Virtual Dental Model Positioning via Navigation Body Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental technologies face challenges in accurately replicating the static and dynamic relationship of dental models in a virtual environment, limiting the effectiveness of virtual prosthesis design and testing processes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving scanning navigation bodies and dental models using a scanner to determine coordinate systems, allowing for the positioning and orientation of three-dimensional virtual images within a virtual articulator coordinate system, enabling accurate replication of dental models and articulator features in a virtual scene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional scanning methods are used to create virtual dental models, then the imaging process is simple, but the accuracy of replicating articulator features and coordinate system alignment is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces navigation bodies with navigation elements as intermediary objects between the physical articulator and the virtual coordinate system. These navigation elements serve as mediators that enable accurate coordinate system determination and transformation, allowing precise alignment of virtual dental models with the physical articulator's coordinate system without requiring direct complex measurements of the articulator itself
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement and alignment procedures with optical scanning and computational coordinate system transformations. Instead of using physical measurement tools and manual alignment methods, the system uses scanners to capture navigation elements and computationally determines coordinate systems, substituting mechanical processes with optical and computational ones to achieve higher precision
2Adaptability or versatility
If physical dental models and articulators are used for prosthesis design, then accurate bite relationship representation is achieved, but reliance on physical models limits virtual design capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates accurate virtual copies of physical dental models and articulators by scanning navigation elements and transforming coordinates. The virtual dental models are positioned and oriented within a virtual articulator coordinate system that replicates the physical articulator's geometry and bite relationships, enabling virtual prosthesis design with precision that matches physical model accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms physical spatial parameters into digital coordinate parameters through scanning and mathematical transformation. By changing the state of the dental models from physical objects to digital representations with associated coordinate systems, the system enables virtual manipulation and design while preserving the original physical relationships through calculated transformations
3Manufacturing precision
If navigation elements are scanned to determine coordinate systems, then accurate virtual positioning is achieved, but the scanning process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the complex task of articulator and dental model scanning into separate, manageable components. Navigation bodies with distinct navigation elements are scanned independently to establish the articulator coordinate system, then dental models are scanned separately and positioned using the pre-established coordinate system. This segmentation simplifies each scanning task while achieving overall high precision through coordinated transformation
Data Source
AI summary
A dental method and associated apparatus is disclosed in which a navigation body, comprising a plurality of navigation elements, is scanned using a scanner. Relative locations of the navigation elements are determined and, based on the relative locations, a scanner coordinate system is determined. A dental model is also scanned using the scanner to obtain three-dimensional virtual image data of the dental model and the scanner coordinate system is associated with the image data. A three-dimensional virtual image of the dental model is positioned, based on the three-dimensional virtual image data, within a three-dimensional virtual scene. The virtual scene is associated with a virtual articulator coordinate system, and the positioning of the virtual image within the virtual scene comprises positioning and orienting the virtual image relative to the virtual articulator coordinate system based on a transformation of the virtual image data from the scanner coordinate system to the virtual articulator coordinate system.