Method and system for orthodontic diagnosis

1. A method for generating a cephalometric analysis of an orthodontic patient, comprising:

receiving a sequence of images each corresponding to a specific anatomical plane of the orthodontic patient;

deriving a volumetric representation of the orthodontic patient from a combination of the sequence of the images;

receiving one or more markers associated with particular anatomical landmarks of the orthodontic patient according to a predefined analysis method, the markers being defined by a set of coordinate values referenced to the volumetric representation and designated via an interactive user interface to a series of two-dimensional representations of axial views, coronal views, and saggital views corresponding to the received sequence of images, the markers being designated in at least each one of views;

generating connectors between one or more selected ones of the markers in accordance with the predefined analysis method; and

overlaying a visual representation of the markers and the connectors on the volumetric representation;

generating a profile outline of the orthodontic patient without user intervention based upon a chin point and a nose point derived from the received markers; and

overlaying a visual representation of the profile outline on the volumetric representation;

wherein the chin point and the nose point are identified from an intersection of common tangents of a first fitted circle based around a farthest point forward above a received marker corresponding to a point A, and a second fitted circle based around a farthest point forward from a Pogonion point intersecting with a soft tissue edge.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive user interface includes a volumetric maximum intensity projection view.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

aligning the volumetric representation along a first coordinate system based upon one or more of the anatomical landmarks.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the anatomical landmarks include porion right, porion left, orbitale right, and orbitale left.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

calculating an actual angular value between a selected pair of connectors; and

displaying a predetermined normal angular value between the selected pair of connectors and the actual angular value between the selected pair of connectors.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

calculating an actual length of one of the connectors; and

displaying a predetermined normal length of the one of the connectors and the actual length of one of the connectors.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a profile outline of the orthodontic patient based upon the received markers and the generated connectors; and

overlaying a visual representation of the profile outline on the volumetric representation.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

overlaying a visual representation of one or more predefined tooth templates on the volumetric representation, the positioning of the predefined tooth templates being based in part upon the anatomical landmarks.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the tooth templates are scaled based on the size of a selected tooth.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

superimposing a growth standard on to the volumetric representation, deviations from the standard being highlighted along a visual spectrum corresponding to the degree of deviation.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing the markers into an external data file.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more markers are retrieved from the external data file.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a secondary image representative of a face of the patient; and

projecting the secondary image onto the volumetric representation.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

receiving a first set of exterior landmarks on the volumetric representation; and

receiving a second set of exterior landmarks on the secondary image;

wherein the projecting of the secondary image onto the volumetric representation is based upon a matching of the first set of exterior landmarks to the respective corresponding second set of exterior landmarks.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sequence of images is generated by cone beam computed tomography.

16. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory program storage medium readable by a computer, the medium tangibly embodying one or more programs of instructions executable by the computer to perform a method for generating a cephalometric analysis of an orthodontic patient, comprising:

receiving a sequence of images each corresponding to a specific anatomical plane of the orthodontic patient;

deriving a volumetric representation of the orthodontic patient from a combination of the sequence of the images;

receiving one or more markers associated with particular anatomical landmarks of the orthodontic patient according to a predefined analysis method, the markers being defined by a set of coordinate values referenced to the volumetric representation and designated via an interactive user interface to a series of two-dimensional representations of axial views, coronal views, and saggital views corresponding to the received sequence of images, the markers being designated in at least each one of views;

generating connectors between one or more selected ones of the markers in accordance with the predefined analysis method; and

overlaying a visual representation of the markers and the connectors on the volumetric representation;

generating a profile outline of the orthodontic patient without user intervention based upon a chin point and a nose point derived from the received markers; and

overlaying a visual representation of the profile outline on the volumetric representation;

wherein the chin point and the nose point are identified from an intersection of common tangents of a first fitted circle based around a farthest point forward above a received marker corresponding to a point A, and a second fitted circle based around a farthest point forward from a Pogonion point intersecting with a soft tissue edge.