A method for analyzing a real dental situation of a patient. The method includes steps, as follows, in succession. At an updated instant, acquisition of an updated image representing a real dental scene as observed by an operator. Determination of a virtual dental scene as a function of the representation of the real dental scene on the updated image. Presentation of the virtual dental scene in transparent mode and overlaid on the real dental scene, or display of the updated image on a screen and presentation of the virtual dental scene overlaid with the representation of the real dental scene on the updated image displayed on the screen, in transparent mode or not on the representation.

Direct 3D-printed orthodontic aligners with torque, rotation, and full-control anchors divots are provided. An example process generates multiple virtual models of orthodontic treatment based on progressive moduli of elasticity (MOE) of different materials that will be used to 3D-print a progressive set of 3D-printed aligners. A progression of 3D-printed aligners applies modeled forces to the divot anchors positioned by the models and to the teeth, in treatment stages that are also computed by the models. One class of the example 3D-printed aligners may have flat occlusal biting surfaces, enabling simultaneous treatment of bite correction, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), lower jaw growth, and sleep apnea, along with orthodontic movement of teeth. An example 3D-printed aligner has a micro blower for creating air pressure to treat apnea. The aligner may have a microprocessor, sensors, data handling, and data transmission, for controlling actions of the 3D-printed aligner.

At least one embodiment of a method for training automatic tooth charting systems, the method comprising: obtaining, through a communication network, a plurality of electronic dental charts generated by the plurality of tooth charting systems, the plurality of electronic dental charts being related to a plurality of patients; for each of the obtained electronic dental charts: extracting at least a portion of an image representing a tooth or a region of interest and obtaining at least a corresponding item of information characterizing the represented tooth or the represented region of interest; storing the extracted at least a portion of the image and the corresponding item of information in a training data set, training the automatic dental charting system with the training data set.

Systems and methods for improved visual prosthetic and orthodontic treatment planning are provided herein. In some aspects, a method for preparing a tooth of a patient is disclosed. The method may comprise building a model of a dentition of the patient including a model of the initial shape of tooth. The method may also include determining a final prepared shape of the tooth. In some aspects, the method may also include generating a treatment plan comprising a plurality of steps to modify the initial shape of the tooth to the final prepared shape of the tooth. The method may also include rendering visualizations for the plurality of steps of the treatment plan. The visualizations may depict the removal of tooth material to modify the initial shape of the tooth to the final prepared shape of the tooth.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method and system of determining a first force vector of a selected point in a first position on a virtual dentition of the oral cavity based on the first aggregate force characteristic of a force member, having multiple segments, in the first configuration and determining a second force vector of the selected point in a second position on the virtual dentition based on the first aggregate force characteristic of the force member in the first configuration. The method includes determining a condition of whether the second force vector (or force magnitude thereof) is within 90 percent of the first force vector (or force magnitude thereof) at 50 percent of displacement between the first position and the second position and performing an operation based on the condition.

A mobile orthodontic treatment system includes comprising a mobile trailer and a panoramic machine provided within the trailer. The panoramic machine is configured to obtain a 2-D image of a patient's mouth and includes a base secured to the floor of the housing and a stanchion secured to the trailer by a bracket. The mobile orthodontic treatment system further includes a digital scanner and a monitor provided within the housing. The digital scanner is configured to obtain a 3-D image of the patient's mouth and display the image on the monitor. The digital scanner and the monitor are mounted on a wall of the housing by a wall mount articulating bracket. The mobile orthodontic treatment system further includes a lift assembly provided on one of a side and an end of the housing to enable disabled people to enter and exit the housing.

Dental treatment can be provided by a system that overlays a treatment template on a patient's arch in mixed reality, enabling a practitioner to view a schematic of the dental treatment while administering the treatment itself. The system employs a physical guide which includes stabilizing pieces to hold the guide steady with respect to the area of the arch where treatment is being administered. When the physical guide is scanned, a virtual guide is produced, in relation to which the treatment template can be defined. When the physical guide is installed on the patient, the virtual guide is aligned with the physical guide, thus aligning the template with the physical arch. With the physical guide firmly in place, the guides provide abundant feature points for reliable alignment which can be maintained even while practitioners and patient's readjust their positioning throughout a treatment, or in situations where the oral anatomy may not be visible to a mixed reality device.

A support is coupled to an appliance to decrease warpage. The support may comprise a plurality of extensions coupled to the appliance to decrease warpage. The extensions can be coupled to the appliance at one or more of many locations, such as on an occlusal surface, a wall, an edge or an interior of the appliance. In some embodiments, the extensions are coupled to walls of the appliance such as a buccal wall and a lingual wall, and the extensions can be coupled to the walls of the appliance near edges of the walls, such as a gingivally facing edges of the walls that are oriented toward the gingiva when the appliance is worn.

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to providing data files associated with orthodontic appliances. In some embodiments, a system for providing data files associated with orthodontic appliances comprises a database, wherein the database stores the data files associated with the orthodontic appliances and a control circuit, wherein the control circuit is communicatively coupled to the database, a user device, and a printer, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive, from the user device, an indication of a selected orthodontic device, retrieve, based on the indication of the selected orthodontic device from the database, one of the data files associated with the orthodontic appliances, wherein the one of the data files associated with the orthodontic appliances corresponds to the selected orthodontic appliance, and transmit, to the printer, the one of the data files associated with the orthodontic appliances.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for generating a virtual model. The apparatus according to the present disclosure comprises: a scanner that acquires a continuous 2D image within a measurement space; and a model generation unit for generating a three-dimensional virtual model by converting the image acquired from the scanner, wherein the model generation unit removes an area from the three-dimensional virtual model according to the reliability of data and generates a final model on the basis of the remaining area.