1. A method of automatic tooth segmentation, the method executed at least in part on a computer system and comprising: acquiring volume image data for either or both upper and lower jaw regions of a patient; identifying image content for a specified jaw from the acquired volume image data and, for the specified jaw: (a) estimating an average tooth height for teeth within the specified jaw; (b) finding a jaw arch region; (c) detecting one or more separation curves between teeth in the jaw arch region; (d) defining at least one individual tooth sub volume according to the estimated average tooth height and the detected separation curves; and (e) segmenting at least one tooth from within the defined sub-volume; and displaying, storing, or transmitting the volume image data for the at least one segmented tooth.