CN114788742A

CN114788742A - Accessory mounting template assembly

Info

Publication number: CN114788742A
Application number: CN202110109313.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 郑轶刊; 李俊生; 黄雷
Original assignee: Wuxi Ea Medical Instruments Technologies Ltd
Current assignee: Wuxi Ea Medical Instruments Technologies Ltd
Priority date: 2021-01-26
Filing date: 2021-01-26
Publication date: 2022-07-26

Abstract

One aspect of the present application provides an attachment mounting template assembly for affixing an attachment to a selected orientation on a surface of a selected tooth, comprising: an attachment mounting template which is in an integrated shell shape, forms a cavity for accommodating teeth, and forms an attachment bracket accommodating part for accommodating an attachment bracket in a preset direction; the accessory bracket is accommodated in the accessory bracket accommodating part and used for holding and positioning an accessory in the accessory bracket accommodating part; and an attachment for adhering to a tooth surface to form a protrusion for interacting with the shell-shaped dental appliance to provide a system of assistance in the application of force to the application of the appliance, wherein the attachment bracket is positioned between the attachment bracket receiving portion and the attachment, and wherein the attachment is positioned at a selected orientation on a selected tooth surface when the attachment mounting template assembly is worn on a patient's tooth.

Description

Accessory mounting template assembly

Technical Field

The present application relates generally to an attachment mounting template assembly for affixing an attachment to a selected tooth surface in a selected orientation.

Background

Shell-like dental appliances made of polymeric materials are becoming more popular due to their advantages of aesthetics, convenience, and ease of cleaning. Typically, orthodontic treatment using shell appliances requires a series of successive shell appliances each of which has a cavity geometry that substantially matches the tooth arrangement desired for the corresponding appliance step.

In many cases, it is difficult to ensure that a correct force system with proper size and direction is applied to teeth by simply relying on the shell-shaped dental appliance itself. For example, when moving a tooth in the mesial or distal direction of the dental arch, although the desired movement is translation of the tooth, in practice, a large tilting moment is easily generated, so that the incisor teeth are excessively moved to the same side as the movement direction, thereby causing an undesired tilting movement of the tooth. In clinical practice, in order to avoid the above problems, in order to apply the correction force system on the teeth, which is closer to the design target, it is often necessary to additionally fix a convex attachment with a certain shape on the teeth by means of adhesion or the like, form a corresponding cavity for accommodating the attachment on the shell-shaped dental appliance, and apply an auxiliary force system to the teeth by the squeezing and friction action between the cavity and the attachment, so that the total correction force system applied to the teeth is closer to the desired force system. It follows that the attachment is critical to orthodontic treatment using a shell dental appliance.

Since the size of the attachment is typically small (e.g., 2-3mm), it is a challenge to accurately and securely fix the attachment in a predetermined orientation on the tooth surface. Currently, two attachment mounting schemes have been proposed, one is to fill an uncured attachment material into a receiving cavity corresponding to the geometry of the attachment at a predetermined location on an attachment template similar to a shell-shaped dental appliance, and to cure and firmly adhere the attachment material to the patient's teeth at the predetermined location after the attachment template is applied to the patient's teeth; alternatively, a pre-fabricated attachment having an adhesive applied to the bottom thereof is placed in a cavity defined by a shell-like appliance and having a predetermined orientation corresponding to the geometry of the attachment, and the attachment is then applied to the patient's teeth, such that when the adhesive cures, the pre-fabricated attachment is adhered to the patient's teeth in the predetermined orientation.

With the first solution, the overall cost is high because uncured materials (e.g., photocurable materials) of this type used to make accessories are generally expensive. With the second solution, due to the small size of the accessory, in practice it is difficult to ensure that the accessory is placed in the correct orientation in the housing.

In view of the above, there is a need to provide a new accessory mounting solution.

Disclosure of Invention

One aspect of the present application provides an accessory and accessory bracket assembly comprising: the attachment is used for being stuck on the surface of the tooth to form a bulge, interacts with the shell-shaped tooth appliance and provides an auxiliary force system for tooth correction; and an accessory holder for holding and positioning the accessory in an accessory holder receiving portion of an accessory mounting template for mounting the accessory, wherein the accessory mounting template is in the form of an integral shell forming a cavity for receiving teeth and the accessory holder receiving portion is formed at a predetermined orientation, and wherein the accessory holder is positioned between the accessory mounting template and the accessory when the accessory and accessory holder assembly is received in the accessory holder receiving portion.

In some embodiments, the accessory and accessory holder are integrally formed and secured to each other by a weak connection.

In some embodiments, the accessory and accessory bracket are secured to each other with an adhesive or a snap fit arrangement.

In some embodiments, the accessory holder includes a plurality of fins distributed about the accessory to position the accessory within the accessory holder receptacle.

In some embodiments, the accessory holder includes a continuous sidewall to enclose the accessory therein.

In some embodiments, the accessory holder forms an anti-misloading structure capable of preventing it from being mounted to the holder receiving portion in a wrong direction.

In some embodiments, the attachment is provided with an adhesive layer on a surface of the attachment on the tooth side for adhering the attachment to a tooth surface.

In some embodiments, the accessory and accessory holder assembly further comprises a release film secured to an edge of the underside of the accessory holder for releasing the adhesive layer.

In some embodiments, the accessory is made of a first material that is relatively rigid and the accessory bracket is made of a second material that is resilient, the accessory bracket holding and positioning the accessory within the accessory bracket receptacle by being compressed by the accessory and the accessory bracket receptacle.

Yet another aspect of the present application provides an attachment mounting template assembly for affixing an attachment to a selected orientation on a surface of a selected tooth, comprising: an accessory mounting template which is in an integrated shell shape, forms a cavity for accommodating teeth, and forms an accessory bracket accommodating part for accommodating an accessory bracket in a preset direction; an accessory bracket received in the accessory bracket receiving portion for holding and positioning an accessory within the accessory bracket receiving portion; and an attachment for adhering to a tooth surface to form a protrusion for interacting with the shell-shaped dental appliance to provide a system of assistance in the application of force to the application of the appliance, wherein the attachment bracket is positioned between the attachment bracket receiving portion and the attachment, and wherein the attachment is positioned at a selected orientation on a selected tooth surface when the attachment mounting template assembly is worn on a patient's tooth.

