| abstract |
A method for use in forming a preparation in a patient's jaw comprises the steps of (a) generating electrically encoded data specifying pre-existing dental structure in the patient's jaw, (b) transmitting the data to a computer, (c) operating the computer to generate, on a monitor connected to the computer, a graphic representation of the pre-existing structure, (d) further operating the computer to predetermine an optimal position and an optimal orientation of a material removal tool with respect to the pre-existing structure, and (e) additionally operating the computer to generate, on the monitor, a graphic representation of the tool in the optimal position and the optimal orientation relative to the pre-existing structure. The method may be used to conduct a practice operation on the patient. In such a practice operation, the dental practitioner orients a dental type instrument (e.g., a probe or a drill) in juxtaposition to the pre-existing structure at the optimal position (shown on the monitor). The computer is provided with electrical feedback or signals as to the actual position and the actual orientation of the instrument. The computer is then operated to automatically determine an angle between the optimal orientation and the actual orientation. The computer then alerts the dental practitioner as to the deviation, if any, between the instrument and the optimal position and orientation thereof. |