US20080020337A1 - Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance - Google Patents
Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20080020337A1 US20080020337A1 US11/829,702 US82970207A US2008020337A1 US 20080020337 A1 US20080020337 A1 US 20080020337A1 US 82970207 A US82970207 A US 82970207A US 2008020337 A1 US2008020337 A1 US 2008020337A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- appliance
- appliances
- teeth
- shell
- palate
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C7/00—Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by correcting malocclusions
- A61C7/36—Devices acting between upper and lower teeth
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C7/00—Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by correcting malocclusions
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C7/00—Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by correcting malocclusions
- A61C7/08—Mouthpiece-type retainers or positioners, e.g. for both the lower and upper arch
Definitions
- the present invention is related generally to the field of orthodontics. Particularly, this invention relates to the use of removable orthodontic appliances for producing tooth movements. More particularly, this invention relates to improved devices, systems and methods for producing such tooth movements with elastic repositioning appliances.
- Orthodontic treatments involve repositioning misaligned teeth and bite configurations for improved cosmetic appearance and dental function.
- Repositioning teeth is accomplished by applying controlled forces to the teeth over an extended period of time. This is conventionally accomplished by wearing what are commonly referred to as “braces.”
- Braces are typically comprised of brackets or bands which are bonded to the teeth and linked with the use of archwires, ligatures and O-rings. After the archwire is in place, periodic appointments with the orthodontist are required, during which the patient's braces will be adjusted. This involves installing different archwires having different force-inducing properties or by replacing or tightening existing ligatures. Between meetings, the patient may be required to wear supplementary appliances, such as elastic bands or headgear, to supply additional or extraoral forces.
- supplementary appliances such as elastic bands or headgear
- a particularly promising approach relies on the use of elastic positioning appliances for realigning teeth.
- Such appliances comprise a thin shell of elastic material that generally conforms to a patient's teeth but is slightly out of alignment with the initial tooth configuration. Placement of the elastic positioner over the teeth applies controlled forces in specific locations to gradually move the teeth into the new configuration. Repetition of this process with successive appliances comprising new configurations eventually move the teeth through a series of intermediate configurations to a final desired configuration.
- a full description of an exemplary elastic polymeric positioning appliance is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,89, and in published PCT application WO 98/58596 which designates the United States and which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Both documents are incorporated by reference for all purposes.
- polymeric positioning appliances are generally transparent, providing an improved cosmetic appearance, and impart substantial force on the teeth, due to stiffness of the appliance.
- the stiffness of an elastic positioning appliance is a result of the modulus of the thermoformable polymer materials from which it is made. The higher the modulus of the materials, the higher the stiffness of the appliance.
- orthodontic treatment may involve more complex tooth movements or treatment plans requiring additional devices or accessories.
- the devices and accessories commonly utilized for these situations are typically separate removable appliances worn prior to the application of conventional braces, or accessories used in conjunction with conventional braces. Thus, such devices and accessories may not be compatible with the use of elastic polymeric positioning appliances for orthodontic treatment.
- the present invention provides improved devices, systems and methods for repositioning teeth from a first orientation to a successive orientation in a series of movements to a final tooth and bite configuration. Such repositioning is based on a system comprising at least one and usually a plurality of three or more elastic repositioning appliances configured to receive the teeth in a cavity and incrementally reposition individual teeth, usually in a series of successive steps. In cases involving more complex movements or treatment plans, it may be desired to utilize additional devices, components or accessories.
- the present invention provides for the utilization of such devices, components or accessories typically used in conventional orthodontic treatment. In some instances the present invention provides improved elastic repositioning appliances that take the place of such additional accessories. Further, the present invention may provide improved elastic repositioning appliances that provide simultaneous repositioning of tooth and bite configurations that may be unachievable with conventional devices.
- a removable elastic positioning appliance typically used in a series of successive elastic appliances for orthodontic treatment, may be comprised of a polymeric shell having at least one orthodontic component or accessory.
- These components or accessories may be independent entities that are embedded in the polymeric shell during production of the appliance. Or, they may be mounted on the polymeric shell with a suitable adhesive in a post-production assembly protocol. In either case, the components may be traditional accessories that are typically used with conventional orthodontic devices, such as braces, or they may be any other readily available components used for dental treatment.
- the components may be specially created accessories designed for specific purposes when used with removable elastic positioning appliances. Such specially created accessories may be independent entities present on or in the polymeric shell as described above, or they may be formed by the polymeric shell itself.
