v0Z190
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`1
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`Given Name(first and middle [if any])
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`INVENTOR(S)
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`TITLE OF THE INVENTION (500 characters max)
`METHOD FOR PROVIDING DATA ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTRAORAL CAVITY
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`PROVISIONAL APPLICATION FOR PATENT COVER SHEET
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`[] Yes, the nameof the U.S. Government agency and the Government contract numberare: Page 1 of 2
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`Date June 17, 2004
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`[Pag
`Respecttully submitte?
`REGISTRATIONNO._47,421
`SIGNATURE
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`Docket Number: 26213PRO
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`TYPEDor PRINTED NAME Marvin C. Berkowitz
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`TELEPHONE (202) 775-8383
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`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`Attorney Docket No.
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`26213PRO
`
`In re Application of:
`
`BABAYOFF, Noam
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`Serial No.
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`NOT YET ASSIGNED
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`Filed:
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`June 17, 2004
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`For: METHOD FOR PROVIDING DATA ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTRAORAL CAVITY
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`TRANSMITTAL LETTER
`
`Commissioner for Patents
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`Sir:
`
`Submitted herewith for filing in the U.S. Patent and Trademark
`Office is the following PROVISIONAL APPLICATION:
`(1) Transmittal Letter
`(2) Cover sheet for filing Provisional Application
`%3)
`71 page Provisional Application consisting of:
`_46 pages Textual Specification,
`pages of Claims,
`__1 page of the Abstract,
`19
`sheets of Drawings;
`(4) Check No. 2/@e%$ 80.00 for filing fee as a small entity;
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`Postcard for early notification of serial number.
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`aan
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`The Commissioner is hereby authorized to charge any deficiency
`or credit any excess to Deposit Account No. 14-0112.
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`Respectfully submitted,
`NATH & ASSOCIATES PLLC
`
`By:
`
`Registration No. 26,965
`Marvin C. Berkowitz
`Registration No. 47,421
`Customer No. 20529
`
`June 17, 2004.
`Date:
`NATH & ASSOCIATES PLLC
`1030° 15™ Street, NW - 6° Floor
`Washington, D.C. 20005
`GMN/MCB/lme: Provisional Transmittal Letter.DOC
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`METHODFOR PROVIDING DATA ASSOCIATED
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`WITH THE INTRAORAL CAVITY
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`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
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`The present
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`invention relates to colour
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`three-dimensional numerical
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`entities representative of tissues, particularly ofthe intraoral cavity. In particular,
`the present invention is concerned with the manipulation of such entities to
`provide data that is useful in procedures associated with the oral cavity, specially
`dental surfaces thereof.
`/
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`There are many procedures associated with the oral cavity in which a
`precise three-dimensional representation of the cavity is very useful to the dental
`practitioner. Herein, "practitioner" refers to any one of a dentist, dental surgeon,
`dental technician, orthodontist, prosthodontist, or any other caregiver that may be
`involved in determining, preparing or providing dental treatmentto a patient,
`particularly orthodontic treatment.
`
`Such representations enable the practitioner to study the cavity of
`individual patients in a similar manner to the study of the traditional plaster
`model. More importantly,
`three-dimensional numerical entities of the dental
`
`cavity also allow the practitioner to study alternative methods or approaches
`when dealing with particular dental problems of any given patient. For example,
`in orthodontics, a computer model of a patient's teeth may be manipulated to
`arrive at the optimal arrangement for brackets to ensure effective treatment of
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`crooked teeth. For such procedures,
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`it
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`is often useful
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`to provide a three-
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`dimensional representation of the individual teeth, each of which can be moved
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`independently in a computer simulation of the orthodontic treatment plan and
`orthodontic record. Hitherto,
`identification and separation of the data sets
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`representative of the individual teeth has been performed manually.
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`In US 6,739,869, assigned to the present Assignee, a method for virtual
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`orthodontic treatment is disclosed in which a virtual set of orthodontic componentsis
`associated, in a virtual space, withafirst virtual three-dimensional image of teeth, and
`then byaset of rules which define the effect of the set of components’ teeth, the effect
`of the virtual treatment can be computed. This virtual treatment can be used to predict
`the results ofa real-life orthodontic treatment as to design such a treatment.
