US 12,322,059 B2
System and method for removing brackets from customized orthodontic appliances and products
Todd Blankenbecler, Atlanta, GA (US); Tom Zambito, East Amherst, NY (US); and Marc Lemchen, New York, NY (US)
Assigned to EASYRX LLC., Atlanta, GA (US)
Appl. No. 17/916,407
Filed by Todd Blankenbecler, Atlanta, GA (US); Tom Zambito, East Amherst, NY (US); Marc Lemchen, New York, NY (US); and EasyRx LLC., Atlanta, GA (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 29, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/024599
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 30, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/202347, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 7, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/003,568, filed on Apr. 1, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0142509 A1, May 11, 2023
Int. Cl. G06T 19/20 (2011.01); A61C 7/02 (2006.01); A61C 7/14 (2006.01)
CPC G06T 19/20 (2013.01) [A61C 7/02 (2013.01); A61C 7/146 (2013.01); G06T 2210/41 (2013.01); G06T 2219/2021 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for removing image data corresponding to an orthodontic or dental appliance from a 3D image of a patient's teeth comprising:
selecting an image data corresponding to at least one appliance to be removed from the 3D image;
deleting the selected image data corresponding to the at least one appliance from the 3D image;
calculating image data corresponding to a surface of a tooth disposed beneath the deleted image data corresponding to the at least one appliance;
integrating the calculated image data corresponding to the surface of the tooth disposed beneath the deleted image data corresponding to the at least one appliance with the remaining portion of the 3D image; and
refining the image data corresponding to the surface of the tooth disposed beneath the deleted image data corresponding to the at least one appliance,
wherein selecting the image data corresponding to the at least one appliance comprises forming a boundary within the 3D image around the image data corresponding to the at least one appliance, and
wherein deleting the selected image data corresponding to the at least one appliance from the 3D image comprises deleting the image data corresponding to the at least one appliance contained within the formed boundary, and
wherein refining the image data corresponding to the surface of the tooth disposed beneath the deleted image data corresponding to the at least one appliance comprises removing at least a portion of the image data corresponding to the surface of the tooth disposed beneath the deleted image data corresponding to the at least one appliance.