- the component may be a formed protrusion or shape in the wall of the polymeric shell, providing a variety of advantages, including but not limited to increased stability, safety from breakage, ease of manufacturing, cost savings, shortened treatment time and improved cosmetic appearance and patient compliance.
- the orthodontic components or accessories may be conventional accessories typically used with fixed, non-removable orthodontic devices.
- headgear tubes are conventional accessories typically mounted on traditional braces for inserting a headgear device and applying extraoral force to the teeth and jaws.
- Tubes for receiving headgear may be mounted on or embedded in the polymeric shell of an elastic positioning appliance for a similar effect.
- orthodontic hooks may be mounted on traditional braces to support elastic bands which may also apply distinct forces to the teeth and jaws.
- such hooks may also be mounted on or embedded in the polymeric shell of a positioning appliance for a similar effect.
- brackets such as brackets, springs, bumper tubes, palatal bars, frameworks, pin-and-tube apparatuses and the like
- the accessory may be used to join a removable elastic appliance with a portion of teeth supporting fixed conventional devices, such as braces.
- the orthodontic components or accessories may be those which are primarily exclusive to removable appliances. These components are not generally suited for use with fixed appliances and devices due to their bulk and size. In addition, they are often used prior to the use of fixed devices to create a favorable environment for later tooth repositioning. For example, when a patient's teeth are still erupting, a number of devices may be used to foster improved eruption and development of the tooth arrangement and bite configuration. These may include buccal shields, buccinator bows or wire shields, bite plates, palatal expanders and bars, lingual flanges and pads, lip pads or bumpers, and the like. Since these components are currently used with removable appliances, they are ideally suited for use with removable elastic positioning appliances.
- the components may be mounted on or embedded in the polymeric shell of an elastic appliance.
- supporting structures for such components may also be mounted or embedded in the polymeric shell for the removable application of a component.
- a bumper tube may be embedded in the polymeric shell for later insertion and removal of a bumper.
- the components may be formed by the appliance itself, such components comprising a formed protrusion or shape in the wall of the polymeric shell. In these cases, the elastic repositioning appliance may take the place of any additional accessories.
- An added advantage of the use of elastic repositioning appliances having these components or accessories is the ability to provide the conventional benefit of the accessory while simultaneously repositioning the teeth, a combination previously limited.
- the use of fixed devices to reposition the teeth negated the ability of simultaneously using accessories provided by some removable appliances since removable appliances may not be readily applied with fixed devices in place.
- the present invention may provide such simultaneous maneuvers which are unachievable with conventional treatment.
- a removable dental positioning appliance typically used in a series of successive elastic appliances for orthodontic treatment, may be comprised of at least one protrusion shaped to be used for an orthodontic function.
- a protrusion may resemble, in form or function, a traditional component or accessory used in conventional orthodontic treatment with fixed, non-removable devices or with removable appliances.
- an appliance may have a protrusion or shape in the wall of the polymeric shell in the form of a hook for mounting flexible bands, ligatures or adjunct devices.
- Such a hook may resemble traditional hooks found in dental care, or it may be specially designed for use with elastic repositioning appliances.
- such a protrusion may form a spring which transmits force to one or more teeth to reposition teeth from a first arrangement to a successive arrangement.
- a spring of this type may be of a traditional design or it may be specially designed for use with elastic repositioning appliances. Further, it may be specially designed to engage an attachment body mounted on a tooth, a device primarily utilized in conjunction with removable elastic appliances.
- a full description of exemplary attachment bodies and devices is described in published PCT application WO 99/28228, which corresponds to co-pending application Ser. No. 09/454278, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Both documents are incorporated by reference for all purposes.
- the protrusion may take the place of a traditional accessory or component, or it may be utilized in a specialized manner.
- the protrusion may contact one or more dental surfaces to assist in holding the elastic appliance in position.
- one or more protrusions may be sized and located to contact interdental areas of the patient's teeth, often near the gingival margin, when the appliance is properly inserted and positioned.
- Such protrusions may be formed in the wall of the polymeric shell, or they may be adhered to or embedded into the polymeric shell to protrude from the wall. Such placement of the protrusions may provide additional friction and “grab” in dental regions conducive to this effect.
- a protrusion may be sized and located to contact a tooth along a portion of the gingival margin, with or without contact in the interdental areas.
- the protrusion may be a continuous protrusion contacting more than one tooth along the gingival margin and the interdental areas. In each of these cases, the contact of the protrusion may assist in holding the appliance in proper position.
