3D Dental Model Navigation Using Islands of Interest

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for identifying dental conditions on 3D dental models require manual effort and are cumbersome due to scattered and obstructed views, making it difficult to inspect all indications efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that identifies and groups regions indicating dental conditions into 'islands' on a 3D dental model, using visual indicators and automatic navigation to focus on areas of interest, with a user interface for easy inspection and comparison of dental conditions over time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual inspection of 3D dental model is used, then user can visually inspect dental conditions, but inspection efficiency is low due to scattered and obstructed views

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinspection efficiencyVSAvoidmanual inspection difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and highlights only the relevant dental conditions from the complete 3D dental model by generating bounding boxes around detected conditions. This extraction process separates the critical information (dental conditions) from the background (rest of the model), allowing users to focus inspection efforts on specific areas rather than manually searching the entire model, thereby improving inspection efficiency while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Loss of information

If complete 3D dental model is displayed, then all dental conditions are visible, but complexity of inspection increases due to scattered regions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of dental conditionsVSAvoidinspection complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by generating bounding boxes with different visual properties around different dental conditions. Each bounding box highlights specific local regions containing dental conditions, allowing the system to maintain visibility of all conditions while reducing inspection complexity through selective emphasis. The bounding boxes provide localized information about condition type and severity without requiring users to analyze the entire complex 3D model.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If manual searching of dental conditions is performed, then user can identify all indications, but time consumption increases due to scattered distribution

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidinspection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by automatically detecting and marking all dental conditions with bounding boxes before user inspection. The system pre-processes the 3D model to identify and highlight regions containing dental conditions, including their types and severity levels. This preliminary detection and visualization eliminates the need for users to manually search through scattered regions, significantly reducing inspection time while maintaining detection accuracy through the visual guidance provided by the bounding boxes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4523218B1Method and system for identifying islands of interest
Publication Date: 2026.01.21 3SHAPE AS
  • EP4523218B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4523218B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4523218B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

According to an embodiment, a computer-implemented method for identifying islands (303) of interest on a 3D dental model (100, 300) is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of receiving at least a first dental 3D scan data of a subject, generating the 3D dental model (100, 300) based on the received at least first dental 3D data of the subject. Method further comprises a step of identifying a plurality of regions on the 3D dental model (100, 300), each region of the plurality of regions indicating presence of at least one dental condition. A severity factor value for each region of the plurality of regions is determined, the severity factor value indicating a level of severity of the at least one dental condition. The method further comprises step of marking, on the 3D dental model (100, 300), each region of the plurality of regions with a visual indicator, wherein the visual indicator is selected based on the determined severity factor value for said region. A plurality of islands (303) is then obtained by grouping the plurality of regions on the 3D dental model (100, 300) such that each island (303) comprises neighboring regions indicating presence of the at least one dental condition. The 3D dental model (100, 300) is then displayed.