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US 2014/0004476 A1Published application
Dental appliance
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsRick M. Matty, Anthony W. Morefield, Devin K. Webb
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments include dental appliances, dental appliance systems, and methods of making and using such appliances. In one embodiment, a dental appliance includes a shell having a number of cavities to receive one or more teeth, each cavity having an inner surface. Fewer than all cavities are scaled-up in size by a first selected percentage over one or more dimensions of a corresponding tooth surface to provide a uniform space between the cavity inner surface and the corresponding tooth surface.
Claims20
A dental appliance comprising:
- a shell having a number of cavities to receive one or ore teeth, each cavity having an inner surface;
- and
- where a particular cavity is scaled-up in size by a first selected percentage over one or more dimensions of a corresponding tooth surface to provide a uniform space between the cavity inner surface and the corresponding tooth surface, where the particular cavity contains a chemical to treat the corresponding tooth surface;
- where at least a portion of the particular cavity is scaled-up in size by a second scaled-up percentage that is different than the first selected percentage;
- where the inner surface of the particular cavity has scaled-up proportions of the dimensions relative to the corresponding tooth surface;
- and
- where the first selected percentage is based on one or more properties of the chemical used to treat the corresponding tooth surface.
4 more elements
A system of removable dental positioning appliances comprising:
- a series of shells adapted to reposition one or more teeth from a first configuration to a successive configuration, each shell having a number of cavities to receive one or more teeth and each cavity having an inner surface;
- where a particular cavity is scaled-up in size by a first selected percentage over one or more dimensions of a corresponding tooth surface to provide a uniform space between the cavity inner surface that contains a chemical to treat the corresponding tooth surface;
- where at least a portion of the particular cavity is scaled-up in size by a second scaled up percentage that is different than the first selected percentage;
- where the inner surface of the particular cavity that is scaled-up in size has scaled-up proportions of the dimensions relative to the corresponding tooth surface;
- where the first selected percentage is based on one or more properties of the chemical used to treat the corresponding tooth surface;
- and
- where the inner surface of the particular cavity includes spacer structures to offset the inner surface from the corresponding tooth surface.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.