Dental Preparation Guide Digital Validation Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for generating dental preparation guides suffer from inaccuracy when defining validation surfaces, particularly when using physical teeth models, which can lead to incorrect tooth preparation shapes and sizes, and fail to adequately support the dental restoration during preparation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the creation of digital 3D representations of teeth, where a virtual target dental restoration is used to generate a validation surface and a preparation guide surface, allowing for accurate validation and alignment of tooth preparation, even when the entire tooth surface is modified, using neighboring teeth or gingiva for support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a physical teeth model is used to define the validation surface, then the dental preparation guide can be manufactured, but the accuracy of the validation surface shape and position deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical teeth models with digital 3D representations (virtual models) of the patient's actual teeth. This digital copying approach eliminates the inaccuracies introduced by physical model fabrication while preserving all anatomical details, enabling precise definition of the validation surface directly from accurate digital scans of the patient's dentition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical process of creating physical gypsum models with computer-based digital modeling and processing. The validation surface is now defined through software algorithms operating on digital 3D data, replacing the manual mechanical model-making process that introduced cumulative errors in shape and dimension.
2Manufacturing precision
If the entire tooth surface is modified during preparation, then the dental restoration can be properly fitted, but the dental preparation guide lacks sufficient support surfaces from neighboring teeth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the preparation guide structure into the digital spatial domain by incorporating virtual representations of neighboring teeth and gingival tissues. This allows the guide to maintain stability through virtual anchor points in addition to physical contact with prepared tooth surfaces, solving the support problem when entire tooth surfaces are modified.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces virtual reference surfaces derived from digital models of neighboring teeth and gingiva as intermediary support elements. These virtual mediators provide stable reference frames for the preparation guide even when physical tooth surfaces are extensively modified, enabling continuous validation of preparation accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If digital 3D representations are used instead of physical models, then the validation surface accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional digital workflow where the same 3D scanning and modeling system serves multiple purposes: capturing tooth anatomy, planning restorations, manufacturing guides, and validating preparations. This universal digital platform consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate physical systems, managing complexity through integration rather than proliferation of components.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for validating a preparation of at least one tooth in a prepared set of teeth for determining whether the prepared tooth is capable of accepting a dental restoration includes obtaining a virtual dental preparation guide configured for validating the preparation of the at least one tooth; obtaining a digital 3D representation of the prepared set of teeth; visualizing the virtual dental preparation guide together with the digital 3D representation of the prepared set of teeth; and validating from the visualization of the virtual dental preparation guide together with the digital 3D representation of the prepared set of teeth whether the prepared at least one tooth is shaped such that it can accept the dental restoration.