US 12,263,049 B2
Methods, systems and accessories useful for procedures relating to dental implants
Avi Kopelman, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Assigned to ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 1, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/623,871.
Application 15/138,034 is a division of application No. 13/960,599, filed on Aug. 6, 2013, granted, now 9,345,562, issued on May 24, 2016.
Application 13/960,599 is a division of application No. 12/458,579, filed on Jul. 16, 2009, granted, now 8,509,932, issued on Aug. 13, 2013.
Application 18/623,871 is a continuation of application No. 18/129,729, filed on Mar. 31, 2023, granted, now 11,974,892, issued on May 7, 2024.
Application 18/129,729 is a continuation of application No. 17/681,626, filed on Feb. 25, 2022, granted, now 11,654,004, issued on May 23, 2023.
Application 17/681,626 is a continuation of application No. 16/922,606, filed on Jul. 7, 2020, granted, now 11,291,533, issued on Apr. 5, 2022.
Application 16/922,606 is a continuation of application No. 15/695,974, filed on Sep. 5, 2017, granted, now 10,722,332, issued on Jul. 28, 2020.
Application 15/695,974 is a continuation of application No. 15/138,034, filed on Apr. 25, 2016, granted, now 9,782,238, issued on Oct. 10, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/129,770, filed on Jul. 17, 2008.
Prior Publication US 2024/0390120 A1, Nov. 28, 2024
Int. Cl. A61C 13/00 (2006.01); A61C 8/00 (2006.01); A61C 9/00 (2006.01); A61C 13/34 (2006.01)
CPC A61C 13/0004 (2013.01) [A61C 8/00 (2013.01); A61C 8/0001 (2013.01); A61C 9/00 (2013.01); A61C 9/0053 (2013.01); A61C 13/0022 (2013.01); A61C 13/34 (2013.01); A61C 9/002 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A non-transitory computing device readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to cause a computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:
(a) receiving, from a scan of an intraoral cavity of a patient, a first virtual model representing the intraoral cavity of the patient including a dental implant, wherein a location and orientation of the dental implant is determinable with respect to the first virtual model;
(b) receiving a second virtual model representative of a physical analog of the dental implant;
(c) determining one or more shape characteristics of one or more areas selected from the first virtual model, one or more areas selected from the second virtual model, or both;
(d) manipulating the first virtual model, the second virtual model, or both to match the one or more shape characteristics of each of the selected one or more areas;
(e) removing one or more matched shapes from the first virtual model to create a modified first virtual model;
(f) removing one or more matched shapes from the second virtual model to create a modified second virtual model; and
(g) combining the modified first virtual model and the modified second virtual model to generate a third virtual model, wherein the third virtual model comprises an outer virtual surface representative of dental tissues that are exposed in the intraoral cavity, and an inner virtual surface representative of a cavity for receiving and retaining the modified second virtual model.