Oral scanning method, computing device, and computer program product

Abstract

The present invention provides an oral scanning method, a computing device, and a computer program product. An exemplary oral scanning method comprises: acquiring first scan data by means of an intraoral scanner in the absence of a scan body in an oral cavity, the first scan data comprising three-dimensional data of a complete dental arch; acquiring second scan data by means of the intraoral scanner, the second scan data comprising three-dimensional data of a plurality of scan bodies and auxiliary feature bodies; determining a relative positional relationship of the plurality of scan bodies on the basis of the second scan data; acquiring third scan data by means of the intraoral scanner when the plurality of scan bodies are mounted in the oral cavity, the third scan data comprising three-dimensional data of a partial dental arch; and synthesizing a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity on the basis of the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch, and the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scan bodies. On the basis of the method, a precise relative positional relationship among scan bodies is acquired by using auxiliary feature bodies, thereby ensuring the positioning accuracy of the scan bodies while simplifying a scanning procedure.

Description

Oral scanning methods, computing devices and computer program products

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent applications filed on December 20, 2024, No. 202411906497.3; filed on March 26, 2025, No. 202510375181.4; and filed on August 15, 2025, No. 202511147495.5, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] Oral scanning refers to the process of digitally acquiring detailed three-dimensional (3D) images of the oral cavity's internal structures (including teeth, gums, and surrounding tissues) using specialized optical technology. During an intraoral scan, dental professionals use a handheld device equipped with a camera and sensors (an intraoral scanner) to capture multiple images of the oral cavity from different angles. These images are transmitted to a computer workstation, where sophisticated algorithms rapidly stitch them together to generate a three-dimensional image of the patient's teeth and soft tissues.

[0004] In dental implant technology, the scanning body is a crucial auxiliary tool. It is a small component, typically with a specific shape and structure, usually mounted on the implant or abutment. Its primary function is to help the intraoral scanner accurately acquire three-dimensional positional information of the implant and surrounding tissues. The scanning body surface may have special markings or geometries designed to make it easier for the scanner to identify and accurately record its position and angle. Precisely positioning the scanning body within the oral cavity presents a challenge for technicians. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, an oral cavity scanning method is provided. The method includes: acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner in the absence of scanning rods in the oral cavity, the first scan data including three-dimensional data of a complete dental arch; acquiring second scan data of the oral cavity using the intraoral scanner, wherein multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity and connected to auxiliary features respectively, the second scan data including three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features; determining the relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods based on the second scan data; acquiring third scan data including three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch using the intraoral scanner when multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity; and synthesizing a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods.

[0006] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, an oral cavity scanning method is provided. The method includes: acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner, wherein multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity and are respectively connected to auxiliary features; the first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods, three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features, and three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch; determining the relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods based on the first scan data; removing the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features from the first scan data through automated identification, thereby retaining the three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch; acquiring second scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner when no scanning rods are present, the second scan data including three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch; and synthesizing a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the retained three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods.

[0007] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, an oral cavity scanning method is provided. The method includes: acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner, wherein multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity and are respectively connected to auxiliary features; the first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features; determining the relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods based on the first scan data; acquiring second scan data using the intraoral scanner, the second scan data including three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods, three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features, and three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch; acquiring third scan data of the oral cavity using the intraoral scanner in the absence of scanning rods, the third scan data including three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch; determining positional information of the multiple scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch using the three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch; and synthesizing a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the positional information of the multiple scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods.

[0008] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, an oral cavity scanning method is provided. The method includes: acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner when no scanning rods are present in the oral cavity, the first scan data including three-dimensional data of a complete dental arch; acquiring second scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner when multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity, the multiple scanning rods being connected to auxiliary features, the second scan data including three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features; acquiring a relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods based on the second scan data; acquiring third scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner when multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity, the third scan data including three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch and at least a portion of three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or auxiliary features; aligning the first scan data and the second scan data based on the third scan data; and generating three-dimensional data of the oral cavity, the three-dimensional data of the oral cavity including aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch and aligned positional information corresponding to the multiple scanning rods, wherein the aligned positional information corresponding to the multiple scanning rods is obtained based on the relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods.

[0009] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, an oral cavity scanning method is provided. The method includes: acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner in the absence of scanning rods in the oral cavity, the first scan data including three-dimensional data of a complete dental arch; acquiring second scan data of the oral cavity using the intraoral scanner, wherein multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity and connected to auxiliary features respectively, the second scan data including three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features; determining the relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods based on the second scan data; acquiring third scan data including three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch using the intraoral scanner when multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity; and generating three-dimensional data of the oral cavity based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods.

[0010] According to a sixth aspect of this disclosure, a computing device is provided, comprising: a processing unit; and a memory coupled to the processing unit and containing instructions stored thereon, the instructions causing the device to perform any one of the methods according to the first to fifth aspects of this disclosure when executed by the processing unit.

[0011] According to a seventh aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided, which is tangibly stored in a computer storage medium and includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to any one of the first to fifth aspects of this disclosure.

[0012] According to an eighth aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable medium is provided that stores machine-executable instructions thereon, which, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to any one of the first to fifth aspects of this disclosure.

[0013] The summary section is provided to present the chosen concepts in a simplified form, which will be further described in the detailed description below. The summary section is not intended to identify key or principal features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary environment in which various embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented.

[0015] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary dental arch with a scanning bar installed.

[0016] Figure 3 illustrates exemplary implementations of mounting the scanning rod and auxiliary feature according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 4 illustrates another exemplary implementation of mounting the scanning rod and auxiliary feature according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 5 shows a schematic flowchart of an oral scanning method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 6 shows a schematic flowchart of an oral scanning method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 7 shows a schematic flowchart of an oral scanning method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 8 illustrates a schematic diagram of the process of aligning scan data according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 9 shows a schematic flowchart of an oral scanning method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 10 shows a schematic flowchart of an oral scanning method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 11 shows a block diagram of a computing device capable of implementing some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0025] In these accompanying figures, the same or similar reference symbols are used to indicate the same or similar elements. The figures are for illustrative purposes only, and the sizes of the elements are not necessarily drawn to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0026] This disclosure will now be discussed with reference to several example implementations. It should be understood that these implementations are discussed only to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and thus implement this disclosure, and not to imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure.

[0027] As used herein, the term "comprising" and its variations are to be interpreted as open-ended terms meaning "including but not limited to". The term "based on" is to be interpreted as "at least partially based on". The terms "an implementation" and "an implementation" are to be interpreted as "at least one implementation". The term "another implementation" is to be interpreted as "at least one other implementation". The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0028] Implant scanning typically requires the use of scanning rods. An intraoral or extraoral scanner is used to accurately position multiple scanning rods relative to the dental arch within the mouth. Currently, the mainstream intraoral scanning rods are cylindrical. When using an intraoral scanner, the 3D data of the dental arch exposed through the cuff is usually acquired first. A copy of the scanned 3D data is made, and the cuff data is removed, leaving only the dental arch data. Then, the scanning rods are installed on the cuff, and 3D data of the dental arch with the scanning rods installed is acquired again based on the copied and removed cuff data. Because the dental arch of an edentulous jaw is a non-rigid body, soft and easily deformable, and relatively flat with indistinct features and poor reflectivity, the quality of the acquired 3D data is poor. Moreover, the traditional scanning rod positioning is based on the mutual registration of the dental arch 3D data, so its accuracy is often not guaranteed.

