Method and apparatus using a scanned image for marking bracket locations

Abstract

Locating the physical placement location of a plurality of brackets on a patient's study cast includes obtaining an array of data points from a study cast and generating a virtual model of a dental impression from the array of scanned data points, Individual teeth from the dental impression can be manually severed or “cut” and manually dragged from a start position to a finished position to determine a treatment plan. The orthodontist virtually marks the position on the virtual model where a physical bracket is desired. A marking device physically marks a physical model with the corresponding bracket locations. The physical model can serve as a template or guide to locate brackets for an indirect bonding style tray.

1. A computer implemented method of automatic marking of locations on a cast for creation of an indirect bonding tray, the method comprising:
 displaying an electronic model image corresponding to a cast of a patient, the cast including individual teeth of the patient in start positions; 
 storing an array of start coordinates for the individual teeth; 
 storing an array of finish coordinates when the teeth have been moved to finish positions; 
 storing an array of bracket mark locations for one or more of the individual teeth with respect to the finish positions; and 
 calculating the bracket mark locations in connection with the start positions based on the stored start and finish coordinates, wherein calculating the bracket mark locations in connection with the start positions includes transforming the bracket mark locations with respect to the finish positions with an inverse matrix, the inverse matrix being generated based on the stored start coordinates and finish coordinates for the individual teeth, and wherein the bracket mark locations can be viewed with the teeth in the start positions. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating an output file including the bracket mark locations in connection with the start positions and transmitting the output file to a marking device configured to mark a cast of the teeth of the patient directly to indicate the bracket mark locations in connection with the start positions. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising manually cutting the electronic model image into individual teeth. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically cutting the electronic image into individual teeth. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , comprising:
 determining possible vertical cut lines within a vertical plane cut through the electronic model image corresponding to possible separation lines between teeth; and 
 automatically determining locations of individual teeth using the possible vertical cut lines. 
 
     
     
       6. A system for marking locations on a cast for creation of an indirect bonding tray, the system comprising:
 means for displaying an electronic model image corresponding to a cast of a patient with individual teeth in start positions; 
 means for storing an array of start coordinates for the individual teeth; 
 means for storing an array of finish coordinates when the individual teeth are moved to finish positions; 
 means for storing an array of bracket mark locations for one or more of the individual teeth with respect to the finish positions; and 
 means for calculating bracket mark locations in connection with the start positions based on the stored start and finish coordinates, wherein calculating the bracket mark locations in connection with the start positions includes transforming the bracket mark locations with respect to the finish positions with an inverse matrix, the inverse matrix being generated based on the stored start coordinates and finish coordinates for the individual teeth, and wherein the bracket mark locations can be viewed with the individual teeth in the start positions. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 means for generating an output file with the bracket mark locations in connection with the start positions; and 
 means for transmitting the output file to a marking device for directly marking a cast with the bracket mark locations. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 6 , further comprising the means for manually cutting the electronic model image into individual teeth. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 6 , further comprising means for automatically cutting the electronic image into individual teeth. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , comprising:
 means for determining possible vertical cut lines within a vertical plane cut through the electronic model image corresponding to possible separation lines between individual teeth; and 
 means for automatically determining locations of individual teeth using the possible vertical cut lines. 
 
     
     
       11. A system for marking of locations on a cast for creation of an indirect bonding tray, the apparatus comprising:
 a) a video display unit, the video display unit arranged and configured to display electronic model images; 
 b) a plurality of memory locations; 
 c) an input device for accepting input data from a user and for transmitting the input data; and 
 d) a processor operatively connected to the video display unit, the memory locations, and the input device, the processor arranged and configured to accept the transmitted input data, to process data, and to store and retrieve data from the memory locations, wherein the processor:
 i) determines an array of start coordinates for individual teeth and stores the start coordinate array in the memory locations; 
 ii) determines an array of finish coordinates for individual teeth, subsequent to the individual teeth being moved to finish locations via the input device, and stores the finish coordinate array in the memory locations; 
 iii) stores an array of bracket mark locations in the memory locations, the bracket mark locations provided by input data from the input device when the individual teeth are in the finish locations; and 
 iv) calculates the bracket mark locations in connection with the start locations based on the stored start and finish coordinate arrays, wherein calculating the bracket mark locations in connection with the start positions includes transforming the bracket mark locations with respect to the finish positions with an inverse matrix, the inverse matrix being generated based on the stored start coordinates and finish coordinates for the individual teeth, and wherein the bracket mark locations can be viewed with the individual teeth in the start locations. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a marking device for transferring the stored bracket mark locations to a study cast. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the marking device includes a robotic arm. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the marking device includes a pen.