In some embodiments, the accessory bracket is fixed in the accessory bracket receiving portion by an adhesive or a clamping structure.

In some embodiments, the accessory holder and the accessory holder receiving portion are formed with a mis-assembly prevention structure that prevents the accessory holder from being mounted to the holder receiving portion in a wrong orientation.

In some embodiments, the accessory holder includes a plurality of fins distributed around the accessory to position the accessory within the accessory holder receptacle.

In some embodiments, the surface of the attachment on the side of the tooth is provided with an adhesive layer for adhering the attachment to the tooth surface.

In some embodiments, the accessory mounting template assembly further comprises a separation film fixed to an edge of the bottom side of the accessory support for separating the adhesive layer.

Yet another aspect of the present application provides a method of adhering an attachment to a tooth surface, comprising: wearing the accessory mounting template assembly on the patient's teeth; adhering the attachment to the selected tooth surface in a selected orientation; and removing the accessory mounting template and the accessory bracket.

In some embodiments, the accessory template is removed from the patient's teeth prior to removing the accessory bracket from the accessory, such that the accessory bracket is disengaged from the accessory bracket receiving portion.

Drawings

The above and other features of the present application will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings and detailed description thereof. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only several exemplary embodiments in accordance with the application and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an accessory mounting template in one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 2A schematically illustrates an accessory bracket received in an accessory bracket receiving portion in one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 2B schematically illustrates an accessory holder received in an accessory holder receiving portion according to yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 3A schematically illustrates a mating relationship between a side wall of an accessory holder receptacle and an accessory holder according to one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 3B schematically illustrates the mating relationship between the side wall of the accessory bracket receptacle and an accessory bracket according to yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 4A schematically illustrates an accessory holder in one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 4B schematically illustrates an accessory holder in yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 4C schematically illustrates an accessory holder according to yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 4D schematically illustrates an accessory holder and an accessory according to yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 4E schematically illustrates an accessory holder in another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 4F schematically illustrates an accessory holder in yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 4G schematically illustrates an accessory holder in yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 4H schematically illustrates an accessory holder and an accessory according to yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a portion of an accessory mounting template assembly in one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 6 is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing an attachment mounting template assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a portion of an accessory mounting template assembly in yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 8A schematically illustrates a cross-section of an accessory and accessory bracket assembly in one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 8B shows the attachment bracket of FIG. 8A after the adhesive reservoir has been compressed;

FIG. 9A schematically illustrates an accessory holder according to yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 9B schematically illustrates the seal of FIG. 9A;

FIG. 10A schematically illustrates a cross-section of an accessory and accessory holder assembly in yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 10B illustrates the adhesive reservoir of FIG. 10A from another angle;

FIG. 11A schematically illustrates a cross-section of an attachment in yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 11B schematically illustrates a cross-section of an attachment in yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 11C schematically illustrates a cross-section of an attachment in yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 11D schematically illustrates a cross-section of an accessory in yet another embodiment of the present application; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic flow chart of a method of adhering an attachment to a tooth surface in one embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. The exemplary embodiments set forth in the specification and drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application. Those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that many other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present application. It should be understood that the aspects of the present application, as described and illustrated herein, may be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are within the scope of the present application.

The shell-shaped dental appliance is used for dental orthodontic treatment, a series of successive shell-shaped dental appliances are needed, and the shell-shaped dental appliances are sequentially worn in order to sequentially reposition the dentition of a patient from the original layout to the first middle layout and the second middle layout.

Each shell-shaped dental appliance corresponds to a correction step for repositioning the patient's dentition from the initial placement of the correction step to the target placement of the correction step. Generally, a shell-shaped dental appliance is an integral shell, forming a cavity for receiving teeth, the geometry of which substantially matches the target tooth layout for the corresponding corrective step, the shell-shaped dental appliance being fabricated based on the target tooth layout for each corrective step.

In many cases, it is difficult to ensure that a correct force system with proper size and direction is applied to teeth by simply relying on the shell-shaped dental appliance itself. At this time, it is necessary to additionally fix a protruding attachment having a certain shape on the teeth by a method such as cementation, and form a corresponding cavity for accommodating the attachment on the shell-shaped orthodontic appliance, and apply an auxiliary force system to the teeth by the squeezing and friction between the cavity and the attachment, so as to more effectively perform orthodontic treatment.

In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the application provides a new accessory installation scheme on one aspect.

The accessory installation scheme is that an accessory installation template assembly is used for installing accessories and comprises an accessory installation template, an accessory support and accessories. The accessory mounting template is in a shell shape, a cavity for accommodating teeth is formed, and an accessory support accommodating part is formed in a preset direction. The accessory bracket is received in the bracket receiving portion, and the accessory bracket is positioned between the accessory bracket receiving portion and the accessory to hold and position the accessory in the accessory bracket receiving portion. The attachment receptacle forms an opening to a side of the tooth such that the attachment can be adhered to the tooth surface. The surface of one side of the accessory close to the teeth is provided with adhesive. The attachment mounting kit is applied to the patient's teeth and the adhesive is cured to adhere the attachment to the teeth at the predetermined location. On one hand, the accessory is prefabricated, namely the accessory is a solidified accessory finished product, and can be made of more economic materials by using traditional injection molding, sintering and other methods without expensive photocuring materials and the like, so that the cost can be effectively reduced. On the other hand, the accessory holder is larger in size than the accessory, so that the accessory holder and the accessory can be more easily placed in the accessory holder receiving portion in the correct orientation for manual or machine operation.

Referring to fig. 1, an accessory mounting template 101 in one embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated.

