Occlusal Plane Suggestion Using Landmark Learning From Facial Images
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for suggesting an occlusal plane in dental treatment are inconsistent in quality due to clinician skill variation and require expensive and difficult-to-maintain equipment, increasing patient burden and treatment costs.
Innovation Solution
A device and method that uses data analysis and machine learning to suggest an optimized occlusal plane by generating and analyzing image data from various patient and normal occlusion scans, learning anatomical landmarks, and outputting a personalized occlusal plane suggestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional methods using face-bow and trial-and-error techniques are used, then occlusal plane suggestion can be performed, but treatment quality varies according to operator skill and equipment costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical measurement systems (face-bow, articulator, Record Base, Wax Rim, Fox Plane) with a digital imaging and computational system. The occlusal plane suggestion device uses image processing algorithms to automatically determine the occlusal plane from standard facial photographs, eliminating the need for complex mechanical equipment and manual trial-and-error procedures. This substitution ensures consistent treatment quality regardless of operator skill level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the patient's facial features and anatomical landmarks from photographs, then uses computational methods to suggest the occlusal plane. This digital modeling approach replaces physical models and wax rims, allowing for repeated analysis without additional cost or operator skill dependency while maintaining treatment quality consistency.
2Reliability
If face-bow equipment is used for occlusal plane suggestion, then treatment can be performed, but patient burden and treatment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, durable equipment (face-bow costing millions of won) with inexpensive digital imaging technology. Standard digital photographs serve as the input medium, eliminating the need for costly mechanical devices. This approach dramatically reduces both equipment investment and per-patient treatment costs while maintaining occlusal plane suggestion accuracy through computational methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes mechanical measurement equipment with optical-digital systems. Instead of using face-bow apparatus that require maintenance and represent significant capital investment, the system uses standard digital cameras and image processing software. This substitution eliminates equipment maintenance costs and reduces the financial burden on both clinics and patients while preserving treatment accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
An occlusal plane suggestion method according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps in which: (a) an occlusal plane suggestion device receives at least one of first to fourth data for a person with normal occlusion and matches same to generate IVth image data; (b) the occlusal plane suggestion device analyzes the generated IVth image data to learn the relationship between a landmark, which is an anatomical singularity, and the occlusal plane of the person with normal occlusion; (c) the occlusal plane suggestion device receives at least one of first to fourth data about a patient; and (d) the occlusal plane suggestion device analyzes the received at least one of the first to fourth data about the patient on the basis of the learned relationship between the landmark and the normal occlusal plane to suggest and output an occlusal plane optimized for the patient.