`Another procedure relates to the manufacture of a dental prosthesis, such
`as a crown or bridge, which requires the finish line, or transition boundary
`betweenthe prosthesis and the dental preparation to beprecisely defined in three-
`dimensions. Obtaining thefinish line coordinates from a computer modelis more
`efficient and often more accurate than from a plaster cast, and moreover
`facilitates the production of such a prosthesis, for example via CNC machining,
`rapid prototyping, or other computerised technologies, if desired.
`There are also procedures in which particularly good three-dimensional
`definition of a large area of the intraoral cavity is required, and it may be
`necessary at times to scan parts of the cavity sequentially and then "stitch" the
`various data sets together. Thus, surface topologies of adjacent portions, at times
`from two or more different angular locations relative to the structure, are
`determined and the topologies are combined,
`in a manner knownperse. In
`practice, such stitching is usually performed automatically, by identifying a
`surface profile or topography corresponding to at least part of the data of one
`data setthat is substantially identical to that of another data set. The data sets are
`then manipulated suchas to match the coordinates of the surface profile between
`the data sets to obtain a larger numerical entity comprising these data sets in their
`proper spatial relationship. However,
`the data sets often include surface data
`relating to the soft tissues such as gums, cheeks and tongue, for example, which
`may distort and move while the different scans are performed. This relative
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`movement makesthe stitching procedure more problematic, since parts of the
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`data sets thus obtained will never synchronise, even though they relate to
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`overlapping portionsof the intra-oral cavity.
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`In procedures relating to the manufacture of a dental prosthesis such as a
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`crown or bridge, or in other dental restorations, it is important to match the
`colour and texture of the prosthesis with that of the surrounding teeth in the
`vicinity of the target area in whichthe prosthesis is to be implanted, to give the
`prosthesis or restoration a natural appearance. Traditional methods of colour
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`matching are based on visual comparison between a removable tooth-shaped
`colour tab of a shade guide, such as for example Vita, and the surrounding teeth.
`The practitioner can then choose the standard shade that best matches the overall
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`colour of the other
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`teeth, The appropriate shade reference can then be
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`communicated to the laboratory that is to manufacture the prosthesis. Similar
`matching methods are routinely employed for enabling the colour of filler
`material to be matched to the tooth that requiresa filling. It should be noted that
`unlike the tooth shades from the shade guides, which are uniform in colour, a
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`tooth have many different shades. For example, tooth stains and the like alter
`then tooth's colour locally. Attempts have been made at providing a more exact
`match. For example in US 5,800,164 a system is described for the selection of
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`form and colour structure of teeth, and includes several assortments of models
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`and representations as well as layering diagrams of different tooth forms and
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`colour structures. A comparison of form and colour structure between the
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`patient's teeth and the models is made, and a suitable assortment is selected. The
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`layering diagrams thus produced enable the production of the prosthesis to be
`carefully controlled to provide the desired form and colour structure. In US
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`4,836,674 a method and apparatus are described for obtaining the best colour
`match with respect
`to adjacent
`teeth,
`for different
`lighting conditions, but
`considers only the overall colour of the teeth, and does not address local
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`variations of colour in the teeth. In US 6,525,819, a colorimeteris provided for
`providing,inter alia, the one-dimensional array of colourdata alongaline on the
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`surface of the intra-oral cavity, including the teeth. In US 5,766,006 a methodis
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`described for comparing the tooth shade after the patient's teeth are whitened, in
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`which a colour two-dimensional
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`image of the tooth is obtained before the
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`whitening, comparing the colour information representative of the colour of the
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`tooth, and identifying one or more tooth shades with a combined colour
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`corresponding to the colour of the tooth. After whitening the tooth, another
`image is taken thereof and comparedto the image before whitening.
`Other USpatents of general backgroundinterestinclude the following.
