System and method for improved intra-oral scanning protocol and calibration

1. A method of providing a three-dimensional scan of a dental arch area, the dental arch area having two segments and a soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area between the two segments, the method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, a scan dataset of a portion of a patient's mouth including data regarding the two segments, the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area, and a connecting-geometry tool with at least one definable feature relative to the dental arch area, the at least one definable feature overlaying at least part of the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area;

determining data relating to the at least one definable feature of the connecting-geometry tool overlaying the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area based on the scan dataset of the portion of the patient's mouth; and

determining the dimensions of the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area based on the data relating to the at least one definable feature.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connecting-geometry tool is a mesh grid, the mesh grid including a plurality of geometric shapes.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of geometric shapes have at least two geometric shapes having different dimensions.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the dimensions includes performing an error assessment to determine a skew in the scan dataset in relation to a known dimension of the at least one definable feature and a corresponding dimension of the at least one definable feature determined from the data relating to the definable feature.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising correcting the scan dataset based on the error assessment to produce a corrected intra-oral scan dataset.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the error correction is performed in real-time.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connecting-geometry tool is a mesh grid and includes at least one object having predetermined dimensions.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scan dataset includes at least one abutment fixed in the dental arch area and wherein the connecting-geometry tool is attached to the abutment and extends over the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the connecting-geometry tool is a plate.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the plate includes at least one definable object, the at least one definable object having a predetermined dimension.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area is a palate.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area is a tongue.

13. A system for producing a three-dimensional model of a dental arch area, the dental arch area including two segments separated by a soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area between the two segments, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one storage device comprising instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, configured the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, a scan dataset of a portion of a patient's mouth including the two segments, the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area, and a connecting-geometry tool with at least one definable feature relative to the dental arch area, the at least one definable feature overlaying at least part of the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area;

determining data relating to the at least one definable feature of the connecting-geometry tool overlaying the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area based on the scan dataset of the portion of the patient's mouth; and

determining dimensions of the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area based on the data relating to the at least one definable feature.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the connecting-geometry tool is a mesh grid, the mesh grid including a plurality of geometric shapes.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of geometric shapes have at least two different dimensions.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein determining the dimensions includes:

performing an error assessment to determine the skew in the scan dataset in relation to a known dimension of the at least one definable feature and a corresponding dimension of the definable feature determined from the data relating to the definable feature.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to correct the scan dataset based on the error assessment to produce a corrected intra-oral scan dataset.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations of:

receiving, at a computing device, a scan dataset of a portion of a patient's mouth including a dental arch area having two segments, a soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area, and a connecting-geometry tool with at least one definable feature relative to the dental arch area, the at least one definable feature overlaying at least part of the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area;

determining data relating to the at least one definable feature of the connecting-geometry tool overlaying the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area based on the scan dataset of the portion of the patient's mouth; and

determining dimensions of the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area based on the data relating to the at least one definable feature.