Generating a modified patient image for an orthodontic treatment plan

1. A computer-implemented method for generating a modified patient image for an orthodontic treatment plan, the computer-implemented method comprising, by one or more processors:

accessing a 3D model comprising a virtual representation of a patient's dentition at a treatment stage of an orthodontic treatment plan;

obtaining an image of the patient's face and at least a portion of the patient's dentition;

projecting the obtained image into a 3D space to create a projection of the patient's face and the at least the portion of the patient's dentition;

generating a modified image of the patient representing the patient in the treatment stage of the orthodontic treatment plan, wherein the modified image is formed by combining the patient's dentition of the accessed 3D model with the patient's face of the projection; and

sending instructions to display the modified image of the patient on an output device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment stage is a future treatment stage, and wherein the accessed 3D model is generated based on a prediction of the patient's dentition at the future treatment stage.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the future treatment stage is a final treatment stage or a post-treatment stage.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the future treatment stage is an intermediate treatment stage.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving user input to select the treatment stage from a plurality of treatment stages of the orthodontic treatment plan.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a first set of reference points on the patient's dentition of the accessed 3D model,

determining a second set of reference points on the portion of the patient's dentition of the obtained image, and

aligning at least a portion of the first set of reference points with at least a portion of the second set of reference points.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the modified image of the patient is generated based on the alignment.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accessing a second 3D model comprising a virtual representation of the patient's dentition at a second treatment stage of the orthodontic treatment plan,

generating a second modified image of the patient representing the patient in the second treatment stage of the orthodontic treatment plan by combining the patient's dentition of the accessed second 3D model with the patient's face of the projection, and

sending instructions to display the second modified image of the patient together with the modified image.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accessing a second 3D model comprising a virtual representation of the patient's dentition at a treatment stage of a second orthodontic treatment plan,

generating a second modified image of the patient representing the patient in the treatment stage of the second orthodontic treatment plan by combining the patient's dentition of the accessed second 3D model with the patient's face of the projection, and

sending instructions to display the second modified image of the patient together with the modified image.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising sending instructions to display the accessed 3D model together with the modified image.

11. A system for generating a modified patient image for an orthodontic treatment plan, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory operably coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the memory comprises instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

accessing a 3D model comprising a virtual representation of a patient's dentition at a treatment stage of an orthodontic treatment plan, obtaining an image of the patient's face and at least a portion of the patient's dentition,

projecting the obtained image into a 3D space to create a projection of the patient's face and the at least the portion of the patient's dentition,

generating a modified image of the patient representing the patient in the treatment stage of the orthodontic treatment plan, wherein the modified image is formed by combining the patient's dentition of the accessed 3D model with the patient's face of the projection, and

sending instructions to display the modified image of the patient on an output device.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the treatment stage is a future treatment stage, and wherein the accessed 3D model is generated based on a prediction of the patient's dentition at the future treatment stage.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the future treatment stage is a final treatment stage or a post-treatment stage.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the future treatment stage is an intermediate treatment stage.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving user input to select the treatment stage from a plurality of treatment stages of the orthodontic treatment plan.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a first set of reference points on the patient's dentition of the accessed 3D model,

determining a second set of reference points on the portion of the patient's dentition of the obtained image, and

aligning at least a portion of the first set of reference points with at least a portion of the second set of reference points.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the modified image of the patient is generated based on the alignment.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:

accessing a second 3D model comprising a virtual representation of the patient's dentition at a second treatment stage of the orthodontic treatment plan,

generating a second modified image of the patient representing the patient in the second treatment stage of the orthodontic treatment plan by combining the patient's dentition of the accessed second 3D model with the patient's face of the projection, and

sending instructions to display the second modified image of the patient together with the modified image.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:

accessing a second 3D model comprising a virtual representation of the patient's dentition at a treatment stage of a second orthodontic treatment plan,

generating a second modified image of the patient representing the patient in the treatment stage of the second orthodontic treatment plan by combining the patient's dentition of the accessed second 3D model with the patient's face of the projection, and

sending instructions to display the second modified image of the patient together with the modified image.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise sending instructions to display the accessed 3D model together with the modified image.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:

accessing a 3D model comprising a virtual representation of a patient's dentition at a treatment stage of an orthodontic treatment plan;

obtaining an image of the patient's face and at least a portion of the patient's dentition;

projecting the obtained image into a 3D space to create a projection of the patient's face and the at least the portion of the patient's dentition;

generating a modified image of the patient representing the patient in the treatment stage of the orthodontic treatment plan, wherein the modified image is formed by combining the patient's dentition of the accessed 3D model with the patient's face of the projection; and

sending instructions to display the modified image of the patient on an output device.