# US 2019/0167113 A1 · Methods and systems for preparation of orthodontics and prostodontics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167113 A1 - Document ID: US20190167113A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/176,474 - Filed: 2018-10-31 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-07-19 - Assignees: Align Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Align Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Avi Kopelman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167113A1 ## CPC - A61B 5/0088: {for oral or dental tissue} - A61B 1/0004: {for electronic operation} - A61B 5/0062: {Arrangements for scanning} - A61B 5/4547: {Evaluating teeth} - A61C 5/77: Methods or devices for making crowns - A61C 7/002: {Orthodontic computer assisted systems} - A61C 9/0053: {Optical means or methods, e.g. scanning the teeth by a laser or light beam} - A61C 13/0004: {Computer-assisted sizing or machining of dental prostheses} - G06F 30/00: Computer-aided design [CAD] - G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) - G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection} - G06T 19/00: Manipulating three-dimensional [3D] models or images for computer graphics - G06T 19/20: Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts - A61B 1/00172: {with means for scanning} - A61C 19/04: Measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry ({A61C5/44 takes precedence; testing vitality of teeth A61B5/0534;} radiation diagnosis specially adapted for dentistry A61B6/51) - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - G06T 2200/04: involving 3D image data - G06T 2207/30036: Dental; Teeth - G06T 2210/41: Medical - G06T 2219/2004: Aligning objects, relative positioning of parts - G06T 2219/2021: Shape modification - G16H 20/40: relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - 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) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract Systems and methods are provided for preparation of orthodontics and prosthodontics. A method may include scanning a patient's teeth to form first 3D data of the patient's teeth including a removable element that obscures part of the dental surfaces of the patient's teeth and non-obscured tooth surfaces, removing the removable element form the patient's teeth so that the removable element no longer obscures the part of the dental surfaces of the patient's teeth, and scanning the previously obscured part of the dental surfaces of the patent's teeth and the non-obscured tooth surfaces. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dental system for intraorally scanning a patient's teeth for a dental procedure, the dental system comprising: a hand-held intraoral scanner; and a computer readable medium including instructions that when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to: receive first 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth from the hand-held intraoral scanner; display, to a display, a first 3D surface model of the patient's teeth, wherein the first 3D surface model of the patient's teeth is based on the received first 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth; receive user input defining a surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be removed; after receiving the user input, remove, from the displayed first 3D surface model, the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be removed according to the user input; after removing the surface portion of the first 3D surface model, receive second 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth from the hand-held intraoral scanner; replace at least a portion of the removed surface portion of the first 3D surface model with at least a surface portion of a second 3D surface model based on the received second 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth to produce a composite 3D surface model of the patient's teeth that is based on the first 3D intraoral scan data and the second 3D intraoral scan data; and output, to the display, the composite 3D surface model of the patient's teeth. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the hand-held intraoral scanner comprises a probing member with a sensing face, an illumination unit, a light focusing optics defining one or more focal planes forward the sensing face, and a translation mechanism for displacing the focal plane relative to the sensing face. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the system further comprises the computer system and the display; wherein the system further comprises a mouse or wherein the display comprises a touch screen display; and wherein the user input defining portions of the first 3D surface model to be removed is received by from the mouse or the touch screen display. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the removed portion of the first 3D surface model is replaced with at least the portion of the second 3D surface model by registering the second 3D surface model with the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the second 3D surface model is registered with the first 3D surface model by aligning identifying surface data of the second 3D surface model with corresponding parts of the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the portion of the removed portion of the first 3D surface model is replaced with at least the portion of the second 3D surface model by further stitching the portion of the second 3D surface model with the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the portion of the removed portion of the first 3D surface model is replaced with at least the portion of the second 3D surface model by further discarding a remainder of the second 3D surface model, including the identifying surface data, after stitching the portion of the second 3D surface model with the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the computer readable medium further includes instructions that when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to: mark, on the displayed first 3D surface model, the user input defined surface portion, after receiving the user input and before removing the surface portion. ### Claim 9 A dental system for intraorally scanning a patient's teeth for a dental procedure, the dental system comprising: a hand-held intraoral scanner; a computer readable medium including instructions that when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to: receive first 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth from the hand-held intraoral scanner; display, to the display, a first 3D surface model of the patient's teeth, wherein the first 3D surface model of the patient's teeth is based on the received first 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth; receive user input via the displayed first 3D surface model demarcating a surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be retained and a surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced; after receiving the user input, receive second 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth from the hand-held intraoral scanner; replacing at least a portion of the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced according to the user input with at least a surface portion of a second 3D surface model based on the received second 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth while retaining the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be retained according to the user input to produce a composite 3D surface model of the patient's teeth that is based on the first 3D intraoral scan data and the second 3D intraoral scan data; and output, to the display, the composite 3D surface model of the patient's teeth. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the hand-held intraoral scanner comprises a probing member with a sensing face, an illumination unit, a light focusing optics defining one or more focal planes forward the sensing face, and a translation mechanism for displacing the focal plane relative to the sensing face. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the computer readable medium further includes instructions that when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to remove, from the displayed first 3D surface model, the surface portion to be replaced according to the user input demarcating the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be retained and the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the computer readable medium further includes instructions that when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to: mark, on the displayed first 3D surface model, the user input defined surface portion to be replaced, after receiving the user input and before removing the surface portion to be replaced. