provided based on lesion information detected in medical image data without user input. For example, it may be decided to provide an occlusal image for a specific individual tooth where a lesion exists or is located close to a lesion, and if a lesion exists in the TMJ, it may be decided to provide a simulation image for the TMJ area.

[0116] In this way, when a portion of the target area to be provided with individual simulation images is determined, the position of a virtual camera for generating individual simulation images for the above target area is determined, and the individual simulation images obtained through the virtual camera at the determined position are displayed on the display (20) and provided (S651, S653). For reference, the virtual camera position described in this specification is a concept that includes the direction in which the virtual camera faces the image object. The position of the virtual camera is set with respect to the target area of ​​the matching data, and the view (direction) of the simulation image generated varies depending on the position of the virtual camera.

[0117] Below, we will explain how to determine the position of the virtual camera, divided into cases where occlusal images are provided according to individual teeth and cases where simulation images of the TMJ region are provided.

[0118] First, the position of the reference camera for a specific individual tooth can be determined based on the occlusal plane identified in the matching data and the bounding box of the individual tooth generated in step S400 of FIG. 2. Here, the occlusal plane may be the Frankfurt plane or the Kemper plane. For reference, the Frankfurt plane refers to the plane connecting the lowest point of the orbital margin and the highest point of the laryngeal margin, and the Kemper plane refers to the plane connecting the lower point of the alar wing and the superior margin of the laryngeal wing.

[0119] The occlusal simulation providing device (100) can determine the position of a virtual camera for providing an occlusal image of an individual tooth based on user input through the user input unit (10). That is, the position of the virtual camera is determined according to the direction of the simulation image of a specific individual tooth input by the user. At this time, the virtual camera is provided in a single or multiple number corresponding to the number of directions of the provided simulation image.

[0120] FIG. 13 shows an example of a GUI provided by an occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention to receive a view of an occlusal image for a specific individual tooth from a user.

[0121] Referring to FIG. 13, a GUI is provided with view option buttons (1301) corresponding to each of the multiple image directions, and the user can select at least one of the multiple view option buttons (1301) to select an image view to verify through simulation for a specific individual tooth. For reference, FIG. 13 shows an example in which view option buttons (1301) corresponding to the downward direction (foot view or inferior view), upward direction (head view or superior view), mesial direction (mesial view), distal direction (distal view), lingual direction (lingual view), and buccal direction (buccal view) are provided.

[0122] The occlusal simulation providing device (100) can determine the position of a virtual camera according to the image direction corresponding to the selected view option button (1301). For example, according to FIG. 13, when a button corresponding to the downward direction and a button corresponding to the upward direction among the multiple view option buttons (1301) are selected, the virtual camera can be positioned at the lower and upper ends, respectively, based on the boundary box of an individual tooth. Additionally, when a button corresponding to the mesial direction, distal direction, buccal direction, or lingual direction among the view option buttons (1301) is selected, the virtual camera is positioned on the occlusal plane, and the specific position on the occlusal plane can be set to a position where the selected direction of the individual tooth can be viewed based on the boundary box of the individual tooth.

[0123] For reference, FIG. 13 shows an example in which, when two view option buttons (1301) corresponding to the downward and upward directions are selected, a virtual camera provides occlusal images (1305, 1307) of individual teeth viewed from the upper and lower sides, respectively, relative to a bounding box.

[0124] In the above description, an example was explained in which the position of a virtual camera is determined according to the image direction selected by the user to provide an occlusal image. However, the position of the virtual camera may be determined independently by the occlusal simulation providing device (100) based on the type of lesion detected and the location of the lesion, without user input. For example, if the type of lesion corresponds to caries and the caries lesion is located on the mesial surface of the mandibular right first molar (tooth No. 46), the position of the virtual camera may be determined so that a mesial view image can be provided to observe the mesial surface lesion. Through this, during the simulation, the dynamic occlusal state between the maxillary right second premolar (tooth No. 15) and the maxillary right first molar (tooth No. 16), which are opposed to or move close to the mandibular right first molar with respect to the mesial surface lesion, can be easily observed. In this way, by determining the orientation of the occlusal image provided during the simulation process based on the location of the lesion, it is possible to design dental restorations such as onlays and inlays for the repair of the lesion that are optimized for the occlusal points and occlusal movement paths according to the dynamic occlusal state.

[0125] FIGS. 14 to 17 show examples of screens provided by the occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention during the occlusal simulation process.

