3D Dental Model Annotation for Clear Patient Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital dentistry systems lack effective communication tools for dental practitioners to efficiently and illustratively convey dental and oral health findings to patients, and there is a need for methods to track and annotate previous knowledge of a patient's oral cavity over time.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for rendering interactive digital three-dimensional dental models in a graphical user interface, allowing for a 2D digital canvas to be superimposed on a 3D model, with user inputs that transform to maintain alignment with changes in the 3D model, enabling annotations and drawings directly on the model.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a dental practitioner uses traditional communication methods to explain dental findings, then the communication process is simple, but the patient cannot fully comprehend the assessment and visual representation of oral cavity changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional 2D communication materials (papers, screens) to a 3D interactive environment where dental models are rendered in three-dimensional space. This allows the practitioner to rotate, zoom, and manipulate the oral cavity model, providing spatial understanding that enhances patient comprehension of complex dental findings and changes over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies of the patient's oral cavity through 3D scanning, generating virtual models that can be manipulated, annotated, and compared across different time points. These digital replicas serve as communication tools that accurately represent the patient's oral health status without requiring physical contact or invasive procedures.
2Productivity
If the dental practitioner manually assesses changes from 3D representations, then the system remains simple, but the efficiency and accuracy of tracking oral cavity changes over time is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically compares 3D models from different time points and provides feedback to the practitioner by highlighting changes in the oral cavity. This automated feedback mechanism identifies areas of concern such as tooth decay, gum disease progression, or successful treatment outcomes, significantly improving the efficiency of longitudinal assessment while reducing manual workload.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection and physical measurement with automated digital processing. The system uses algorithms to detect, measure, and track changes in 3D models automatically, substituting the mechanical process of manual assessment with computational analysis that is both more efficient and more precise.
3Reliability
If the practitioner uses separate 2D canvases for annotations, then the interface is simple, but the annotations do not maintain alignment when the 3D model changes position or size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the annotation layer with the 3D model rendering by superimposing 2D canvases directly onto the 3D display. This integration ensures that annotations remain dynamically aligned with the model even when the practitioner rotates, zooms, or repositions the 3D view, as the annotation system transforms coordinates to maintain proper spatial relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
The annotation system is made dynamic rather than static, automatically adjusting its position and orientation in response to real-time changes in the 3D model view. When the practitioner interacts with the model to change perspective or zoom level, the annotation canvases transform accordingly to maintain alignment, creating a responsive interface that adapts to user actions.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a computer implemented method for rendering interactive digital three-dimensional dental models of a patient in a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface is configured with communication tools providing effective, clear and understandable communication to the patient being examined.