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the portion of the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced is replaced with at least the portion of the second 3D surface model by registering the second 3D surface model with the first 3D surface model by aligning identifying surface data of the second 3D surface model with corresponding parts of the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the portion of the portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced is replaced with at least the portion of the second 3D surface model by further stitching the portion of the second 3D surface model with the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the portion of the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced is replaced with at least the portion of the second 3D surface model by further discarding a remainder of the second 3D surface model, including the identifying surface data, after stitching the portion of the second 3D surface model with the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 16 A dental system for intraorally scanning a patient's teeth for a dental procedure, the dental system comprising: a hand-held intraoral scanner; a display; and a computer system operatively coupled with the display and the hand-held intraoral scanner, the computer system configured to: receive first 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth from the hand-held intraoral scanner; display, to the display, a first 3D surface model of the patient's teeth, wherein the first 3D surface model of the patient's teeth is based on the received first 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth; receive user input via the displayed first 3D surface model at least defining a surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be retained; after receiving the user input, receive second 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth from the hand-held intraoral scanner; replacing at least a portion of the first 3D surface model not to be retained according to the user input with at least a surface portion of a second 3D surface model based on the received second 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth to produce a composite 3D surface model of the patient's teeth that is based on the first 3D intraoral scan data and the second 3D intraoral scan data; and output, to the display, the composite 3D surface model of the patient's teeth. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the hand-held intraoral scanner comprises a probing member with a sensing face, an illumination unit, a light focusing optics defining one or more focal planes forward the sensing face, and a translation mechanism for displacing the focal plane relative to the sensing face. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the received user input also defines a surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced by the second 3D surface model. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the computer readable medium further includes instructions that when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to remove, from the displayed first 3D surface model, the surface portion to be replaced according to the user input defining the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be retained and the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the portion of the first 3D surface model not to be retained according to the user input is replaced with at least the portion of the second 3D surface model by registering the second 3D surface model with the first 3D surface model by aligning identifying surface data of the second 3D surface model with corresponding parts of the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the portion of the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced is replaced with at least the surface portion of the second 3D surface model by further stitching the surface portion of the second 3D surface model with the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the portion of the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced is replaced with at least the surface portion of the second 3D surface model by further discarding a remainder of the second 3D surface model, including the identifying surface data, after stitching the surface portion of the second 3D surface model with the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 23 A dental method for intraorally scanning a patient's teeth for a dental procedure, the dental method comprising: receiving first 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth from the hand-held intraoral scanner; displaying, to a display, a first 3D surface model of the patient's teeth, wherein the first 3D surface model of the patient's teeth is based on the received first 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth; receiving user input via the displayed first 3D surface model demarcating a surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be retained and a surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced; after receiving the user input, receiving second 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth from the hand-held intraoral scanner; replacing at least a portion of the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced according to the user input with at least a surface portion of a second 3D surface model based on the received second 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth to produce a composite 3D surface model of the patient's teeth that is based on the first 3D intraoral scan data and the second 3D intraoral scan data; and output, to the display, the composite 3D surface model of the patient's teeth. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising marking an area, on the displayed first 3D surface model, associated with the received user input. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein replacing at least the portion of the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced according to the user input with at least the surface portion of the second 3D surface model comprises registering the second 3D surface model with the first 3D surface model by aligning identifying surface data of the second 3D surface model with corresponding parts of the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein replacing at least the portion of the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced according to the user input with at least the surface portion of the second 3D surface model further comprises stitching the surface portion of the second 3D surface model with the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein replacing at least the portion of the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced according to the user input with at least the surface portion of the second 3D surface model further comprises discarding a remainder of the second 3D surface model, including the identifying surface data, after stitching the surface portion of the second 3D surface model with the first 3D surface model. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the first 3D surface model of the patient's teeth comprises a tooth preparation having a finish line, wherein a portion of the finish line is obscured or distorted, and wherein replacing the portion of the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced according to the user input with at least the surface portion of a second 3D surface model based on the received second 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth comprises replacing a portion of the obscured or distorted portion of the finish line with a portion of the second 3D surface model where the finish line is not obscured or distorted. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the first 3D surface model of the patient's teeth comprises a tooth preparation that accurately represents a surface of a physical preparation of the patient, and wherein the method further comprises analyzing the tooth preparation of the first 3D surface model to determine whether the surface of the physical preparation is suitable for a dental prosthesis; and wherein replacing the portion of the surface portion of the first 3D surface model to be replaced according to the user input with at least the surface portion of a second 3D surface model based on the received second 3D intraoral scan data of the patient's teeth comprises replacing a surface of the tooth preparation of the first 3D surface model with a portion of the second 3D surface model where the second 3D surface model is obtained after physical modification of the surface of the physical preparation of the patient. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the dental prosthesis comprises a dental crown and wherein the tooth preparation analysis comprises analysis of the first 3D surface model with respect to a virtual model of an opposing dentition of an opposite jaw to determine whether the tooth preparation would result in an inadequate structure for the dental crown.