Virtual and physical dental models of dental surfaces and analog socket structure of a dental implant and related procedures
A system and method are provided for manufacturing a physical model of a dental structure that includes a dental implant. In at least one example, the physical model is configured to allow a dental analog can be inserted into the physical model in a general coronal direction. A virtual model of the dental structure is provided including a virtual implant spatial disposition with respect to the virtual model corresponding to a physical implant spatial disposition of the dental implant with respect to the physical dental structure. A virtual analog installation structure is defined in the virtual model. Using the virtual model, a physical model corresponding to the virtual model is manufactured, the physical model being provided with a physical analog installation structure corresponding to the virtual analog installation structure. The physical analog installation structure is configured for enabling a dental analog, corresponding to the dental implant, to be inserted in a general coronal direction with respect to the physical model to an installed position in the physical model. In the installed position, the dental analog has an analog spatial disposition with respect to the physical model corresponding to the physical implant spatial disposition of the dental implant with respect to the physical dental structure. A composite physical model, and methods for manufacturing the same, are also provided.
1. A method for manufacturing a composite physical dental model of a dental structure of a patient for a restorative procedure, the method comprising:
generating a first virtual model of the dental structure of the patient from optical scanning data, the first virtual model including a portion associated with soft dental surfaces, a portion associated with hard dental surfaces, and a location of a restorative object;
identifying a first virtual surface of the first virtual model corresponding to a first portion of the soft dental surfaces that surrounds the location of the restorative object;
separating the identified first portion of the soft dental surfaces from at least the portion associated with hard dental surfaces of the first virtual model to create a second virtual model of a soft model part of the identified first portion of the soft dental surfaces and a third virtual model of a hard model part separated from the identified first portion and including at least the portion associated with hard dental surfaces and a second portion of the soft dental surfaces of the first virtual model, wherein separating the identified first portion of the soft dental surfaces from at least the hard dental surfaces includes:
defining a second virtual surface of the first virtual model by defining a plane in a selected orientation and displaced a first distance in an apical direction from the first virtual surface of the first virtual model, and
defining a third virtual surface of the second virtual model by defining a plane in the selected orientation and displaced a second distance, greater than the first distance, in the apical direction from the first virtual surface of the first virtual model;
outputting a composite model including the second virtual model and the third virtual model, the composite model including a first model part of a soft material and a second model part of a hard material, the first model part corresponding to a shape of the second virtual model part and the second model part corresponding to a shape of the third virtual model.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second model part has at least one physical property different from a physical property of the first model part.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the physical property is a mechanical property.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the physical property is at least one of a texture, a resilience, a color, and a softness.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising manufacturing a physical composite model based on the outputted composite model.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein manufacturing the physical composite model based on the outputted composite model includes using a rapid prototyping process in the manufacturing.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the identified first portion of the soft dental surfaces from at least the hard dental surfaces includes defining lateral virtual surfaces of the first virtual model that extend between the first virtual surface and the second virtual surface of the first virtual model.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second virtual model and the third virtual model virtually abut each other.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first virtual model of the dental structure of the patient includes scanning the dental structure of the patient.