[0029] Some existing solutions have incorporated extraoral scanning technology into intraoral scanners to address the aforementioned accuracy issues. Extraoral scanners use photogrammetry to obtain the relative positional relationship of the scanning rods, which is then fused with the three-dimensional data of the dental arch acquired by the intraoral scanner. While this approach improves the positioning accuracy of the scanning rods, the high cost of extraoral scanners and the cumbersome process of two separate scans (extraoral and intraoral) limit its widespread adoption.

[0030] In view of this, an improved scanning process based on intraoral scanner technology is proposed. According to embodiments of this disclosure, auxiliary features are used to rigidly connect the scanning rods. These auxiliary features can possess rich three-dimensional features, facilitating accurate positioning of the relative positions between the scanning rods. During or after acquiring the scanning rod positioning information, while retaining the scanning rods and auxiliary features within the oral cavity, partial dental arch data is acquired to assist in obtaining the positional relationship of the scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch. Subsequently, the scanning rods and auxiliary features within the oral cavity are removed, and complete dental arch data is acquired. Then, a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity is synthesized based on the partial dental arch data obtained with the scanning rods and auxiliary features present, the relative positional relationship of the scanning rods, and the complete dental arch data. Compared to existing solutions, embodiments of this disclosure simplify the scanning process while improving the positioning accuracy of the scanning rods. The exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below with accompanying drawings.

[0031] Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary environment in which various embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented. The exemplary environment illustrates an intraoral scanning system 100, which includes an intraoral scanner 110 coupled together with a computing device 120 (e.g., a laptop computer, desktop computer, etc.). A communication link between the intraoral scanner 110 and the computing device 120 allows captured images to be transferred from the intraoral scanner 110 to the computing device 120 for further processing. The communication link between the intraoral scanner 110 and the computing device 120 can be a wired connection (e.g., Universal Serial Bus USB) or a wireless connection (e.g., Wi-Fi). It should be understood that other communication implementations are also possible.

[0032] The intraoral scanner 110 can be a handheld device that a user (dentist or related professional) can insert into a patient's mouth to capture images. As shown, the intraoral scanner 110 includes a tip 101 and a body 102. The tip 101 can be a pluggable component or integrated integrally with the intraoral scanner 110. A camera or optical system is located at the top of the tip 101 for capturing images of teeth and surrounding tissues (such as gums). During the scan, the intraoral scanner 110 acquires detailed information about intraoral entities, such as the scanning bar, teeth, gums, and surrounding soft tissues, converting the morphology of the oral cavity into digital image data.

[0033] The computing device 120 is the data processing and computing center of the intraoral scanning system 100. It receives image data transmitted from the intraoral scanner 110 and processes this data using its computing power. The computing device 120 uses specific algorithms to stitch and fit numerous discrete image data points, thereby constructing three-dimensional scan data. The three-dimensional scan data can be displayed on the screen 115 for user viewing and operation. The computing device 120 can also have data analysis capabilities, such as automatically identifying the classification of data in the three-dimensional scan data (e.g., dental arch, teeth, scanning rod, or other components), thereby achieving image segmentation.

[0034] In some embodiments, the computing device 120 may use a machine learning-based deep neural network to perform image segmentation. Generally, machine learning can include three phases: a training phase, a testing phase, and a usage phase (also known as an inference phase). In the training phase, a given model is trained using a large amount of training data, iteratively updating parameter values ​​until the model can consistently obtain inferences from the training data that meet the expected goals. Through training, the model can be considered to have learned the association between inputs and outputs (also known as an input-output mapping) from the training data. The parameter values ​​of the trained model are determined. In the testing phase, test inputs are applied to the trained model to test whether the model can provide the correct output, thereby determining the model's performance. In the usage phase, the model can be used to process actual inputs based on the trained parameter values ​​to determine the corresponding output.

[0035] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary dental arch equipped with scanning rods. As shown, several scanning rods 20 are mounted on the dental arch 10. In the field of dental implantology, the scanning rods serve as auxiliary scanning tools, connected to the implant or implant abutment (in Figure 2, the implant or implant abutment is obscured by the scanning rods 20 and is not shown). The main function of the scanning rods is to help the intraoral scanner accurately acquire the three-dimensional position information of the implant within the oral cavity during the oral scanning process. Their surfaces typically have special markings or geometric shapes, which facilitate the scanner's identification and accurate recording of key data such as the implant's position and angle.

[0036] In practical applications, the positioning accuracy of the scanning rod is crucial. Even the slightest connection error can lead to inaccurate scanning data, which in turn affects subsequent implant restoration work. For example, when fabricating crowns or other restorations, if the scanning data is incorrect, the restoration may not fit the implant precisely, resulting in poor restoration outcomes such as malocclusion or loose margins.

[0037] To improve the positioning accuracy of the scanning rod, an improved scanning rod is provided. One end of the scanning rod is fixed to the dental implant in the dental arch, and the other end is rigidly connected to an auxiliary feature with scanning and recognition capabilities. During scanning, multiple scanning rods are installed intraorally. A rigid connection is established between the scanning rods through the auxiliary feature. Three-dimensional scanning is performed on the scanning rods, the auxiliary feature, and a portion of the dental arch to obtain the relative positional relationship of the scanning rods and the three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch. In this paper, the rigid connection can be a physically contacting rigid connection or a physically non-contact but close-to-each connection, allowing the intraoral scanner to cover multiple scanning rods or auxiliary features within the same field of view.

[0038] Figure 3 illustrates exemplary implementations of mounting scanning rods and auxiliary features according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, a dental arch 10 is fitted with a plurality of scanning rods 20, each scanning rod 20 being fixed to an implant already placed in the dental arch 10. One end of an auxiliary feature 30 is connected to a scanning rod 20, for example, it can be detachably connected to the corresponding scanning rod 20. Alternatively, the auxiliary feature 30 can be integrally formed to the corresponding scanning rod 20. In this document, the auxiliary feature 30 can be considered as part of a scanning rod, which can be considered as including a component 20 connected to the implant and the additional auxiliary feature 30. In some embodiments, in a non-secured state, the auxiliary feature 30 can rotate about the scanning rod 20 to which it is connected. During scanning, the auxiliary feature 30 is secured to the scanning rod 20. The other end of the auxiliary feature 30 can extend outside the mouth. Extending the auxiliary feature 30 outside the mouth reduces the need for the patient to keep their mouth open for extended periods, which is beneficial for obtaining stable scan images and improving the patient experience.