The attachment mounting template 101 is substantially in the form of an integral shell, and has a cavity for receiving a tooth, and an attachment holder receiving portion 103 for receiving an attachment holder is formed in a predetermined orientation.

In some embodiments, the attachment template can be made in a similar manner to a shell-shaped dental appliance. In one embodiment, the accessory template may be fabricated using a hot-press film forming process. For example, a first three-dimensional digital model representing a current tooth layout of a patient may be obtained. And then, according to the installation position of the accessory, adding a three-dimensional body with the same geometric form as the support accommodating part on the first three-dimensional digital model in the corresponding direction to obtain a second three-dimensional digital model. Next, a solid model can be produced using the second three-dimensional digital model control apparatus (e.g., 3D printing apparatus). And finally, hot-pressing the high-molecular sheet material on the solid model to form an accessory template.

In yet another embodiment, the attachment template may also be directly fabricated using 3D printing techniques. For example, a third three-dimensional digital model representing the attachment template may be obtained based on the second three-dimensional digital model, given a certain thickness. And then, controlling 3D printing equipment to manufacture to obtain an accessory template by using the third three-dimensional digital model.

Referring to FIG. 2A, an accessory holder 105a received in an accessory holder receiving portion 103a according to one embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 2A, the accessory template 101a is formed with an accessory holder receiving portion 103a, which is closed on the side opposite to the teeth to form a receiving cavity in which the accessory holder 105a is received. In this embodiment, the accessory holder 105a is fixed to the accessory holder housing 103a with an adhesive agent 107 a. In this embodiment, the peripheral side of the attachment holder 105a is fixed to the side wall of the attachment holder housing 103 a. As will be appreciated in light of the present disclosure, the top side of the attachment bracket 105a may be cemented to the top surface of the attachment bracket receiving portion 103a (i.e., the inner surface on the side away from the tooth surface). In one embodiment, adhesive 107a may have a weaker adhesive strength than the adhesive used to adhere the attachment to the tooth surface, so that the attachment template may be detached from the attachment bracket after the attachment is adhered to the tooth surface.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 2A, the release film 109a is adhered to the inner surface (i.e. the surface facing the teeth) of the accessory template 101a, and the opening of the accessory holder receiving portion 103a near the teeth is closed, so that the accessory holder 105a and the accessory (not shown) are separated in the accessory holder receiving portion 103a, on one hand, the adhesive applied to the bottom surface (i.e. the adhesive surface) of the accessory can be prevented from being contaminated, and on the other hand, the accessory holder 105a and the accessory can be prevented from being separated from the accessory template 101a during transportation.

Referring to fig. 2B, an accessory holder receiving portion 103B is schematically illustrated in another embodiment of the present application, and unlike the embodiment illustrated in fig. 2A, the accessory holder receiving portion 103B is provided with an opening 111B on a top side (i.e., a side away from the teeth) to facilitate manipulation of the accessory holder 105B or an accessory. For example, when the attachment is cemented to the tooth surface, the attachment may be pressed toward the tooth through the opening 111b to better cement the attachment to the tooth surface. For example, the accessory can be placed in the accessory holder 105b accommodated in the accessory holder accommodating portion 103b through the opening 111 b. It will be appreciated in light of the present application that the size and shape of the opening 111b may be determined according to particular needs.

It will be appreciated that the attachment bracket may be fixed to the attachment bracket receiving portion in other ways than by an adhesive, for example, by providing a side wall of the attachment bracket receiving portion with a snap structure that matches the circumference of the attachment bracket, and fixing the attachment bracket to the attachment bracket receiving portion by the engagement of these snap structures.

In one embodiment, the geometry of the side walls of the accessory holder receiving portion can limit the lateral (i.e., along the surface of the teeth) freedom of the accessory holder from rotation and translation, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the attachment location.

Referring to fig. 3A, a relationship between the side walls of the accessory holder receiving portion 103c and the accessory holder 105c is schematically illustrated in an embodiment of the present application, in which the side walls of the accessory holder receiving portion 103c enclose a geometry that substantially matches the geometry of the accessory holder 105c to limit the lateral freedom of the accessory holder 105 c.

Referring again to fig. 3B, the relationship between the side walls of the accessory holder receiving portion 103d and the accessory holder 105d in another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated, in which the side walls of the accessory holder receiving portion 103d enclose a rectangle having a length and width substantially matching the accessory holder 105d to limit the lateral freedom of the accessory holder 105 d.

It will be appreciated in the light of this application that the shape of the accessory holder is not limited to the cruciform shape shown in fig. 3A and 3B, and can be any suitable shape. Similarly, it will be appreciated that in addition to the examples shown in fig. 3A and 3B, the geometry enclosed by the side walls of the accessory holder receptacle may be other geometries to limit the lateral freedom of the accessory holder.

In some embodiments, the accessory bracket and the accessory bracket receptacle have a configuration that prevents the accessory bracket from being loaded into the accessory bracket receptacle in an incorrect orientation. For example, the geometry of the accessory holder and/or accessory holder receiving portion may prevent the accessory holder from being installed in the accessory holder receiving portion in the wrong orientation, e.g., the cross-section of the accessory holder receiving portion may be trapezoidal, and accordingly, the outer contour of the cross-section of the accessory holder may also be trapezoidal, thereby preventing the accessory holder from being installed in the accessory holder receiving portion in the wrong orientation, and further preventing the accessory from being cemented to the tooth surface in the wrong orientation. For another example, the accessory holder and the accessory holder receiving portion may be provided with a sliding slot and a guide block that are matched with each other to prevent the accessory holder from being loaded into the accessory holder receiving portion in a wrong direction.

Referring to fig. 4A, an accessory holder 200a in one embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated.

In this embodiment, the accessory holder 200a has a generally rectangular box shape with an opening 201a formed in a bottom side (i.e., a side closer to the teeth) thereof for passage of the accessory. The accessory holder 200a encloses a box-shaped space for accommodating an accessory (not shown). The attachment and the attachment bracket 200a may be relatively fixed by adhesive, weak connection, snap fit, etc. when the attachment is adhered to the tooth surface, the fixation between the attachment and the attachment bracket 200a may be broken, thereby detaching the attachment bracket 200a from the attachment.

