Dental Design Transfer via Coordinate System Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current dental augmented reality applications lack the ability to design and export three-dimensional dental design models to computer-aided design (CAD) applications, limiting the transfer and utilization of dental design data for treatment planning and prosthesis creation.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that creates a three-dimensional dental design model in an augmented reality application, aligns it with a scan model, and calculates transformations to bring the model into a common coordinate system, allowing for the export of aligned design data in formats like STL for use in CAD applications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a three-dimensional dental design model is created in an augmented reality application, then visualisation of the dental design is improved, but the ability to export and transfer the model to CAD applications is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisualisation qualityVSAvoidmodel transfer capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a coordinate system transformation as an intermediary mechanism that bridges the AR application's preliminary coordinate system and the CAD application's reference coordinate system. This transformation layer enables seamless data exchange between the two different software environments, allowing the dental design model to be both visualized in AR and exported to CAD without loss of capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the dental design model is visualized with preliminary pose and scale in AR application, then ease of operation is improved, but compatibility with CAD application coordinate systems deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemodel design convenienceVSAvoidcoordinate system alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by transforming the coordinate system parameters (pose and scale) from the AR application's preliminary system to the CAD application's reference system. This mathematical transformation adjusts the parameters to ensure both the preliminary pose/scale benefits and the precise coordinate alignment are achieved simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If model alignment and coordinate transformation are implemented, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoordinate system alignmentVSAvoidexport process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining the coordinate system transformation parameters and alignment rules before the actual model export process. This preparatory setup automates the alignment procedure, reducing the complexity of the export process while maintaining high manufacturing precision through pre-calculated transformation matrices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3629336B1Dental design transfer
Publication Date: 2025.03.26 IVOCLAR VIVADENT AG
  • EP3629336B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3629336B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3629336B1 patent drawingFigure 4a~5b

AI summary

The invention pertains to a method for exporting design data of a virtual 3D dental design model (12) from an AR application, the AR application being adapted to visualize the dental design model with a preliminary pose and scale (13) in an image (11) of a face comprising a mouth region with a dental situation, the method comprising providing a 3D scan model (14) of the dental situation, aligning the dental situation of the scan model and the dental situation in the image to obtain a pose of the scan model, and calculating, based on the preliminary pose and scale and the pose of the scan model, at least one transformation to bring the design model and the scan model into a common coordinate system. The invention further pertains to a method for visualizing a 3D dental design model in an AR application wherein the method comprises providing the dental design model, a 3D scan model of a dental situation and an image of a face comprising a mouth region with the dental situation, determining a pose for the dental design model based on the image and on a relative transformation from the scan model to the dental design model, and rendering the dental design model in the image with the determined pose.