Orthodontic systems and methods including parametric attachments

A method for generating a tooth movement system comprising a tooth attachment configured to engage an orthodontic appliance worn by a patient and apply a repositioning force system to a tooth corresponding to a selected movement of the patient's tooth, the method comprising:

• determining a desired force system to be applied to the patient's tooth so as to elicit the selected tooth movement;
• selecting a first attachment from a group of non-custom attachments;
• modeling a first force system applied to a tooth having the first attachment and engaged with an orthodontic appliance;
• generating an optimized attachment comprising modifying one or more parameter values of the first attachment such that a second force system applied to the tooth having the optimized attachment and engaged with an orthodontic appliance worn by the patient more closely corresponds to the desired force system than the first force system.

A method for designing an attachment for eliciting a selected movement of a patient's tooth, the method comprising:

• identifying an initial position of an attachment on a tooth at a location on a digital model of the patient's dentition;
• computing attachment parameters based on the initial position of the attachment and a geometry of the tooth, wherein each attachment parameter is associated with a predetermined range of values corresponding to optimal force or optimal torque for the selected movement of the tooth;
• and
• in the event that at least one value of the computed parameters is not within the predetermined range of values, modifying at least one of the attachment parameters and the position of the attachment on the tooth such that all of the attachment parameters are within the predetermined range of values.

A computer program product having a computer readable medium storing a set of code modules which when executed by a processor of a computer system cause the processor to model an attachment for eliciting a selected movement of a patient's tooth, the computer program product comprising:

• code for identifying an initial position of an attachment on a tooth at a location on a digital model of the patient's dentition;
• code for computing attachment parameters based on the initial position of the attachment and a geometry of the tooth, wherein each parameter is associated with a predetermined range of values corresponding to optimal force or optimal torque for the selected movement of the tooth;
• and
• code for modifying at least one of the attachment parameters and the position of the attachment on the tooth such that all of the attachment parameters are within the predetermined range of values.