[0126] First, referring to FIGS. 14 to 16, area A of the screen provides an occlusal simulation image that allows for the overall observation of the movement of the mandible based on alignment data during simulation. Area B is an area where the user selects an individual tooth to observe in detail using the dental chart GUI, and occlusal information for each individual tooth according to mandibular movement is visually displayed. For reference, occlusal information may be provided by displaying the location of the occlusal point (1401) on the individual tooth of the dental chart as in FIGS. 14 to 16, but it may also be provided in the form of a color scale that displays different colors, saturation, and / or brightness according to the distance between the upper and lower teeth during mandibular movement, as shown in the example in FIG. 17. Meanwhile, FIGS. 14 to 16 show an example where the occlusal point (1401) is displayed in the same color without distinguishing between each individual mandibular movement; however, occlusal information may also be provided by displaying the occlusal point (1401) of each individual mandibular movement in different colors. For example, the occlusion point (1401) in a static occlusion state can be displayed in black, the occlusion point (1401) for leftward movement can be displayed in red, the occlusion point (1401) for rightward movement can be displayed in green, and the occlusion point (1401) for forward movement can be displayed in blue, and so on, with different colors depending on the type of individual mandibular movement.

[0127] Next, area C in FIGS. 14 to 16 is an area where occlusal images of individual teeth in various views are displayed. For reference, FIG. 14 shows an example in which occlusal images of the mesial, distal, lingual, and buccal directions for the first mandibular molar are provided, FIG. 15 shows an example in which occlusal images of the downward and upward directions for the first mandibular molar are provided, and FIG. 16 shows an example in which occlusal images of all six directions mentioned above are provided.

[0128] At this time, if an individual tooth is obscured by other individual teeth, such as adjacent teeth or opposing teeth, at the position of the virtual camera, the transparency of at least a portion of the other individual teeth can be adjusted to generate and provide an occlusal image of the individual tooth. That is, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, since the individual tooth is obscured by opposing teeth in the upward or downward direction, the opposing teeth can be displayed relatively transparently compared to the individual teeth, so that the individual tooth to be verified in the occlusal image can be easily identified.

[0129] Meanwhile, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) can determine the magnification of the occlusal image for an individual tooth based on the type of individual mandibular movement being simulated and the distance between the individual tooth and the opposing tooth during the individual mandibular movement. This takes into account that it may be difficult to observe the overall mandibular movement as it may go beyond the FOV (Field Of View) of the virtual camera depending on the individual mandibular movement. For example, in the case of anterior movement, it may be difficult to observe the overall opening movement as it may go beyond the FOV of the virtual camera depending on the magnification (magnification rate) of the occlusal image at maximum opening. In addition, depending on the magnification of the image, if the distance between the opposing tooth and the individual tooth is very close, it may be difficult to clearly identify whether the opposing tooth and the individual tooth are in a contact state or are separated.

[0130] Accordingly, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) can determine the magnification of the occlusal image for an individual tooth based on the type of individual mandibular movement and the distance between the individual tooth and the opposing tooth during the individual mandibular movement. For example, when simulating occlusion according to opening movements, the magnification of the occlusal image can be adjusted to be relatively small so that the overall movement can be observed through a single image. In addition, when simulating dynamic occlusion according to an individual mandibular movement in which the movement is performed within a movement range smaller than the preset movement range by determining the movement range based on the length of the movement path, the magnification of the occlusal image can be adjusted to be relatively large so that the occlusal state can be observed in more detail. Meanwhile, when the distance between the opposing tooth and the individual tooth becomes closer than the preset distance during mandibular movement, the magnification of the occlusal image can be adjusted to be relatively large so that the size of the occlusal point (or occlusal area) or the occlusal state can be observed in detail.

[0131] For reference, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) can adjust the magnification of the virtual camera while keeping the direction of the virtual camera fixed, or adjust the reduction / magnification of the occlusal image by setting the position of the virtual camera farther or closer to the object.

[0132] Below, we examine a method for determining the position of a virtual camera to acquire a simulation image of the TMJ region.

[0133] When acquiring images of the TMJ region, the position of the virtual camera can be determined according to the type of individual mandibular movement being simulated. For example, if the individual mandibular movement being simulated corresponds to at least one of anterior movement, posterior movement, and opening movement, the position of the virtual camera can be determined to provide a sagittal view image of the TMJ region. On the other hand, if the individual mandibular movement being simulated corresponds to at least one of lateral movement and lateral movement, the position of the virtual camera can be determined to provide a coronal view image of the TMJ region.