- the one or more protrusions may form a bite plate.
- a bite plate is a device which prevents the teeth from closing completely. By opening the bite in this manner, unopposed teeth may be allowed to passively erupt in a controlled manner to beneficially alter vertical dental relationships. In addition, such an open state or disclusion may relieve teeth which are in crossbite allowing orthodontic forces to correct the crossbite.
- an elastic positioning appliance may have an increase in thickness of material in the posterior occlusal regions. This increase in thickness may be applied to the appliance or formed by the appliance to create a protrusion over the designated occluding surfaces.
- posterior disclusions may be provided by forming a protrusion which extends at least a portion of an upper palatal region with added thickness.
- posterior disclusions may be provided by forming a protrusion in an upper lingual or lower facial anterior region. Such protrusions may prevent the front teeth from closing completely, thus discluding the posterior teeth. As previously described, such protrusions may be formed in the appliance or applied to the surface of the appliance.
- Such embodiments of the present invention may be utilized in the treatment of patients with a condition commonly termed a “deep bite”.
- the lower teeth contact the upper teeth and/or the palate in the natural bite. This occurs when the posterior teeth are not fully erupted in the correct position allowing the anterior teeth to become overdosed or overlap more than is desirable.
- Such a bite is injurious to the palate, tends to crowd the lower teeth, and affects flaring of the upper teeth leading to upper spaces.
- This may be alleviated with the use of a bite plate which provides posterior disclusion. Such disclusion allows the posterior teeth to naturally erupt without contacting the opposing teeth which may impede their eruption into the correct position.
- the present invention may provide the function of a bite plate while additionally providing repositioning forces and other orthodontic treatment to the patient. These functions may be simultaneous, an attribute not previously afforded by conventional orthodontic treatment.
- a removable dental positioning appliance typically used in a series of successive elastic appliances for orthodontic treatment, may be comprised of at least one space filler shaped to align with a gap between adjacent teeth. If a tooth is extracted from a patient's dentition, a space or gap will be left behind between adjacent teeth. A similar gap may also be present due to general misalignment of the teeth.
- An elastic positioning appliance may be made to be positioned over a gap and its surrounding teeth. In such a case, a space filler may be shaped to align with the gap.
- the space filler may be a cavity in the polymer shell having the shape of at least a portion of a tooth, dental feature, sphere, oval or three-dimensional curved and/or flat sided object.
- the space filler may act as a “pontic,” a fake tooth placed where a tooth is missing to give the appearance of the presence of a tooth. This same effect may also be given by other shapes.
- a variety of shapes may be suitable throughout the repositioning process.
- a space filler may be opacified. By making the space filler at least partially opaque, it may give a more convincing appearance of the presence of a tooth or dental feature.
- Such opacity may be an effect of surface treatment of the space filler.
- the inside and/or outside surfaces of the space filler may be painted with a tooth-colored material.
- the surfaces may be microetched to give a more frosted appearance to the polymeric shell material. In either case, the space or gap may be less visible.
- a space filler may also provide structural support for the elastic appliance.
- a space filler is a cavity, as described above, the presence of the cavity improves the structural integrity of the appliance by providing a uniform geometry.
- a space filler may be any number of structures providing similar support.
- a space filler may be a structure that is at least partially solid. This may be achieved by the formation of a solid section of material spanning the gap, similar to a bridge or slab between adjacent teeth. Such a solid section may be formed by the fusing of the walls of the polymeric shell together.
- the shell may be filled with a solid material. In this case, the shell may be designed with undercuts or prongs to retain the solid material.
- a solid section may be corrugated to additionally improve the integrity of the appliance.
- a removable dental positioning appliance typically used in a series of successive elastic appliances for orthodontic treatment, may be comprised of a polymeric shell having cavities shaped to receive and reposition teeth, wherein one or more cavities has a window to expose at least a portion of a received tooth.
- windows may be portions of the wall of the polymer shell which are removed. When the shell is positioned over the patient's teeth, portions of the teeth beneath the windows may be exposed. Exposing such tooth surfaces may allow brackets, buttons or other orthodontic components to be utilized in conjunction with the elastic appliance or to be exposed for other purposes.
- a polymeric shell may have a plurality of windows over portions of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth.