`In US 5,851,113, US 5,871,351, US 6,118,521, US 6,239,868, US 6,246,479,
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`US 6,417,917, US 6,538,726, US 6,570,654 and US 6,573,984 colour measuring
`systems and methodssuchas for determining the colouror other characteristics of teeth
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`in which these characteristics are obtained using a fibre optics
`are disclosed,
`arrangement whichis targeted onto a specific area of each tooth and at a certain height
`and angle with respectto this area. The colour measurementdata obtained may be used
`to implementprocesses for forming dental prostheses.
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`In US 6,007,332, a method and system for determining the colour characteristic
`of a tooth employs the photographic imaging of the tooth, and the photographing of
`visually selected colour standards, to achieve the final selection of the closest colour
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`match. The resulting photographic images, which may be on a single photograph,are
`subjected to calorimetric or spectrophotometric analysis to achieve the final selection of
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`the closest match.
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`In US 6,030,209, a spectrophotometer device measures and provides general
`colorimetric data regarding hue, chroma, value, and translucency for each ofthe incisal,
`middle, and cervical regions of the tooth. This colorimetric data is then converted via an
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`algorithm to a recipe that the dentist or dental technician follows in constructing a
`dental restoration. A porcelain system is also provided which allows a user to
`independently alter one colour component while not affecting the other three colour
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`components.
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`In US 6,033,222, a fabrication method for dental
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`translucent restorations
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`involves forming a dental die from impression of tooth stump, in which a seriesof die
`spacers of differing shades are used to matchorreplicate an assortment oftooth stump
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`or dentin tooth shades. The method comprises applying colour and shade to match
`dentist's prescription, forming a dental wax-up and then the dental structure.
`In US 6,190,170, and US 6,238,567, an automated tooth shade analysis and
`matching method is used for making a dental prosthesis. An image of the teeth is
`acquired including black and white normalization references for determining absolute
`black and absolute white within the image. The image is normalized in accordance with
`the normalization references, and then standardized by matching the pixels of the
`normalized image to selected shade standards for the prosthesis.
`In US 6,379,593, a method for producing a multi-coloured dental restoration is
`disclosed. A compactingdie is filled with a matrix of two or more plastics materials of
`different colours, and the pressure is applied to the matrix in the die.
`The 3D surface structure of the teeth is not considered in any of the aforesaid
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`patents.
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`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`"Colour" is used herein to refer to a perceived optical characteristic,
`including one or more of the following: hue, chroma, value,
`translucency,
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`reflectance.
`"Hue" is used herein to refer to a colour or to the name of a colour, for
`example primary or other colours such as red, green, blue, violet, green and so
`on, or to combination of colours, such as for example yellowish green. The hues
`of primary interest herein include red, and shades of white including yellow for
`intraoral cavity tissues, and other hues representative of the colour offilings and
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`so on.
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`hue.
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`"Chroma" is used herein to refer to strength, intensity or saturation of the
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`"Value" is used herein to refer to the brightnessof a colour.
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`"Translucency" is used herein to refer to quality of transmitting and
`diffusing light, generally ranging from opaqueto transparent.
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`"Reflectance" is used herein to refer to the quality of reflecting light
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`incident on the tooth.
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`"Numerical entity" is used herein to mean a data set or to a set of
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`instructionsthat is manipulable by automated numerical processing means, such
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`as a computer for example, particularly such that specific data may be obtained
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`therefrom.
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`Such manipulation may be under manual,
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`interactive, partial or fully
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`automated control.
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`The present invention is directed to a method of providing data useful in
`procedures associated with the oral cavity comprising:
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`providing at
`least one numerical entity representative of the three-
`dimensional surface geometry and colourof at least part of the intra-oral cavity;
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`and
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`manipulating said entity to provide desired data therefrom.
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`Typically, the numerical entity comprises surface geometry and colour
`data associated with said part of the intra-oral cavity, and the colour data includes
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`actual or perceived visual characteristics
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`including hue, chroma, value,
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`translucency,reflectance.
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`In an first embodiment, particularly useful for differentiating a first tissue
`from a second tissue, wherein said first tissue comprises substantially different
`colourcharacteristics from those of said second tissue, comprises
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`separating said surface geometry and colourdatainto at least two tissue
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`data sets, wherein
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`a first said tissue data set comprises surface geometry and colour data,
`wherein said colour data thereofis correlated with a colour representative of said
`first tissue; and
`a second said tissue data set comprises surface geometry and colour data,
`wherein said colour data thereofis correlated with a colour representative of said
`
`secondtissue.
