VIRTUAL DENTAL PATIENT

This proposal tests the hypothesis that a virtual computer rendition of a dental patient (VDP) and its clinical source are closely correlated over a wide range of clinical conditions. If proven, this will initiate a paradigm shift in clinical measurement, noninvasive diagnosis, treatment planning, prognosis, and outcome assessment; all of which are called for in the NIDR Long Range Research Plan for the Nineties. The VDP is an enabling technology that will seed further downstream dental developments, such as growth and development studies by providing numerical Comparison of sequential images, simulation of orthodontic movement by importing force-movement-property parameters, and monitoring changes in soft tissue morphology and texture. The training significance of the VDP is limitless. Clinical self-instruction and review by predoctoral students may advance their knowledge and skills before patient treatment, and examining bodies may be relieved in part of the media-legal burden of treating patients with unqualified students. The VDP is created and verified by satisfying five specific aims: (1) incorporate the soft and hard tissue of the dental arches into virtual 3-D images using computer graphics; (2) bring the imaged arches into the correct clinical relationship; (3) add animation to reproduce the patient's functional movements; (4) verily the model using articulator reconstructions; and (5) verify the model using clinical data. The digitally-based VDP is ideal for sharing clinical information on an internet web site by down loading images, movie sequences, or remote- running of the program by a JAVA language application. The opportunities for far-flung cooperation, feedback and reporting can hardly be exaggerated. This goal will be accomplished by setting up and maintaining a dedicated web site for exchange of information between interested investigators (Specific Aim 6) and by mounting VDP application software on the web site for external use (Specific Aim 7). In light of these developments, an authenticated VDP seems not only possible and beneficial, but inevitable and of high program relevance.