Automated process for intermediate orthodontic digital setup generation
A method for generating digital setups for an orthodontic treatment path. The method includes receiving a digital 3D model of teeth, performing interproximal reduction (IPR) on the model and, after performing the IPR, generating an initial treatment path with stages including an initial setup, a final setup, and a plurality of intermediate setups. The method also includes computing IPR accessibility for each tooth at each stage of the initial treatment path, applying IPR throughout the initial treatment path based upon the computed IPR accessibility, and dividing the initial treatment path into steps of feasible motion of the teeth resulting in a final treatment path with setups corresponding with the steps. The setups can be used to make orthodontic appliances, such as clear tray aligners, for each stage of the treatment path.
1 . A device for generating an orthodontic treatment plan for a patient, the device comprising:
one or more memories storing instructions; and
one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories, the one or more processors individually or collectively configured to:
receive a digital three-dimensional (3D) model of a patient's teeth, wherein the 3D model is generated from intraoral scan data or scans of impressions;
modify the digital 3D model to simulate interproximal reduction (IPR) by altering digital representations of tooth surfaces at locations corresponding to planned enamel removal;
generate an initial treatment path comprising a sequence of digital setups, each setup representing a physically achievable arrangement of the patient's teeth at a given stage, including an initial setup, a plurality of intermediate setups, and a final setup;
for each tooth and each setup, evaluate accessibility for IPR by analyzing spatial relationships and proximity of tooth surfaces in the digital 3 D model to determine, based on tooth position and contact points with adjacent teeth, whether a mesial region or a distal region of the tooth is accessible for enamel removal;
identify, based on the initial treatment path, a set of sequential steps of biologically feasible tooth movement within prescribed clinical limits;
subdivide the initial treatment path according to the set of sequential steps to produce a refined treatment path that includes identifying and selecting intermediate setups that are clinically feasible at each stage;
apply IPR throughout the refined treatment path at locations and stages determined to be clinically accessible to minimize a total number of IPR treatment sessions required for the patient; and
output the refined treatment path as a sequence of digital setups for fabrication of orthodontic appliances configured to transition the patient's teeth from the initial setup to the final setup via the intermediate setups.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate a final treatment path based at least in part on user input.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to divide a final treatment path based at least in part on key frames.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate multiple final treatment paths.
5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the digital 3 D model is generated from data acquired using an intraoral scanner.
6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to export the refined treatment path in a format compatible with 3D printing or thermoforming.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to align upper and lower arch models to maintain a desired bite relation during treatment.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to dynamically update simulated IPR and tooth movement as changes in tooth geometry or accessibility occur during iterative refinement.
9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate a visualization of accessible IPR regions using color-coded overlays on the digital tooth model.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to optimize the sequence and magnitude of enamel removal to minimize the number of IPR sessions.
11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to retrieve biologically feasible displacement limits from stored clinical parameters defining maximum rotation, translation, and tipping per treatment stage.
12 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a computer-implemented method for generating an orthodontic treatment plan for a patient, the method comprising:
receiving a digital three-dimensional (3D) model of a set of teeth corresponding to the patient, wherein the 3D model is generated from intraoral scan data or scans of impressions;
modifying the digital 3D model to simulate interproximal reduction (IPR) by altering digital representations of tooth surfaces at locations corresponding to planned enamel removal;
generating an initial treatment path comprising a sequence of digital setups, each setup representing a physically achievable arrangement of the patient's teeth at a given stage, including an initial setup, a plurality of intermediate setups, and a final setup;
for each tooth and each setup, evaluating accessibility for IPR by analyzing spatial relationships and proximity of tooth surfaces in the digital model to determine, based on tooth position and contact points with adjacent teeth, whether a mesial region or a distal region of the tooth is accessible for enamel removal;
identifying, based on the initial treatment path, a set of sequential steps of biologically feasible tooth movement within prescribed clinical limits;
subdividing the initial treatment path according to the set of sequential steps to produce a refined treatment path, including identifying and selecting intermediate setups that are clinically feasible at each stage;
applying IPR throughout the refined treatment path at locations and stages determined to be clinically accessible, minimizing a total number of IPR treatment sessions required for the patient; and
outputting the refined treatment path as a sequence of digital setups for fabrication of orthodontic appliances.
13 . The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to generate the refined treatment path based at least in part on user input.
14 . The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to export the refined treatment path in a format compatible with 3D printing or thermoforming.
15 . The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to align upper and lower arch models to maintain a desired bite relation during treatment.
16 . The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to generate multiple alternative refined treatment paths for practitioner selection.
17 . A method for generating an orthodontic treatment plan for a patient, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, intraoral scan data representing a patient's teeth and generating, from the scan data, a digital three-dimensional (3D) tooth model comprising mesh surfaces representing enamel boundaries of individual teeth;
for each tooth in the 3D tooth model, defining mesial and distal surface regions and generating surface-normal vectors extending from those regions toward an adjacent tooth;
evaluating, within the digital 3D tooth model, interproximal reduction (IPR) accessibility by simulating, along each surface-normal vector, a virtual dental tool having a predetermined width and determining whether a geometry of the virtual dental tool intersects a mesh surface of an adjacent tooth;
assigning, to each surface region, an IPR-accessibility metric based on a distance between the tooth surface and a neighboring mesh surface at which intersection occurs;
generating, by the one or more processors, an initial treatment path comprising a sequence of digital tooth arrangements including an initial setup, one or more intermediate setups, and a final setup, each arrangement being defined by a 3D transformation of individual tooth geometries;
subdividing the initial treatment path into incremental stages defining a refined treatment path in which each stage represents a physically achievable transformation of the 3D tooth geometries based on the IPR-accessibility metric and stored limits on biologically feasible tooth displacement;
modifying the digital 3D tooth model to simulate IPR by removing, from the mesh geometry, a volumetric portion of enamel at locations identified as physically accessible; and
outputting the refined treatment path as a set of 3D digital models configured for fabrication of orthodontic appliances that reposition the patient's teeth from the initial setup to the final setup.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the digital 3D tooth model is generated from intraoral scans or scanned impressions captured from multiple viewing angles.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein subdividing the initial treatment path includes identifying intermediate setups that maintain proper occlusal contact and avoid collisions between teeth.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the set of 3D digital models are in a format compatible with 3D printing or thermoforming.