Combining two STLs into one.

[MoosetheGoose]

So, Ive managed to combine two STLs into one STL, the doctor doesn't want to reimpress, its really annoying, but that's besides the point..... The issue I'm running into is that right where I stitched the two scans together in the center between 8 and 9, since the borders of the STL don't match up perfectly, 3shape does not like it. Ive tried a bunch of different options for fixing it on both 3shape and meshmixer, does anyone have any suggestions for combining these two STLs in a way that the right and left side borders actually match up?

 

[Gru]

Use Exocad?

Seriously, though, if you have a cloud address, someone here might fix it for you if you can re-import the final solution.

 

[HonestAbe]

So, Ive managed to combine two STLs into one STL, the doctor doesn't want to reimpress, its really annoying, but that's besides the point..... The issue I'm running into is that right where I stitched the two scans together in the center between 8 and 9, since the borders of the STL don't match up perfectly, 3shape does not like it. Ive tried a bunch of different options for fixing it on both 3shape and meshmixer, does anyone have any suggestions for combining these two STLs in a way that the right and left side borders actually match up?

Not sure exactly what you mean by the borders match up. Are you talking about the gingiva between 8 and 9 in your combination stl? Like you have a bit of both there and it's causing issues? Or are you getting an error when importing your new combined stl? What exactly do you mean by 3shape "does not like it"?

 

[rkm rdt]

Use Exocad?

he said stl's not std's

 

[MoosetheGoose]

Not sure exactly what you mean by the borders match up. Are you talking about the gingiva between 8 and 9 in your combination stl? Like you have a bit of both there and it's causing issues? Or are you getting an error when importing your new combined stl? What exactly do you mean by 3shape "does not like it"?

the two borders where they were spliced together are different. Theres spots where they intersect but they do not combine perfectly. its that entire line down the midline.

 

[HonestAbe]

the two borders where they were spliced together are different. Theres spots where they intersect but they do not combine perfectly. its that entire line down the midline.

It's all soft tissue though from what I can see or am I missing something? If the margins and preps are all aligned (which it looks like they are) then what's the problem? Is it not letting you import the combined stl?

 

[MoosetheGoose]

It's all soft tissue though from what I can see or am I missing something? If the margins and preps are all aligned (which it looks like they are) then what's the problem? Is it not letting you import the combined stl?

What I did was I took the scan of both arches, on both arches I just deleted the entire one side that didnt have the prepped teeth, this was after aligning the two STLs together, I then just combined the two STLs into one STL, the problem is that there are slight differences on the borders where they come together, and those slight differences in the borders of the STL are causing an issue, as normally there are not two borders in the middle of an STL, normally it just flows nicely and theres a smooth transition everywhere. I dont know how else to better describe this.

 

[HonestAbe]

What I did was I took the scan of both arches, on both arches I just deleted the entire one side that didnt have the prepped teeth, this was after aligning the two STLs together, I then just combined the two STLs into one STL, the problem is that there are slight differences on the borders where they come together, and those slight differences in the borders of the STL are causing an issue, as normally there are not two borders in the middle of an STL, normally it just flows nicely and theres a smooth transition everywhere. I dont know how else to better describe this.

You say it's causing an issue but you haven't said what the issue is. Is it an error message? Is it because you need to print the model and don't want a visible border? The soft tissue is going to look different between the two where you cut them no matter what, if it's just a visual bother you could use a smoothing tool on it but again I don't get what the actual issue is. What is the border preventing you from doing?

 

[bigj1972]

So, Ive managed to combine two STLs into one STL, the doctor doesn't want to reimpress, its really annoying, but that's besides the point..... The issue I'm running into is that right where I stitched the two scans together in the center between 8 and 9, since the borders of the STL don't match up perfectly, 3shape does not like it. Ive tried a bunch of different options for fixing it on both 3shape and meshmixer, does anyone have any suggestions for combining these two STLs in a way that the right and left side borders actually match up?

Yeah it's really a burden to have to do extra work to help improve the success for your patient you sold a treatment to. Your right Doc, screw'em!

 

[ztech]

So, Ive managed to combine two STLs into one STL, the doctor doesn't want to reimpress, its really annoying, but that's besides the point..... The issue I'm running into is that right where I stitched the two scans together in the center between 8 and 9, since the borders of the STL don't match up perfectly, 3shape does not like it. Ive tried a bunch of different options for fixing it on both 3shape and meshmixer, does anyone have any suggestions for combining these two STLs in a way that the right and left side borders actually match up?

I agree with "use Exocad ", in the meantime cut more of the defective mesh away and then stitch again.

 

[Affinity]

You should try dentalshaper. But chances are they will never perfectly align if they are two different scans.

 

[MoosetheGoose]

You say it's causing an issue but you haven't said what the issue is. Is it an error message? Is it because you need to print the model and don't want a visible border? The soft tissue is going to look different between the two where you cut them no matter what, if it's just a visual bother you could use a smoothing tool on it but again I don't get what the actual issue is. What is the border preventing you from doing?

3shape registers it as two seperate objects even though its been combined to one STL and it looks like its aligned. Neither the band aid tool or the smooth tool work because its not registering the two different sides as one piece.

 

[MoosetheGoose]

3shape registers it as two seperate objects even though its been combined to one STL and it looks like its aligned. Neither the band aid tool or the smooth tool work because its not registering the two different sides as one piece.

So even if I wanted to just push it through and print it and just manually grind down the line running down the midline I wouldnt be able to because of 3shape recognizing it as two objects.

 

[CoolHandLuke]

this was a bad idea amigo

rescan or reimpress, this much fudge factor, you may as well wax up by hand ona print. bad idea.

 

[HonestAbe]

3shape registers it as two seperate objects even though its been combined to one STL and it looks like its aligned. Neither the band aid tool or the smooth tool work because its not registering the two different sides as one piece.

Have you run analysis and repair on it in meshmixer?

 

[sirmorty]

Man, I'm all for trying to figure out a workaround for most things but this is not it.

Unless you like doing things over.

 

[HonestAbe]

The preps line up perfectly in the images he's posted, so what he's trying to do should be possible but there's some glitch in the stl that's holding it up most likely. ztech's suggestion to start cutting away all the useless stuff on the model is dead on in my opinion. It's nice to have the tissue but you don't need the palette to match up right? The less overlap and crossover of the mesh the more likely it'll work.

 

[Pronto]

Maybe trim the palette out of the scan as much as possible?

 

[MoosetheGoose]

Have you run analysis and repair on it in meshmixer?

yeah ive already tried the analysis and repair but it wont get it quite there. I was going to attempt to turn them both to solid models, and then hopefully I should be able to smooth out the difference if there registered as solid models..... I dont know, im kind of in agreeance with coolhandluke, I dont think this will end up working. Ill trim out the palette as well.

 

[Furyan]

can you post the mesh files, we can do a try.