Method and system for modeling the mandibular kinematics of a patient

A method for modeling the mandibular kinematics of a patient, comprising:

• acquiring at least one stereoscopic image of the face of the patient by means of a stereoscopic camera,
• constructing, from said stereoscopic image, a three-dimensional surface model of the face of the patient,
• identifying characteristic elements of the face of the patient on said stereoscopic image or on said three-dimensional surface model of the face of the patient,
• from said characteristic elements, determining, on said stereoscopic image, respectively said three-dimensional surface model of the face of the patient, reference points, axes and planes of the face of the patient,
• obtaining a three-dimensional model of the maxillary dental arch and a three-dimensional model of the mandibular dental arch of the patient,
• registering the three-dimensional models of the dental arches with respect to the reference planes of the three-dimensional surface model of the patient,
• recording the mandibular kinematics of the patient, wherein a set of markers detectable by the stereoscopic camera is fixed on the head of the patient and said mandibular kinematics are recorded by means of the stereoscopic camera,
• applying said recorded mandibular kinematics to the three-dimensional models of the registered dental arches, so as to animate said three-dimensional models.