A system design for 3D dental cast reconstruction

For digital orthodontic application, the traditional dental cast needs to be reconstructed in 3D for visualization and manipulation because it contains much important information associated with the diagnosis and treatment planning. In this paper, a system design for building 3D digital model of dental cast is proposed and evaluated. The shape-from-shading technique is employed for 3D reconstruction using multiple images. From the experimental comparison, the reconstructed 3D dental cast produce some error range from +0.57 mm to -0.95 mm. Along with the novel mechanical design, a LED light source, and user interface, it is demonstrated to be feasible for clinical use.