Tooth shade analyzer system and methods

Abstract

The invention relates to a non-transitory computer readable medium that includes one or more programs for carrying out a method for addressing a dental need in a patient involving modification of tooth shape, alignment, or color. The method includes the steps of receiving an electronic image of a patient's tooth; storing the image electronically in memory storage; and communicating the image to a party for evaluation of the modification of tooth shape, alignment, or color in connection with the addressing of the patient's dental need.

1 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more programs for carrying out a method for addressing a dental need in a patient involving modification of tooth shape, alignment, or color, wherein the method comprises the steps of receiving an electronic image of a patient's tooth; storing the image electronically in memory storage; and communicating the image to a party for evaluation of the modification of tooth shape, alignment, or color in connection with the addressing of the patient's dental need. 
     
     
         2 . The medium of  claim 1  wherein the image is stored in memory on a hard drive of a computer or on a removable disk. 
     
     
         3 . The medium of  claim 1 , wherein the program(s) also carry out a method step of displaying the image on a computer monitor. 
     
     
         4 . The medium of  claim 3 , wherein the displayed image includes RGB chromaticities of the patient's tooth. 
     
     
         5 . The medium of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic image includes information representative of the patient's tooth color. 
     
     
         6 . The medium of  claim 5 , wherein the image includes a determined color of the patient's tooth and is communicated to the party. 
     
     
         7 . The medium of  claim 6 , wherein the image is communicated to a dental laboratory for preparation of a replacement tooth. 
     
     
         8 . The medium of  claim 5 , wherein the monitor simultaneously displays color information of the patient's tooth and tooth shade information so that visual comparisons can be made. 
     
     
         9 . The medium of  claim 5 , wherein the program(s) may also carry out method steps storing a plurality of conventional tooth shades electronically in memory storage, and identifying tooth shade(s) for the replacement tooth by electronically comparing the color information of the electronic image to the a plurality of electronically stored tooth shades and selecting tooth shade(s) representative of the patient's tooth. 
     
     
         10 . The medium of  claim 3 , wherein the party is a dental laboratory and the program(s) also carry out a method step of printing information displayed on the monitor for communication to the dental laboratory for preparation of a replacement tooth. 
     
     
         11 . The medium of  claim 5 , wherein the information representative of the patient's tooth color is obtained from a camera. 
     
     
         12 . The medium of  claim 11 , wherein the camera is an intraoral video camera or an intraoral CCD camera.