Digital Dentistry: AI and Simulation based workflow for automated clear aligner production

一种新的牙齿矫正方法涉及使用透明的薄塑料矫正器，用户可以在牙齿和牙龈上滑动，这种方法已经超过了更传统的金属（所谓的火车轨道）支架。透明矫正器的一些优点是它们在佩戴时不太显眼/不太明显，可以移除，并且更容易保持清洁。据估计，目前约有8%的正畸患者使用透明矫正器。（牙齿拉直）透明矫正器的设计依赖于使用扫描技术来生成患者牙列的计算机模型，然后将其用作定制治疗计划的基础，该治疗计划由一系列透明矫正器组成，这些矫正器通过3D打印逐渐拉直牙齿。这种开发治疗计划的方法目前是繁琐的，并且需要来自处方牙医的相当多的输入，与在计算机上交互地执行详细建模步骤的受过专门训练的牙科技术人员合作。这是一个痛苦和繁重的过程，这大大增加了手术的成本。目前的建议是开发一个计算机工作流程，用于治疗计划，从牙齿扫描一直到设计患者特定的矫正器，这在很大程度上是自动化的，从而简化和简化了过程，同时大大降低了成本。这将部分通过利用图像处理领域人工智能（AI）技术的最新进展以及采用计算机（基于物理学的）模拟技术来改进治疗计划而成为可能。该工业研究项目将由Vitaware Ltd.的一个团队负责，该团队由工程师，计算机科学家和医疗保健应用软件开发方面的良好记录组成，与医疗保健社区3D校准器解决方案的商业供应商合作，并与埃克塞特大学3D打印卓越中心合作。

A novel approach to teeth straightening involving the use of clear thin plastic aligners that users slip on over their teeth and gums has been gaining ground over the more traditional metal (so called train-track) braces. Some advantages of clear aligners are that they are less conspicuous/less visible when worn, can be removed, and are easier to keep clean. Clear aligners are now estimated to account for 8% of orthodontic (teeth straightening) procedures worldwide with revenue in excess of 2 billion dollars.The design of clear aligners relies on using scanning techniques to generate computer models of a patient's dentition which are then used as the basis for a tailored treatment plan consisting of a sequence of clear aligners that progressively straighten teeth with 3D printing used in the process of making the aligners.This approach to developing a treatment plan is currently cumbersome and requires considerable input from a prescribing orthodontist in concert with specially trained dental technicians who carry out the detailed modelling steps interactively on a computer. This is a pain-staking and onerous process which contributes appreciably to the cost of the procedure.The present proposal is to develop a computer workflow for treatment planning, from dental scan right through to the design of patient specific aligners, which is largely automated thereby streamlining and deskilling the process with attendant substantive reduction in costs. This will in part be made possible by leveraging recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Techniques in the field of image processing as well as by employing computer (physics-based) simulation techniques to improve the treatment plan. This industrial research project will be run by a team at Vitaware Ltd. consisting of engineers, computer scientists and orthodontists with a well established track record in software development for Healthcare applications in partnership with a commercial provider of 3D aligner solutions to the orthodontist community and with the participation of The University of Exeter 3D Printing Centre of Excellence.