# US 11,432,911 B2 · Integrated braces with veneers, crowns, or bridges > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,432,911 B2 - Document ID: US11432911B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/881,422 - Filed: 2015-10-13 - Published: 2016-07-21 - Granted: 2022-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-14 - Assignees: Paul Ouellette - Applicants: Paul Ouellette - Inventors: Paul Ouellette; Arlen J. Hurt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11432911B2 ## CPC - A61C 7/146: {Positioning or placement of brackets; Tools therefor} - A61C 5/77: Methods or devices for making crowns - A61C 7/002: {Orthodontic computer assisted systems} - A61C 7/14: Brackets (A61C7/28 takes precedence); Fixing brackets to teeth - A61C 8/0096: {Implants for use in orthodontic treatment} - A61C 13/0013: {using stereolithographic techniques} - A61C 19/04: Measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry ({A61C5/44 takes precedence; testing vitality of teeth A61B5/0534;} radiation diagnosis specially adapted for dentistry A61B6/51) - 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) ## Abstract A dental appliance comprising a veneer, bridge, or crown with an integrated brace together formed as a single piece of material. The braces, crowns, veneers, and bridges may be printed with 3-dimensional (3D) software and SLA milling. Embodiments of the present invention provide the printed veneer, crown or bridge with an orthodontic portion (“brace” or “bracket”) that is all one piece. This can be used to move teeth orthodontically and provide a degree of esthetics. The appliance may include identification marks, which may guide placement of the appliance in a patient's mouth. The brace and identification marks can be removed, leaving the veneer, crown, or bridge behind. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A 3D-printed dental appliance comprising a veneer and a brace, wherein the veneer and the brace of the dental appliance are formed of a contiguous single piece of material without a separate bonding material between the veneer and the brace, wherein the 3D-printed dental appliance is configured to cover a front surface, mesial surface and distal surface of the tooth, and is further configured to cup an incisal edge of the tooth; wherein a front side of the veneer comprises a cross-hair pattern, such that a vertical line of the cross-hair pattern is aligned with a zenith point of the veneer, wherein the zenith point denotes the highest vertical area at the top of the veneer when installed and framed by gum tissue, wherein the cross-hair pattern is indented into the front side of the veneer; wherein a bottom edge of the front side of the veneer comprises a first plurality of raised or indented alignment markers approximately one millimeter apart, wherein a side edge of the front side of the veneer comprises a second plurality of raised or indented alignment markers approximately one millimeter apart; wherein the first plurality of alignment markers and the second plurality of alignment markers are disposed at an approximately 90 degree angle to one another; and wherein the front side of the veneer resembles a front side of a tooth, other than: the cross hair pattern, the first plurality of raised or indented alignment markers, and the second plurality of raised or indented alignment markers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dental appliance of claim 1, wherein the veneer comprises thereon, on the front side, a set of binary-coded tooth identifiers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The dental appliance of claim 2, wherein the set of binary-coded tooth identifiers represents codes of 0's and 1's. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The dental appliance of claim 2, wherein the set of binary-coded tooth identifiers is comprised of lines and circles. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The dental appliance of claim 1, wherein the brace comprises a plurality of graduated orthodontic wire slots stacked vertically on the front side of the veneer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The dental appliance of claim 5, wherein the plurality of graduated orthodontic wire slots comprises includes three wire slots. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The dental appliance of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of graduated orthodontic wire slots comprises: a first wall extending perpendicularly from the front side of the veneer, and a second wall extending perpendicularly from the first wall. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The dental appliance of claim 1, wherein a backside of the veneer comprises a reservoir. ### Claim 9 A 3D-printed dental restoration comprising a crown and a brace, wherein the crown and the brace of the dental restoration are formed as a contiguous single piece of material without a separate bonding material between the crown and the brace; wherein a front side of the crown comprises a raised or indented cross-hair pattern, such that a vertical line of the cross-hair pattern is aligned with a zenith point of the crown, wherein the zenith point denotes the highest vertical area at the top of the crown when installed and framed by gum tissue; wherein a bottom edge of the front side of the crown comprises a first plurality of raised or indented alignment markers approximately one millimeter apart, wherein a side edge of the front side of the crown comprises a second plurality of raised or indented alignment markers approximately one millimeter apart; wherein the first plurality of alignment markers and the second plurality of alignment markers are disposed at an approximately 90 degree angle to one another; and wherein the front side of the crown resembles a front side of a tooth, other than: the cross hair pattern, the first plurality of raised or indented alignment markers, and the second plurality of raised or indented alignment markers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The dental appliance of claim 9, wherein the crown comprises thereon, on the front side, a set of binary-coded tooth identifiers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The dental appliance of claim 10, wherein the set of binary-coded tooth identifiers represents codes of 0's and 1's. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The dental appliance of claim 10, wherein the set of binary-coded tooth identifiers is comprised of lines and circles. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The dental appliance of claim 9, wherein the brace comprises a plurality of graduated orthodontic wire slots stacked vertically on the front side of the crown. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The dental appliance of claim 13, wherein the plurality of graduated orthodontic wire slots comprises includes three wire slots. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The dental appliance of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of graduated orthodontic wire slots comprises: a first wall extending perpendicularly from the front side of the crown, and a second wall extending perpendicularly from the first wall. ### Claim 16 A 3D-printed dental restoration comprising a bridge and a brace, wherein the bridge and the brace of the dental restoration are formed as a contiguous single piece of material without a separate bonding material between the bridge and the brace; wherein a front side of the bride comprises a raised or indented cross-hair pattern, such that a vertical line of the cross-hair pattern is aligned with a zenith point of the bridge, wherein the zenith point denotes the highest vertical area at the top of the bridge when installed and framed by gum tissue; wherein a bottom edge of the front side of the bridge comprises a first plurality of raised or indented alignment markers approximately one millimeter apart, wherein a side edge of the front side of the bridge comprises a second plurality of raised or indented alignment markers approximately one millimeter apart; wherein the first plurality of alignment markers and the second plurality of alignment markers are disposed at an approximately 90 degree angle to one another; and wherein the front side of the bridge resembles a front side of a tooth, other than: the cross hair pattern, the first plurality of raised or indented alignment markers, and the second plurality of raised or indented alignment markers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The dental appliance of claim 9, wherein the bridge comprises thereon, on the front side, a set of binary-coded tooth identifiers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The dental appliance of claim 17, wherein the set of binary-coded tooth identifiers represents codes of 0's and 1's. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The dental appliance of claim 17, wherein the set of binary-coded tooth identifiers is comprised of lines and circles. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The dental appliance of claim 16, wherein the brace comprises a plurality of graduated orthodontic wire slots stacked vertically on the front side of the bridge. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The dental appliance of claim 20, wherein the plurality of graduated orthodontic wire slots comprises three wire slots. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The dental appliance of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of graduated orthodontic wire slots comprises: a first wall extending perpendicularly from the front side of the bridge, and a second wall extending perpendicularly from the first wall.