[0039] Outside the oral cavity, multiple auxiliary features 30 can approach or contact each other, allowing the single field of view of the intraoral scanner to accommodate multiple auxiliary features 30 to determine their relative positional relationships. Then, based on the correspondence between the pose of the auxiliary features 30 and the position of the connected scanning body 20, the relative positional relationships between the multiple scanning arms 20 can be calculated. The relative positional relationships of the multiple scanning arms 20 are obtained from the scanning registration relationships of the auxiliary features 30 connected to the scanning arms 20. Because these three-dimensional auxiliary features are rigid objects with good reflective properties and prominent three-dimensional features, they are easy to scan and image, acquiring high-quality images, thus greatly improving the positioning accuracy of the scanning arms.

[0040] In some implementations, the field of view of the intraoral scanner does not necessarily need to cover all auxiliary features 30; covering at least two scanning rods or auxiliary features is sufficient to determine the relative positions of at least two scanning rods. If more scanning rods exist, the relative positions of all scanning rods can be determined by spatial derivation through pairwise transfer. This ensures that the cumulative error during actual scanning is smaller, especially since the end-to-end distance between the two farthest scanning rods is minimized by converging them together. Therefore, it is not necessary to scan or reconstruct the entire scanning rod (including auxiliary features, which can be considered part of the scanning rod); only a portion of the scanning rod or auxiliary feature needs to be scanned or reconstructed. When the field of view of the intraoral scanner can cover a portion of at least two scanning rods, the relative positions of two scanning rods can be reliably determined, thereby obtaining the relative positions of all scanning rods.

[0041] In some embodiments, if the multiple auxiliary features 30 are far apart, the end of the auxiliary feature 30 furthest from the scanning rod 20 can be permanently attached to a tray 40, for example, by attaching the tray 40 to all the auxiliary features 30 outside the mouth. After installation, only a three-dimensional scan of the tray 40 and the multiple auxiliary features 30 on the tray is needed. The three-dimensional pose of each auxiliary feature can uniquely determine the position of the intraoral scanning rod to which it is connected, thereby determining the relative positional relationship of the multiple intraoral scanning rods.

[0042] Figure 4 illustrates another exemplary implementation of mounting the scanning bar and auxiliary feature according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Compared to Figure 3, the auxiliary feature 30 is entirely located inside the oral cavity, with its ends away from the scanning bar 20 close to (or in contact with) each other. Optionally, the auxiliary feature 30 can be attached to the tray 40. The tray 40 can be temporarily bonded to the dental arch 10 or the scanning bar 20.

[0043] The tray 40 can be a rigid object with a fixed shape and relatively rich three-dimensional features. It can be connected to the auxiliary feature 30, the scanning rod 20, or the patient's dental arch 10 by mechanical fixing or adhesive methods such as positioning screws or clips. The tray can also be made of easily solidifying materials such as alginate or glue, and can be temporarily bonded to the auxiliary feature 30, the scanning rod 20, or the patient's dental arch 10. The tray 40 can have rich three-dimensional features, such as a certain degree of undulation in its overall shape, with relatively rich and random details, avoiding large areas of smooth, flat surfaces. The function of the tray 40 is to help establish better scanning registration relationships between the scanning rods when the connection distance between the auxiliary feature or the scanning rod is far, or when the scannable range is relatively small compared to the scanner's field of view.

[0044] The tray 40 is an optional auxiliary scanning accessory. Its main function is to help establish better scanning registration relationships between scanning rods when the interconnection distance between scannable rigid objects (scanning rods 20 or auxiliary features 30) is relatively large, or when the scannable range of the rigid objects is relatively small relative to the scanner's field of view. If the scanning rods 20 are connected relatively close or in contact through the auxiliary features 30, and the scannable area is sufficient, and multiple scanning rods (at least two) are covered within the same field of view of the scanner, and the covered scannable feature range is large enough, the tray is not needed. On the other hand, if the distance between multiple scanning rods 20 with auxiliary features 30 is large, and it is difficult for the scanner to simultaneously cover the relatively rich feature patterns between multiple scanning rods 20 within the same field of view, the tray 40 can be used, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0045] Figure 5 shows a schematic flowchart of an oral scanning method 500 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Method 500 can be implemented by, for example, the computing device 120 shown in Figure 1. It should be understood that method 500 may also include additional actions not shown and / or actions shown may be omitted, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited in this respect.

[0046] In general, method 500 synthesizes a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity through two scans. One scan is performed with a scanning rod installed in the oral cavity to acquire the relative positional relationship of the scanning rod and partial dental arch data. The other scan is performed without the scanning rod to acquire data of the complete dental arch. It should be noted that the order of the two scans can be changed, and this disclosure does not impose any restrictions in this regard. The following description uses the example of performing the scan with the scanning rod in the oral cavity first.

[0047] Method 500 includes, at block 510, acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner. Prior to scanning, multiple scanning rods are mounted intraorally, each scanning rod being connected to an accessory feature. The acquired first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the scanning rods, three-dimensional data of the accessory features, and three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch. Optionally, the accessory features or scanning rods may be connected to a tray; accordingly, the first scan data also includes three-dimensional data of the tray.

[0048] In block 520, the relative positional relationship of multiple scanning rods is determined based on the first scan data. In some embodiments, the ends of the auxiliary features furthest from the scanning rods can be positioned close to or in contact with each other. In this scan, a single field of view of the intraoral scanner accommodates at least two auxiliary features, allowing the relative positional relationship between the corresponding scanning rods connected to the auxiliary features to be determined. Specifically, the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods is obtained through the scanning registration relationship of the auxiliary features, without needing to refer to soft tissues in the oral cavity (such as gums). Compared to soft tissues with fewer features, auxiliary features are rigid objects with good reflectivity and prominent three-dimensional features, which can significantly improve the positioning accuracy of the scanning rods.

[0049] In frame 530, through automated identification, the 3D data of multiple scanning rods and multiple auxiliary features are removed from the first scan data to preserve the 3D data of a portion of the dental arch. The preserved 3D data of the portion of the dental arch may include data of a portion of the dental arch (e.g., the gingiva connected to the scanning rod or near the bottom of the scanning rod).

[0050] Traditionally, deleting partial data requires manual, interactive methods involving specifying a range. To simplify the process and improve user efficiency, automated identification can be achieved using deep neural networks. Deep neural networks can be trained to identify point cloud categories in 3D data, determining whether they belong to scan rods, auxiliary features, or dental arches. In some embodiments, the 3D data can be classified into three categories: dental arches, scan rods, and auxiliary features. Alternatively, the scan data can be classified into two categories: dental arches and scan rods and / or auxiliary features. Then, based on the results of the automated identification, point clouds identified as scan rods and auxiliary features are deleted, while partial dental arch data is retained.

[0051] In some embodiments, a deep neural network can be trained using the following method. First, point cloud data of the dental arch, including scanning rods and auxiliary features, is collected. The point cloud data has labeled category information. The point cloud data may include 3D point coordinate information, normal vector information, color information, etc. The point clouds are then manually labeled, assigning unique labels to different types of point clouds, such as 0 for the gingiva, 1 for the scanning rods, and 2 for the auxiliary features.

[0052] Next, the 3D point cloud data is normalized and augmented. Data normalization can include, but is not limited to, methods such as min-max normalization and mean normalization to standardize information such as coordinates and normal vectors of the point cloud, aiming to eliminate the impact of dimensional differences between data on the network. Data augmentation is used to augment the collected point cloud to expand the data volume. For example, one or more rotation matrices can be created to give dental arches, scan rods, or auxiliary feature bodies various different orientations to enhance the robustness of the network.