`Thefirst tissue comprises hard tissues such as teeth, and the soft tissue
`comprises at least one of gums, tongue, cheeksandlips.
`The first tissue data set may correspond to a plurality of teeth of said
`intraoral cavity, and in the next step the first tissue data set is divided into a
`plurality of sub data sets, wherein each said sub data set correspond to a different
`
`said tooth.
`In the next step, the sub data sets may be manipulated in a manner
`simulating an orthodontic treatment on said teeth.
`Optionally, the sub data sets may be displayed as images corresponding
`to individual teeth.
`The first embodiment may also be used for determining the finish line for
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`a dental preparation.
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`The second embodimentis particularly useful for stitching at least two
`said entities, wherein at least a portion of said entities comprise overlapping
`spatial data, comprising:-
`(a) for each entity providing at least one sub entity comprising a first
`tissue data set comprising surface geometry and colour data, wherein said colour
`data thereof is correlated with a colour representative of a first tissue; and
`(b) stitching said first
`tissue data sets together based on registering
`portions of said data set comprising said overlapping spatial data.
`The first tissue may comprise hard tissues of the intraoral cavity, such as
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`for example teeth.
`Optionally, the method may further comprise thestepof:
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`for each entity separating said surface geometry and colour data into a
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`second tissue data set, comprising surface geometry and colour data, wherein
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`said colour data thereof is correlated with a colour representative of a second
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`tissue.
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`The second tissue typically comprises the soft tissues of the intraoral
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`cavity, including atleast one of gums, tongue, cheeksandlips.
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`In one variation of the method, step (b) comprises:
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`providing coarse stitching of the original entities of step (a) by registering
`overlapping spatial data thereof to determine coarse spatial relationships between
`said entities;
`
`applying said coarse spatial relationships to said first tissue data sets to
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`facilitate registration of overlapping portions ; and
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`stitching said first tissue data sets together based on registering said
`overlapping portions.
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`By eliminating the data associated with the soft tissues, and proceeding
`with stitching only the hard tissues using the colour data, the quality of the
`stitching procedure is significantly better than when usingthefull intra-oral data
`for the stitching procedure.
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`A third embodimentis particularly useful for providing a finish line for a
`preparation area in said intraoral cavity, though it may also be used for virtually
`separating the teeth from the gums. The method comprises:-
`(a) comparing the colour data for each pair of spatially adjacent data
`points in said numericalentity;
`
`(b) if the colour data for said pair of data points are substantially different
`one from the other, providing onesaid data pointofsaid pair of data points;
`and
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`(c) applying a search algorithm for identifying said finish line in said
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`numerical entity, wherein said application of said algorithm is initially applied to
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`a part of said entity correspondingto the said provided data pointsof step (b).
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`Optionally, in step (b) the data point of said pair of data points having
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`colour data associated with a hard tissue is provided for step (c).
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`In a fourth embodimentof the invention, the colour data associated with
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`at least one tooth ofsaid intraoral cavity is used for providing shading data for a
`prosthesis for use in said intraoral cavity.
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`The methodtypically includesthe steps:
`
`(a) providing separate numerical sub-entities each associated with a
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`different one of at least one tooth within saidintra-oral cavity;
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`(b) providing a prosthesis entity comprising surface geometrical data, said
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`prosthesis entity being associated with a desired prosthesis;
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`(c) mapping colour data from at least one sub entity in step (a) to said
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`prosthesis entity according to predeterminedcriteria.
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`Optionally, step (c) comprises
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`(i) transforming the geometrical data of each said separate numerical sub-
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`entities to correspond to a predetermined geometrical form, and mapping said
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`colour data to said geometrical form to provide for each said separate numerical
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`sub-entity a transformed sub-entity;
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`(ii)
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`transforming the geometrical data in (b)
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`to correspond to said
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`prosthesis entity and mapping colour data associated with the transformed sub-
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`entity to said prosthesisentity.
