Systems and methods for tracking teeth movement during orthodontic treatment
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorRick Matty
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatus's for improving orthodontic treatments. In an embodiment, an orthodontic tracking template is provided for assisting in determining whether a patient's teeth are in an appropriate tooth arrangement for transitioning between a wire and bracket orthodontic treatment to a patient-removable orthodontic appliance treatment. The tracking template may include a shell portion defining a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities arranged to fit over at least a portion of the patient's teeth in an intermediate tooth arrangement without applying a tooth-moving force to the teeth or to any brackets attached to the teeth.
Claims19
A method of tracking orthodontic treatment in a patient wearing at least one affixed appliance by attachment to at least one of a plurality of teeth for a wire and affixed appliance treatment, the method comprising:
- providing a tracking template comprising a shell portion defining a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities shaped to fit over at least a portion of the plurality of teeth in a planned intermediate tooth arrangement;
- applying the tracking template to at least some of the plurality of teeth;
- determining whether the tracking template fits a current tooth arrangement;
- if the tracking template does not fit the current tooth arrangement, continuing the wire and affixed appliance treatment;
- and
- if the tracking template fits the current tooth arrangement, applying at least one patient-removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance for repositioning the plurality of teeth from the planned intermediate tooth arrangement towards a planned final tooth arrangement.
A method of tracking orthodontic treatment in a patient wearing an orthodontic assembly for a wire and affixed appliance treatment, the orthodontic assembly adapted to move a plurality of teeth from an initial tooth arrangement towards a planned intermediate tooth arrangement, the orthodontic assembly comprising two or more affixed appliances attached to at least two or more of the plurality of teeth, the method comprising:
- providing a tracking template comprising a shell portion defining a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities shaped to fit over at least a portion of the plurality of teeth in the planned intermediate tooth arrangement and to accommodate the orthodontic assembly;
- wherein if the tracking template does not fit a current tooth arrangement, the wire and affixed appliance treatment is continued, and if the tracking template fits the current tooth arrangement, at least one patient-removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance is used for repositioning the plurality of teeth from the planned intermediate tooth arrangement towards a planned final tooth arrangement.
A method of tracking orthodontic treatment in a patient wearing at least one affixed appliance by attachment to at least one of a plurality of teeth for a wire and affixed appliance treatment, the method comprising:
- providing a tracking template comprising a shell portion defining a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities shaped to fit over at least a portion of the plurality of teeth in a planned intermediate tooth arrangement;
- receiving an indication that the tracking template fits a current tooth arrangement;
- providing at least one patient-removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance for repositioning the plurality of teeth from the planned intermediate tooth arrangement towards a planned final tooth arrangement, wherein the at least one patient-removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance is adapted to be used after the indication that the tracking template fits has been received;
- and
- removing the at least one affixed appliance before applying the at least one patient-removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.