Digital Dentition Analysis for Removable Orthodontic Appliance Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The selection of removable orthodontic appliances in clinical practice is often based on non-quantifiable assessments, leading to uncertainties and potential treatment errors, with limited statistical information for improving the selection process.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system for determining a suitable removable orthodontic appliance by obtaining digital impressions, analyzing tooth characteristics, and comparing them with predefined appliances, utilizing image recognition and artificial intelligence to suggest the most appropriate appliance based on statistical models and patient data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual fitting and modification of appliances by clinician is used, then flexibility in customization is improved, but measurement precision and treatment reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement and fitting processes with digital optical scanning and automated image recognition systems. The digital impression scanner captures precise 3D geometry of dentition, and AI algorithms automatically analyze characteristics such as arch perimeter, tooth dimensions, and arch depth, eliminating manual measurement errors while maintaining customization capability through digital modeling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates digital copies (virtual models) of the patient's dentition through optical scanning, allowing precise measurement and appliance design in the digital domain before physical fabrication. This digital twin approach enables repeated measurements and analysis without additional manual intervention, improving both precision and efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If non-quantifiable assessment methods are used, then ease of operation is improved, but treatment reliability and consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms subjective non-quantifiable assessments into objective quantifiable parameters through automated image recognition. The system extracts specific measurements including dental arch perimeter, tooth mesiodistal widths, arch depth, and other geometric parameters that can be precisely compared against appliance specifications and treatment protocols, ensuring consistent and reliable decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the digital impression and extracted characteristics are automatically compared with the specifications of available removable appliances. The system provides feedback on which appliances match the patient's characteristics, allowing the clinician to make informed decisions based on objective data rather than subjective assessment.
3Device complexity
If manual assessment and selection process is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by automatically capturing digital impressions and extracting all necessary measurement characteristics before the clinician makes the appliance selection. The system pre-processes the data, identifies relevant parameters, and prepares comparison data for available appliances, significantly reducing the time required for the selection process while maintaining simplicity in the clinician's workflow.
Data Source
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Figure 2B~2C
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AI summary
The invention discloses a computer- implemented method for determining at least one removable orthodontic appliance. The method comprises obtaining a digital impression of at least part of a dentition of a patient; obtaining, based on the digital impression, at least one characteristic relating to at least one tooth; comparing the at least one characteristic with corresponding characteristics associated with a set of predefined removable orthodontic appliances; and determining at least one suitable removable orthodontic appliance among the set of predefined, removable orthodontic appliances based on the comparison.