Method and system for incrementally moving teeth
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsChishti Muhammad, 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 a 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.
Claims71
A system for repositioning teeth from an initial tooth arrangement to a final tooth arrangement, said system comprising a plurality of dental incremental position adjustment appliances including:
- a first appliance having a geometry selected to reposition the teeth from the initial tooth arrangement to a first intermediate arrangement;
- one or more intermediate appliances having geometries selected to progressively reposition the teeth from the first intermediate arrangement to successive intermediate arrangements;
- and
- a final appliance having a geometry selected to progressively reposition the teeth from the last intermediate arrangement to the final tooth arrangement, wherein at least some of the appliances are marked to indicate their order of use.
A method for repositioning teeth from an initial tooth arrangement to a final tooth arrangement, said method comprising:
- placing a first incremental position adjustment appliance in a patient's mouth, wherein the first appliance has a geometry selected to reposition the teeth from the initial tooth arrangement to a first intermediate arrangement;
- successively replacing one or more additional appliances, wherein the additional appliances have geometries selected to progressively reposition the teeth from the first intermediate arrangement to successive intermediate arrangements;
- and
- placing a final appliance into the patient's mouth, wherein the final appliance has a geometry selected to progressively reposition the teeth from the last intermediate arrangement to the final tooth arrangement, wherein at least some of the appliances are marked to indicate their order of use.
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 once 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 a plurality of successive digital data sets based on both of the 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
- annotating the data sets to add text or numbering.
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 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;
- annotating the data sets to add text or numbering;
- fabricating appliances based on at least some of the produced digital data sets, wherein the text or numbering appears on the appliances.
A method for fabricating a dental appliance, said method comprising:
- providing a digital data set representing a modified tooth arrangement for a patient, said data set including text or numbering;
- controlling a fabrication machine based on the digital data set to produce a positive model of the modified tooth arrangement, wherein the text or numbering appears on the positive model;
- and
- producing the dental appliance as a negative of the positive model, wherein the text or numbering appears on the dental appliance.
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, wherein the appliance is marked with text or data.
A method for fabricating a plurality of dental incremental position adjustment appliances, said method comprising:
- providing digital data representing a plurality of successive tooth arrangements progressing from an initial tooth arrangement to a final tooth arrangement, said data including text or numbering;
- and
- controlling a fabrication machine based on the digital data to produce the appliances, wherein the text or numbering appears on the appliance.
A method of fabricating a plurality of dental incremental position adjustment appliances, said method comprising:
- providing a plurality of positive models of successive tooth arrangements, wherein each successive arrangement represents a stage progressing from an initial tooth arrangement to an intermediate or a final tooth arrangement and wherein said models have printed annotations;
- and
- fabricating the plurality of dental appliances as negatives of the positive models, wherein the annotations appear on the dental appliances.
A method of fabricating one or more dental incremental position adjustment appliances, comprising:
- providing a computer generated positive model of at least one tooth arrangement selected from an initial tooth arrangement, an intermediate tooth arrangement, and final tooth arrangement, wherein said models have printed annotations;
- and
- fabricating at least one dental appliance as a negative of the computer generated positive model, wherein the annotations appear on the dental appliances.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.