Method and system for selecting surface finishes

1. A method of selecting a surface finish for a computer-designed dental component associated with an anatomical area of a specific patient, comprising:

creating the computer designed dental component including a plurality of outer surfaces;

displaying an image of the computer-designed dental component and at least one outer surface of the plurality of outer surfaces of the computer designed dental component;

displaying a first plurality of finishes available for the at least one outer surface, the first plurality of finishes include a first plurality of surface roughness finish techniques and a first plurality of surface roughness finish values corresponding to one or more of the first plurality of surface roughness finish techniques;

accepting a selection of one of the first plurality of finishes including a surface roughness finish technique and a corresponding surface roughness finish value for the at least one outer surface via a user interface;

displaying a second plurality of finishes available for a second outer surface of the plurality of outer surfaces of the computer-designed dental component, the second plurality of finishes include a second plurality of surface roughness finish techniques and a second plurality of surface roughness finish values corresponding to one or more of the first plurality of surface roughness finish techniques, wherein the first plurality of finishes displayed includes at least one surface roughness finish technique that is different from at least one surface roughness finish technique of the second plurality of finishing, and wherein the first and second surface roughness finishing techniques displayed are based on at least one of the location and size of the first and second outer surface; and

accepting a second selection of one of the second plurality of finishes including a surface roughness finish technique and a corresponding roughness finish value for the second outer surface of the plurality of outer surfaces via the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is one of a dental bar, dental abutment, dental implant, dental screw or dental crown.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second plurality of finishes are selected based on the material of the component.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second plurality of finishes are selected based on the location or the size of the at least one surface.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface displaying a three-dimensional representation of the component and graphics representing the first and second plurality of finishes.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second plurality of finishes accepts a value input from a slider interface.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing a file including the computer-designed component and the finishing selections; and

sending the file to a computer aided manufacturing system for manufacturing the component.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selections for finishes include at least one of an additive finish or a subtractive finish.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one surface includes multiple elements on the component.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein finishes are displayed for each of the multiple elements of the at least one surface.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one surface is defined by a user.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the image and determining the location of the at least one surface.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is created from a template component.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is created by incorporating numerical data obtained from the specific patient.

15. A system to produce a customized dental component for a specific patient, the system comprising:

a storage device to store macro geometric data representing a dental component having a plurality of outer surfaces;

a display to display a user interface showing an image of the dental component and at least one surface of the plurality of outer surfaces;

a controller displaying a first plurality of finishes available for the at least one outer surface of the plurality of outer surfaces of the dental component and accepting a selection of one of the first plurality of finishes for the at least one outer surface via the user interface, the first plurality of finishes including a first plurality of surface roughness finish techniques and a first plurality of surface roughness finish values corresponding to one or more of the first plurality of surface roughness finish techniques, wherein the controller displays a plurality of second finishes available for a second outer surface of the plurality of outer surfaces of the dental component and accepting a selection of one of the second plurality of finishes for the second outer surface of the plurality of outer surfaces via the user interface, the second plurality of finishes including a second plurality of surface roughness finish techniques and a second plurality of surface roughness finish values corresponding to one or more of the first plurality of surface roughness finish techniques finishes, wherein the first plurality of finishes displayed includes at least one surface roughness finish technique that is different from at least one surface roughness finish technique of the second plurality of finishing, and wherein the first and second surface roughness finishing techniques displayed are based on at least one of the location and size of the first and second outer surface.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the component is one of a dental bar, dental abutment, dental implant, dental screw or dental crown.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first and second plurality of finishes are selected based on the material of the component.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first and second plurality of finishes are selected based on the location or the size of the at least one surface.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface displaying a three-dimensional representation of the component and graphics representing the first and second plurality of finishes.

20. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a computer aided manufacturing system for manufacturing the component coupled to the storage device, wherein the storage device stores a file including the component and the finishing selections.

21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the selections for finishes include at least one of an additive finish or a subtractive finish.

22. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one surfaces includes multiple elements on the component.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein finishes are displayed for each of the multiple elements of the at least one surface.

24. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one surface is input by the user interface.

25. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller analyzes the image and determines the location of the at least one surface.

26. The system of claim 15 , wherein the component is created from a template component stored in the storage device.

27. The system of claim 15 , further comprising an interface to accept numerical data associated with the specific patient, and wherein the component is created by incorporating numerical data obtained from the specific patient.

28. A non-transitory, machine readable medium having stored thereon instructions for selection of finishes for a dental component designed specifically for a patient, the stored instructions comprising machine executable code, which when executed by at least one machine processor, causes the machine to:

create a computer-designed dental component including a plurality of outer surfaces;

display an image of the computer-designed dental component and at least one outer surface of the plurality of outer surfaces;

display a first plurality of finishes available for the at least one outer surface of the plurality of outer surfaces of the computer-designed dental component, wherein the first plurality of finishes include a first plurality of surface roughness finish techniques and a first plurality of surface roughness finish values corresponding to one or more of the first plurality of surface roughness finish techniques;

accept a selection of one of the first plurality of finishes including a surface roughness finish technique and a corresponding surface roughness finish value for the at least one outer surface of the plurality of outer surfaces via a user interface;

display a second plurality of finishes available for a second outer surface of the plurality of outer surfaces of the computer designed-dental component, wherein the second plurality of finishes include a second plurality of surface roughness finish techniques and a second plurality of surface roughness finish values corresponding to one or more of the first plurality of surface roughness finish techniques, wherein the first plurality of finishes displayed includes at least one surface roughness finish technique that is different from at least one surface roughness finish technique of the second plurality of finishing, and wherein the first and second surface roughness finishing techniques displayed are based on at least one of the location and size of the first and second outer surface; and

accept a selection of one of the second plurality of finishes including a surface roughness finish technique and a corresponding roughness finish value for the second outer surface of the plurality of outer surfaces via the user interface.