Systems and methods for removing gingiva from computer tooth models
A computer-implemented method separates gingiva from a model of a tooth by defining a cutting surface along the gingiva; and applying the cutting surface to the tooth to separate the gingiva from the tooth.
1. A computer-implemented method for separating a tooth from adjacent structure, comprising:
identifying a line between the tooth and the adjacent structure;
defining a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the adjacent structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and
applying the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is curved.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is expressed as a function.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is expressed as a spline function and a quadratic function.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is expressed as a spline function and a parabolic function.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is interactively adjusted.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the interactive adjustment of the cutting surface modifies a function defining the cutting surface.
8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising interactively highlighting the separated portion.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising interactively highlighting the border of the separated portion.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is defined by specifying a basis for the tooth.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the structure is a gingiva, further comprising finding a line between a tooth surface and the gingiva and applying the cutting surface to said line.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising finding a high curvature location on the tooth surface.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising fitting a spline to the line.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface further comprises a plurality of surfaces.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the root of the tooth is modeled as a parabolic surface below a gingival line.
16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising defining an enclosing surface to enclose the crown of the tooth.
17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
displaying the surface specified with a plurality of nodes;
adjusting one or more nodes to modify the surface; and
applying the surface to separate the gingiva from the tooth.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising providing a handle to adjust each orientation of the cutting shape.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein adjusting one or more nodes further comprises moving one or more nodes.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the cutting surface is formed using a function in a cylindrical coordinate system.
21. A system for separating a tooth from adjacent structure, comprising:
means for identifying a line between the tooth and the adjacent structure;
means for defining a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the adjacent structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and
means for applying the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut.
22. A computer program, residing on a tangible storage medium, for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of a dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to:
identify a line between the tooth and the structure;
define a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and
apply the cutting surface between the tooth and the structure to separate the tooth from the structure in a single cut,
wherein applying the cutting surface includes reconstructing a root of the tooth.
23. A computer program, residing on a tangible storage medium, for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of a dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to:
identify a line between the tooth and the structure;
define a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the structure and that creates an approximate shape of a root of the tooth; and
apply the cutting surface between the computer model of the tooth and the computer model of the dental structure to separate the computer model in a single cut.
24. A computer, comprising:
a processor;
a data storage device coupled to the processor, the data storage device containing code for use in separating a computer model of a tooth from a computer model of an adjacent dental structure, the program comprising executable instructions operable to cause a computer to:
identify a line between the tooth and the structure;
define a closed cutting surface that passes through the line between the tooth and the structure, wherein the cutting surface is expressed as a spline function and a quadratic function and wherein the cutting surface further comprises a plurality of surfaces and wherein the root of the tooth is modeled as a parabolic surface below a gingival line; and
apply the cutting surface to the tooth to separate the tooth from the dental structure in a single cut.
25. The system of claim 24 , further comprising instructions to define an enclosing surface to enclose the crown of the tooth.