[0053] Then, using the normalized and enhanced 3D point cloud data as training data, a deep neural network is trained to obtain the trained deep neural network. A classification-related deep neural network (including but not limited to dynamic graph convolutional networks) is used for classification training based on the training data. The input of the deep neural network is the enhanced point cloud data mentioned above, and the output label is the label for each point cloud. After the deep network model converges, the final network used for the classification task is determined.

[0054] In frame 540, without a scanning rod in the oral cavity, a second scan of the oral cavity is acquired using an intraoral scanner. This second scan includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. After the scan in step 510 is completed, the scanning rod, auxiliary features, and tray (if any) are removed from the oral cavity. The complete dental arch data is then acquired using an intraoral scanner and transmitted to the computing device 120.

[0055] In frame 550, a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity is synthesized based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the three-dimensional data of the retained portion of the dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationship of multiple scanning rods.

[0056] Traditionally, dental scanning systems locally acquire scanning data of the dental arch and scanning rods, then send this data to a dental laboratory where it synthesizes an oral image. A problem with this approach is that the dental laboratory may lack sufficient information to determine the positional relationship of the scanning rods relative to the dental arch. To address this, computing device 120 can utilize existing 3D data of a portion of the dental arch to determine the positional information of the scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch, as this portion of the arch is adjacent to the scanning rods and carries their positional information. Then, based on the positional relationship of the scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch and the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods themselves, a 3D image of the oral cavity is synthesized. The resulting 3D oral image contains spatial information of the dental arch and the precise positioning of the scanning rods within it.

[0057] Figure 6 shows a schematic flowchart of an oral cavity scanning method 600 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Method 600 can be implemented by, for example, the computing device 120 shown in Figure 1. It should be understood that method 600 may also include additional actions not shown and / or actions shown may be omitted, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited in this respect.

[0058] In general, method 600 synthesizes a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity through three scanning stages. The first and second scanning stages are performed with scanning rods and auxiliary features installed in the oral cavity, aiming to acquire the relative positional relationship of the scanning rods and partial dental arch data, respectively. The third scanning stage is performed without scanning rods and auxiliary features to acquire data of the complete dental arch. It should be noted that the order of the three scanning stages can be changed, and this disclosure does not impose any restrictions in this regard. The following description uses the first and second scanning stages with scanning rods and auxiliary features installed in the oral cavity as an example.

[0059] Method 600 includes, at block 610, acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner. Prior to scanning, multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity, each connected to an auxiliary feature. The acquired first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the scanning rods and three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features. In some implementations, during the acquisition of the first scan data, the intraoral scanner may simultaneously acquire some dental arch data, which can be automatically identified in real-time or near real-time (e.g., using a trained deep neural network) and excluded from the first scan data. Specifically, through automatic identification, the acquired data can be categorized into three classes: dental arch class, scanning rod class, and auxiliary feature class; alternatively, the acquired data can be categorized into two classes: dental arch class and the class of scanning rods and / or auxiliary features. Excluding dental arch data at this stage facilitates more accurate positioning of the relative positions of the scanning rods. In some embodiments, the display screen 115 of the computing device 100 may display only the three-dimensional data of the scanning rods and auxiliary features, without displaying the dental arch data.

[0060] In block 620, the relative positional relationship of a plurality of scanning rods is determined based on the first scan data. In some embodiments, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods can be calculated based on the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature. For example, data belonging to the scanning rods and data belonging to the auxiliary feature in the first scan data can be determined by automated identification. Then, the relative positional relationship of the scanning rods can be determined based solely on the three-dimensional data of the scanning rods, solely on the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature, or both.

[0061] In some embodiments, the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods can be determined synchronously with the scanning process of block 610. During the scanning process of step 610, the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods can be continuously calculated as the amount of data for the scanning rods and auxiliary features increases. Depending on the amount of data acquired in the first scan data, if the complete relative positional relationship of the scanning rods can be calculated, the acquisition of the first scan data can be stopped. Alternatively, the scanning operation of block 610 and the operation of calculating the relative positional relationship in block 620 can be performed separately, that is, the relative positional relationship of the scanning rods can be calculated offline after the acquisition of the first scan data is completed.

[0062] In frame 630, a second scan is acquired using an intraoral scanner. This second scan includes 3D data of multiple scanning rods, 3D data of auxiliary features, and 3D data of a portion of the dental arch. This stage of the scan is performed with the scanning rods and auxiliary features installed in the oral cavity. This scan can be performed after the scan in frame 610, i.e., without removing the scanning rods and auxiliary features, and continuing to scan the oral cavity. For example, display screen 115 can present a prompt indicating that sufficient 3D data of the scanning rods and auxiliary features has been acquired to calculate the relative positional relationships, or that the relative positional relationships of the scanning rods have been calculated. The user then uses the intraoral scanner to align with the dental arch in the oral cavity, especially the gingiva connected to or near the base of the scanning rods, to acquire a third scan. Alternatively, the process of acquiring the second scan data can also be performed separately.

[0063] In frame 640, three-dimensional data of multiple scanning rods and multiple auxiliary features are removed from the second scan data to preserve three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch. The preserved three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch may include data of the gingiva connected to or near the base of the scanning rods for registration with the complete dental arch. In some embodiments, during this scanning phase, the display screen 115 of the computing device 100 may display only the dental arch data and not the three-dimensional data of the scanning rods and auxiliary features.

[0064] Automated identification (e.g., a trained deep neural network) is used to identify 3D data belonging to dental arches, scan bars, or auxiliary features in the second scan data, eliminating the need for manual labeling. In some embodiments, the second scan data can be classified into three categories through automated identification: dental arch category, scan bar category, and auxiliary feature category; alternatively, the second scan data can be classified into two categories: dental arch category and scan bar and / or auxiliary feature category. Then, based on the results of the automated identification, 3D data identified as scan bars and auxiliary features are removed, while some dental arch data is retained.

[0065] In frame 650, without a scanning rod inside the oral cavity, a third scan of the oral cavity is acquired using an intraoral scanner. This third scan includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. After the scans in steps 610 and 630 are completed, the scanning rod, auxiliary features, and tray (if any) inside the oral cavity are removed. The complete dental arch data is then acquired using an intraoral scanner and transmitted to the computing device 120.

[0066] In frame 660, a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity is synthesized based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the three-dimensional data of the retained portion of the dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationship of multiple scanning rods.

[0067] It should be noted that some steps or details of method 500 described above with reference to Figure 5 are also applicable to method 600, and will not be repeated here.

[0068] This disclosure also proposes an improved scanning process based on intraoral scanning technology. Compared to existing solutions, embodiments of this disclosure achieve a simpler scanning process while also improving the positioning accuracy of the scanning rod.

