AR Dental Preparation Overlay for Precise Tooth Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental preparation methods lack reproducibility and quality control, leading to issues such as thin or over-reduced crowns, gaps, and improper insertion paths, which affect the long-term success of dental restorations.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing augmented reality and AI to superimpose a virtual dental preparation overlay on real-time images of the tooth, providing real-time feedback and alerts to ensure accurate tooth reduction and crown placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual dental preparation methods are used, then the process is simple and easy to perform, but the quality and reproducibility of tooth preparation deteriorates leading to improper reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the target tooth preparation state and uses augmented reality to overlay this virtual model onto the real tooth during preparation. This allows the dentist to compare the virtual target with the actual preparation in real-time, ensuring the real tooth matches the ideal virtual preparation without requiring complex physical jigs or guides
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time visual feedback by superimposing the virtual dental preparation overlay onto live images of the actual tooth preparation. The computed difference between virtual and real preparations is displayed immediately, allowing the dentist to adjust the preparation to match the virtual target, thereby improving preparation quality through continuous feedback
2Measurement precision
If real-time augmented reality feedback is implemented, then the precision and control of tooth preparation improves, but the computational requirements and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential visual features and geometric characteristics needed for comparison between the virtual and real tooth preparations. By focusing on key parameters such as tooth reduction depth, angles, and critical dimensions rather than processing complete 3D models, the system achieves high measurement precision while reducing computational energy consumption
3Reliability
If continuous monitoring and alerts are provided, then the quality control and reproducibility improve, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous monitoring by repeatedly computing the difference between the virtual dental preparation and the actual tooth preparation throughout the procedure. When the computed difference indicates that preparation accuracy thresholds are met, the system provides feedback that the exit condition is reached, ensuring reliable quality control without requiring complex post-processing or multiple verification steps
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual dental preparation is pre-computed based on the patient's specific anatomy and restoration requirements before the actual preparation begins. This preliminary virtual model serves as a complete guide, allowing the dentist to follow a predetermined accurate path rather than requiring complex real-time decision-making or multiple adjustment iterations
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system that, with a surface representation of a virtual dental preparation being provided for a specific tooth, and until an exit condition is reached, repeat: generating an overlay from the surface representation based on a computed difference between a real-dental preparation and the virtual dental preparation; and coincidently superimposing the overlay upon a feed of images of the real-dental preparation thereby generating an augmented reality feed of images. The exit condition is tied to the computed difference. The method and system allow for displaying the augmented reality feed of images.