AUTOMATED CLASSIFICATION AND TAXONOMY OF 3D TEETH DATA USING DEEP LEARNING METHODS

A computer-implemented method for automated classification of 3D image data of teeth includes a computer receiving one or more of 3D image data sets where a set defines an image volume of voxels representing 3D tooth structures within the image volume associated with a 3D coordinate system. The computer pre-processes each of the data sets and provides each of the pre-processed data sets to the input of a trained deep neural network. The neural network classifies each of the voxels within a 3D image data set on the basis of a plurality of candidate tooth labels of the dentition. Classifying a 3D image data set includes generating for at least part of the voxels of the data set a candidate tooth label activation value associated with a candidate tooth label defining the likelihood that the labelled data point represents a tooth type as indicated by the candidate tooth label.