[0069] According to embodiments of this disclosure, without any scanning rods or auxiliary scanning components installed in the oral cavity, an intraoral scanner is used to acquire first scan data, including three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. When multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity (each scanning rod rigidly connected to an implant or implant abutment), auxiliary features are used to rigidly connect the scanning rods. These auxiliary features can have rich three-dimensional features, facilitating precise positioning of the relative positions between the scanning rods. After installation, an intraoral scanner is used to acquire second scan data, including three-dimensional data of the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features, and the relative positions of the scanning rods are determined based on this data. When scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity, an intraoral scanner is used to scan and acquire third scan data, including partial dental arch data and partial scanning rod and / or auxiliary feature data. The third scan data can combine the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch with the obtained relative positions of the scanning rods to generate three-dimensional data of the oral cavity. In some implementations, partial dental arch data is used for the first scan data, i.e., registration of the complete dental arch's three-dimensional data, while partial scan bar and / or auxiliary feature data is used for registration with the second scan data. Thus, with the aid of the third scan data, the relative positional relationship between the complete dental arch's three-dimensional data and the scan bars can be transformed to the same coordinate system. In some implementations, during the third scan, the three-dimensional data of the scan bars and / or auxiliary features from the second scan data can be reused to acquire partial dental arch data for registration with the complete dental arch's three-dimensional data. Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0070] Figure 7 shows a schematic flowchart of an oral scanning method 700 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Method 700 can be implemented by, for example, the computing device 120 shown in Figure 1. It should be understood that method 700 may also include additional actions not shown and / or actions shown may be omitted, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited in this respect.

[0071] In general, method 700 synthesizes a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity through three scans. One scan is performed without a scanning rod (hereinafter referred to as the first scan) to acquire data of the complete dental arch. The other two scans are performed with a scanning rod installed in the oral cavity, including a scan for acquiring the relative positional relationship of the scanning rod (hereinafter referred to as the second scan) and a scan for partial dental arch data and partial scanning rod and / or auxiliary feature data for data registration (hereinafter referred to as the third scan). The scan data obtained from each scan can have their own coordinate system. The order of the first, second, and third scans can be changed, and this disclosure does not limit this. For example, the first scan without a scanning rod can be performed first, followed by the second and third scans with a scanning rod, or the second and third scans with a scanning rod can be performed first, followed by the first scan without a scanning rod. It is understood that performing the second and third scans consecutively is advantageous, as it avoids the repeated installation and removal of the scanning rod and auxiliary features.

[0072] The following explanation uses the example of executing the first scan, second scan, and third scan in sequence.

[0073] Method 700 includes: in block 710, acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity using an intraoral scanner without a scanning rod within the oral cavity; the first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. The first scan data has a first coordinate system. The first scan data can be transmitted and stored to a computing device connected to the intraoral scanner.

[0074] In frame 720, with multiple scanning rods installed within the oral cavity, a second scan of the oral cavity is acquired using an intraoral scanner. These multiple scanning rods are connected to auxiliary features. The second scan data includes three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features. The second scan data has a second coordinate system. The second scan data can be transmitted and saved to a computing device connected to the intraoral scanner.

[0075] Prior to the scan, multiple scanning rods are pre-installed in the oral cavity, each connected to an auxiliary feature. During the scan, the intraoral scanner acquires scan data that may include 3D data of the scanning rods, 3D data of the auxiliary features, and 3D data of a portion of the dental arch (the scanning rods and auxiliary features may obscure a portion of the dental arch). Optionally, the auxiliary features or scanning rods may be connected to a tray, and the scan data may also include 3D data of the tray. In some embodiments, the scan data can be automatically categorized to obtain the 3D data of the scanning rods, the auxiliary features, and a portion of the dental arch.

[0076] In box 730, the relative positional relationship of multiple scanning rods is determined based on the second scan data. In some embodiments, the relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods can be represented by the coordinate information or three-dimensional data of each scanning rod in a second coordinate system. In some embodiments, the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods can be calculated in real time during the execution of the second scan. When sufficient scanning rod data and / or auxiliary feature body data have been acquired and the relative positional relationship has been calculated, the user can be prompted to stop the second scan.

[0077] In some embodiments, the ends of the auxiliary features furthest from the scanning levers can be positioned close to or in contact with each other. In the second scan, a single field of view of the intraoral scanner accommodates at least two auxiliary features, allowing the relative positional relationship between the corresponding scanning levers connected to the auxiliary features to be determined. Specifically, the relative positional relationship between the scanning levers is obtained through the scanning registration relationship of the auxiliary features, without needing to reference soft tissues within the oral cavity (such as gums). Compared to soft tissues with fewer features, auxiliary features are rigid objects with good reflectivity and prominent three-dimensional features, significantly improving the positioning accuracy of the scanning levers.

[0078] In frame 740, with multiple scanning rods installed intraorally, a third scan of the oral cavity is acquired using an intraoral scanner. This third scan data includes three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch and at least a portion of the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or auxiliary features. The third scan data has a third coordinate system. The three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch may be data of the gingiva connected to or near the base of the scanning rods. The three-dimensional data of at least a portion of the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features may be scan data of the portion of the scanning rod and the portion of the auxiliary feature near the gingiva.

[0079] In the third scan, the intraoral scanner acquires three-dimensional data including dental arch data, scanning rod data, and auxiliary feature data. Through automated identification, the three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch, as well as the three-dimensional data of multiple scanning rods and / or auxiliary features, can be identified.

[0080] In some embodiments, the three-dimensional data of the scanning rod and auxiliary features obtained during the second scan can be reused as the three-dimensional data of the scanning rod and / or auxiliary features in the third scan data. During the third scan, scanning continues based on the second scan data to obtain three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch. In this case, the third scan data and the second scan data have the same second coordinate system.

[0081] In box 750, the first and second scan data are aligned based on the third scan data. Through alignment, the first and second scan data can be transformed into the same coordinate system, referred to herein as the target coordinate system. By registering the first and third scan data and configuring the second and third scan data, the first and second scan data can be transformed into the same target coordinate system. The target coordinate system can be determined based on the third coordinate system; for example, it can be the third coordinate system itself or a coordinate system with a predetermined transformation relationship to the third coordinate system.

[0082] In frame 760, three-dimensional data of the oral cavity is generated. This three-dimensional data includes aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch and aligned positional information corresponding to multiple scanning rods. The aligned positional information corresponding to the multiple scanning rods is obtained based on the relative positional relationships of the multiple scanning rods. The aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch and the aligned positional information corresponding to the multiple scanning rods are in the same target coordinate system.

[0083] In some embodiments, aligned 3D data of the complete dental arch and aligned position information corresponding to multiple scanning rods can be combined to form a 3D image of the oral cavity. In some embodiments, separate files can be generated to store the dental arch data and the position information of the scanning rods in the target coordinate system, respectively. In some embodiments, the position information of the scanning rods may include the 3D coordinates of the positions of multiple scanning rods, the 3D data of multiple scanning rods, or the 3D data of components that can replace the scanning rods. The generated 3D data of the oral cavity can be sent to a technical institution for dental implant fabrication.

[0084] Figure 8 illustrates a schematic diagram of a process for aligning scan data according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The alignment of scan data can be performed via a separate process (i.e., offline mode) after three scans have been completed and the first, second, and third scan data have been acquired respectively. Alternatively, the alignment process can be performed during the third scan (i.e., real-time mode). Scan data alignment is achieved by registering the first and second scan data with the third scan data, converting the first and second scan data into the same target coordinate system.

