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US 2006/0234179 A1Published application
Dental aligner devices having snap-on connectors
OwnerHuafeng Wen, Frank Liuinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for producing corrective movement in a subject's teeth includes a dental aligner device having one or more through-holes and one or more connectors fixed to the subject's teeth. The connectors can snap into the through-holes when the dental aligner is worn on the subject's teeth.
Claims22
A device for producing corrective movement in a subject's teeth, the device comprising:
- a dental aligner configured to be worn on a subject's teeth, the dental aligner comprising:
- a shell portion having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein at least a portion of the inner surface is configured to contact the subject's tooth;
- and
- one or more through-holes passing from the outer surface to the inner surface of the shell portion of the dental device.
1 more element
A system for producing corrective movement in a subject's teeth, comprising:
- a dental aligner device having one or more through-holes, wherein the dental aligner device is configured to be worn on the subject's teeth;
- and
- one or more connectors, wherein the connector is configured to engage the through-hole when the dental aligner is worn on the subject's teeth.
A system for producing a snap-on dental aligner for dental treatment, comprising:
- a guide to indicate the locations of through-holes to be formed in a dental aligner;
- a positioner to position a hole-maker with respect to the dental aligner based on the indication of the guide;
- and
- a hole-maker to produce through-holes in the dental aligner at the positions indicated by the guide to produce the snap-on dental aligner.
1 more element
A method for moving a subject's teeth in a dental treatment, comprising:
- fabricating a dental aligner to be worn on the subject's teeth;
- producing one or more through-holes in the dental aligner;
- fixing one or more connectors on the subject's teeth to engage the through-holes;
- and
- engaging the one or more connectors on the subject's teeth with the through-holes of the dental aligner to secure the dental aligner on the subject's teeth.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.