In one embodiment, both the bottom side and the top side of accessory bracket 200a may be open.

In one embodiment, the accessory holder and accessory can be manufactured separately and then assembled using automated manufacturing equipment to form an accessory holder and accessory assembly. In yet another embodiment, the accessory holder and the accessory may be integrally formed and may be secured by a weak connection therebetween. A weak connection is a relatively weak connection, which has a mechanical strength that is much lower than the mechanical strength of the component itself (here, the accessory holder and the accessory), and which can be broken with a small force without causing damage to the component itself. Such as thinner connections, or spaced connections.

In some embodiments, the accessory and accessory holder can be manufactured by injection molding, 3D printing, and the like.

It will be appreciated that, in the light of the present application, the shape of the attachment support is not limited to a rectangular box shape, and the geometry of the attachment support may be determined according to the shape of the attachment and the specific requirements, as long as the attachment support and the attachment are relatively fixed to each other, so as to ensure the precise positioning of the attachment on the tooth.

Because the accessory bracket and accessory assembly have a significantly larger lateral dimension than the accessory, it is easier to place the accessory bracket in the correct orientation in the accessory bracket receiving portion of the accessory template for manual operation.

Referring to fig. 4B, an accessory holder 200B in another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated. Similar to the accessory holder 200a shown in fig. 4A, the accessory holder 200b is also substantially rectangular box-shaped, and the bottom side 201b thereof is open, and unlike the accessory holder 200a shown in fig. 4A, the side 203b of the peripheral side thereof is open, which can facilitate attachment and detachment of accessories.

Referring to fig. 4C, an accessory holder 200C in yet another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated. Similar to the accessory holder 200a shown in fig. 4A, the accessory holder 200c is also substantially box-shaped, with an open bottom side 201c and a plurality of protrusions 203c on the inner surface of the side walls, which protrusions 203c abut against the accessory (not shown) to position it so as to limit its lateral freedom.

Referring to fig. 4D, an accessory holder in yet another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated. In this embodiment, the accessory holder includes two

separate fins

201d and 203d secured to opposite sidewalls of the accessory 210 d. It will be appreciated in the light of the present application that the number, position and shape of the individual fins can be determined according to the specific circumstances and requirements, for example, 4 fins can be provided, each fixed to four side walls of the attachment.

Referring to fig. 4E, an accessory holder 200E in another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated. In this embodiment, the accessory holder 200e includes a plurality of fins 201e and a connecting portion 203e for connecting and fixing the fins, the fins 201e form a circle, and the middle portion is used for receiving and fixing an accessory (not shown). In one embodiment, the plurality of fins 201e and the connection portion 203e may be integrally formed.

Referring to fig. 4F, an accessory holder 200F in another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated. In this embodiment, the accessory holder 200f is generally box-shaped with an open bottom and top side, and a plurality of raised structures 201f are formed on the outer surface of the sidewall for positioning and securing the accessory holder 200f within the accessory holder receptacle of the accessory template, and a plurality of fins 203e are formed on the inner surface of the sidewall for positioning and securing the accessory within the accessory holder 200 f.

Referring to fig. 4G, an accessory holder 200G in yet another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated. In this embodiment, the accessory holder 200g is constructed of two layers, an inner layer and an outer layer. The outer wall 201g and the inner wall 203g are each substantially box-shaped and open at the bottom side. The outer layer wall 201g and the inner layer wall 203g are connected and fixed by a plurality of fins 205 g. The outer surface of the outer layer wall 201g is provided with a plurality of protruding structures 207g for positioning and fixing the accessory bracket 200g in the accessory bracket accommodating part of the accessory template. The accessories (not shown) are housed and fixed in the space surrounded by the inner wall 203 g.

Referring to fig. 4h, an accessory holder 200h and accessory 210h assembly in yet another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated. In this embodiment, the accessory holder 200h is substantially box-shaped, and the accessory 210h is fixed within the accessory holder 200h by the adhesive 201 h. The bottom surface of the accessory 210h is provided with an adhesive layer 211h, and the bottom side of the accessory bracket 200h is provided with an isolating film 203h for isolating the adhesive layer 211h of the accessory 210 h. The isolation film 203h is fixed to the bottom side of the accessory bracket 200h, for example, by means of adhesive or heat melting, etc. to the edge of the bottom side of the accessory bracket 200 h.

In one embodiment, the accessory and accessory holder may be made of the same material, such as a wear-resistant polymer material, such as resin or plastic, or a hard inorganic material, such as ceramic or metal.

In one embodiment, the accessory and accessory holder may be manufactured separately and then assembled to form an accessory and accessory holder assembly. In one embodiment, the manufacture and assembly of both the accessory and the accessory holder can be automated by the device.

In one embodiment, the accessory and accessory holder may be integrally formed, for example, by a process such as 3D printing or injection molding. In one embodiment, the accessory and accessory bracket may be secured to one another with a weak connection to facilitate detachment after the accessory is installed.

In one embodiment, the attachment may be made of a relatively rigid material, and the attachment bracket may be made of a resilient material, such as silicone or the like. The accessory bracket and the accessory can be assembled in an interference fit manner, and the accessory is positioned and fixed by extruding the accessory bracket material. Similarly, the accessory bracket and the accessory bracket accommodating part can be assembled in an interference fit manner, and the accessory bracket can be positioned and fixed by extruding the accessory bracket material.

Referring to FIG. 5, a portion of an accessory mounting template assembly 400 in one embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated.

The attachment mounting template assembly 400 includes an attachment mounting template 401, which is in a unitary shell shape, like the attachment mounting template 101 shown in fig. 1, forming a cavity for receiving teeth, and formed at a predetermined position with an attachment bracket receiving portion 403. The accessory holder receptacle 403 is configured to receive and secure an accessory holder 405. in one embodiment, the accessory holder 405 may be secured to the accessory holder receptacle 403 with an adhesive 409.

