Multi-component material for orthodontic appliances
AssigneeOrmco Corporation
InventorsWei WEI, Haibo QU
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A polymeric sheet includes a gradient repeating domain structure represented as -(A-AB1-B-AB2)n-, -(A-AB-B)n-, -(A-AB)n-, -(AB)n-, or -(AB1-AB2)n- where A represents a domain region of component A, B represents a domain region of component B, and AB1, AB2, and AB each represent domain regions containing one or more mixtures of thermoplastic polymer A and thermoplastic polymer B. The polymeric sheet is configured as a dental appliance for positioning a patient's teeth.
Claims20
A polymer sheet having a gradient repeating domain structure:
- -(A-AB1-B-AB2)n-
- wherein:
- A represents a domain region of thermoplastic polymer A;
- B represents a domain region of thermoplastic polymer B;
- AB1 and AB2 each represent domain regions containing one or more mixtures of thermoplastic polymer A and thermoplastic polymer B;
- when AB1 represents more than a single mixture of thermoplastic polymer A and thermoplastic polymer B, a concentration gradient of decreasing A concentration and increasing B concentration is established in a direction within the sheet from A to B;
- when AB2 represents more than a single mixture of thermoplastic polymer A and thermoplastic polymer B, a concentration gradient of increasing A concentration and decreasing B concentration is established in a direction from B to A;
- n represents an overall structural domain that repeats;
- and
- the polymer sheet is configured as a dental appliance for positioning a patient's teeth.
A polymer sheet having a gradient repeating domain structure represented as:
- -(A-AB-B)n-
- wherein:
- A represents a domain region of thermoplastic polymer A;
- B represents a domain region of thermoplastic polymer B;
- AB represents a domain region containing one or more mixtures of thermoplastic polymer A and thermoplastic polymer B;
- when AB represents more than a single mixture of thermoplastic polymer A and thermoplastic polymer B, a concentration gradient of decreasing A concentration and increasing B concentration is established in a direction within the sheet from A to B and a concentration gradient of increasing A concentration and decreasing B concentration is established in a direction within the sheet from B to a subsequent A;
- n represents an overall structural domain that repeats;
- and
- the polymer sheet is configured as a dental appliance for positioning a patient's teeth.
A polymer sheet having a gradient repeating domain structure represented as:
- -(A-AB)n-
- wherein:
- A represents a domain region of thermoplastic polymer A;
- AB represents a domain region containing one or more mixtures of thermoplastic polymer A and thermoplastic polymer B;
- when AB represents more than a single mixture of thermoplastic polymer A and thermoplastic polymer B, a concentration gradient of decreasing A concentration and increasing B concentration is established in a direction within the sheet from an A rich region to a B rich region and a concentration gradient of increasing A concentration and decreasing B concentration is established in a direction within the sheet from a B rich region to a subsequent A rich region;
- n represents an overall structural domain that repeats;
- and
- the polymer sheet is configured as a dental appliance for positioning a patient's teeth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.