Virtual Dental Model Alignment Using Side Impressions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for aligning virtual models of upper and lower jaws in occlusive position are inefficient, requiring multiple scans and often resulting in inaccurate occlusive relationships due to the complexity of matching numerous cusps and ridges, as well as errors induced by impression material deformation and thickness.
Innovation Solution
The method involves scanning a side impression that includes facial surfaces of both the upper and lower jaws, reducing the number of scans from four to three and using a wide scan area to capture soft tissue features, thereby improving accuracy and reducing errors, while eliminating occlusive surfaces to ensure precise alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If four scans are performed (bite impression both sides, upper jaw, lower jaw) to align virtual models, then the occlusive relationship can be established, but the process becomes time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the bite impression from the scanning process. Instead of scanning four surfaces including both sides of the bite impression, the method only scans three surfaces: the upper jaw, lower jaw, and one side of the bite impression. The bite impression is used solely for physical alignment during scanning, not as a separate scan target, thereby reducing scanning time and cost while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The bite impression serves multiple functions: it physically holds the upper and lower jaws in occlusive position during scanning, provides a reference for alignment, and eliminates the need to scan its occlusal surfaces. This multi-functionality reduces the number of scans required while ensuring accurate occlusive relationship establishment.
2Loss of information
If four scans including both sides of bite impression are performed, then complete surface data is obtained, but matching complexity increases due to numerous cusps and ridges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex occlusal surfaces of the bite impression from the scanning process. By only scanning one side of the bite impression and relying on physical alignment, the method avoids the complexity of matching numerous cusps and ridges on both occlusal surfaces, while still obtaining complete surface data for the upper and lower jaws.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using the complex occlusal surfaces of the bite impression for digital matching, the patent inverts the approach by using the bite impression solely for physical alignment and scanning only the external surfaces of the upper and lower jaws. This simplifies the matching procedure while maintaining data completeness.
3Ease of operation
If bite impression thickness is used for alignment, then the scanning process is simplified, but errors are introduced because the thickness does not represent true occlusive position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new intermediary element: a fixture or mounting device that holds the upper and lower jaws in occlusive position during scanning. This intermediary eliminates the need to rely on bite impression thickness for alignment, providing both operational simplicity and positional accuracy by physically constraining the jaws in their true occlusive relationship.
Solution Approach 2:
The method extracts and removes the bite impression from the alignment function. Instead of using the bite impression's thickness as the alignment reference, the patent uses the bite impression only as a temporary holder during scanning, then removes it to allow direct scanning of the jaws in their natural occlusive position, thereby eliminating thickness-induced errors.
4Ease of manufacture
If impression material is used to create physical models, then the scanning process is facilitated, but deformation of the soft material introduces errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the impression material from the scanning process entirely. Instead of creating physical models from impression material and then scanning them, the method scans the actual jaws directly in occlusive position using a fixture, thereby eliminating deformation errors while still facilitating the scanning process through proper positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a physical copy or replica of the occlusive position using a rigid fixture or mounting device that holds the upper and lower jaws in their precise occlusive relationship. This rigid copy eliminates the softness and deformability of impression material, providing manufacturing ease without sacrificing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of aligning a virtual model of an upper jaw (502) and a virtual model of a lower jaw (504) in a bite position includes matching first facial surfaces (520b) of a virtual model of a side impression (506) with facial surfaces (520a) of the virtual model of the upper jaw (502) and matching second facial surfaces (521b) of a virtual model of a side impression (506) with facial surfaces (521a) of the virtual model of the lower jaw (504). At least a portion of the first facial surfaces (520b) of the virtual model of the side impression (506) are the same as the facial surfaces (520a) of the virtual model of the upper jaw (502). At least a portion of the second facial surfaces (521b) of the virtual model of the side impression (506) are the same as the facial surfaces (521a) of the virtual model of the lower jaw (504).