Automatic segmentation for 3D dental reconstruction

Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is one of the favorite imaging technologies in dentistry because if offers 3D images in conditions of reduced irradiation. High quality 3D imaging is essential for first-rate diagnostic and treatment, despite the rather low quality images, with low contrast and high noise. The paper presents an automatic method for 3D reconstruction of the oral cavity. We analyze the existing state of the art in the field and propose a segmentation method that uses the domain knowledge related to mouth and teeth to reduce the computational load and to provide good results in an automatic procedure. The method is based on a Canny type edge detector, that was found to offer better control than active contour methods.