Systems and methods for designing and manufacturing an orthodontic appliance

A system for use in the manufacture of an orthodontic appliance for a patient, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a memory coupled to the one or more processors and including program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to:
• receive a three-dimensional model of one or more intraoral surfaces of the patient in a virtual space, the one or more intraoral surfaces being associated with a plurality of teeth including a first tooth, a second tooth adjacent to the first tooth, and an interproximal region between the first tooth and the second tooth;
• define a scallop plane for the first and second teeth;
• define a first scallop point adjacent to the interproximal region where the scallop plane intersects a first line around the first tooth;
• define a second scallop point adjacent to the interproximal region where the scallop plane intersects a second line around the second tooth;
• define an initial connector curve including an interproximal segment connecting the first scallop point to the second scallop point;
• define a trimline based at least in part on the initial connector curve;
• generate machine code from the trimline for a corresponding orthodontic appliance;
• and
• use the machine code to control a trimming process of a machine to produce the orthodontic appliance having an edge corresponding to the trimline.

A computer program product for use in the manufacture of an orthodontic appliance for a patient, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium;
• and
• program code stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
• receive a three-dimensional model of one or more intraoral surfaces of the patient in a virtual space, the one or more intraoral surfaces being associated with a plurality of teeth including a first tooth, a second tooth adjacent to the first tooth, and an interproximal region between the first tooth and the second tooth;
• define a scallop plane for the first and second teeth;
• define a first scallop point adjacent to the interproximal region where the scallop plane intersects a first line around the first tooth;
• define a second scallop point adjacent to the interproximal region where the scallop plane intersects a second line around the second tooth;
• define an initial connector curve including an interproximal segment connecting the first scallop point to the second scallop point;
• define a trimline based at least in part on the initial connector curve;
• generate machine code from the trimline for a corresponding orthodontic appliance;
• and
• use the machine code to control a trimming process of a machine to produce the orthodontic appliance having an edge corresponding to the trimline.

A method of manufacturing an orthodontic appliance for a patient, the method comprising:

• receiving an initial three-dimensional model including one or more modeled teeth and a modeled gingiva of the patient in a virtual space;
• segmenting the modeled gingiva from the initial three-dimensional model to define a segmented modeled gingiva;
• defining one or more three-dimensional models each corresponding to a stage of treatment from a first stage of treatment to a final stage of treatment by, for each stage of treatment:
• generating a set of adjusted segmented modeled teeth each having a position,
• morphing the segmented modeled gingiva to match the positions of the adjusted segmented modeled teeth to define a morphed segmented modeled gingiva, and
• stitching the morphed segmented modeled gingiva to the adjusted segmented modeled teeth of the three-dimensional model to define the three-dimensional model for the stage of treatment;
• and
• using the one or more three-dimensional models to produce one or more orthodontic appliances.

A system for use in the manufacture of an orthodontic appliance for a patient, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a memory coupled to the one or more processors and including program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to:
• receive an initial three-dimensional model including one or more modeled teeth and a modeled gingiva of the patient in a virtual space;
• segment the modeled gingiva from the initial three-dimensional model to define a segmented modeled gingiva;
• define one or more three-dimensional models each corresponding to a stage of treatment from a first stage of treatment to a final stage of treatment by, for each stage of treatment:
• generating a set of adjusted segmented modeled teeth each having a position,
• morphing the segmented modeled gingiva to match the positions of the adjusted segmented modeled teeth to define a morphed segmented modeled gingiva, and
• stitching the morphed segmented modeled gingiva to the adjusted segmented modeled teeth of the three-dimensional model to define the three-dimensional model for the stage of treatment;
• and
• use the one or more three-dimensional models to produce one or more orthodontic appliances.

A computer program product for use in the manufacture of an orthodontic appliance for a patient, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium;
• and
• program code stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
• receive an initial three-dimensional model including one or more modeled teeth and a modeled gingiva of the patient in a virtual space;
• segment the modeled gingiva from the initial three-dimensional model to define a segmented modeled gingiva;
• define one or more three-dimensional models each corresponding to a stage of treatment from a first stage of treatment to a final stage of treatment by, for each stage of treatment:
• generating a set of adjusted segmented modeled teeth each having a position,
• morphing the segmented modeled gingiva to match the positions of the adjusted segmented modeled teeth to define a morphed segmented modeled gingiva, and
• stitching the morphed segmented modeled gingiva to the adjusted segmented modeled teeth of the three-dimensional model to define the three-dimensional model for the stage of treatment;
• and
• use the one or more three-dimensional models to produce one or more orthodontic appliances.

A method of manufacturing one or more orthodontic appliances for a patient, the method comprising:

• receiving a three-dimensional model including modeled teeth projecting from a modeled gingiva of the patient in a virtual space;
• placing a margin point proximate a gingival margin for each tooth in the three-dimensional model to define a plurality of margin points;
• generating a trimline connecting at least a portion of the plurality of margin points for an orthodontic appliance corresponding to a stage of treatment;
• morphing the trimline in accordance with a change in position of at least one margin point in accordance with a change in position of at least one tooth in the three-dimensional model to generate another trimline for another orthodontic appliance corresponding to another stage of treatment;
• generating machine code from the other trimline for the other orthodontic appliance corresponding to the other stage of treatment;
• and
• using the machine code to control a trimming process of a machine to produce the other orthodontic appliance having an edge corresponding to the other trimline.

A system for use in the manufacture of one or more orthodontic appliances for a patient, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a memory coupled to the one or more processors and including program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to:
• receive a three-dimensional model including modeled teeth projecting from a modeled gingiva of the patient in a virtual space;
• place a margin point proximate a gingival margin for each tooth in the three-dimensional model to define a plurality of margin points;
• generate a trimline connecting at least a portion of the plurality of margin points for an orthodontic appliance corresponding to a stage of treatment;
• morph the trimline in accordance with a change in position of at least one margin point in accordance with a change in position of at least one tooth in the three-dimensional model to generate another trimline for another orthodontic appliance corresponding to another stage of treatment;
• generate machine code from the other trimline for the other orthodontic appliance corresponding to the other stage of treatment;
• and
• use the machine code to control a trimming process of a machine to produce the other orthodontic appliance having an edge corresponding to the other trimline.

A computer program product for use in the manufacture of one or more orthodontic appliances for a patient, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium;
• and
• program code stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
• receive a three-dimensional model including modeled teeth projecting from a modeled gingiva of the patient in a virtual space;
• place a margin point proximate a gingival margin for each tooth in the three-dimensional model to define a plurality of margin points;
• generate a trimline connecting at least a portion of the plurality of margin points for an orthodontic appliance corresponding to a stage of treatment;
• morph the trimline in accordance with a change in position of at least one margin point in accordance with a change in position of at least one tooth in the three-dimensional model to generate another trimline for another orthodontic appliance corresponding to another stage of treatment;
• generate machine code from the other trimline for the other orthodontic appliance corresponding to the other stage of treatment;
• and
• use the machine code to control a trimming process of a machine to produce the other orthodontic appliance having an edge corresponding to the other trimline.