Orthodontic repositioning appliances having improved geometry, methods and systems
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsHeng Cao, Vadim Matov, John Y. Morton, Jon Moss, Ryan Kimura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods and systems including orthodontic tooth positioning appliances. An exemplary appliance can include teeth receiving cavities shaped such that, when worn by a patient, repositioning the patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a subsequent or target arrangement. Appliances can include a cavity having one or more shaped features or protrusions shaped and/or positioned so as to apply a desired force to a patient's tooth received in the cavity and move the tooth along a desired path or direction.
Claims22
An orthodontic appliance configured for repositioning a patient's teeth, comprising:
- a shell appliance having teeth receiving cavities shaped to apply a resiliently repositioning force when the appliance is worn by the patient so as to move the patient's teeth from a current arrangement toward a target arrangement, the shell comprising a ridge-shaped protrusion having a generally semi-circular cross-sectional shape protruding into a repositioning cavity and configured to apply a repositioning force to a patient's tooth corresponding to a selected tooth movement, the ridge-shaped protrusion having a length and a width that differ relative to each other, the length being greater than the width so that the repositioning force is applied along a length of the patient's tooth.
A system configured for repositioning a patient's teeth according to an orthodontic treatment plan, the system comprising:
- a plurality of appliances shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth through a plurality of planned successive tooth arrangements so as to move the patients teeth along a treatment path from an initial position toward a final position, the appliances having teeth receiving cavities and wherein the cavities of successive appliances have different geometries shaped to receive and reposition teeth from a first position to a successive position, at least one appliance of the plurality comprising a cavity having a ridge-shaped protrusion shaped and positioned in the cavity to apply a repositioning force to a patient's tooth corresponding to a selected tooth movement, the ridge-shaped protrusion having a generally semi-circular cross-sectional shape and a substantially elongate shape, or a length and a width that differ relative to each other, the length being greater than the width so that the repositioning force is applied along a length of the patient's tooth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.