Automated Dental Chart Digitization via Image Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dental practice management systems require manual annotation of tooth condition information onto standardized dental charts, which is time-consuming and prone to human error.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves obtaining a digital 3D representation of a patient's teeth, identifying and segmenting individual teeth, deriving tooth condition information from diagnostic data, and correlating this information with the identified teeth to populate a digital dental chart efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual annotation of tooth condition information is used, then flexibility in data entry is maintained, but time consumption and human error increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of tooth condition informationVSAvoidtime for annotating dental charts

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical annotation process with an automated optical system. A camera captures images of the dental chart, and image processing algorithms automatically extract and transfer tooth condition information to the digital dental chart, eliminating manual typing and reducing human error.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables the dental chart to annotate itself automatically. The image processing system extracts information directly from the physical chart and populates the digital chart without human intervention, making the annotation process self-service and significantly reducing time consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If automated image processing is used, then time efficiency improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of populating dental chartsVSAvoidcomplexity of image processing system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a standard digital camera and通用的 image processing algorithms that can handle multiple types of dental charts and conditions. This multi-functional approach allows the system to process various chart formats and tooth condition representations without requiring specialized equipment for each case.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary image processing layer between the physical dental chart and the digital system. This intermediary automatically extracts information from the chart image and translates it into structured data for the dental software, simplifying the overall system architecture by handling complexity in the intermediate processing stage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250120589A1Deriving tooth condition information for populating digital dental charts

Publication Date: 2025.04.17 3SHAPE AS

AI summary

Disclosed are methods and digital tools for deriving tooth condition information for a patient's teeth, for populating a digital dental chart with derived tooth condition information, and for generating an electronic data record containing such information.