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US 11,154,382 B2Granted
Aligners with elastic layer
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsAvi Kopelman, Jeeyoung Choi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one aspect, an orthodontic appliance can include a shell having a plurality of cavities shaped to receive a patient's teeth. The shell can include an exterior layer and an interior layer having a stiffness less than a stiffness of the exterior layer. A discontinuity can be formed in the exterior layer.
Claims51
An orthodontic appliance, comprising:
- a shell having a plurality of cavities shaped to receive a patient's teeth, wherein the shell comprises:
- a first layer;
- and
- a second layer having a stiffness less than a stiffness of the first layer;
- an inner surface of the second layer facing an interior of the plurality of cavities and an exterior surface of the second layer that is opposite the inner surface of the second layer;
- an inner surface of the first layer facing the exterior surface of the second layer;
- an external surface of the first layer that is opposite the inner surface of the first layer;
- a plurality of discontinuities formed in the first layer, the plurality of discontinuities including:
- a first arcuate discontinuity formed in the first layer and having a joint, and
- a second discontinuity comprising a groove and extending parallel with the joint formed in the first layer at the joint, the second discontinuity extending from the external surface of the first layer only partially through the first layer towards the second layer;
- and
- a resistive portion formed in the second layer, the resistive portion configured to resist a structural change to the first layer due to the plurality of discontinuities.
9 more elements
An orthodontic system, comprising:
- a plurality of orthodontic appliances each comprising a shell including one or more cavities shaped to receive a patient's teeth, wherein the plurality of orthodontic appliances are successively wearable by the patient to move one or more teeth from a first arrangement to a second arrangement, and wherein at least one of the plurality of orthodontic appliances comprises:
- an appliance shell having a plurality of cavities shaped to receive the patient's teeth, wherein the appliance shell comprises:
- a first layer;
- and
- a second layer having a stiffness less than a stiffness of the first layer,
- an inner surface of the second layer facing an interior of the plurality of cavities,
- an exterior surface of the second layer that is opposite the inner surface of the second layer,
- an inner surface of the first layer facing the exterior surface of the second layer, and an external surface of the first layer that is opposite the inner surface of the first layer,
- a plurality of discontinuities formed in the first layer, the plurality of discontinuities including
- a first arcuate discontinuity formed in the first layer and having a joint, and
- a second discontinuity comprising a groove and extending parallel with the joint formed in the first layer at the joint, the second discontinuity extending from the external surface of the first layer only partially through the first layer towards the second layer;
- a resistive portion formed in the second layer, the resistive portion configured to resist a structural change to the first layer due to the plurality of discontinuities.
9 more elements
A method for creating an orthodontic appliance, the method comprising:
- providing a shell having a plurality of cavities shaped to receive a patient's teeth, wherein the shell comprises:
- a first layer,
- a second layer having a stiffness less than a stiffness of the first layer,
- an inner surface of the second layer facing an interior of the plurality of cavities,
- an exterior surface of the second layer that is opposite the inner surface of the second layer,
- an inner surface of the first layer facing the exterior surface of the second layer, and
- an external surface of the first layer that is opposite the inner surface of the first layer;
- forming a plurality of discontinuities in the first layer, wherein forming the plurality of discontinuities comprises:
- forming a first arcuate discontinuity in the first layer, the first arcuate discontinuity having a joint;
- and
- forming a second discontinuity comprising a groove and extending parallel with the joint in the first layer at the joint, the second discontinuity extending from the external surface of the first layer only partially through the first layer towards the second layer to cause a resistive portion to be formed in the second layer, the resistive portion configured to resist a structural change to the first layer due to the plurality of discontinuities.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.