# US 11,304,779 B2 · Systems and methods for providing orthodontic aligners and other dental appliances > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,304,779 B2 - Document ID: US11304779B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/220,807 - Filed: 2021-04-01 - Published: 2022-01-06 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-29 - Assignees: Align Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Align Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Anatoliy Parpara; Ivan Kharpalev; Stephan Albert Alexandre Dumothier; Andrey Cherkas; Alexey Kalinichenko; Jack Shaw; Israel Velazquez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304779B2 ## CPC - G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection} - A61C 7/002: {Orthodontic computer assisted systems} - A61C 7/08: Mouthpiece-type retainers {or positioners, e.g. for both the lower and upper arch (arch-shaped medicament applicators for teeth or gums A61C19/063; mouthguards for protecting the teeth of sportsmen A63B71/085)} - A61C 13/0004: {Computer-assisted sizing or machining of dental prostheses} - B29C 33/3842: {Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining} - B29C 51/266: {Auxiliary operations after the thermoforming operation (B29C51/42, B29C51/44, B29C51/46 take precedence)} - B29C 51/46: Measuring, controlling or regulating - B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - G01N 21/95607: {using a comparative method} - G06T 7/0004: {Industrial image inspection} - G06T 7/001: {using an image reference approach} - G06T 7/0014: {using an image reference approach} - G06T 7/521: from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light - G06T 17/10: Constructive solid geometry [CSG] using solid primitives, e.g. cylinders, cubes - B29L 2031/753: {Medical equipment; Accessories therefor (bloodbags, medical bags B29L2031/7148; artificial eyes B29L2011/0008)} - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - G06T 2207/10116: X-ray image - G06T 2207/30036: Dental; Teeth - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A method for manufacturing an orthodontic aligner includes printing a mold associated with a dental arch of a patient based on a digital model of the mold, forming the orthodontic aligner over the mold, and trimming the orthodontic aligner. The method further includes assessing a quality of the orthodontic aligner by receiving a digital representation of the orthodontic aligner, the digital representation having been generated based on imaging of the orthodontic aligner, analyzing the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner to identify a quality-related property of the orthodontic aligner, determining, based on the quality-related property, that the orthodontic aligner comprises a manufacturing flaw, and classifying the orthodontic aligner as requiring further inspection by a technician based on determining that the orthodontic aligner comprises the manufacturing flaw. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing an orthodontic aligner, the method comprising: manufacturing the orthodontic aligner, wherein manufacturing the orthodontic aligner comprises: printing a mold associated with a dental arch of a patient based on a digital model of the mold; forming the orthodontic aligner over the mold; and trimming the orthodontic aligner; and assessing a quality of the orthodontic aligner, wherein assessing the quality of the orthodontic aligner comprises: receiving, by a processor, a digital representation of the orthodontic aligner, the digital representation having been generated based on imaging of the orthodontic aligner; analyzing, by the processor, the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner to identify a quality-related property of the orthodontic aligner, the analyzing comprising: comparing the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner with data generated based on the digital model of the mold over which the orthodontic aligner was formed; and calculating one or more difference between a feature determined from the data and a feature of the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner; determining, based on the quality-related property, that the orthodontic aligner comprises a manufacturing flaw; and classifying, by the processor, the orthodontic aligner as requiring further inspection by a technician based on determining that the orthodontic aligner comprises the manufacturing flaw. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: comparing, by the processor, the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner with a wherein the data comprises a digital file comprising trimming instructions used to trim the orthodontic aligner along a cutline, the method further comprising: determining, based on the comparison comparing, whether the orthodontic aligner was trimmed within a tolerance of an intended cutline. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the comparison comparing comprises comparing, by the processor, a virtual cutline to the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner, the virtual cutline based on the digital file, the method further comprising: determining, by the processor, whether the virtual cutline corresponds to an edge of the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein: the comparison comparing comprises overlaying, by the processor, a virtual cutline from the digital file with the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner; and the calculating the one or more difference between a feature determined from the data and a feature of the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner comprises calculating, by the processor, one or more difference between a virtual edge determined from the virtual cutline and an edge of the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner includes one or more two-dimensional images corresponding to one or more views of the orthodontic aligner. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising wherein: comparing the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner with data generated based on the digital model of the mold over which the orthodontic aligner was formed comprises comparing, by the processor, an image from among the one or more two-dimensional images of the orthodontic aligner with a projection of a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model associated with the orthodontic aligner. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner comprises a three-dimensional (3D) representation of the orthodontic aligner. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising wherein: comparing the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner with data generated based on the digital model of the mold over which the orthodontic aligner was formed comprises comparing, by the processor, the 3D representation of the orthodontic aligner with the digital model of the mold, w herein the digital model of the mold comprises a virtual 3D model associated with the dental arch of the patient at a stage of orthodontic treatment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein surface features of the orthodontic aligner are enhanced via illumination to facilitate capture of the surface features when generating the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: remanufacturing the orthodontic aligner responsive to determining that the orthodontic aligner comprises the manufacturing flaw. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: shipping the remanufactured orthodontic aligner to a destination. ### Claim 12 A system for manufacturing an orthodontic aligner, the system comprising: a three-dimensional (3D) printer, to print a mold associated with a dental arch of a patient based on a digital model of the mold; thermoforming equipment, to thermoform the orthodontic aligner over the mold; trimming equipment, to trim the orthodontic aligner; an image capture device, to generate a digital representation of the orthodontic aligner; and a processor, to: receive the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner; analyze the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner to identify a quality-related property of the orthodontic aligner, wherein analyzing the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner comprises: comparing the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner with data generated based on the digital model of the mold over which the orthodontic aligner was formed; and calculating one or more difference between a feature determined from the data and a feature of the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner; determine, based on the quality-related property, that the orthodontic aligner comprises a manufacturing flaw; and classify the orthodontic aligner as defective based on determining that the orthodontic aligner comprises the manufacturing flaw. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein processor is further to: perform a comparison of the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner with the data comprises a digital file comprising trimming instructions used to trim the orthodontic aligner along a cutline, and wherein the processor is further to: determine, based on the comparison comparing, whether the orthodontic aligner was trimmed within a tolerance of an intended cutline. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the comparing comprises comparing to perform the comparison, the processor is further to: compare a virtual cutline to the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner, the virtual cutline based on the digital file, and wherein the processor is further to determine whether the virtual cutline corresponds to an edge of the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein: to perform the comparison, the processor is further to: the comparing comprises overlaying overlay a virtual cutline from the digital file with the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner; and the calculating the one or more difference between a feature determined from the data and a feature of the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner comprises calculating calculate one or more difference between a virtual edge determined from the virtual cutline and an edge of the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner includes one or more two-dimensional images corresponding to one or more views of the orthodontic aligner, and wherein the processor is further to: comparing the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner with data generated based on the digital model of the mold over which the orthodontic aligner was formed comprises comparing compare an image from among the one or more two-dimensional images of the orthodontic aligner with a projection of a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model associated with the orthodontic aligner. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner comprises a 3D representation of the orthodontic aligner, and wherein the processor is further to: compare comparing the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner with data generated based on the digital model of the mold over which the orthodontic aligner was formed comprises comparing the 3D representation of the orthodontic aligner with the digital model of the mold, wherein the digital model comprises a virtual 3D model associated with the dental arch of the patient at a stage of orthodontic treatment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further to: determine a difference between feature of the digital representation comprises a location on the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner and the feature determined from the data comprises a corresponding location on the digital model of the mold, and wherein the processor is further to: determine whether the difference exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, further comprising: a light source configured to illuminate the orthodontic aligner in a manner that enhances an image quality of the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a manufacturing system for orthodontic aligners, cause the manufacturing system to perform operations comprising: manufacturing an orthodontic aligner, wherein manufacturing the orthodontic aligner comprises: printing a mold associated with a dental arch of a patient based on a digital model of the mold; forming the orthodontic aligner over the mold; and trimming the orthodontic aligner; and assessing a quality of the orthodontic aligner, wherein assessing the quality of the orthodontic aligner comprises: receiving a digital representation of the orthodontic aligner, the digital representation having been generated based on imaging of the orthodontic aligner; analyzing, by a processor, the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner to identify a quality-related property of the orthodontic aligner, the analyzing comprising: comparing the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner with data generated based on the digital model of the mold over which the orthodontic aligner was formed; and calculating one or more difference between a feature determined from the data and a feature of the digital representation of the orthodontic aligner; determining, based on the quality-related property, that the orthodontic aligner comprises a manufacturing flaw; and classifying the orthodontic aligner as requiring further inspection by a technician based on determining that the orthodontic aligner comprises the manufacturing flaw.