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`Optionally, in step (a) a single numerical sub-entity associated with one
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`tooth within said intra-oral cavity is provided.
`
`Alternatively,
`in step (a) a plurality of separate numerical sub-entities
`associated with a corresponding plurality of teeth within said intra-oral cavity are
`provided; and wherein in step (c) the said transformed sub-entities are combined
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`to a single transformed sub-entity, wherein colour data corresponding to said
`plurality of numerical sub-entities in (a) are combined in a predetermined
`manner. Such a predetermined manner comprises averaging the colour value at
`each corresponding data point ofsaid plurality of numerical sub-entities in (a).
`Optionally,
`the predetermined manner comprises weight averaging the colour
`value at each corresponding data point of said plurality of numerical sub-entities
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`in (a).
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`Typically, step (a) comprises:-
`separating said surface geometry and colour data into at least two tissue
`data sets, wherein
`a first said tissue data set comprises surface geometry and colour data,
`wherein said colour data thereof is correlated with a colourrepresentative of said
`
`first tissue; and
`a secondsaid tissue data set comprises surface geometry and colour data
`wherein said colour data thereofis correlated with a colourrepresentative of said
`
`secondtissue.
`Thefirst tissue comprises hard tissues such as teeth, and the soft tissue
`comprises at least one of gums, tongue, cheeksandlips.
`The first tissue data set may correspond to a plurality of teeth of said
`intraoral cavity, and in the next step the first tissue data set is divided into a
`plurality of sub data sets, wherein each said sub data set correspondto a different
`
`said tooth.
`In another aspect of the present invention, a computer readable medium is
`provided that embodies in a tangible manner a program executable for providing
`data useful in procedures associated with the oral cavity. The computer readable
`
`medium comprises:
`(a) a first set of data representative of the three dimensional surface
`geometry and colourofat least part of the intra oral cavity;
`(b) means for manipulating said first data set to provide desired data
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`therefrom.
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`The medium may comprise, for example, optical discs, magnetic discs,
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`magnetic tapes, and so on.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`In order to understand the invention and to see how it may becarried out
`in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-
`limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
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`Fig. 1 illustrates the main elements of embodiments of devices for
`
`creating a three-dimensional color numerical entity that is manipulated according
`to the present invention.
`
`Figs. 2A, 2B, 2C graphically illustrates the creation of a three dimensional
`
`color entity from a three dimensional monochromeentity and a two dimensional
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`color entity.
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`Fig. 3 graphically illustrates an alignment procedure according to the
`invention for aligning the X-Y coordinates of a three dimensional monochrome
`
`entity with corresponding coordinates of a two dimensional colorentity.
`Figs. 4A and 4B schematically illustrate the main elements ofa portion of
`a device used for providing a three dimensional monochromeentity.
`
`Figs. 5A, 5B, 5C illustrate in plan view, side view and isometric view,
`
`respectively, a probeusedin first embodimentof the device of Fig. 1 to provide a
`two dimensional colorentity.
`
`Fig. 6 illustrates in side view a sheath for a probe used in second
`embodimentof the device of Fig. 1 to provide a two dimensional color entity.
`Fig. 7A illustrates in side view a probe used in third embodimentof the
`
`device of Fig. 1 to provide a two dimensional color entity. Fig. 7B illustrates the
`transmission and reflection characteristics of a typical dichroic coating used in
`the probe of Fig. 7A.
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`Fig. 8 illustrates in side view the general arrangement of the main
`elements used in fourth embodiment of the device of Fig.
`1 to provide a two
`dimensional colorentity.
`
`Fig. 9 illustrates an LED arrangementused with the embodimentofFig. 8.
`Fig. 10 illustrates an alternative illumination arrangement used with the
`
`embodimentof Figure 8. Fig 10Aillustrates details of the tri-color disc used with
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`the illumination arrangementof Fig. 10.
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`Fig. 11 illustrates in side view the general arrangement of the main
`elements used in fifth embodiment of the device of Fig.
`1 to provide a two
`dimensional color entity.
`
`Fig. 12 illustrates in side view the general arrangement of the main
`elements used in sixth embodiment of the device of Fig.
