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US 11,751,978 B2Granted
Layered aligners with discontinuities
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsAvi Kopelman, Jeeyoung Choi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aligners and orthodontic systems are provided. In some embodiments, an aligner includes a polymeric shell including a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities, an interior layer, and an exterior layer. The exterior layer can comprise a discontinuity formed therein. When the aligner is worn on a patient's teeth, the interior layer can interact with the discontinuity to impart one or more forces to facilitate repositioning of the patient's teeth.
Claims26
An aligner comprising:
- a polymeric shell comprising:
- a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities shaped to receive a patient's teeth and reposition the patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a second arrangement;
- an interior layer comprising a first stiffness;
- and
- an exterior layer comprising a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness, wherein the exterior layer comprises a discontinuity formed therein, and the discontinuity comprises a cut,
- wherein, when the aligner is worn on the patient's teeth, the cut is stretched by placement of the aligner on the patient's teeth, the interior layer interacts with the cut by resisting the stretching, and the interaction between the interior layer and the cut imparts one or more forces to facilitate repositioning of the patient's teeth from the first arrangement toward the second arrangement.
3 more elements
An orthodontic system, comprising:
- a plurality of aligners, each comprising a shell including one or more cavities shaped to receive a patient's teeth, wherein the plurality of aligners 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 aligners comprises a polymeric shell comprising:
- a plurality of cavities shaped to receive the patient's teeth,
- an interior layer comprising a first stiffness, and
- an exterior layer comprising a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness, wherein the exterior layer comprises a discontinuity formed therein, and the discontinuity comprises a cut,
- wherein, when the polymeric shell is worn on the patient's teeth, the cut is stretched by placement of the aligner on the patient's teeth, the interior layer interacts with the cut by resisting the stretching, and the interaction between the interior layer and the cut imparts one or more forces to facilitate repositioning of the patient's teeth from the first arrangement toward the second arrangement.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.