Automatic Bite Setting for Digital Jaw Models
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Solution Overview
Problem
The spatial relationship between the upper and lower jaws, known as the bite, is lost during the scanning process in dental CAD/CAM systems, making it challenging to restore the accurate alignment of digital jaw models.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that receive digital jaw models, determine a rough bite approximation, calculate initial and iterative bite positions, and score each position to output the optimal bite setting, using techniques such as cusp detection, parabola fitting, and rigid-body transformation to align the jaw models.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If physical impressions of upper and lower jaws are scanned independently to generate digital models, then the scanning process is simplified and can be performed separately, but the spatial relationship (bite alignment) between the upper and lower jaws is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by embedding a bite registration object with unique identifiers into the physical impressions before scanning. This allows the bite relationship information to be captured in advance during the simplified separate scanning process, eliminating the need for complex post-scanning alignment procedures while preserving the spatial relationship between upper and lower jaws.
Solution Approach 2:
The bite registration object serves as an intermediary element that bridges the upper and lower jaw impressions. It contains machine-readable identifiers that enable the digital processing system to automatically associate and align the separately scanned jaw models, thus recovering the bite alignment information without requiring complex scanning procedures.
2Productivity
If separate 3D digital jaw models are generated from independently scanned impressions, then the scanning workflow is more efficient, but restoring the bite setting becomes challenging and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical alignment procedures with automated digital image processing techniques. Machine-readable identifiers embedded in the bite registration object are detected and processed computationally to automatically determine the bite setting, eliminating time-consuming manual manipulation and visual matching of dental casts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies self-service by using the machine-readable identifiers on the bite registration object to automatically guide the alignment process. The digital processing system autonomously retrieves the identifiers, processes them to determine spatial relationships, and generates the aligned jaw models without requiring manual intervention or expert knowledge of bite analysis.
3Measurement precision
If traditional methods are used to restore bite setting from separate scans, then additional input data or preprocessing steps are required, but the process becomes more complex and less accurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter representation by encoding spatial relationship information in machine-readable identifiers rather than relying on traditional anatomical landmark matching. This parameter transformation enables more precise and automated determination of bite settings, as the identifiers provide direct numerical data about the spatial relationship between upper and lower jaws.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method and system of determining a bite setting include receiving first and second digital jaw models, determining a rough bite approximation of the first and second digital jaw models, determining one or more initial bite positions of the first and second digital jaw models from the rough approximation, determining one or more iterative bite positions of the first and second digital jaw models for each of the one or more initial bite positions, determining a score for each iterative bite position, and outputting the bite setting based on the score.