[0085] The alignment process may include, based on the registration of the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data with the three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch in the third scan data, determining a first transformation relationship from a first coordinate system to a target coordinate system in the first scan data. Through this first transformation relationship, the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first coordinate system can be converted to the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the target coordinate system. The alignment process also includes, based on the registration of at least a portion of the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or auxiliary features in the third scan data with the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods in the second scan data, determining a second transformation relationship from the second coordinate system to the target coordinate system. Through this second transformation relationship, the relative positional relationship of the scanning rods in the second coordinate system can be converted to the positional information of the scanning rods in the target coordinate system. Thus, the alignment of the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch and the positional information of the scanning rods is achieved.

[0086] In some embodiments, the third scan data may be obtained based on the second scan data, and both have the same second coordinate system. In this case, the registration between the second and third scan data can be omitted. To align the first and second scan data, a transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the second coordinate system can be determined based on the registration of the 3D data of a portion of the dental arch in the third scan data with the 3D data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data. Then, based on the transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the second coordinate system, the 3D data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data is converted into aligned 3D data of the complete dental arch, i.e., data in the target coordinate system.

[0087] Figure 9 shows a schematic flowchart of an oral scanning method 900 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Method 900 can be implemented by, for example, the computing device 120 shown in Figure 1. It should be understood that method 900 may also include additional actions not shown and / or actions shown may be omitted, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited in this respect. According to method 900, during the third scan, the first and second scan data are aligned based on real-time acquired partial dental arch data and scan data / auxiliary feature data.

[0088] In frame 902, without a scanning rod inside the oral cavity, the first scan data of the oral cavity is acquired using an intraoral scanner. The first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. After completing the first scan, the scanning rod and auxiliary feature are installed, and then the second and third scans are performed sequentially.

[0089] In box 904, a second scan is performed to acquire second scan data, including 3D data of the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features. During the execution of the second scan, the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods can be calculated in real time. When sufficient 3D data of the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features is acquired, the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods can be calculated.

[0090] In box 906, it is determined whether the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods has been determined. If not, return to box 904 and continue acquiring 3D data of the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features. If yes, proceed to box 908 to perform a third scan and acquire third data, including 3D data of a portion of the dental arch and 3D data of the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features. In some embodiments, if it is determined that the relative positional relationship of the scanning rods has been calculated, the user may be prompted to use an intraoral scanner to acquire the third scan data. For example, the display screen of the computing device may display a prompt message, or the intraoral scanner may vibrate or emit a prompting sound to alert the user.

[0091] In some embodiments, scanning can continue based on the second scan data to acquire third scan data. For example, after being prompted, the user uses an intraoral scanner to scan part of the dental arch to acquire partial dental arch data. This partial dental arch data is used for registration with the first scan data. For example, the partial dental arch data includes scan data of the gingiva connected to the scanning rod or near the bottom of the scanning rod. During the third scan, registration of the first and third scan data can be performed in real time. The first scan data is acquired separately and already contains sufficient complete dental arch data. During the third scan, when sufficient partial dental arch data is acquired, registration of the first and third scan data can be completed. In some embodiments, the acquired three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch can be displayed on the screen, without displaying the three-dimensional data of the scanning rod and auxiliary features.

[0092] During the third scan, registration of the first and third scan data, as well as registration of the second and third scan data, can be performed in real time. During the acquisition of the third scan data, for example, before the registration of the first and third scan data is completed, the user can be prompted to use an intraoral scanner to acquire more dental arch data for registration of the first and third scan data. Similarly, during the acquisition of the third scan data, before the registration of the second and third scan data is completed, the user can be prompted to use an intraoral scanner to acquire more data on the scanning rods and / or auxiliary features for registration of the second and third scan data.

[0093] In box 910, it is determined whether registration has been completed. If not, method 900 returns to box 908 to continue acquiring the third scan data. If yes, method 900 proceeds to box 912 to convert the complete dental arch data and scan bar position information to the same coordinate system. This step is similar to step 750 in Figure 7 and will not be described again here.

[0094] In box 914, generate 3D oral cavity data. This step is similar to step 760 in Figure 7, and will not be described again here.

[0095] The advantage of Method 900 is that it enables alignment of the scanning rod position and dental arch data during intraoral scanning. In some cases, such as scanning with the scanning rod installed first, and then scanning the complete dental arch data after removing the scanning rod, some dental arch data may not be scanned sufficiently, leading to unsuccessful alignment after removing the scanning rod. This requires rework, reinstalling the scanning rod and scanning again, which is inconvenient and increases patient time and pain. According to Method 900, the complete dental arch is scanned first to obtain sufficient complete dental arch data. Then, scanning is performed with the scanning rod installed to obtain the relative positional relationship. Afterwards, without removing the scanning rod, partial dental arch data is scanned while registration is performed. This scanning process significantly improves the probability of successful alignment. Even if rework is required, there is no need to reinstall the scanning rod, reducing patient time and pain. Moreover, if the alignment result is unsatisfactory after obtaining the third scan, it can be easily obtained to obtain a better alignment result, increasing the flexibility of accurately obtaining data alignment relationships.

[0096] Figure 10 shows a schematic flowchart of an oral scanning method 1000 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Method 1000 can be implemented by, for example, the computing device 120 shown in Figure 1. It should be understood that method 1000 may also include additional actions not shown and / or actions shown may be omitted, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited in this respect.

[0097] Method 1000 includes: in frame 1010, acquiring first scan data of the oral cavity by means of an intraoral scanner without a scanning rod in the oral cavity, the first scan data including three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch.

[0098] In frame 1020, a second scan of the oral cavity is acquired by an intraoral scanner. Multiple scanning rods are installed inside the oral cavity and are connected to auxiliary features respectively. The second scan data includes the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features.

[0099] In block 1030, the relative positional relationship of multiple scanning rods is determined based on the second scan data. The specific implementation of blocks 1010 to 1030 is similar to that of blocks 710 to 730 in method 700, and will not be described again here.

[0100] Method 1000 further includes: at block 1040, with multiple scanning rods installed in the oral cavity, acquiring third scan data including three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch using an intraoral scanner. In this step, the third scan data acquired by the intraoral scanner may also include three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or three-dimensional data of auxiliary features. The three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features can be removed from the third scan data. The retained three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch is used to align the first scan data and the second scan data. In some embodiments, during the acquisition of the third scan data, the three-dimensional data of the portion of the dental arch is displayed on a screen, without displaying the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and auxiliary features.

[0101] In frame 1050, a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity is generated based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the three-dimensional data of a partial dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationships of multiple scanning rods. The positional information of the scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch can be determined using the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch in the third scan data, as this part of the dental arch is adjacent to the scanning rods and carries their positional information. Then, a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity is generated based on the positional relationships of the scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch and the relative positional relationships among the scanning rods. The resulting three-dimensional image of the oral cavity contains spatial information of the dental arch and the precise positioning of the scanning rods within it.

[0102] It should be noted that some steps or details of any method or process described above with reference to the accompanying drawings are also applicable to other methods, and will not be repeated here again.

