# US 11,026,770 B2 · System and method for improved intra-oral scanning protocol and calibration > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,770 B2 - Document ID: US11026770B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/439,287 - Filed: 2019-06-12 - Published: 2019-09-26 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-16 - Assignees: Biomet 3i, LLC - Applicants: Biomet 3I, LLC - Inventors: Zachary B. Suttin; Joell Cruz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026770B2 ## CPC - A61C 9/0053: {Optical means or methods, e.g. scanning the teeth by a laser or light beam} - A61B 1/045: Control thereof - A61B 1/24: for the mouth, i.e. stomatoscopes, e.g. with tongue depressors; Instruments for opening or keeping open the mouth - A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]} - A61B 6/51: for dentistry - A61B 6/512: {Intraoral means} - A61B 6/586: {Detection of faults or malfunction of the device} - A61C 8/0001: {Impression means for implants, e.g. impression coping} - A61B 2090/363: {Use of fiducial points} - A61B 2576/00: Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis (A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence) - G06T 15/005: {General purpose rendering architectures} - G06T 17/00: Three-dimensional [3D] modelling for computer graphics - G06T 2207/30036: Dental; Teeth - A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A method of providing an accurate three-dimensional scan of a dental arch area is disclosed. The arch area has two segments and a connecting area between the two segments. The connecting area has homogeneous features. A connecting-geometry tool with at least one definable feature is affixed to the arch area. The definable feature overlays at least part of the connecting area. The arch area is scanned to produce a scanned dataset of the arch area. The definable feature of the connecting-geometry tool on the connection area is determined based on the scanned dataset. The dimensions of the arch area are determined based on the data relating to the definable features from the scanned dataset. ## Claims ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the connecting-geometry tool is a mesh grid, the mesh grid including a plurality of geometric shapes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of geometric shapes have at least two geometric shapes having different dimensions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising correcting the scan dataset based on the error assessment to produce a corrected intra-oral scan dataset. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the error correction is performed in real-time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the connecting-geometry tool is a mesh grid and includes at least one object having predetermined dimensions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the connecting-geometry tool is a plate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the plate includes at least one definable object, the at least one definable object having a predetermined dimension. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area is a palate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the soft tissue, homogeneous, cross-arch connecting area is a tongue. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the connecting-geometry tool is a mesh grid, the mesh grid including a plurality of geometric shapes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of geometric shapes have at least two different dimensions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) 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. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) 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. ### Claim 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.