A novel method for prediction of dynamic smiling expressions after orthodontic treatment: a case report

Abstract

Smile esthetics has become increasingly important for orthodontic patients, thus prediction of post-treatment smile is necessary for a perfect treatment plan. In this study, with a combination of three-dimensional craniofacial data from the cone beam computed tomography and color-encoded structured light system, a novel method for smile prediction was proposed based on facial expression transfer, in which dynamic facial expression was interpreted as a matrix of facial depth changes. Data extracted from the pre-treatment smile expression record were applied to the post-treatment static model to realize expression transfer. Therefore smile esthetics of the patient after treatment could be evaluated in pre-treatment planning procedure. The positive and negative mean values of error for prediction accuracy were 0.9 and − 1.1 mm respectively, with the standard deviation of ± 1.5 mm, which is clinically acceptable. Further studies would be conducted to reduce the prediction error from both the static and dynamic sides as well as to explore automatically combined prediction from the two sides.

Keywords::

• cone beam computed tomography
• structured light system
• expression transfer
• smile prediction
• orthodontic treatment

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Center for BioMed-X Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, for providing the 3D color-encoded structured light system.

Conflict of interest disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 81200806] and [grant number 81371192].