[0103] Figure 11 shows a schematic block diagram of an example device 1100 that can be used to implement embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, device 1100 includes a computing unit 1101, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to computer program instructions stored in read-only memory (ROM) 1102 or loaded from storage unit 1106 into random access memory (RAM) 1103. Various programs and data required for the operation of device 1100 may also be stored in RAM 1103. The computing unit 1101, ROM 1102, and RAM 1103 are interconnected via bus 1104. Input / output (I / O) interface 1105 is also connected to bus 1104.

[0104] Multiple components in device 1100 are connected to I / O interface 1105, including: input unit 1106, such as keyboard, mouse, etc.; output unit 1107, such as various types of monitors, speakers, etc.; storage unit 1108, such as disk, optical disk, etc.; and communication unit 1109, such as network card, modem, wireless transceiver, etc. Communication unit 1109 allows device 1100 to exchange information / data with other devices through computer networks such as the Internet and / or various telecommunications networks.

[0105] The computing unit 1101 can be a variety of general-purpose and / or special-purpose processing components with processing and computing capabilities. Some examples of the computing unit 1101 include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), various special-purpose artificial intelligence (AI) computing chips, various computing units running machine learning model algorithms, a digital signal processor (DSP), and any suitable processor, controller, microcontroller, etc. The computing unit 1101 performs the various methods and processes described above. For example, in some embodiments, any method of this disclosure may be implemented as a computer software program tangibly contained in a machine-readable medium, such as storage unit 1108. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program may be loaded and / or installed on device 1100 via ROM 1102 and / or communication unit 1109. When the computer program is loaded into RAM 1103 and executed by the computing unit 1101, one or more steps of any of the methods described above may be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the computing unit 1101 may be configured to perform the methods provided in this disclosure by any other suitable means (e.g., by means of firmware).

[0106] In some embodiments, the methods and processes described above can be implemented as a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions loaded thereon for performing various aspects of this disclosure.

[0107] Computer-readable storage media can be tangible devices capable of holding and storing instructions for use by an instruction execution device. Computer-readable storage media can be, for example—but not limited to—electrical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, electromagnetic storage devices, semiconductor storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media include: portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital multifunction disc (DVD), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanical encoding devices, such as punch cards or recessed protrusions storing instructions thereon, and any suitable combination thereof. The computer-readable storage media used herein are not to be construed as transient signals themselves, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses through fiber optic cables), or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0108] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from computer-readable storage media to various computing / processing devices, or downloaded via a network, such as the Internet, local area network, wide area network, and / or wireless network, to an external computer or external storage device. The network may include copper cables, fiber optic cables, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards them to computer-readable storage media within the respective computing / processing device.

[0109] Computer program instructions used to perform the operations of this disclosure may be assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, status setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​and conventional procedural programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may execute entirely on a user's computer, partially on a user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on a user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving a remote computer, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)—or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry, such as programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or programmable logic arrays (PLAs), is personalized by utilizing the status information of the computer-readable program instructions to implement various aspects of this disclosure.

[0110] These computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processing unit of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine such that, when executed by the processing unit of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, they create means for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that causes a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to operate in a particular manner. Thus, the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions for implementing aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0111] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby causing the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to perform the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0112] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of devices, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of an instruction containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than those shown in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0113] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or technical improvements to the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An oral cavity scanning method, comprising: In the absence of a scanning rod inside the oral cavity, the first scan data of the oral cavity is acquired by an intraoral scanner. The first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. The second scan data of the oral cavity is obtained by the intraoral scanner. Multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity and are respectively connected to the auxiliary feature. The second scan data includes the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature. Based on the second scan data, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scan bars is determined; With the plurality of scanning rods installed in the oral cavity, third scan data, including three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch, is acquired by the intraoral scanner; and Based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods, a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity is synthesized.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The third scan data, which includes three-dimensional data of part of the dental arch, acquired by the intraoral scanner, includes: The three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch is displayed on the screen, but the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and the auxiliary feature bodies are not displayed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The third scan data, which includes three-dimensional data of part of the dental arch, acquired by the intraoral scanner, includes: In response to a prompt indicating that the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods has been calculated, three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch is acquired, wherein the partial dental arch includes the gingiva connected to or near the bottom of the scanning rods.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The third scan data, which includes three-dimensional data of part of the dental arch, acquired by the intraoral scanner, includes: The third scan data, acquired via the intraoral scanner, includes three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods, three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features, and three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch; and Remove the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature from the third scan data.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The synthesis of the three-dimensional image of the oral cavity includes: Based on the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch and the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch is determined; and Based on the positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch and the relative positional relationship between the multiple scanning rods, a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity is synthesized.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Determining the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods based on the second scan data includes: Based on the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature body in the second scanning data, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods is determined.

7. The oral cavity scanning method according to claim 1, wherein, The auxiliary feature is detachably connected to the corresponding scanning rod.

8. The oral cavity scanning method according to claim 1, wherein, The auxiliary feature is integrally molded and connected to the corresponding scanning rod.

9. The oral cavity scanning method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, In the unsecured state, the auxiliary feature body can rotate about the scanning rod connected to it.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, One end of the auxiliary feature is connected to the scanning rod, and the other end is immovably connected to the tray with three-dimensional features.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, One end of the auxiliary feature is connected to the scanning rod, and the other end is located outside the oral cavity.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, One end of each of the multiple auxiliary feature bodies is connected to a corresponding scanning rod, while the other ends are close to or in contact with each other.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, When acquiring the second scan data using the intraoral scanner, the single field of view of the intraoral scanner can accommodate at least two auxiliary features, so that the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods connected to the at least two auxiliary features can be determined.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: The system automatically identifies 3D data belonging to the dental arch and 3D data belonging to the scanning rod and / or the auxiliary feature.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The automated identification includes using a trained deep neural network to identify three-dimensional data belonging to the dental arch and three-dimensional data belonging to the scanning rod and / or the auxiliary feature body, the deep neural network being obtained in the following manner: Collect three-dimensional point cloud data of the dental arch, including the scanning rod and the auxiliary feature body, wherein the three-dimensional point cloud data has labeled category information; The three-dimensional point cloud data is standardized and enhanced; as well as The trained deep neural network is obtained by training the normalized and enhanced 3D point cloud data.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a computing device locally connected to the intraoral scanner.

17. An oral cavity scanning method, comprising: The first scan data of the oral cavity is obtained by an intraoral scanner. Multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity and are respectively connected to auxiliary features. The first scan data includes the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods, the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary features, and the three-dimensional data of part of the dental arch. Based on the first scan data, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scan bars is determined; Through automated identification, the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature bodies are removed from the first scan data, so as to retain the three-dimensional data of the part of the dental arch; In the absence of the scanning rod in the oral cavity, the second scan data of the oral cavity is acquired by the intraoral scanner, and the second scan data includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch; as well as Based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the three-dimensional data of the retained partial dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods, a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity is synthesized.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, The auxiliary feature is detachably connected to the corresponding scanning rod.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein, The auxiliary feature is integrally molded and connected to the corresponding scanning rod.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein, In the unsecured state, the auxiliary feature body can rotate about the scanning rod connected to it.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein, One end of the auxiliary feature is connected to the scanning rod, and the other end is immovably connected to the tray with three-dimensional features.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein, One end of the auxiliary feature is connected to the scanning rod, and the other end is located outside the oral cavity.

