Back to results
US 9,943,386 B2Granted
Mold with weakened areas
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsPeter Webber, Rohit Tanugula, Shiva P. Sambu, Crystal Tjhia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A breakable or deflectable mold includes a first section, a second section, and a weakened region that joins the first section to the second section. The weakened region is breakable or deflectable to enable the first section to be removed independently of the second section after a shell is formed over the breakable mold.
Claims10
A method comprising:
- forming a shell over a breakable mold of a dental arch for a patient, wherein a first section of the breakable mold is joined to a second section of the breakable mold by one or more weakened regions, wherein the first section is a first mold of at least a portion of one or more first teeth of the dental arch and the second section is a second mold of at least a portion of one or more second teeth of the dental arch;
- breaking the breakable mold at the one or more weakened regions to enable the first section of the breakable mold to at least partially separate from the second section of the breakable mold;
- removing the first section of the breakable mold from the shell;
- and
- separately removing the second section of the breakable mold from the shell.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.