- segments of the shell may still be present along the facial and lingual surfaces of the teeth and across the interdental regions or spaces between the teeth. Exposure of the occlusal surfaces in appropriate size and location may allow interdigitation of the upper and lower teeth. This may also be achieved with the presence of one or a few larger windows over portions of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth. In these cases, segments of the shell may not be present across the interdental regions or spaces between the teeth. In either case, interdigitation of at least portions of the upper and lower teeth may benefit tooth and jaw orientations, leading to improved treatment, appearance, comfort and consequently patient compliance.
- similarly placed windows may provide the benefits offered by a lower elastic modulus, such that the lowest stiffness may be provided by the absence of the material.
- Such benefits and a full description is provided in application Ser. No. 09/616,830 (Attorney. Docket No. 18563-001310), filed on Jul. 14, 2000, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,101 on Feb. 25, 2003, assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration a variety of orthodontic components or accessories typically used with fixed orthodontic devices mounted on or embedded in the polymeric shell of a removable elastic repositioning appliance.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of a typical transpalatal arch bar mounted on or embedded in the polymeric shell of an appliance.
- FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration an appliance having a lip pad.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a buccal shield.
- FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having buccinator bow.
- FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having lingual pad.
- FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration of appliances joined by frameworks used in Herbst Appliances.
- FIG. 8 is a perspective illustration of appliances joined by frameworks used in Jasper Jumpers.
- FIG. 9 illustrates of an appliance having a protrusion formed in the polymeric shell in the shape of a hook.
- FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate steps of producing a protrusion depicted in FIG. 9 .
- FIG. 11 illustrates an appliance having a protrusion formed in the polymeric shell in the shape of a spring.
- FIG. 12 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a protrusion in the polymeric shell to form a transpalatal bar.
- FIG. 13 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a corrugated protrusion in the polymeric shell to form a transpalatal bar.
- FIG. 14A is a side view of a patient's teeth showing the placement of protruding divots contacting interdental areas
- FIG. 14B is a perspective illustration of a portion of an appliance having such divots.
- FIG. 15A is a perspective illustration of a portion of an appliance having a continuous protrusion along the gingival line
- FIG. 15B is a cross-sectional view of a tooth having such an appliance in place.
- FIG. 16 is a side view of a posterior portion of an appliance illustrating an increase in thickness of material to form a bite plate.
- FIG. 17 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a protrusion of an upper palatal region to form a bite plate.
- FIG. 18A and 18B are cross-sectional views of appliances having protrusions in an upper lingual and lower facial anterior regions, respectively, to form bite plates.
- FIG. 19 illustrates a patient having a gap between adjacent teeth.
- FIG. 20 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a space filler cavity in the shape of a tooth placed over the patient's dentition illustrated in FIG. 19 .
- FIG. 21 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a space filling structure formed between two cavities in the polymeric shell.
- FIG. 22 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a space filling corrugated structure formed between two cavities in the polymeric shell.
- FIG. 23A illustrates an unwanted disclusion due to thickness of the appliance along the occlusional surfaces.
- FIG. 23B illustrates the elimination of the disclusion of FIG. 23A by eliminating material along the occlusional surfaces.
- FIG. 23C illustrates a preferred embodiment of an appliance with portions of the occlusional surfaces eliminated.
- FIG. 24A illustrates a release tab embedded in the polymeric shell of an appliance.
- FIG. 24B illustrates a preferred embodiment of an appliance with release tabs encircling areas of occlusional surfaces of the appliance.
- supplementary components may be mounted on fixed, non-removable devices or they may be part of a removable appliance typically worn prior to the application of the fixed devices.
- supplementary components may be mounted on fixed, non-removable devices or they may be part of a removable appliance typically worn prior to the application of the fixed devices.
- it may be desired to utilize similar supplementary components when repositioning teeth with removable elastic repositioning appliances. Due to the nature of elastic appliances, such components may take a variety of forms ranging from readily available traditional accessories to specially created devices, as will be described below.
- FIG. 1 a variety of orthodontic components or accessories typically used with fixed orthodontic devices, such as braces, are shown in conjunction with a removable elastic positioning appliance 10 .
- the majority of these accessories may be readily available since they are typically used with conventional treatment. They are also typically mounted on fixed devices, so they are available as separate individual components.
- these components may be embedded in the polymeric shell 12 of an elastic repositioning appliance 10 during production or they may be mounted on the shell 12 in a post-production assembly.
- One such type of component is a tube 14 which is used in pairs to mount a headgear appliance.
