Method and apparatus for communicating tooth characteristics and tooth restoration produced thereby

Abstract

A method and apparatus for communicating specific idiosyncrasies in tooth appearance to be replicated in the fabrication of tooth restorations, as well as a method for creating reference images of a tooth are disclosed. The apparatus contains images of a tooth, wherein categories of specific features are displayed in the images, and codes are assigned to the images according to variations within the categories. The method of communication utilizes the apparatus by allowing a first user to compare an actual tooth to the images, record the codes for images with features that most closely resemble the actual tooth, and transmit the codes to a second user who may reference the same selected images using the recorded codes. The reference images of a particular type of tooth are created by separating and enhancing specific features in photographs of an actual tooth.

1 . A communication tool for communicating characteristics of observable tooth appearance for replication in the fabrication of tooth restorations, the communication tool comprising a plurality of images of a tooth, wherein each of the plurality of images depicts at least one specific color-independent feature of tooth appearance:  
   
   
       2 . A communication tool for communicating characteristics of observable tooth appearance for replication in the fabrication of tooth restorations, the communication tool comprising a plurality of images of a tooth, wherein each of the plurality of images depicts at least one single, isolated feature of observable tooth appearance separated from a first image of a particular tooth and applied to a second image of a constant tooth template.  
   
   
       3 . A communication tool for communicating characteristics of observable tooth appearance for replication in the fabrication of tooth restorations, the communication tool comprising: 
 a plurality of images of a tooth, wherein each of the images depicts at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature of observable tooth appearance; and    a plurality of codes, wherein 
 each of the codes is assigned to a respective one of the plurality of images, and  
 each of the codes uniquely identifies the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature of its respective assigned one of the plurality of images.  
   
   
   
       4 . The communication tool of  claim 3 , further comprising a categorization of the images, wherein 
 the plurality of images comprises at least a first image and a second image; and    a basis for the categorization is a common relationship between the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature of the first image and the specific color-independent feature of the second image.    
   
   
       5 . The communication tool of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature is a single, isolated feature of observable tooth appearance.  
   
   
       6 . The communication tool of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature is a composite of a plurality of single, isolated features of observable tooth appearance.  
   
   
       7 . The communication tool of  claim 3  further comprising a schematic drawing indicating a location and/or shape of the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature in one of the images.  
   
   
       8 . The communication tool of  claim 3  further comprising a means for documenting at least one of the plurality of codes when an actual feature similar to the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature uniquely identified by the at least one of the plurality of codes is observed in a subject tooth by a user of the communication tool.  
   
   
       9 . The communication tool of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature of tooth appearance is depicted on a constant, unchanging tooth template.  
   
   
       10 . The communication tool of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of images of the tooth is set into a template representing attached gingival tissue.  
   
   
       11 . The communication tool of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of images of the tooth and the template is set against a high contrast background.  
   
   
       12 . The communication tool of  claim 3 , wherein the categorization of the plurality of images comprises at least one category selected from the group comprising: translucency, translucency hues, characterizations, hypocalcifications, brown discolorations, crack lines, surface anatomy, chroma, value, and variations.  
   
   
       13 . The communication tool of  claim 3 , further comprising a recipe related to at least one of the plurality of codes for recreating the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature on a tooth restoration.  
   
   
       14 . A booklet communicating characteristics of observable tooth appearance for replication in the fabrication of tooth restorations comprising: 
 at least one page;    a plurality of images of a tooth displayed across the page, wherein each of the images depicts at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature of tooth appearance;    a plurality of codes displayed across the at least one page, wherein 
 each of the codes is assigned to a respective one of the plurality of images, and  
 each of the codes uniquely identifies the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature of its respective assigned one of the plurality of images.  
   
   
   
       15 . The booklet of  claim 14  further comprising a categorization of the images using a plurality of categories, wherein 
 the plurality of images comprises at least a first image and a second image; and    a basis for the categorization is a common relationship between the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature of the first image and the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature of the second image.    
   
   
       16 . The booklet of  claim 15 , wherein the categorization is displayed on the at least one page.  
   
   
       17 . The booklet of  claim 16 , wherein the categorization is displayed in a color coded manner.  
   
   
       18 . The booklet of  claim 15 , wherein the categorization of the images further comprises at least one category selected from the group comprising: translucency, translucency hues, characterizations, hypocalcifications, brown discolorations, crack lines, surface anatomy, chroma, value, and variations.  
   
   
       19 . The booklet of  claim 14 , wherein each of the codes is displayed in association with its respective assigned one of the plurality of images.  
   
   
       20 . The booklet of  claim 14 , further comprising an index that documents the categorization of the plurality of images as the plurality of images appear on the at least one page of the booklet.  
   
   
       21 . The booklet of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature is a single, isolated feature of observable tooth appearance.  
   
   
       22 . The booklet of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature is a composite of a plurality of single, isolated features of observable tooth appearance.  
   
   
       23 . The booklet of  claim 14  further comprising a schematic drawing indicating a location and/or shape of the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature in one of the images, wherein the schematic drawing is displayed on the page.  
   
   
       24 . The booklet of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of images is divided into a plurality of subsets of the plurality of images according to the categorization and at least a portion of the images of one of the subsets is printed together on the at least one page.  
   
   
       25 . The booklet of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one page comprises a plurality of pages and at least two of the pages are viewable simultaneously.  
   
   
       26 . The booklet of  claim 14 , wherein 
 the at least one page comprises a plurality of pages;    each of the pages contains an aperture; and    the booklet further comprises a binding ring, wherein 
 the binding ring passes through each of the apertures to attach the plurality of pages together.  
   
   
   
       27 . The booklet of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one page is laminated.  
   
   
       28 . The booklet of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature of tooth appearance is depicted on a constant, unchanging tooth template.  
   
   
       29 . The booklet of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the plurality of images is digitally enhanced to highlight the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature depicted in the at least one of the plurality of images.  
   
   
       30 . The booklet of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of images of the tooth is set into a template representing attached gingival tissue.  
   
   
       31 . The booklet of  claim 30 , wherein each of the plurality of images of the tooth and the template is set against a high contrast background.  
   
   
       32 . The booklet of  claim 31 , wherein the high contrast background is matte black.  
   
   
       33 . The booklet of  claim 14  further comprising a prescription page for documenting at least one of the codes when an actual feature, similar to the at least one specific, isolated, color-independent feature depicted in at least one of the plurality of images and uniquely identified by the at least one of the codes, is observed in a subject tooth by a user of the booklet.  
   
   
       34 . The booklet of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of images comprises at least one of the images as shown in  FIGS. 6A, 6B ,  6 C,  6 D,  7 ,  8 A,  8 B,  8 C,  9 A,  9 B,  9 C,  10 A,  10 B,  11 A,  11 B,  12 A,  12 B,  12 C,  12 D,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 A,  16 B,  16 C,  16 D in this specification.  
   
   
       35 . The booklet of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of codes comprises at least one of the codes as shown in  FIGS. 6A, 6B ,  6 C,  6 D,  7 ,  8 A,  8 B,  8 C,  9 A,  9 B,  9 C,  10 A,  10 B,  11 A,  11 B,  12 A,  12 B,  12 C,  12 D,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 A,  16 B,  16 C,  16 D in this specification.  
   
   
       36 . The booklet of  claim 14  further comprising at least one recipe related to at least one of the plurality of codes, the recipe providing instructions for recreating the at least one specific, isolated, feature on a tooth restoration identified by the at least one of the plurality of codes.  
   
   
       37 - 50 . (canceled)