Intraoral 3D Roughness Mapping for Precise Prosthesis Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intraoral scanning technologies fail to accurately provide roughness information for tooth surfaces, making it difficult to achieve precise registration of prostheses due to irregularities.
Innovation Solution
An intraoral image processing apparatus and method that generates three-dimensional oral cavity models, calculates curvature and roughness values, and displays these values in color to identify areas requiring additional preparation, thereby enhancing the precision of prosthetic tooth preparation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing intraoral scanning technologies are used to obtain three-dimensional data, then the oral cavity can be scanned non-contactingly, but the roughness information of tooth surfaces cannot be accurately provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tooth surface into multiple local regions and calculates curvature values for each region separately. By dividing the complex tooth surface into manageable segments (vertices, edges, faces), the system can accurately compute curvature and roughness information for each segment, which then contributes to the overall roughness assessment of the tooth surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional image data to three-dimensional curvature analysis. By calculating curvature values at multiple points on the tooth surface and comparing them spatially, the system adds a dimensional aspect that enables accurate roughness measurement. The three-dimensional curvature calculation reveals surface irregularities that are not apparent in traditional two-dimensional imaging.
2Adaptability or versatility
If tooth-specific geometric information is not considered in roughness measurement, then the measurement process is simpler, but the technologies cannot be applied to oral cavity models
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal curvature calculation method that can be applied to any three-dimensional mesh representing a tooth or oral cavity model. The same curvature calculation algorithms work across different tooth types, regions, and scanning resolutions, making the system universally applicable to oral cavity models without requiring tooth-specific customization for each case.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adjusts measurement parameters dynamically based on the specific characteristics of the oral cavity model being analyzed. By modifying curvature calculation parameters such as neighborhood radius, weight distribution, and curvature threshold values, the system adapts to different tooth geometries and surface conditions while maintaining consistent roughness assessment accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If curvature values are calculated at multiple points on the tooth surface, then roughness information can be obtained, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent calculates curvature values at strategically selected points rather than uniformly across the entire surface. By identifying and measuring curvature at critical locations (vertices, edges, and faces with significant geometric features), the system obtains sufficient roughness information without the computational burden of measuring every possible point on the tooth surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces time-consuming traditional surface profiling methods with computational geometry algorithms that calculate curvature mathematically from three-dimensional scan data. Instead of physically measuring the tooth surface with contact-based instruments, the system uses digital curvature calculation methods that process point cloud or mesh data efficiently, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining measurement precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are an intraoral image processing method and an intraoral image processing apparatus. The intraoral image processing method according to an embodiment may include: obtaining a three-dimensional oral cavity model of an oral cavity; obtaining curvature information of the three-dimensional oral cavity model; obtaining roughness information of the three-dimensional oral cavity model, based on the curvature information; obtaining a color of the three-dimensional oral cavity model, based on the roughness information; and displaying the three-dimensional oral cavity model, based on the obtained color.