- Headgear appliances are typically mounted on opposite posterior molars of the upper jaw for a number of purposes, including keeping the upper jaw from growing, pulling the upper teeth backward, and pulling the upper jaw and teeth upward and backward so that they align with the lower jaw and teeth. Therefore, tubes 14 for receiving headgear may be mounted on the buccal surfaces of the polymeric shell 12 covering the posterior molars. The distal ends of the headgear which enter the oral cavity may then be inserted into the tubes 14 to apply extra oral forces to the teeth and jaw.
- Other components may include hooks 16 , primarily used for mounting elastic bands, brackets 18 , used for mounting additional components and accessories or possibly for interconnection with fixed brackets or devices, and buttons 20 , primarily used as an attachment point for various purposes. It may be appreciated that such components have been shown on the same appliance 10 for illustrative purposes, however typical use may involve one or a few of such components with varying arrangements.
- an additional component which may be mounted on or embedded in a polymeric shell 12 is a transpalatal arch bar 26 .
- Such palatal bars typically span the palate and are fixed at both ends to permanent devices mounted on opposing molars. This is often used to stabilize and maintain positioning after active arch expansion.
- the conventional arch bar 26 may be positioned in a similar location, attached at both ends to the polymeric shell covering the lingual surfaces of opposing upper molars.
- a low hanging transpalatal bar for control of vertical dimension may be used.
- one or more wires 22 may be mounted on or embedded in the polymeric shell 12 .
- Such wires 22 may span the majority of the arch, as in the case of a conventional archwire, as shown. Or, such wires 22 may span only portions of the arch, may be present on or within the facial and/or lingual surfaces of the shell, may be multiple in number at a given location, and may be curved, straight or a combination of these, to name a few.
- the presence of such a wire 22 may be used most commonly for structural reinforcement but may also be used to aid in the application of orthodontic repositioning forces.
- such components have been shown on the same appliance 10 for illustrative purposes, however typical use may involve one or a few of such components with varying arrangements.
- FIGS. 3-8 illustrate the use of a variety of orthodontic components or accessories which are typically used with removable functional appliances. These components are not generally suited for use with fixed appliances and devices due to their bulk and size. However, they may be readily used with removable elastic repositioning appliances. In most functional appliances, flanges are used to provide the stimulus to posture the mandible to a new position. Growth modification is most effective if the patient uses his or her own musculature to posture the mandible forward, as opposed to the mandible being held forward by external pressure while the patient relaxes. Thus, the key to mandibular repositioning is the contact of the pad or flange with soft tissue. Such pads or flanges may be mounted or embedded in elastic repositioning appliances. Referring to FIG.
- a lip pad 30 may be positioned on the polymeric shell 12 so that it is low in the vestibule, holding the lips away from the teeth and forcing the lips to stretch to form an oral seal. This forces the lip musculature to stretch during function, presumably improving the tonicity of the lips and perhaps promoting some soft tissue remodeling that would contribute to stability of changes in incisor position.
- plastic buccal shields 34 and wire buccinator bows 36 may be mounted on or embedded in the polymer shell 12 to hold the soft tissues away from the teeth.
- a buccal shield 34 or bow 36 may be positioned on the buccal surface of the polymeric shell 12 to lie between the teeth and the cheek.
- the buccal shield 34 is most useful to hold the cheek away from the dentition to facilitate posterior dental expansion by disrupting the tongue-cheek equilibrium. This in turn leads to facial movement of the teeth and arch expansion.
- a combination of lip pads 30 and buccal shields 34 will result in an increase in arch circumference as well. It may be appreciated that similar shields may be mounted on the lingual surface of the polymeric shell to remove the resting tongue from between the teeth.
- a lingual pad or flange 38 may be positioned on the lingual surfaces of the polymeric shell 12 covering the lower anterior teeth, as shown in FIG. 6 .
- the lingual pad 38 determines the anteroposterior and vertical mandibular posture for most functional appliances. Such pads 38 may not only position the mandible forward but also exert a protrusive effect on the mandibular incisors when the mandible attempts to return to its original position.
- a number of components and accessories may be removably or fixedly attached to both an upper and lower elastic positioning appliance.
- Components commonly used in this arrangement are frameworks used in Herbst Appliances and Jasper Jumpers.
- Herbst Appliances are devices in which the maxillary and mandibular arches are splinted with frameworks that are connected with a pin-and-tube device that holds the mandible forward.
- the pin-and-tube apparatus 40 may be mounted on the buccal surfaces of the upper polymeric shell 42 and lower polymeric shell 44 as shown.