23. The method according to claim 17, wherein, One end of each of the multiple auxiliary feature bodies is connected to a corresponding scanning rod, while the other ends are close to or in contact with each other.

24. The method according to claim 17, wherein, When acquiring the first scan data using the intraoral scanner, the single field of view of the intraoral scanner can accommodate at least two auxiliary features, so that the relative positional relationship between the scanning rods connected to the at least two auxiliary features can be determined.

25. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: A trained deep neural network is used to identify the three-dimensional data belonging to the dental arch and the three-dimensional data belonging to the scanning rod and / or the auxiliary feature body in the first scan data.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein, Determining the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods includes: Based on the identified three-dimensional data belonging to the auxiliary feature body and / or the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods is determined.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein, The deep neural network is obtained in the following way: Collect three-dimensional point cloud data of the dental arch, including the scanning rod and the auxiliary feature body, wherein the three-dimensional point cloud data has labeled category information; The three-dimensional point cloud data is standardized and enhanced; as well as The trained deep neural network is obtained by training the normalized and enhanced 3D point cloud data.

28. The method according to claim 17, wherein, The synthesis of the three-dimensional image of the oral cavity includes: Based on the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch and the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch is determined; and Based on the positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch and the relative positional relationship between the multiple scanning rods, a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity is synthesized.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the method is performed by a computing device locally connected to the intraoral scanner.

30. An oral cavity scanning method, comprising: First scan data of the oral cavity is obtained by an intraoral scanner. Multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity and are respectively connected to an auxiliary feature. The first scan data includes the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature. Based on the first scan data, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scan bars is determined; The second scan data is acquired by the intraoral scanner. The second scan data includes the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods, the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature body, and the three-dimensional data of part of the dental arch. In the absence of the scanning rod in the oral cavity, the third scan data of the oral cavity is acquired by the intraoral scanner, and the third scan data includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch; Using the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch, the positional information of the plurality of scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch is determined; as well as Based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the positional information of the plurality of scanning rods relative to the complete dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods, a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity is synthesized.

31. The method according to claim 30, further comprising: The system automatically identifies 3D data belonging to the dental arch and 3D data belonging to the scanning rod and / or the auxiliary feature.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein, Determining the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods includes: Based on the identified three-dimensional data belonging to the auxiliary feature body and / or the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods is determined.

33. An oral cavity scanning method, comprising: In the absence of a scanning rod inside the oral cavity, the first scan data of the oral cavity is acquired by an intraoral scanner. The first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. When multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity, the second scanning data of the oral cavity is acquired by the intraoral scanner. The multiple scanning rods are connected to an auxiliary feature. The second scanning data includes the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and / or the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature. Based on the second scan data, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scan bars is obtained; With the plurality of scanning rods installed in the oral cavity, the third scanning data of the oral cavity is acquired by the intraoral scanner. The third scanning data includes three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch, as well as three-dimensional data of at least a portion of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the auxiliary feature. Based on the third scan data, align the first scan data and the second scan data; as well as Three-dimensional data of the oral cavity is generated, the three-dimensional data of the oral cavity including aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch and aligned position information corresponding to the plurality of scanning rods, wherein the aligned position information corresponding to the plurality of scanning rods is obtained based on the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein, The first scan data has a first coordinate system, the second scan data has a second coordinate system, and aligning the first scan data and the second scan data includes: Based on the registration of the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch in the third scan data with the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data, a first transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the target coordinate system is determined; and Based on the registration of at least a portion of the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the auxiliary feature bodies in the third scan data with the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the auxiliary feature bodies in the second scan data, a second transformation relationship from the second coordinate system to the target coordinate system is determined.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein, The relative positional relationship of the multiple scanning rods includes the coordinate information or three-dimensional data of each scanning rod in the second coordinate system.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein, The method further includes: Based on the first conversion relationship, the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data is converted into the aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch; and Based on the second conversion relationship, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods is converted into the aligned positional information corresponding to the plurality of scanning rods.

37. The method according to claim 33, wherein, The third scan data of the oral cavity obtained by the intraoral scanner includes: Based on the second scan data, continue scanning to obtain the third scan data.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein, The first scan data has a first coordinate system, the second scan data and the third scan data have the same second coordinate system, and wherein aligning the first scan data and the second scan data includes: Based on the registration of the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch in the third scan data with the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data, the transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the second coordinate system is determined; and Based on the transformation relationship from the first coordinate system to the second coordinate system, the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch in the first scan data is converted into the aligned three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch.

39. The method according to claim 33, wherein, The plurality of scanning rods are connected to an auxiliary feature body, and wherein, based on the second scanning data, obtaining the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning components includes: Based on the three-dimensional data of the plurality of scanning rods and / or the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature body in the second scan data, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods is determined.

40. The method according to claim 33, further comprising: During the acquisition of the second scan data, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods is calculated.

41. The method according to claim 40, further comprising: In response to completing the calculation of the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods, a prompt is made to use the intraoral scanner to acquire the third scan data.

42. The method according to claim 33, wherein, During the acquisition of the third scan data, the first scan data and the second scan data are aligned based on the acquired third scan data.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein during the process of acquiring the third scan data, the method further comprises: The suggestion is to use the intraoral scanner to obtain more dental arch data for registration of the first scan data and the third scan data; and / or The suggestion is to use the intraoral scanner to acquire more scanning rod data for registration of the second and third scan data.

44. The method according to claim 33, wherein, The aligned position information includes at least one of the following: The three-dimensional coordinates of the positions of the plurality of scanning rods; The three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods; or Three-dimensional data of the component that replaces the plurality of scanning rods.

45. The method of claim 33, further comprising: Through automated identification, data belonging to the dental arch, data belonging to the scanning rod, and / or three-dimensional data belonging to auxiliary features in the second and third scan data are determined.

46. ​​An oral cavity scanning method, comprising: In the absence of a scanning rod inside the oral cavity, the first scan data of the oral cavity is acquired by an intraoral scanner. The first scan data includes three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch. The second scan data of the oral cavity is obtained by the intraoral scanner. Multiple scanning rods are installed in the oral cavity and are respectively connected to the auxiliary feature. The second scan data includes the three-dimensional data of the multiple scanning rods and the three-dimensional data of the auxiliary feature. Based on the second scan data, the relative positional relationship of the plurality of scan bars is determined; With the plurality of scanning rods installed in the oral cavity, third scan data, including three-dimensional data of a portion of the dental arch, is acquired by the intraoral scanner; and Based on the three-dimensional data of the complete dental arch, the three-dimensional data of the partial dental arch, and the determined relative positional relationship of the plurality of scanning rods, three-dimensional data of the oral cavity are generated.

47. A computing device, comprising: Processing unit; as well as A memory, coupled to the processing unit and containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the processing unit, cause the device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 46.

48. A computer program product tangibly stored in a computer storage medium and comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 46.

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