[0134] FIG. 18 shows an example of a TMJ movement simulation image provided by an occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0135] Referring to FIG. 18(a), an example is shown in which a sagittal view image is provided as an image when performing an occlusal simulation according to anterior and posterior movements and opening movements, and FIG. 18(b) is shown in which a coronal view image is provided as an image when performing an occlusal simulation according to leftward and rightward movements. For reference, the TMJ image may be displayed in area C of FIG. 14 to 16.

[0136] In this way, by switching the view of the TMJ image according to the type of individual mandibular movement for which the simulation is provided, it is possible to provide an image with a view that makes it easier to observe the movement of both TMJ regions according to the type of individual mandibular movement. For reference, it goes without saying that the user can also directly select the view of the TMJ image. In addition, as described in the occlusal image for individual teeth, if the TMJ region is obscured by another object at the position of the virtual camera, the TMJ image can be generated by adjusting the transparency of the other object.

[0137] As described above, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to the present invention can provide user convenience by providing an optimized view image that allows the user to more easily understand the occlusal state during the process of providing simulations for static occlusion and dynamic occlusion.

[0138] Referring again to FIG. 2, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) supports the design of a virtual prosthesis for restoring a tooth with a lesion through the occlusal simulation results, and the generation of tooth arrangement data in which one or more individual teeth are moved to establish a tooth orthodontic treatment plan (S700).

[0139] First, regarding the design of the virtual prosthesis, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) compares the results of the occlusal simulation before and after the design of the virtual prosthesis and modifies the shape of the virtual prosthesis by reflecting the results. Here, the virtual prosthesis may include an inlay, an onlay, a crown, and an implant.

[0140] FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating the process of an occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention designing virtual prostheses such as inlays, onlays, and crowns by reflecting the results of the occlusal simulation.

[0141] Referring to FIG. 19, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) compares the path of mandibular movement or TMJ movement before and after the design of a virtual prosthesis to identify the part of the path that has changed from before the design to after the design (S710, S711). For example, if the position of the occlusal point changes due to the virtual prosthesis when an occlusal simulation is performed with the same mandibular movement after the design of the virtual prosthesis, the path of mandibular movement or TMJ movement before and after the design of the virtual prosthesis may change.

[0142] Next, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) can identify the location of an occlusal point on a virtual prosthesis corresponding to the path change portion, and modify the shape of the virtual prosthesis, etc., of the portion corresponding to the identified occlusal point location so that unnecessary occlusion or premature contact does not occur (S713, S715).

[0143] Meanwhile, if the virtual prosthesis corresponds to an implant crown, considering that implants are vulnerable to lateral forces, the implant crown can be designed based on the results of an occlusal simulation to prevent lateral forces from occurring.

[0144] FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the process of an occlusal simulation providing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention designing an implant by reflecting the occlusal simulation results.

[0145] Referring to FIG. 20, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) identifies the location of dynamic occlusal points that occur during dynamic occlusion according to forward movement, backward movement, leftward movement, rightward movement, etc., based on the occlusal simulation results of the crown after implanting a virtual implant (S750), excluding static occlusal points that occur in a static occlusal state.

[0146] In this way, the shape of a virtual implant crown is modified based on the location of the identified dynamic occlusal point (S751). That is, the implant shape is modified so that static occlusal points occurring in a static occlusal state are excluded, and all dynamic occlusal points occurring during dynamic occlusal due to mandibular movement are deleted, thereby modifying the implant design so that lateral force is not applied to the implant. For example, the implant design can be modified so that the area of ​​the dynamic occlusal point on the virtual implant crown is lowered by a preset value, for example, 0.5 mm, so that dynamic occlusal points do not occur.

[0147] Additionally, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) can generate tooth alignment data for designing a clear aligner based on the positional relationship between the upper and lower jaws according to the mandibular movement identified through occlusal simulation. For reference, the tooth alignment data is data representing the tooth alignment in which teeth have been virtually moved according to the orthodontic treatment plan before orthodontic treatment using a clear aligner begins. The occlusal simulation providing device (100) can perform an occlusal simulation using the tooth alignment data in which the tooth alignment has been virtually changed, and can generate tooth alignment data by reflecting the simulation results to prevent unwanted occlusal points or collisions between upper and lower teeth. At this time, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) can simulate the movement of the lower teeth in advance by reflecting multiple occlusal movements before tooth alignment. Additionally, the occlusal simulation providing device (100) can perform an occlusal simulation using the tooth alignment data in which the tooth alignment has been virtually changed, and can modify the tooth alignment data by reflecting the simulation results to prevent unwanted occlusal points or collisions between upper and lower teeth.