An attachment 411 is fixed inside the attachment holder 405. in one embodiment, the attachment 411 and the attachment holder 405 are integrally formed and fixed to each other with a weak connection 413, which makes it easier to detach the attachment holder 405 from the attachment 411 when the attachment 411 is affixed to the tooth.

The attachment 411 is provided with an adhesive layer 415 on the bottom surface, and in one embodiment, the adhesive layer 415 may include a matrix material and an adhesive, wherein the matrix material may be a loose or compact frame body composed of organic or inorganic fibers, such as a non-woven material, or a woven fabric or a knitted fabric with micro pores, such as cloth, silk, paper, etc., or a fluffy substance with a porous structure, such as sponge, pumice, foam, porous gel, etc., or a substance with a frame structure, such as a flexible polymer frame, or a particle assembly composed of a plurality of particles or minute structures, such as micro plastic particles or artificial soil, etc. The matrix material and the adhesive form an integrated adhesive layer through the permeation absorption, accommodation, adsorption, mixing, polymerization or electrostatic or surface tension attraction of the micropores or the internal cavity of the matrix material to the adhesive, and the adhesive layer has better capability of keeping the shape of the adhesive layer than a pure adhesive.

An opening of the accessory holder receiving portion 403 near the teeth is provided with an isolation film 417 to isolate the accessory and the accessory holder assembly in the accessory holder receiving portion 403 to avoid pollution of the adhesive layer 415 by the external environment.

When the attachment is attached, first, the isolation film 417 is removed. The attachment mounting template assembly 400 is then placed on the patient's tooth so that the adhesive layer 415 on the underside of the attachment 411 is held tightly against the tooth surface. In one embodiment, the attachment mounting template 401 may be made of a thin and relatively soft film material that may be pressed directly against the top side (i.e., the side away from the teeth) of the attachment bracket receiving portion 403 such that the adhesive layer 415 of the bottom surface of the attachment 411 is in close contact with the tooth surface. The adhesive of the adhesive layer 415 is then cured, thereby causing the attachment 411 to adhere firmly to the tooth surface. In one embodiment, the adhesive of the adhesive layer 415 may be a light-curing adhesive, which is cured by illumination with a specific wavelength. Next, the attachment mounting template 401 is removed from the patient's teeth. In one embodiment, after removing the attachment mounting template 401, the attachment holder 405 is detached from the attachment mounting template 401 and remains attached to the attachment 411, at which point the attachment holder 405 can be removed from the tooth-adhering attachment 411 with a tool (e.g., pliers). In yet another embodiment, after removing the accessory mounting template 401, the accessory bracket 405 disengages the accessory 411 from the accessory mounting template 401. It will be appreciated, given the benefit of this application, whether the attachment bracket 405 is attached to the accessory mounting template 401 off the accessory 411 or remains attached to the accessory 411 after removal of the accessory mounting template 401, depending on how firmly the attachment bracket 405 is secured within the accessory receiving portion 403, if greater than the attachment between the attachment bracket 405 and the accessory, then the attachment bracket 405 will attach the accessory mounting template 401 off the accessory 411, otherwise, vice versa.

Although the present application has been described with reference to the attachment mounting template having only one attachment bracket receiving portion for ease of illustration and description, it will be understood that the type, number and orientation of the attachments may be determined according to particular needs and circumstances.

Referring now to FIG. 6, therein is shown a schematic flow chart of a method 500 for making an accessory mounting template assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present application.

In 501, an accessory mounting template is obtained.

As mentioned above, the accessory mounting template may be manufactured by using a hot-pressing film forming process or 3D printing, which is not described herein again.

At 503, accessory installation information is obtained according to the identity information of the accessory installation template.

In one embodiment, the identity information of the accessory mounting template may be printed directly on the accessory mounting template. In another embodiment, the identity information of the accessory mounting template may also be directly engraved on the accessory mounting template. In yet another embodiment, the identification information of the accessory mounting template may be printed on a sticker attached to the accessory mounting template or a packaging bag thereof.

In one embodiment, the identity information of the accessory mounting template may be a combination of numbers and/or letters. In yet another embodiment, the identity information of the accessory mounting template may also be a barcode. In yet another embodiment, the identity information of the accessory mounting template may also be a two-dimensional code.

In one embodiment, the identity information of the accessory mounting template can be scanned and obtained by a code scanning device. In yet another embodiment, the identity information of the accessory mounting template may also be manually entered into the computer by an operator.

In one embodiment, after obtaining the identity information of the accessory installation template, the computer may obtain the accessory installation information of the accessory installation template from a database according to the identity information. In one embodiment, the database storing the attachment installation information for each attachment installation template may be stored in a server connected to the computer or in the computer.

It will be appreciated in light of this disclosure that one accessory mounting template may be used to mount a plurality of accessories of the same or different types. In one embodiment, the same type of accessory and accessory holder assembly can be made as a standard piece to facilitate mass production.

At 505, the accessory and the accessory bracket assembly are loaded into the accessory bracket receiving portion of the accessory mounting template based on the accessory mounting information.

In one embodiment, the accessory and accessory bracket assembly may be manually loaded into the accessory bracket receiving portion of the accessory mounting template. In this embodiment, the computer may graphically display on the display screen after obtaining the accessory mounting information to instruct the assembler to mount the correct accessory and accessory bracket assembly in the correct accessory bracket receptacle in the correct orientation. For example, an image of an accessory mounting template may be displayed on a display screen, and for each accessory bracket receptacle, a corresponding accessory and accessory bracket assembly type and mounting orientation may be displayed. For example, the types of the accessories and the accessory bracket assemblies can be distinguished by colors, for example, the computer can mark an accessory bracket accommodating part with a specific color on a screen according to the accessory installation information to indicate the type of the accessories and the accessory bracket assemblies corresponding to the accessory bracket accommodating part, and an assembler can acquire the accessories and the accessory bracket assemblies of the corresponding types from the corresponding material tray according to the corresponding color marks. For another example, different patterns can be used to distinguish the types of accessories and accessory holder assemblies, for example, a computer can mark an accessory holder receiving portion with a specific pattern (e.g., triangle, square, circle, pentagram, etc.) on a screen according to the accessory mounting information to indicate the type of the accessory and accessory holder assembly corresponding to the accessory holder receiving portion, and an assembler can obtain the accessory and accessory holder assembly of the corresponding type from the corresponding tray according to the corresponding pattern mark.