`1
`to provide a two
`dimensional colorentity.
`
`Fig. 13 illustrates in side view the general arrangement of the main
`elements used in seventh embodiment of the device of Fig.
`1 to provide a two
`dimensional color entity.
`
`Fig 14 illustrates the main steps of the method according to the first
`embodimentof the present invention.
`
`Fig 15 illustrates the main steps of the method according to the second
`embodimentof the present invention.
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`Fig 16 illustrates the main steps of the method according to the third
`embodimentofthe present invention.
`
`Fig 17 illustrates the main steps of the method according to the fourth
`embodimentof the present invention.
`Fig 18illustrates a portion of the intraoral cavity on whichit is desired to
`implant a dental prosthesis.
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`Fig 19 schematically illustrates a transformation step according to the
`method ofFig 17.
`
`Fig 20 is a block diagram of a system according to an embodimentof the
`present invention.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`
`Thefirst step of the method according to the present invention relates to
`
`providing at
`least one numerical entity that
`is representative of the three-
`dimensional surface geometry and colourof at least part of the intra-oral cavity.
`The said numerical entity is typically at least "four-dimensional", thatis,
`
`least four prime independent
`each data point of the data set comprises at
`variables. In the preferred embodiments of the invention,
`three of the prime
`independentvariables relate to spatial coordinates of a surface, typically defined
`along orthogonal Cartesian axes, x, y, z. Alternatively, these variables may be
`defined along polar axes or any other geometric system in which a surface may
`be described. The fourth prime independentvariable refers to a colour parameter
`that is expressed numerically and associated with the spatial coordinates. The
`
`colour parameter mayitself be comprised of independent prime colour variables
`— for example relating to the red, blue and green (RGB) components associated
`with the colour parameter. Alternatively, the colour parameter may be expressed
`in terms of the Hue, Saturation and Intensity (HIS). Alternatively, any other
`colour parameter may be used, including parameters that provide a measure of
`internal reflectance andtranslucency, or any other optical property ofteeth.
`Thus, the numerical entity may comprise a data set of a plurality of 4-
`dimensional arrays — (x, y, z, c), wherein each array represents the x, y, Z,
`geometrical coordinates and the colour c of a point on a surface within the intra-
`
`oral cavity.
`
`Any suitable means may be used to provide the numerical entity. For
`example, a three-dimensional surface scanner with colour capabilities may be
`used. Advantageously, such a scanner makes use of confocal
`imaging for
`providing an accurate three-dimensional representation of the target surface
`within the intra-oral cavity. Colour values are then added to each data point of
`this data set by obtaining a two-dimensional colour image of the target surface,
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`and then mapping the colourvalues of the two-dimensional image onto the three-
`
`dimensional "image".
`
`The following are examples on how to obtain the 3d colour numerical
`
`entity.
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`Reference is first being made to Fig 1 which illustrates the general
`relationship between the various elements of a device for providing a 3D color
`numerical entity, generally designated with the numeral 100, according to the
`embodiments of the device described herein.
`
`The device 100 comprises a main illumination source 31 for illuminating the
`object of interest 26, typically a part of the intraoral cavity, and is optically coupled
`to main optics 41 to provide depth Z values for an array range of X-Y points
`(according to a known frame ofreference) along the surface of the object 26.
`Detection optics 60 comprises an image sensor, typically a CCD,that is preferably
`monochromatic to maximise the resolution of the device, and which typically
`defines the X-Y frame of reference. Alternatively, the CCD may be adapted to
`receive color images. The detection optics 60 receives image data from the main
`optics 41 and the image processor 24 determines the depth Z values for each X-Y
`point illuminated on the object 26 based on this image data. In this manner, a
`manipulable three-dimensional numerical entity E comprising the surface
`coordinates of the object 26.
`.
`The device 100 further comprises color illuminating means, such as for
`example a tri-color sequence generator 74,for selectively illuminating the object 26
`with suitable colors,
`typically Green, Red and Blue, and for each such
`
`monochromatic illumination, a two dimensional imageof the object 26 is captured
`by the detection optics 60. The processor 24 then processes the three differently
`colored monochromatic images and combines th