[0148] As described above, according to the present invention, user convenience can be enhanced by providing static and dynamic occlusion simulations based on the actual mandibular movements of a patient and by providing simulation images through various view layouts that allow for easy identification of the occlusion state during the simulation process. Furthermore, by linking the occlusion simulation with the generation of tooth alignment data for prosthetic design or orthodontic treatment, a design optimized for the patient's static and dynamic occlusion state can be achieved.

[0149] The hardware device described in this specification may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operation of the embodiment, and vice versa. The processor (40) may perform operations for at least one application or computer program to execute the method / operation according to the various embodiments described in this specification.

[0150] The embodiments described herein may be implemented as hardware components, software components, and / or combinations of hardware and software components. For example, the devices, methods, and components described in the embodiments may be implemented using a general-purpose computer or a special-purpose computer, such as, for example, a processor, a controller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic unit (PLU), a microprocessor, or any other device capable of executing and responding to instructions. The processing unit may execute an operating system (OS) and software applications executed on said operating system. Additionally, the processing unit may access, store, manipulate, process, and generate data in response to the execution of the software. For ease of understanding, the processing unit may be described as being used as a single unit, but those skilled in the art will understand that the processing unit may include multiple processing elements and / or multiple types of processing elements. For example, the processing unit may include multiple processors or one processor and one controller. In addition, other processing configurations, such as parallel processors, are also possible.

[0151] A computer program may include one or more actions in which methods / actions according to various embodiments of the present disclosure are implemented, and may be stored in memory (30) in the form of software. Here, the action corresponds to instructions realized in the computer program, and when the program is loaded into memory (30), the processor executes the corresponding instructions to perform the actions of various embodiments according to the present specification. For example, the processor (40) executes a specific application program stored in memory (30) to receive input from a user (e.g., through touch input of the display (20)), receives necessary data from an external server through a communication unit (not shown), and processes the data. The processing result is displayed on the display (20) and provided to the user.

[0152] Software may include computer programs, code, instructions, or a combination of one or more of these, and may configure a processing unit to operate as desired or instruct the processing unit independently or collectively. Examples of program instructions include machine code, such as that produced by a compiler, as well as high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc. Software and / or data may be stored on any type of machine, component, physical device, virtual equipment, computer storage medium, or device so as to be interpreted by the processing unit or to provide instructions or data to the processing unit. Software may be distributed across networked computer systems and may be stored or executed in a distributed manner. Software and data may be stored on computer-readable recording media and may be retrieved by a computer.

[0153] A computer-readable medium may store program instructions, data files, data structures, etc., either alone or in combination, and the program instructions recorded on the medium may be those specifically designed and configured for the embodiments or may be those known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, and flash memory. That is, the computer-readable medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, "non-transitory" simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals such as electromagnetic waves, and this term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily.

Claims

1. A method for providing an occlusal simulation in which each step is performed through a computing device, A step of generating aligned data by aligning the patient's CT data, first oral scan data regarding static occlusion, and second oral scan data regarding dynamic occlusion; A step of segmenting each predetermined portion of the CT data, the first oral scan data, and the second oral scan data, and generating bounding boxes for each individual tooth in the alignment data based on the segmented results; A step of determining a first individual tooth among a plurality of individual teeth to display an occlusal image; A step of determining the position of a virtual camera based on a first bounding box for the first individual tooth and an occlusal plane identified in the matching data; and A method for providing an occlusion simulation characterized by including the step of displaying an occlusion image of the first individual tooth obtained through the virtual camera.

2. In Paragraph 1, The method further includes the step of performing an occlusion simulation including dynamic occlusion and static occlusion according to mandibular movement using the above matching data, A method for providing an occlusion simulation characterized in that the occlusion image regarding the first individual tooth is provided during the process of the occlusion simulation.

3. In Paragraph 2, The step of performing the above occlusal simulation is, A step of dividing the mandibular movement path according to the second oral scan data into a plurality of individual mandibular movement paths; and A method for providing an occlusal simulation characterized by including the step of providing an occlusal simulation according to each individual mandibular movement based on the aforementioned separated individual mandibular movement paths.