In one embodiment, the accessory mounting information may not include a mounting direction of the accessory and the accessory holder assembly if the accessory holder and the accessory holder receiving portion are provided with the erroneous mounting prevention structure.

In yet another embodiment, the accessory and the accessory bracket assembly may be automatically mounted within the accessory bracket receiving portion of the accessory mounting template using the accessory mounting information control device. In this embodiment, the accessory mounting information may include the type of accessory and accessory holder assembly and the position information of the accessory holder receptacle. In one embodiment, the apparatus may be a robot.

In another aspect of the present application, a further accessory mounting solution is provided, which is to use a further accessory mounting template assembly to mount an accessory, and includes an accessory mounting template, an accessory bracket, and an accessory. The attachment forms a hollow from a top surface to a bottom surface (i.e., an adhesive surface) to allow an adhesive to be injected from the top surface through the hollow to the bottom surface and fill the hollow, the adhesive curing to form a unitary body with the attachment while adhering the attachment to a tooth surface.

The accessory mounting template is in an integrated shell shape, forms a cavity for accommodating teeth, and forms an accessory bracket accommodating part in a preset direction. The accessory bracket is received in the bracket receiving portion, and the accessory bracket is positioned between the accessory bracket receiving portion and the accessory to hold and position the accessory in the accessory bracket receiving portion. The attachment holder receiving portion forms an opening toward a side of the tooth so that the attachment can be adhered to the tooth surface.

On the one hand, the cost is effectively reduced, since the accessory is prefabricated, i.e. it is a cured component, which can be manufactured in a more economical manner by conventional injection moulding or sintering, etc., at least partially replacing the more expensive adhesive (e.g. light-curing adhesive material). On the other hand, the accessory bracket is larger in size than the accessory, so that the accessory bracket and the accessory can be more easily placed in the accessory bracket accommodating part in the correct direction through manual or mechanical operation.

Referring to FIG. 7, a portion of an accessory mounting template assembly 600 in one embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated.

The attachment mounting template assembly 600 includes an attachment mounting template 601, which is in a unitary shell shape, like the attachment mounting template 101 shown in fig. 1, forming a cavity for receiving teeth, and formed at a predetermined position with an attachment holder receiving portion 603. The accessory holder housing portion 603 holds the accessory holder 605 therein, and in one embodiment, the accessory holder 605 may be secured to the accessory holder housing portion 603 by an adhesive 607.

An attachment 609 is fixed inside the attachment support 605, and in one embodiment, the attachment 609 and the attachment support 605 are integrally formed and fixed to each other with a weak connection 611, so that detachment of the attachment support 605 from the attachment 609 can be achieved relatively easily after the attachment 609 is affixed to the tooth.

Attachment 609 forms a hollow 613 from the top surface to the bottom surface to allow adhesive to be injected from the top surface through the hollow 613 portion to and distributed over the bottom surface to adhere attachment 609 to the tooth surface. Accordingly, the top of the accessory holder receiving portion 603 (i.e., the side away from the teeth) is provided with an opening 615 and the top of the accessory holder 605 is provided with an opening 617 to allow an adhesive injector 619 to inject adhesive into the hollow 613.

In one embodiment, the adhesive injector 619 may be electronically controlled and the accessory may be a standard component, i.e., of uniform shape and size, and the injection dose and pressure of the adhesive injector 619 may be pre-set to avoid over or under injection.

It will be appreciated in light of the present disclosure that the structure of the accessory holder 605 holding the accessory 609 portion may be that of the above embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 8A, a cross-section of an accessory and accessory holder assembly 700 according to yet another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated.

Accessory and accessory bracket assembly 700 includes an accessory bracket 710 and an accessory 720. Attachment 720 forms a hollow 721 extending from the top surface to the bottom surface to allow an adhesive to be injected from the opening in the top surface and to the bottom surface to adhere attachment 720 to the tooth surface.

The accessory bracket 710 includes an accessory retention portion 711 for retaining and positioning the accessory 720 in an accessory bracket receiving portion (not shown) of the accessory mounting template. The attachment holder 710 further includes an adhesive storage portion 713 at a side of the attachment holding portion 711 remote from the tooth for storing an adhesive. The adhesive storage portion 713 is formed with an adhesive injection nozzle 715 at a side close to the attachment 720, which is closely butted against an opening of the top surface of the attachment 720 so that the adhesive in the adhesive storage portion 713 can be injected into the hollow portion 721. In this embodiment, the adhesive storage portion 713 is a squeezable bubble integrally formed with the accessory holding portion 711, and after being squeezed, the adhesive therein is extruded out to the hollow portion 721 through the adhesive injection nozzle 715.

Referring to fig. 8B, the adhesive holding portion 713 shown in fig. 8A is schematically shown in a pressed state.

In one embodiment, a photo-curable adhesive may be used, and the adhesive storage 713 may be made of an opaque material to prevent the adhesive in the adhesive storage 713 from being cured before injecting the adhesive into the hollow 721.

Referring to fig. 9A, an accessory holder 710' in another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated.