- the Jasper Jumper functions in a similar manner as the maxillary and mandibular arches are splinted with frameworks that are connected with a spring covered by a plastic sheath.
- the sheath covered spring 48 may be mounted in a similar manner as shown.
- protrusions or other shapes may be formed in the polymeric shell of the device to be used for orthodontic functions.
- a hook 50 may be formed in the polymeric shell 12 of an elastic repositioning appliance 10 for use in mounting a flexible band 52 .
- Such a hook 50 may resemble traditional hooks found in dental care, or it may be specially designed for use with elastic repositioning appliances.
- the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9 may be produced by a series of production steps. First, a mold of the dentition is produced by any method. Second, FIG. 10A , a wedge or similar protruding mass 54 is then mounted on the mold 55 in the location desired for the resulting hook.
- a protruding mass 54 may be formed in the original mold 55 by a variety of methods, particularly in the case of computer-guided production methods.
- a polymeric sheet is thermoformed over the mold 55 to form the appliance 10 .
- the appliance 10 may then be trimmed along the dashed line 56 , FIG. 10B , and the polymeric material removed from the joining area 57 to create a hook 50 shown in FIG. 9 .
- a spring 60 may be formed in the polymeric shell 12 of an elastic repositioning appliance 10 for use in transmitting repositioning force to one or more teeth.
- a spring 60 may resemble traditional springs found in dental care, or it may be specially designed for use with elastic repositioning appliances.
- the spring 60 is comprised of a pre-formed strip or portion of the polymeric shell 12 which engages an attachment body 62 mounted on an underlying tooth 64 .
- the attachment body 62 is accessible through a window 66 in the appliance 10 .
- larger protrusions may also be formed in the polymeric shell to provide additional support for the appliance and/or to provide orthodontic functions.
- a protrusion may form a palatal bar 70 , as shown in FIG. 12 .
- a palatal bar 70 is formed in the polymeric shell 12 itself.
- a variety of palatal bars may be formed in the shell, such as a low hanging transpalatal bar for control of vertical dimension. These may provide orthodontic functions as described above in relation to conventional palatal bars, and they may also provide support for the appliance 10 . This may be particularly useful in highly flexible appliances.
- the protrusion may be a corrugated palatal bar 71 , as shown in FIG. 13 .
- protrusions in an elastic repositioning appliance may assist in holding the elastic appliance in place when it is properly inserted and positioned.
- Such protrusions may be divots 74 sized and located to contact interdental areas 76 of the patient's teeth 78 , often near the gingival margin 79 as shown in FIG. 14A . Such placement may provide additional friction and “grab” in dental regions conducive to this effect.
- Such divots 74 may be most visible by viewing the hollow cavities of the appliance 10 , as shown in FIG. 14B .
- These protrusions may be solid divots 80 adhered to or embedded in the polymeric shell 12 to inwardly protrude from the wall.
- the protrusions may be formed divots 82 in the wall of the polymeric shell 12 so that essentially the wall protrudes inwardly in these areas.
- the divots may be of any shape, number and configuration, including paired divots 84 and single divots 86 as shown.
- these protrusions may be a continuous protrusion contacting more than one tooth along the gingival margin and the interdental areas.
- This may be a solid protrusion 92 adhered to or embedded in the polymeric shell 12 to inwardly protrude from the wall, or it may be a formed protrusion 94 in the wall of the polymeric shell 12 so that essentially the wall protrudes inwardly in these areas.
- a protrusion 90 may fit in the undercut of the tooth 64 along the gingival margin 79 , as shown in FIG. 15B .
- a solid protrusion 92 and a formed protrusion 94 are shown in cross-section. Such positioning along the undercut of the teeth may assist in holding the appliance in place. It may be appreciated that such a protrusions may be sized, formed and located in any combination within the polymer shell so as to assist in holding the appliance in a desired position.
- the one or more protrusions may form a bite plate.
- a bite plate is a device which prevents the teeth from closing completely.
- the resulting open state, or disclusion may be useful for a number of orthodontic treatments, including crossbite correction and controlled passive eruption.
- an elastic positioning appliance 10 may have an increase in thickness of material 100 in the posterior occlusion regions of the polymeric shell 12 , as shown in FIG. 16 .
- the increase in thickness of material 100 may be applied to the appliance 10 or formed by the appliance 10 to create a protrusion over the designated occluding surfaces.
- FIG. 16 The increase in thickness of material 100 may be applied to the appliance 10 or formed by the appliance 10 to create a protrusion over the designated occluding surfaces.
