# US 11,998,418 B2 · Reinforced aligner hooks

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- Number: US 11,998,418 B2
- Document ID: US11998418B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/163,144
- Filed: 2021-01-29
- Published: 2021-05-20
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2010-04-30
- Assignees: Align Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Align Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Eric Kuo; Artem Borovinskih; Shiva Sambu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998418B2

## CPC

- 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)}
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30)
- A61C 9/0046: {Data acquisition means or methods}
- 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)
- 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
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Orthodontic positioning devices, and related methods and systems, are disclosed for use with one or more orthodontic elastic members. The disclosed devices are configured to couple with an orthodontic elastic member so as to react a force from the elastic member into the appliance to, for example, generate traction forces on the patient's teeth to produce a desired occlusion. A positioning device includes a patient removable tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities shaped to receive and apply a resilient positioning force to a patient's teeth. The appliance includes a hook configured to interface with an orthodontic elastic member. The hook can be configured to be offset from a surface of a tooth when the appliance is coupled with the patient's teeth and no elastic member is coupled with the tooth. The hook can be curved so that the hook is more retentive on the aligner. The hook can be reinforced so that the reinforcement resists deformation when the elastic is in place.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for providing a plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances, the system comprising:
a processor configured to:
receive a digital representation of a patient's teeth in an initial arrangement;
determine a plurality of orthodontic positioning stages including a series of successive tooth arrangements for repositioning the patient's teeth from the initial arrangement to a target arrangement;
determine shapes of a plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances, wherein each of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances corresponds with one of the plurality of orthodontic positioning stages;
determine, for each successive tooth arrangement, an orientation of an elastic member between an upper jaw appliance of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances and a lower jaw appliance of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances;
determine, for each successive tooth arrangement, an orientation of a hook relative to each of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances, based on the orientation of the elastic member in the plurality of orthodontic positioning stages; and
generate instructions for fabrication of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances; and
a fabrication machine, wherein the fabrication machine is in communication with the processor and configured to receive the instructions therefrom; and
wherein the fabrication machine is configured to fabricate the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning of the hook on each of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances facilitates movement of the patient's teeth through the plurality of orthodontic positioning stages.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning of the hook differs for each of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a visual depiction of the patient's teeth, and wherein the visual depiction is configured for display on a digital display.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the visual depiction is a 3-dimensional model of the patient's teeth.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the digital display is in communication with a user interface input device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the visual depiction comprises a marker indicating the positioning of the hook relative to the patient's teeth.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the marker comprises a dotted line.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions comprise cutting along at least one of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances at a position corresponding to the hook.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the fabrication machine is configured to cut along at least one of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances at a position corresponding to the hook.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the cutting is performed with manual cutting or laser cutting.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the fabrication machine comprises a physical cutter.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the physical cutter is selected from the group consisting of an end mill, a drill, or a punch.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the fabrication machine comprises a non-contact removal means.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the non-contact removal means is selected from the group consisting of a laser cutting, an electrical discharge machine, water jet outlet, and hot gas outlet.

### Claim 16

A method of providing a plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances for an orthodontic treatment plan, the method comprising:
receiving a digital representation of a patient's teeth in an initial arrangement;
determining a plurality of orthodontic positioning stages including a series of successive tooth arrangements for repositioning the patient's teeth from the initial arrangement to a target arrangement;
determining shapes of a plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances, wherein each of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances corresponds with one of the plurality of orthodontic positioning stages;
determining, for each successive tooth arrangement, an orientation of an elastic member between an upper jaw appliance of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances and a lower jaw appliance of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances;
determining, for each successive tooth arrangement, an orientation of a hook relative to each of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances, based on the orientation of the elastic member in the plurality of orthodontic positioning stages; and
fabricating at least one of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances comprising the incrementally adjusted hook.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein positioning of the hook relative to each of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances is determined prior to initiation of the orthodontic treatment plan.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the fabricating the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances occurs prior to initiation of the orthodontic treatment plan.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, the method further comprising providing, by the processor, a visual depiction of the patient's teeth, and wherein the visual depiction is configured for display on a digital display.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the visual depiction is a 3-dimensional model.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the digital display is in communication with a user interface input device.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the visual depiction comprises a marker indicating the positioning of the hook relative to the patient's teeth.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the marker comprises a dotted line.

### Claim 24 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the fabricating comprises cutting along at least one of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances at a position corresponding to the hook.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein the cutting is performed with manual cutting or laser cutting.

### Claim 26 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the positioning of the hook on each of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances facilitates movement of the patient's teeth through the plurality of orthodontic positioning stages.

### Claim 27 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the positioning of the hook differs for each of the plurality of orthodontic positioning appliances.

### Claim 28 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the hook is configured to engage with an orthodontic elastic member.

### Claim 29 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the positioning of the hook provides a stiffening of the orthodontic positioning appliance against lateral deflection induced by a force from an orthodontic elastic member.