Generating a virtual 3D model of a mold
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsPeter Webber, Rohit Tanugula, Shiva P. Sambu, Crystal Tjhia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mold includes a first section, a second section, and a weakened region that joins the first section to the second section. The weakened region is breakable, deflectable, or deformable in response to a first threshold force to enable the first section to be removed from a shell independently of the second section after the shell is formed over the mold. The first threshold force is less than a second threshold force that would damage or permanently deform the shell. The first section is a first mold of at least a portion of one or more first teeth of a dental arch and the second section is a second mold of at least a portion of one or more second teeth of the dental arch.
Claims19
A method of making a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model of a mold of a plurality of teeth of a dental arch, the method comprising:
- designing, by a processing device coupled to memory, the mold for thermoforming a dental appliance, wherein the designing comprises:
- determining, by the processing device, a first section of the mold, the first section being of at least a portion of one or more first teeth of the plurality of teeth of the dental arch;
- determining, by the processing device, a second section of the mold, the second section being of at least a portion of one or more second teeth of the plurality of teeth of the dental arch;
- and
- determining, by the processing device, configurations of a weakened region that joins the first section to the second section, wherein the weakened region is breakable or deflectable in response to a first threshold force to enable the first section to be removed from a shell after the shell is formed over the mold, the first threshold force being less than a second threshold force that would damage or permanently deform the shell, and wherein the weakened region is located relative to a feature corresponding to one or more of crowded teeth, a proclined tooth, a retroclined tooth, an ectopic tooth, or an out-of-arch tooth;
- and
- generating the virtual 3D model of the mold.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processing device coupled to memory, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:
- designing a mold for thermoforming a dental appliance, the mold being of a plurality of teeth of a dental arch, wherein the designing comprises:
- determining a first section of the mold, the first section being of at least a portion of one or more first teeth of the plurality of teeth of the dental arch;
- determining a second section of the mold, the second section being of at least a portion of one or more second teeth of the plurality of teeth of the dental arch;
- and
- determining configurations of a weakened region that joins the first section to the second section, wherein the weakened region is breakable or deflectable in response to a first threshold force to enable the first section to be removed from a shell after the shell is formed over the mold, the first threshold force being less than a second threshold force that would damage or permanently deform the shell, wherein the mold is configured to form the shell, wherein the shell comprises at least one of an orthodontic aligner, an orthodontic retainer, or an orthodontic splint to be used for at least one of aligning, retaining, or positioning one or more teeth of a patient;
- and
- generating a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model of the mold.
A computing device comprising:
- memory;
- and
- a processing device coupled to the memory, wherein the processing device is to:
- design a mold for thermoforming a dental appliance, the mold being of a plurality of teeth of a dental arch, wherein to design the mold, the processing device is to:
- determine a first section of the mold, the first section being of at least a portion of one or more first teeth of the plurality of teeth of the dental arch;
- determine a second section of the mold, the second section being of at least a portion of one or more second teeth of the plurality of teeth of the dental arch;
- and
- determine configurations of a weakened region that joins the first section to the second section, wherein the weakened region is breakable or deflectable in response to a first threshold force to enable the first section to be removed from a shell after the shell is formed over the mold, the first threshold force being less than a second threshold force that would damage or permanently deform the shell, wherein the mold is configured to form the shell, wherein the shell comprises at least one of an orthodontic aligner, an orthodontic retainer, or an orthodontic splint to be used for at least one of aligning, retaining, or positioning one or more teeth of a patient;
- and
- generate a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model of the mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.