# US 2026/0083531 A1 · Patient specific appliances > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0083531 A1 - Document ID: US20260083531A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/406,540 - Filed: 2025-12-02 - Published: 2026-03-26 - Earliest claimed: 2021-09-01 - Assignees: Align Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Align Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Yuxiang WANG; Jeremy RILEY; Ryan KIMURA; Jun SATO; Luyao CAI; Kevin WEIA; Manlio Fabio VALDIVIESO CASIQUE; Andrei SOLDATOV - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260083531A1 ## CPC - A61C 7/08: Mouthpiece-type retainers {or positioners, e.g. for both the lower and upper arch (arch-shaped medicament applicators for teeth or gums A61C19/063; mouthguards for protecting the teeth of sportsmen A63B71/085)} - A61C 7/002: {Orthodontic computer assisted systems} - A61C 7/10: Devices having means to apply outwardly directed force, e.g. expanders - A61C 7/36: Devices acting between upper and lower teeth - G16H 20/30: relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising - G16H 20/40: relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture - G16H 30/40: for processing medical images, e.g. editing - G16H 50/20: for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems - G16H 50/50: for simulation or modelling of medical disorders - A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract A dental device may include a body having first tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of a first side of an arch of a patient. The dental device may also include second tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of a second side of the arch of the patient and a palatal portion that extends between the first tooth receiving cavities and the second tooth receiving cavities. The palatal portion may be shaped to apply an expansion force to the teeth of the first side of the arch of the patient and the teeth of the second side of the arch of a patient. The palatal portion may also include a plurality of bands that extend between the first tooth receiving cavities and the second tooth receiving cavities. Each respective band may have a respective different thickness. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dental device comprising: a body having: a first plurality of tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of a first side of an arch of a patient; a second plurality of tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of a second side of the arch of the patient; and a palatal portion that extends between the first plurality of tooth receiving cavities and the second plurality of tooth receiving cavities and shaped to apply an expansion force to the teeth of the first side of the arch of the patient and the teeth of the second side of the arch of a patient, wherein the palatal portion includes a plurality of bands that extend between the first plurality of tooth receiving cavities and the second plurality of tooth receiving cavities, each respective band having a respective different thickness. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dental device of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of bands includes a first band, a second band, and a third band. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The dental device of claim 2, wherein: the first band has a first central thickness of the body at a center of the palatal portion; the second band has a second central thickness of the body at the center of the palatal portion; and the third band has a third central thickness of the body at the center of the palatal portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The dental device of claim 1, wherein: the palatal portion of the body has a first thickness, a crown portion of the first plurality and second plurality tooth receiving cavities of the body have a second thickness; and a buccal portion of the body has a third thickness. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The dental device of claim 4, wherein: the body further includes: a first transition zone between the palatal portion of the body and the crown portion of the first plurality of tooth receiving cavities of the body, wherein a thickness of the body transitions from the first thickness to the second thickness. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The dental device of claim 5, wherein: the body further includes: a second transition zone between the crown portion of the first plurality of tooth receiving cavities of the body and the buccal potion of the body, wherein a thickness of the body transitions from the second thickness to the third thickness. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The dental device of claim 5, wherein the transition from the first thickness to the second thickness is linear. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The dental device of claim 5, wherein the transition from the first thickness to the second thickness is a linear interpolation of the first thickness and the second thickness along the first transition zone. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The dental device of claim 6, wherein the first transition zone begins at a location along the body between a center of the palatal portion and a lingual ridge of the tooth receiving cavity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The dental device of claim 6, wherein the second transition zone begins at a location along the body between a lingual ridge of the tooth receiving cavity and a buccal ridge of the tooth receiving cavity and ends at a location buccal to the buccal ridge. ### Claim 11 A dental device comprising: a body having a palatal portion that extends between a first side of a dental arch and a second side of the dental arch and shaped to apply an expansion force to teeth of the first side of the dental arch of a patient and teeth of the second side of the dental arch of a patient, wherein the palatal portion includes a plurality of bands shaped to engage with and extend from teeth of the patient on the first side of the dental arch of a patient, across a palate of the patient, to engage with teeth of the patient on the second side of the dental arch of patient, each respective band having a respective different thickness. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The dental device of claim 11, wherein: the plurality of bands includes a first band, a second band, and a third band. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The dental device of claim 11, wherein the body further comprises: a first plurality of tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of the first side of the dental of the patient; and a second plurality of tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of the second side of the dental arch of the patient, and wherein the palatal portion of the body has a first thickness, a crown portion of the first plurality and second plurality of tooth receiving cavities of the body have a second thickness, and a buccal portion of the body has a third thickness. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The dental device of claim 13, wherein the body further includes: a first transition zone between the palatal portion of the body and the crown portion of the first plurality of tooth receiving cavities of the body, wherein a thickness of the body transitions from the first thickness to the second thickness. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The dental device of claim 14, wherein the body further includes: a second transition zone between the crown portion of the first plurality of tooth receiving cavities of the body and a buccal potion of the body, wherein a thickness of the body transitions from the second thickness to the third thickness. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The dental device of claim 14, wherein the transition from the first thickness to the second thickness is linear. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The dental device of claim 14, wherein the transition from the first thickness to the second thickness is a linear interpolation of the first thickness and the second thickness along the first transition zone. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The dental device of claim 15, wherein the first transition zone begins at a location along the body between a center of the palatal portion and a lingual ridge of the tooth receiving cavity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The dental device of claim 15, wherein the second transition zone begins at a location along the body between a lingual ridge of the tooth receiving cavity and a buccal ridge of the tooth receiving cavity and ends at a location buccal to the buccal ridge. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The dental device of claim 11, wherein the body further comprises: a first plurality of tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of the first side of the dental arch of the patient; and a handle extending buccally away from an outer buccal surface of the first plurality of tooth receiving cavities.