Accessory bracket 710' is similar to accessory bracket 710 shown in fig. 8A and 8B, except that: a protruding plug 719 ' is provided at the top of the adhesive storage portion 713 ', and after the adhesive storage portion 713 ' is completely pressed, the plug 719 ' is inserted into the injection nozzle 715 ' to extrude the remaining adhesive therein; and (ii) a sealing member 730 ' is provided at the end of the injection nozzle 715 ' to prevent the adhesive from leaking out before the adhesive storage portion 713 ' is pressed, wherein the sealing member 730 ' may be made of an elastic soft material (e.g., silicone rubber, rubber), and has a narrow opening 731 ' (a cross-shaped opening as shown in fig. 9B) formed through the top and bottom surfaces thereof, such that the adhesive in the adhesive storage portion 713 ' can be extruded through the opening 731 ' only after the adhesive storage portion is pressed. The seal 730 ' may also form a flange 733 ' of a size larger than the nozzle 713 ', with its top surface abutting the nozzle 713 ' and its bottom surface abutting an accessory (not shown) to hold the seal 730 ' in place.

Referring to FIG. 10A, a cross-section of an accessory and accessory holder assembly 800 in yet another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated.

Accessory and accessory bracket assembly 800 includes an accessory bracket 810 and an accessory 820. The attachment 820 forms a hollow 821 extending from the top surface to the bottom surface to allow adhesive to be injected from an opening in the top surface and to the bottom surface to adhere the attachment 820 to the tooth surface.

The accessory holder 810 includes an accessory holder 811 for holding and positioning an accessory 820 in an accessory holder receptacle (not shown) of an accessory mounting template. The accessory holder 810 also includes an annular adhesive reservoir 813 on the side of the accessory holder 811 remote from the teeth for storing adhesive. The middle of the annular adhesive reservoir 813 extends toward the attachment 820 to form an adhesive injection tube 815 that closely interfaces with the opening on the top surface of the attachment 820 so that the adhesive in the annular adhesive reservoir 813 can be injected into the hollow 821. In this embodiment, the accessory holder 810 further includes a piston 817 having a U-shaped cross section, which is fitted to the annular adhesive storage tank 813, and by pressing the piston 817, the adhesive in the annular adhesive storage tank 813 can be injected into the hollow 821 of the accessory 820 through the adhesive injection pipe 815. Wherein the adhesive injection tube 815 extends into the annular adhesive reservoir 813, and the inner wall of the annular adhesive reservoir 813 constitutes the wall of the segment of the adhesive injection tube 815 to avoid leakage of the adhesive.

Referring to fig. 10B, the annular adhesive reservoir 813 and piston 817 of fig. 10A are shown.

Two positioning blocks 8171 are convexly formed on the outer peripheral surface of the piston 817, correspondingly, two positioning grooves 8131 are formed on the outer side wall of the annular adhesive storage tank 813, and the positioning blocks 8171 are matched with the positioning grooves 8131 so as to prevent the piston 817 and the annular adhesive storage tank 813 from relatively rotating. In addition, the piston 817 cannot be pressed until the positioning block 8171 is aligned with the positioning groove 8131, so that it is possible to prevent an erroneous operation.

An opening 8173 is formed in the side wall of the piston and correspondingly an opening 8133 is formed in the inner wall of annular adhesive reservoir 813 and aligned so that when piston 817 is depressed, adhesive in annular adhesive reservoir 813 will enter injection tube 815 through

openings

8173 and 8133.

It will be appreciated in the light of the present application that the shape of the hollow of the attachment is not limited to the above embodiments and can be any suitable shape.

Referring to fig. 11A, a cross-sectional shape of an accessory 920a in another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated. The hollow part 921a of the accessory 920a includes a channel extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, the edge of the bottom surface protrudes to form a sharp wall 923a to keep the adhesive inside the accessory and avoid the adhesive from leaking out, and the bottom surface is slightly concave to form an adhesive storage cavity 925a to ensure that the adhesive can be substantially distributed over the bottom surface of the accessory 920a, thereby ensuring the bonding firmness of the accessory 920 a. In one embodiment, substantially the entire bottom surface of the attachment is recessed to ensure that the adhesive is spread over substantially the entire bottom surface, for example, the recessed portion may comprise more than 70%, even more than 80%, even more than 90% of the area of the bottom surface. In one embodiment, the concave-convex structure can be formed on the surface of the concave part on the bottom surface of the accessory, so that the contact area with the adhesive is increased, and the bonding firmness is further enhanced.

Referring to fig. 11B, a cross-sectional shape of an accessory 920B in another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated. The hollow portion 921b of the attachment 920b includes a passage extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, and the bottom surface thereof is formed into a slightly concave curved surface to form the adhesive storage chamber 925b, so as to secure the adhesion of the attachment 920 b.

Referring to fig. 11C, a cross-sectional shape of an attachment 920C in another embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated. The hollow 921c of the attachment 920c is substantially funnel-shaped.

Referring to fig. 11D, a cross-sectional shape of an attachment 920D in a further embodiment of the present application is schematically illustrated. The attachment 920d is generally hollow, with the hollow 921d being larger.

Referring to fig. 12, a schematic flow chart of a method 1000 for adhering an attachment to a tooth in yet another embodiment of the present application is shown.

In 1001, an accessory mounting template assembly is obtained.

In one embodiment, an accessory mounting template assembly includes an accessory mounting template having a unitary shell shape defining a tooth-receiving cavity and defining an accessory bracket receiving portion for receiving an accessory bracket in a selected orientation; the accessory bracket is accommodated in the accessory bracket accommodating part and used for holding and fixing an accessory in the accessory bracket accommodating part; and an accessory formed in a hollow portion from the top surface to the bottom surface, held and fixed by the accessory holder in the accessory holder receiving portion, wherein the accessory holder is located between the accessory holder receiving portion and the accessory.

At 1003, the accessory-mounting template assembly is worn on the patient's dentition.

At 1005, an adhesive is injected into the hollow portion of the attachment to fill the bottom surface thereof.

For the accessory mounting template assembly 600 shown in fig. 7, an adhesive injector 619 may be manipulated through the accessory mounting template 601 and the accessory support 605 to interface with the opening of the accessory 609 in the top surface of the hollow portion 613 and then inject a quantity of adhesive into the hollow portion 613. It is desirable to have the adhesive fill hollow 613 and cover the entire bottom surface of attachment 609.

