Systems and methods for fabricating a dental template
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsLoc X. Phan, Peter G. Knopp, Eric Kuo, Amir Abolfathi, Huafeng Wen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dental template to position an object on a patient's tooth includes digitizing the patient's tooth; adding virtual objects to predetermined locations on the digitized tooth; and fabricating the dental template to locate the object on the patient's tooth. The template can be used for etching or for positioning brackets on teeth.
Claims28
A method of fabricating a dental template to position an object on a patient's tooth, comprising:
- creating a model of the patient's tooth;
- adding objects to predetermined locations on the tooth model;
- scaling the tooth model to provide a scaled tooth model;
- superimposing the scaled tooth model over the tooth model;
- and
- fabricating the dental template to locate the object on the patient's tooth.
A method of placing an orthodontic object on a patient's tooth, comprising:
- digitizing the patient's tooth;
- adding a virtual object to a predetermined location on the digitized tooth;
- scaling the digitized tooth;
- superimposing the scaled digital tooth over the digital tooth;
- fabricating a template to locate the orthodontic object on the patient's tooth;
- placing the template on the patient's tooth;
- mounting the orthodontic object on the tooth, using the template;
- and
- bonding the orthodontic object to the tooth.
A method of placing an orthodontic object on a patient's tooth, comprising:
- digitizing the patient's tooth;
- adding a virtual object to a predetermined location on the digitized tooth;
- scaling the digitized tooth;
- superimposing the scaled digital tooth over the digital tooth;
- fabricating a template to locate the orthodontic object on the patient's tooth;
- placing the orthodontic object in the template;
- inserting the template containing the orthodontic object onto the patient's tooth;
- and
- bonding the orthodontic object to the tooth.
A method of fabricating a dental template to position a plurality of objects on a patient's teeth, the method comprising:
- digitizing at least some of the patient's teeth;
- adding virtual objects to locations on the at least two of the patient's teeth;
- scaling the digitized teeth;
- superimposing the scaled digital teeth over the digital teeth;
- and
- fabricating a template to locate the orthodontic objects on the patient's teeth.
A method of etching one or more of a patient's teeth, the method comprising:
- digitizing at least some of the patient's teeth;
- determining, on the digitized teeth, portions of one or more of the patient's teeth to be etched;
- scaling the digitized teeth;
- superimposing the scaled digital teeth over the digital teeth;
- fabricating a template with one or more openings to locate the portions to be etched on the patient's teeth;
- placing the template onto the patient's teeth;
- and
- etching the patient's teeth through the openings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.