- posterior disclusions may be provided by forming a protrusion 102 in the polymer shell 12 which extends at least a portion of an upper palatal region with added thickness. This protrusion may be formed in the appliance 10 or applied to the surface of the appliance 10 .
- posterior disclusions may be provided by forming a protrusion in an upper lingual or lower facial anterior region, as depicted in FIGS. 18A and 18B .
- the bite is shown in cross-section, with an upper incisor 110 overlapping a lower incisor 112 and a molar 114 positioned for reference.
- FIG. 18A the polymeric shell 12 of an elastic positioning appliance 10 is shown covering the upper incisor 110 .
- a protrusion 116 is shown which may contact the lower incisor 112 during biting, thus acting like a bite plate. This protrusion 116 may be formed into the polymeric shell 12 or applied along the lingual surfaces of the appliance 10 .
- the polymeric shell 12 may cover the lower incisor 112 , as shown in FIG. 18B .
- a protrusion 118 on the facial surface of the shell 12 is shown which may contact the upper incisor 110 during biting. Again, this protrusion 118 may be formed into the polymeric shell 12 or applied along the facial surfaces of the appliance 10 .
- This arrangement may also provide posterior disclusions.
- a gap 120 or space between adjacent teeth 67 may be the size of a tooth 67 , as may be the case when a tooth is extracted, or the gap 120 may be larger or smaller than the size of a typical tooth 67 , as is often the case due to general misalignment of the teeth.
- an elastic positioning appliance 10 may be made to be positioned over the gap 120 and the surrounding teeth 67 with a space filler aligning with the gap 120 .
- the space filler may be a cavity 122 in the polymer shell 12 having the shape of a tooth.
- the space filler may act as a “pontic”, a fake tooth placed where a tooth is missing to give the appearance of the presence of a tooth.
- a cavity 122 may have the shape of any portion of a tooth, dental feature, sphere, oval or three-dimensional curved and/or flat sided object for any desired effect.
- the space filler may be opacified, as depicted by shading 124 in FIG. 20 .
- a space filler may also provide structural support for the elastic appliance.
- a space filler is a cavity, as described above, the presence of the cavity improves the structural integrity of the appliance by providing a uniform geometry.
- a space filler may be any number of structures providing similar support.
- the space filler may be a structure 130 formed between two cavities in the polymeric shell 12 of an appliance 10 .
- the structure 130 may be comprised of the facial wall 132 and lingual wall 133 of the polymeric shell 12 fusing together to form an at least partially solid slab or bridge.
- suitable fillers or reinforcements may be used in the fusing or similar process for added support.
- a corrugated structure 135 may be formed between the cavities, as shown in FIG. 22 . Such corrugation may further reinforce the structure for added support.
- a designated cavity 122 or structure 130 , 135 in the polymeric shell 12 may be designed to align with a gap 120 between adjacent teeth 67 when the appliance 10 positioned over the patient's teeth for improved cosmetic appearance and/or structural support.
- FIG. 23A if the occlusional surfaces 140 of an upper appliance 142 and a lower appliance 143 are relatively thick, simultaneous wearing of the appliances 142 , 143 may provide unwanted disclusion of the teeth. For example, when closing the jaws, the double layer of occlusional surfaces 140 between the jaws may cause the posterior teeth to prematurely contact, thus preventing the anterior teeth to suitably close. This may be avoided by reducing or eliminating the occlusional surfaces of the appliances, as shown in FIGS. 23B and 23C . In a preferred embodiment, shown in FIG.
- a polymeric shell 12 of an appliance 10 may have a plurality of windows 150 in the portions which cover the occlusal surfaces of the teeth.
- segments of the shell 12 are still present along the facial surfaces 152 and lingual surfaces 153 of the appliance 10 and across the interdental regions 154 or spaces between the teeth.
- the teeth may interdigitate, as shown in FIG. 23B . Interdigitation of at least portions of the upper and lower teeth may benefit tooth and jaw orientations, leading to improved treatment, appearance, comfort and consequently patient compliance.
- a release tab 200 may be used to remove a layer of material from the polymeric shell 12 or to remove an entire portion of the shell 12 , such as to either create a window, as described above, or to eliminate the shell 12 from covering specific teeth or portions of the patient's teeth.
