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US 7,255,561 B2Granted
Method and kits for forming pontics in polymeric shell aligners
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsRobert E. Tricca, Eric Kuo, Peter G. Knopp, Choi Woncheol, Craig R. Burns
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for forming a pontic in a polymeric shell dental appliance, including providing a polymeric shell dental appliance of the type which is removably placeable over a patient's dentition, said shell having a concave trough which conforms to the teeth when the appliance is placed over the dentition and a location in the trough corresponding to a missing tooth; and depositing a flexible, durably affixed material in the location to form the pontic.
Claims7
A method for forming a pontic in a polymeric shell dental appliance, said method comprising:
- determining a location where a tooth is missing from a patient's dentition;
- generating a mold for a polymeric shell dental appliance with a cavity enclosing the location;
- forming a polymeric shell dental appliance of the type which is removably placeable over the dentition;
- dispensing a curable silicone rubber into the cavity;
- shaping the curable silicone rubber to resemble a tooth;
- and
- allowing the silicone rubber to cure.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.