4. In Paragraph 3, The step of dividing the mandibular movement path according to the second oral scan data into the plurality of individual mandibular movement paths is A step of generating a graph representing a mandibular movement path by tracking the position of a preset reference point located on the mandible in the second oral scan data; A step of identifying a plurality of path separation points to distinguish different types of individual mandibular movements in the above graph; and A method for providing an occlusal simulation characterized by including a step of determining each individual mandibular movement path based on the above path division points.

5. In Paragraph 2, The above segmenting step comprises: segmenting the upper and lower teeth and the upper and lower jawbones, respectively, in the CT data; and The method includes the step of additionally segmenting the TMJ region in the upper and lower jawbones, A method for providing an occlusal simulation, characterized by further including the step of displaying a TMJ image for the TMJ region during the process of the occlusal simulation above.

6. In Paragraph 5, The above occlusal simulation includes occlusal simulations according to different individual mandibular movements, and A method for providing an occlusal simulation characterized by further including the step of determining the position of the virtual camera for acquiring the TMJ image according to the type of individual mandibular movement.

7. In Paragraph 6, The step of determining the position of the virtual camera for acquiring the TMJ image is, If the individual mandibular movement is at least one of anterior movement, posterior movement, and opening movement, the position of the virtual camera is determined to provide a sagittal view of the TMJ region, and A method for providing an occlusal simulation characterized by determining the position of the virtual camera to provide a coronal view of the TMJ region when the individual mandibular movement is a leftward movement or a rightward movement.

8. In Paragraph 2, The above occlusal simulation includes occlusal simulations according to different individual mandibular movements, and A method for providing an occlusal simulation, characterized by further including the step of determining the magnification of an occlusal image regarding the first individual tooth based on the type of individual mandibular movement and the distance between the first individual tooth and the opposing tooth during the individual mandibular movement.

9. In Paragraph 2, A method for providing an occlusal simulation characterized by further including the step of designing a virtual prosthesis for restoring the individual teeth based on the results of the occlusal simulation.

10. In Paragraph 9, The step of designing a virtual prosthesis for restoring the individual teeth mentioned above is, A step of identifying a modified portion in which the path after designing the virtual prosthesis is changed compared to the path before designing the virtual prosthesis, by comparing the mandibular movement path or the movement path of the TMJ according to mandibular movement before and after designing the virtual prosthesis; A step of identifying the location of an occlusal point on the virtual prosthesis corresponding to the above-mentioned modified portion; and A method for providing an occlusal simulation characterized by including the step of modifying the virtual prosthesis based on the location of the identified occlusal point.

11. In Paragraph 9, The above-mentioned hypothetical prosthesis corresponds to an implant crown, and The step of designing a virtual prosthesis for restoring the individual teeth mentioned above is, A step of identifying the location of one or more dynamic occlusal points where a virtual implant crown contacts other individual teeth in a dynamic occlusal state according to mandibular movement; and A method for providing an occlusal simulation characterized by including the step of modifying the virtual implant crown based on the location of the identified dynamic occlusal point.

12. In Paragraph 2, A method for providing an occlusion simulation characterized by further including the step of generating tooth arrangement data in which one or more individual teeth have been moved to establish a tooth orthodontic treatment plan based on the results of the above occlusion simulation.

13. In Paragraph 1, The step of displaying an occlusal image regarding the first individual tooth is: A method for providing an occlusal simulation characterized by adjusting and displaying the transparency of at least a portion of the other individual tooth when the first individual tooth is obscured by another individual tooth at the position of the virtual camera.

14. In Paragraph 1, The method further includes the step of detecting a patient's dental lesion based on the CT data, the first oral scan data, or the second oral scan data. The step of determining the position of the virtual camera above is, A method for providing an occlusal simulation characterized by determining the position of the virtual camera based on the position of the tooth lesion.

15. A computer-readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon for performing a method of providing an occlusal simulation according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. An occlusal simulation providing device that provides an occlusal simulation of the maxilla and mandible, Includes a processor and a display, The above processor is, A patient's CT data, first oral scan data regarding static occlusion, and second oral scan data regarding dynamic occlusion are aligned to generate aligned data, and Segmenting each of the preset parts of the above CT data, the above first oral scan data, and the above second oral scan data, and Based on the above segmented results, a bounding box is generated for each individual tooth, and Determine the first individual tooth among multiple individual teeth to display the occlusal image, and The position of the virtual camera is determined based on the first bounding box for the first individual tooth and the occlusal plane identified in the matching data, and An occlusal simulation providing device characterized by performing a process of displaying an occlusal image of the first individual tooth obtained through the virtual camera on the display.

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