Method for manipulating a dental virtual model, method for creating physical entities based on a dental virtual model thus manipulated, and dental models thus created
View Patent ↗A 3D virtual model of an intra oral cavity in which at least a part of a finish line of a preparation is obscured is manipulated in virtual space by means of a computer or the like to create, recreate or reconstruct finish line data and other geometrical corresponding to the obscured part. Trimmed virtual models, and trimmed physical models, can then be created utilizing data thus created. The virtual models and/or the physical models may be used in the design and manufacture of copings or of prostheses.
1. A method for manufacturing a physical dental model, comprising:
(A) providing a trimmed first virtual model part and a trimmed second virtual model part corresponding to at least one dental site comprising:
providing to a computer processor, data of a 3D virtual model of at least a portion of an intraoral cavity comprising a preparation having a finish line, wherein at least a portion of the finish line is obscured; and
configuring said computer processor to:
manipulate data of said obscured portion of said finish line of the 3D virtual model in a virtual manner to create an auxiliary 3D virtual model that is displayable on a computer screen and corresponds to said obscured portion of said finish line;
provide topographical data of the finish line from the 3D virtual model and the auxiliary 3D virtual model;
identify in said 3D virtual model a first virtual model part representing a dental site comprising said preparation and a second virtual model part representing at least soft tissues in abutting virtual contact with said first virtual model part;
manipulate said 3D virtual model to separate said first virtual model part from said second virtual model part;
manipulate said first virtual model part to create said auxiliary 3D virtual model;
creating a trimmed first model part comprising said first virtual model part and said auxiliary 3D virtual model;
manipulating said second model part to remove surface data thereof corresponding to said auxiliary 3D virtual model and creating a trimmed second model part;
manipulating said trimmed first model part to include a virtual model base projecting therefrom, and manipulating said trimmed second model part to include a virtual model well substantially complementary to said virtual model base;
(B) preparing computer instructions for controlling operation of a computer controlled manufacturing machine for creating physical models corresponding to said trimmed first and second virtual model parts respectively including said virtual model base and said virtual model well; and
(C) executing said computer instructions on said computer controlled manufacturing machine and creating a set of physical models comprising a trimmed first physical model part and a trimmed second physical model part corresponding to said trimmed first and second virtual model parts respectively including said virtual model base and said virtual model well.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said computer instructions are directed to carrying out a material removal operation on at least one material blank to create said physical models.
3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein said material removal operation comprises CNC machining of said at least one material blank.
4. A method according to claim 1 , applied to a plurality of dental sites on at least one jaw of an intraoral cavity, and wherein said trimmed second virtual model part corresponding to each said dental site are suitably joined in a virtual manner to provide a global virtual model of said jaw.
5. A computerized method for designing a dental coping using a computer system, comprising:
creating a trimmed first virtual model part, comprising:
providing to a computer processor, data of a 3D virtual model of at least a portion of an intraoral cavity comprising a preparation having a finish line, wherein at least a portion of the finish line is obscured;
configuring said computer processor to:
manipulate data of said obscured portion of said finish line of the 3D virtual model in a virtual manner to create an auxiliary 3D virtual model that is displayable on a computer screen and corresponds to said obscured portion of said finish line,
provide topographical data of the finish line from the 3D virtual model and the auxiliary 3D virtual model,
identify in said 3D virtual model a first virtual model part representing a dental site comprising said preparation and a second virtual model part representing at least soft tissues in abutting virtual contact with said first virtual model part,
manipulate said 3D virtual model to separate said first virtual model part from said second virtual model part, and
manipulate said first virtual model part to create said auxiliary 3D virtual model;
creating a trimmed first model part comprising said first virtual model part and said auxiliary 3D virtual model;
using said trimmed first model part for generating a design for the respective dental coping or dental prosthesis; and
outputting the design from the computer system.
6. A physical model set of at least a portion of an intra oral cavity, comprising a trimmed first physical model part and a trimmed second physical model part corresponding to a trimmed first virtual model part and a trimmed second virtual model part, wherein said trimmed first virtual model part and said trimmed second virtual model part are provided according to the following process comprising:
providing to a computer processor, data of a 3D virtual model of at least a portion of an intraoral cavity comprising a preparation having a finish line, wherein at least a portion of the finish line is obscured; and
configuring said computer processor to:
manipulate said data of said obscured portion of said finish line of the 3D virtual model in a virtual manner to create an auxiliary 3D virtual model that is displayable on a computer screen and corresponds to said obscured portion of said finish line;
provide topographical data of the finish line from the 3D virtual model and the auxiliary 3D virtual model;
identify in said 3D virtual model a first virtual model part representing a dental site comprising said preparation and a second virtual model part representing at least soft tissues in abutting virtual contact with said first virtual model part;
manipulate said 3D virtual model to separate said first virtual model part from said second virtual model part;
manipulate said first virtual model part to create said auxiliary 3D virtual model;
creating a trimmed first model part comprising said first virtual model part and said auxiliary 3D virtual model;
manipulating said second virtual model part to remove surface data thereof corresponding to said auxiliary 3D virtual model and creating a trimmed second model part;
manipulating said trimmed first model part to include a virtual model base projecting therefrom, and manipulating said trimmed second model part to include a virtual model well substantially complementary to said virtual model base;
preparing computer instructions for controlling operation of a computer controlled manufacturing machine for creating physical models corresponding to said trimmed first and second virtual model parts respectively including said virtual model base and said virtual model well; and
executing said computer instructions on said computer controlled manufacturing machine and creating a set of physical models comprising a trimmed first physical model part and a trimmed second physical model part corresponding to said trimmed first and second virtual model parts respectively including said virtual model base and said virtual model well.