Method and system for incrementally moving teeth
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsMuhammad Chishti, Apostolos Lerios, Brian Freyburger, Kelsey Wirth, Richard Ridgley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for repositioning teeth comprises a plurality of individual appliances. The appliances are configured to be placed successively on the patient's teeth and to incrementally reposition the teeth from an initial tooth arrangement, through a plurality of intermediate tooth arrangements, and to a final tooth arrangement. The system of appliances is usually configured at the outset of treatment so that the patient may progress through treatment without the need to have the treating professional perform each successive step in the procedure.
Claims26
A method for producing a digital data set representing a final tooth arrangement, said method comprising:
- providing an initial digital data set representing an initial tooth arrangement;
- presenting a visual image based on the initial data set;
- manipulating the visual image to reposition individual teeth in the visual image;
- producing a final digital data set representing the final tooth arrangement with repositioned teeth as observed in the image;
- and
- producing a plurality of intermediate digital data sets representing a series of successive tooth arrangements progressing from the initial tooth arrangement to the final tooth arrangement.
A method for producing a plurality of digital data sets representing a series of discrete tooth arrangements progressing from an initial to a final arrangement, said method comprising:
- providing a computer system having at least one processor and memory;
- providing to the computer system an initial digital data set representing an initial tooth arrangement;
- providing to the computer system a final digital data set representing a final tooth arrangement;
- producing using the computer system a plurality of successive digital data sets based on both of the previously provided initial and final digital data sets, wherein said plurality of successive digital data sets represents a series of successive tooth arrangements progressing from the initial tooth arrangement to the final tooth arrangement.
A method for fabricating a plurality of dental incremental position adjustment appliances, said method comprising:
- providing an initial digital data set representing an initial tooth arrangement;
- providing a final digital data set representing a final tooth arrangement;
- producing a plurality of successive digital data sets based on both of the previously provided initial and final digital data sets, wherein said plurality of digital data sets represent a series of successive tooth arrangements progressing from the initial tooth arrangement to the final tooth arrangement;
- and
- fabricating appliances based on at least some of the produced digital data sets.
A method for fabricating a dental appliance, said method comprising:
- providing a digital data set representing a modified tooth arrangement for a patient;
- controlling a fabrication machine based on the digital data set to produce a positive model of the modified tooth arrangement;
- and
- producing the dental appliance as a negative of the positive model.
A method for fabricating a dental appliance, said method comprising:
- providing a first digital data set representing a modified tooth arrangement for a patient;
- producing a second digital data set from the first data set, wherein the second data set represents a negative model of the modified tooth arrangement;
- and
- controlling a fabrication machine based on the second digital data set to produce the dental appliance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.