Devices, systems, and methods for dental arch expansion
OwnerBruce CAM, Peter WEBBER +3inventors
InventorsBruce CAM, Peter WEBBER, Yuxiang WANG, Jun SATO, Jeeyoung CHOI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for generating a treatment plan for arch expansion where a polymeric shell appliance is utilized to generate one or more activation forces that facilitate tooth movement. The polymeric shell appliances may comprise one or more tooth receiving cavities, in which each of the plurality of tooth receiving cavities is shaped and arranged to provide a counter moment of each of the plurality of teeth.
Claims20
A system comprising a series of dental appliances, the system comprising:
- a first dental appliance of the series of dental appliances, the first dental appliance shaped to impart a first arch expansion force onto a first set of teeth on opposite sides of a dental arch, wherein the first dental appliance is further shaped to use a second set of teeth on opposite sides of the dental arch as anchors for movement of the first set of teeth, wherein the first set of teeth is different from the second set of teeth;
- and
- a second dental appliance of the series of dental appliances, the second dental appliance shaped to impart a second arch expansion force onto the second set of teeth, wherein the second dental appliance is further shaped to use the first set of teeth as anchors for movement of the second set of teeth.
A method of expanding a dental arch, the method comprising:
- applying a first arch expansion force onto a first set of teeth on opposite sides of the dental arch, wherein a second set of teeth on opposite sides of the dental arch is used as anchors for movement of the first set of teeth, wherein the first set of teeth is different from the second set of teeth;
- and
- applying a second arch expansion force onto the second set of teeth, wherein the first set of teeth is used as anchors for movement of the second set of teeth.
A method of fabricating a series of dental appliances for expanding a dental arch, the method comprising:
- receiving a digital representation of the dental arch;
- determining a plurality of treatment stages including:
- determining a first stage of the plurality of treatment stages, wherein the first stage includes applying a first arch expansion force onto a first set of teeth on opposite sides of the dental arch while a second set of teeth on opposite sides of the dental arch serves as anchors, wherein the first set of teeth is different from the second set of teeth, and
- determining a second stage of the plurality of treatment stages, wherein the second stage includes applying a second arch expansion force onto the second set of teeth while the second set of teeth serves as anchors;
- designing a first dental appliance corresponding to the first stage and configured to impart the first arch expansion force to the first set of teeth;
- designing a second dental appliance corresponding to the second stage and configured to impart the second arch expansion force to the second set of teeth;
- and
- fabricating the first and second dental appliances.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.