For the embodiment shown in fig. 8A-10B, the adhesive can be pushed into the hollow portion and bottom surface of the attachment by simply pressing the adhesive receiving portion.

In 1007, the adhesive is cured.

In one embodiment, a light-curable adhesive may be used, the adhesive being cured by irradiation with light of a particular wavelength, thereby curing the adhesive in the hollow portion to form a portion of the attachment, and curing the adhesive on the underside of the attachment to adhere the attachment to the tooth surface.

While various aspects and embodiments of the disclosure are disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to be limiting. The scope and spirit of the present application are to be determined only by the appended claims.

Likewise, the various diagrams may illustrate an exemplary architecture or other configuration of the disclosed methods and systems that is useful for understanding the features and functionality that may be included in the disclosed methods and systems. The claimed subject matter is not limited to the exemplary architectures or configurations shown, but the desired features can be implemented using a variety of alternative architectures and configurations. In addition, to the extent that flow diagrams, functional descriptions, and method claims do not follow, the order in which the blocks are presented should not be limited to the various embodiments which perform the recited functions in the same order, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Unless otherwise expressly stated, the terms and phrases used herein, and variations thereof, are to be interpreted as open ended and not limiting. In some instances, the presence of an extensible term or phrases such as "one or more," "at least," "but not limited to," or other similar terms should not be construed as intended or required to imply a narrowing in instances where such extensible terms may not be present.

Claims

1. An accessory and accessory holder assembly comprising:

the attachment is used for being cemented on the surface of a tooth to form a bulge, and interacts with the shell-shaped tooth appliance to provide an auxiliary force system for tooth correction; and

an accessory holder for holding and positioning the accessory in an accessory holder receiving portion of an accessory mounting template for accessory mounting,

the accessory mounting template is in an integrated shell shape, a cavity for accommodating teeth is formed, the accessory support accommodating part is formed in a preset direction, and when the accessory and the accessory support assembly are accommodated in the accessory support accommodating part, the accessory support is positioned between the accessory mounting template and the accessory.

2. The accessory and accessory holder assembly of claim 1, wherein the accessory and accessory holder are integrally formed and are secured to each other by a weak connection.

3. The accessory and accessory holder assembly of claim 1, wherein the accessory and accessory holder are secured to each other with an adhesive or a snap fit arrangement.

4. The accessory and accessory holder assembly of claim 1, wherein the accessory holder includes a plurality of fins distributed around the accessory to position the accessory within the accessory holder receptacle.

5. The accessory and accessory holder assembly of claim 1, wherein the accessory holder includes a continuous sidewall to enclose the accessory therein.

6. The accessory and accessory holder assembly of claim 1, wherein the accessory holder defines an anti-misload feature that prevents it from being mounted in the holder receptacle in a wrong orientation.

7. The attachment and attachment support assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment is provided with an adhesive layer on a surface of the attachment on the side of the tooth for adhering the attachment to the tooth surface.

8. The accessory and accessory holder assembly of claim 7, further comprising a release film secured to an edge of the underside of the accessory holder for releasing the adhesive layer.

9. The accessory and accessory-bracket assembly of claim 1, wherein the accessory is made of a first material that is relatively rigid and the accessory bracket is made of a second material that is resilient, the accessory bracket holding and positioning the accessory in the accessory-bracket receptacle by being compressed by the accessory and the accessory-bracket receptacle.

10. An attachment mounting template assembly for affixing an attachment to a selected orientation on a surface of a selected tooth, comprising:

an attachment mounting template which is in an integrated shell shape, forms a cavity for accommodating teeth, and forms an attachment bracket accommodating part for accommodating an attachment bracket in a preset direction;

an accessory bracket received in the accessory bracket receiving portion for holding and positioning an accessory within the accessory bracket receiving portion; and

the attachment is used for being cemented on the surface of the tooth to form a bulge, interacts with the shell-shaped dental appliance and provides an auxiliary force system for the dental appliance,

wherein the accessory bracket is positioned between the accessory bracket receiving portion and the accessory, and when the accessory mounting template assembly is worn on a patient's teeth, the accessory is positioned in a selected orientation on a selected tooth surface.

11. The accessory mounting template assembly of claim 10, wherein the accessory bracket is secured within the accessory bracket receiving portion with an adhesive or a snap fit.

12. The accessory mounting template assembly of claim 10, wherein the accessory and accessory bracket are integrally formed and secured to each other by a weak connection.

13. The accessory mounting template assembly of claim 10, wherein the accessory and accessory support are secured to each other with an adhesive or a snap-fit arrangement.

14. The accessory mounting template assembly of claim 10, wherein the accessory bracket and the accessory bracket receiving portion are formed with anti-mismounting structures to prevent the accessory bracket from being mounted in the bracket receiving portion in a wrong orientation.

15. The accessory mounting template assembly of claim 10, wherein the accessory bracket includes a plurality of fins distributed about the accessory to position the accessory within the accessory bracket receiving portion.

16. The attachment mounting template assembly according to claim 10, wherein a surface of said attachment on the tooth side is provided with an adhesive layer for adhering said attachment to a tooth surface.

17. The accessory mounting template assembly of claim 16, further comprising a spacer secured to an edge of the underside of the accessory support for spacing the adhesive layer.

18. The accessory-mounting template assembly of claim 10, wherein the accessory is made of a first material that is relatively rigid and the accessory bracket is made of a second material that is resilient, the accessory bracket retaining and positioning the accessory within the accessory-bracket-receiving portion by being compressed by the accessory and the accessory-bracket-receiving portion.

19. A method of adhering an attachment to a tooth surface, comprising:

wearing the accessory mounting template assembly of claim 10 on the patient's teeth;

adhering the attachment to the selected tooth surface in a selected orientation; and

and removing the accessory mounting template and the accessory bracket.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the accessory template is removed from the patient's teeth prior to removing the accessory holder from the accessory such that the accessory holder is disengaged from the accessory holder receiving portion.