System and method for releasing tooth positioning appliances
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsMuhammad Chishti, Loc X. Phan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved dental appliance system, and methods for using and fabricating the improved appliance, including a polymeric overlay or shell having a teeth-receiving cavity formed therein. The dental appliance having the necessary stiffness or strength to firmly secure the appliance on the teeth and provide controlled forces required for repositioning the teeth, until such time as removal of the appliance is desired. The appliance may be configured for use with a removal mechanism. The removal mechanism provides for selective release of the appliance from the teeth as the removal mechanism undergoes a state change stimulated by an environmental stimulus or environmental switch.
Claims36
A system of dental positioning adjustment appliances comprising:
- a plurality of incremental position adjustment appliances, each of said appliances comprising:
- a shell including at least one layer of a polymeric material and having a cavity which fits closely over a contiguous group of teeth, the at least one layer of polymeric material having a first state where the appliance is held onto the teeth and a second state where the appliance may be removed from the teeth.
A system for repositioning teeth comprising:
- a plurality of incremental position adjustment appliances, each of said appliances comprising:
- a polymeric shell having cavities shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth from one arrangement to a successive arrangement;
- and
- a removal mechanism coupled to each of the polymeric shells, the removal mechanism being switchable from a first state where the shell is held onto the teeth to a second state where the shell may be removed from the teeth.
A system for repositioning teeth comprising:
- a plurality of incremental position adjustment appliances, each of said appliances comprising;
- a polymeric shell having a cavity shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth from one arrangement to a successive arrangement;
- and
- an attachment device which couples to the shell of each shell, the attachment device having a first state where the shell is held onto the teeth and a second state where the shell may be removed from the teeth.
A system comprising:
- a plurality of incremental position adjustment appliances, each of said appliances comprising;
- a shell including at least one layer of a polymeric material and having a cavity which fits closely over a contiguous group of teeth;
- and
- an attachment device coupled to each shell and positionable between an outer surface of the teeth and an inner surface of the cavity,
- the at least one layer of polymeric material and the attachment device each having a first state where the shell is held onto the teeth and a second state where the shell may be removed from the teeth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.