US 11,589,957 B2Granted

Methods and apparatuses for dental images

AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.

InventorsMaurice K. Carrier, Jr., Phillip Thomas Harris, Sergey Vinnichenko, Samuel Blanco, Aleksandr Sergeevich Karsakov, Sebastien Hareng, Leon Rasovsky

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Abstract

Described herein are methods and apparatuses to obtain an image, or a set of images, of a patient's teeth from one or more predetermined viewing angles. These methods and apparatuses may include the use an overlay comprising an outline of teeth for each predetermined viewing angle. The overlay may be used for automatically capturing, focusing and/or illuminating the teeth. Also described herein are methods and apparatuses for using a series of images of the patient's teeth including a set of predetermined views to determine if a patient is a candidate for an orthopedic procedure.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A non-transitory, computer-readable storage media having executable instructions that are executed by a processor of a mobile telecommunications device to cause the mobile telecommunications device having a camera to perform a method for capturing dental images for analysis, the method comprising:

guiding a patient to capture, with the camera of the mobile telecommunications device, a first predetermined set of images of teeth of the patient at specified viewing angles relative to the teeth using a first indicator that is output from the mobile telecommunications device, wherein the first indicator indicates to the patient that the patient should move the mobile telecommunications device relative to a mouth of the patient to the right/left with the jaws closed, in order to capture the first predetermined set of images of teeth at the specified viewing angles;
guiding the patient to capture, with the camera of the mobile telecommunications device, a second predetermined set of images of teeth of the patient at specified viewing angles relative to the teeth using a second indicator output from the mobile telecommunications device, wherein the second indicator indicates to the patient that the patient should move the mobile telecommunications device relative to the mouth of the patient to the right/left with the jaws open, in order to capture the second predetermined set of images of teeth at the specified viewing angles;
and
capturing the first and second predetermined sets of images of the teeth of the patient as the patient moves the camera of the mobile telecommunications device relative to the mouth of the patient;
displaying, during the capture of the first and second predetermined sets of images of the teeth of the patient, video from the camera of the mobile telecommunications device to a screen of the mobile telecommunications device;
uploading the captured first and second predetermined sets of images of the teeth for treatment progress evaluation to provide a treatment progress evaluation of the patient.

3 more elements

guiding a patient to capture, with the camera of the mobile telecommunications device following retraction of the patient's cheeks, a first predetermined set of images of teeth of the patient at specified viewing angles relative to the teeth using a first indicator that is output from the mobile telecommunications device, the specified viewing angles comprising an upper and lower jaw anterior viewing angle with a closed bite, a right buccal viewing angle with the closed bite, and a left buccal viewing angle with the closed bite, and wherein the first indicator indicates to the patient that the patient should move the mobile telecommunications device relative to a mouth of the patient to capture the first predetermined set of images of teeth at the specified viewing angles in a continuous mode;
guiding the patient to capture a second predetermined set of images of teeth of the patient at specified viewing angles relative to the teeth using a second indicator that is output from the mobile telecommunications device, the specified viewing angles comprising an anterior viewing angle with an open bite, a right buccal viewing angle with the open bite, and a left buccal viewing angle with the open bite, and wherein the second indicator indicates to the patient that the patient should move the mobile telecommunications device relative to a mouth of the patient to capture the second predetermined set of images of teeth at the specified viewing angles in the continuous mode;
capturing the first and second predetermined sets of images of the teeth of the patient as the patient moves the mobile telecommunications device relative to the mouth of the patient;
displaying, during the capture of the first and second predetermined sets of images of the teeth of the patient, video from the camera of the mobile telecommunications device to a screen of the mobile telecommunications device;
uploading the captured first and second predetermined sets of images of the teeth for treatment progress evaluation.

2 more elements

guiding a patient to capture, with the camera of the mobile telecommunications device, a first predetermined set of images of teeth of the patient at specified viewing angles relative to the teeth using an indicator that is output from the mobile telecommunications device, wherein the user-detectable output indicates to the patient that the patient should move the mobile telecommunications device relative to a mouth of the patient anteriorly to buccally with the teeth closed, in order to capture the first predetermined set of images of teeth at the specified viewing angles;
guiding the patient to capture, with the camera of the mobile telecommunications device, a second predetermined set of images of teeth of the patient at specified viewing angles relative to the teeth using an indicator that is output from the mobile telecommunications device, wherein the user-detectable output indicates to the patient that the patient should move the mobile telecommunications device relative to a mouth of the patient anteriorly to buccally with the teeth open, in order to capture the second predetermined set of images of teeth at the specified viewing angles;
capturing the first and second predetermined sets of images of the teeth of the patient as the patient moves the mobile telecommunications device relative to the mouth of the patient;
displaying, during the capture of the first and second predetermined sets of images of the teeth of the patient, video from the camera of the mobile telecommunications device to a screen of the mobile telecommunications device, wherein the screen is not facing the patient during capture of the first and second predetermined sets of images;
after capturing the first and second predetermined sets of images of the teeth, reviewing an image quality of the captured first and second predetermined sets of images, wherein the image quality comprises a visibility of all or a sub-set of the teeth and wherein image recognition algorithms are used to review of the predetermined set of images to assess the visibility of all or a sub-set of the teeth;
and
displaying on the screen of the mobile telecommunications device a result of the image quality review;
and
uploading the captured first and second predetermined sets of images of the teeth for treatment progress evaluation
wherein the teeth are automatically recognized and categorized based on machine learning.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/882,522Filed 5 Aug 2022 · continuation
Priority: 4 Nov 2016
Published: US 2022/0087778 A124 Nov 2022
Granted: 28 Feb 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

A61C 7/002
Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by…:…
A61B 1/24
Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g.…:…
A61B 5/6898
Mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices: portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
A61C 9/0053
Data acquisition means or methods: optical means or methods, e.g. scanning the teeth by a laser or light beam

Family

Application62/417,985Us provisional application · filed 4 Nov 2016
Application15/803,718Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Nov 2017
Application16/827,594Parent of this continuation · filed 23 Mar 2020
US 10,595,966 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Mar 2020
Application16/952,072Parent of this continuation · filed 18 Nov 2020
US 10,932,885 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Mar 2021
Application17/543,637Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Dec 2021
US 11,191,617 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Dec 2021
US 2022/0369916 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 Nov 2022
US 11,819,375 B2Related patent
US 2018/0125610 A1Published application
US 2020/0229901 A1Published application
US 2021/0068923 A1Published application
US 2022/0087778 A1Published application
US 11,589,957 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.