- a release tab 200 may be embedded in the polymeric shell 12 along a line 202 for future separation between portion A (shaded) and portion B. Although such a line 202 is depicted as a dashed line adjacent to the tab 200 edge, such a line 202 may lie directly over the tab or in any close relation to the tab 202 .
- the tab 200 may be embedded between the layers with a portion exposed for grasping. By grasping the tab 200 and pulling the tab 200 along its length, one or more layers of material may be released along a line 202 of separation and removed from the shell 12 .
- the result may be portion A comprising two layers of material and portion B comprising only one.
- the result may be portion A comprising one or more layers and portion B removed entirely.
- Such alterations may be beneficial for patient comfort, ease of use, or obtainment of orthodontic repositioning goals, to name a few.
- FIG. 24B illustrates a preferred embodiment of placement of such a release tab 200 in a polymeric shell 12 of an elastic repositioning appliance 10 .
- the tab 200 may be placed to encircle areas 206 of the occlusional surfaces of the appliance 10 .
- the orthodontic treatment of a patient may allow material in these areas 206 of an appliance 10 for a given duration of the treatment plan.
- the orthodontic practitioner may prefer to remove a layer of material or the material entirely in these areas 206 during a patient office visit. The practitioner may perform such a removal by pulling on the appropriate release tabs 200 as described above. This may thus reduce time and cost of patient treatment.
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
- Dentistry (AREA)
- Epidemiology (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Dental Tools And Instruments Or Auxiliary Dental Instruments (AREA)
Abstract
Traditional orthodontic treatment often involves the use of basic repositioning devices, such as braces, and the use of supplementary devices, components or accessories to achieve desired end results. Such components may be mounted on fixed, non-removable devices or they may be part of a removable appliance typically worn prior to the application of the fixed devices. As with traditional treatment, it may be desired to utilize similar components when repositioning teeth with removable elastic repositioning appliances. Due to the nature of elastic appliances, such components may take a variety of forms ranging from readily available traditional accessories to specially created devices. Thus, traditional components may be mounted on or embedded in an elastic appliance, or the appliance may be formed to provide similar components. Likewise, the appliance may be modified to provide additional features for specific orthodontic treatments.
Description
- This present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/409,409 (Attorney Docket No. 018563-001540US-9011.ALG.D1), filed Apr. 7, 2003, which was a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/616,222 (Attorney Docket No. 018563-001510US-9011.ALG.P), filed Jul. 14, 2000, which claimed the benefit of prior provisional application No. 60/199,649 (Attorney Docket No. 018563-001500US-9011.ALG.V), and 60/199,650 (Attorney Docket No. 018563-001300US-9010.ALG.V), both filed on Apr. 25, 2000, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
- The disclosure of this application is also related to application Ser. No. 09/616,830 (Attorney. Docket No. 018563-001310US-9010.ALG.P), filed on Jul. 14, 2000, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,101 on Feb. 25, 2003, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
- The present invention is related generally to the field of orthodontics. Particularly, this invention relates to the use of removable orthodontic appliances for producing tooth movements. More particularly, this invention relates to improved devices, systems and methods for producing such tooth movements with elastic repositioning appliances.
- Orthodontic treatments involve repositioning misaligned teeth and bite configurations for improved cosmetic appearance and dental function. Repositioning teeth is accomplished by applying controlled forces to the teeth over an extended period of time. This is conventionally accomplished by wearing what are commonly referred to as “braces.” Braces are typically comprised of brackets or bands which are bonded to the teeth and linked with the use of archwires, ligatures and O-rings. After the archwire is in place, periodic appointments with the orthodontist are required, during which the patient's braces will be adjusted. This involves installing different archwires having different force-inducing properties or by replacing or tightening existing ligatures. Between meetings, the patient may be required to wear supplementary appliances, such as elastic bands or headgear, to supply additional or extraoral forces.
- Although conventional braces are effective, they are often a tedious and time consuming process requiring many visits to the orthodontists office. Moreover, from a patient's perspective, they are unsightly and uncomfortable. The archwire and ligatures which connect the brackets in a continuous network make brushing, flossing between the teeth and other dental hygiene procedures difficult, possibly contributing to the development of gingivitis, caries, and other dental disease. Consequently, alternative orthodontic treatments are needed. In particular, it would be desirable to use appliances which can be removed by the patient during daily dental hygiene routines, while participating in athletic activities, or for cosmetic purposes.
- A particularly promising approach relies on the use of elastic positioning appliances for realigning teeth. Such appliances comprise a thin shell of elastic material that generally conforms to a patient's teeth but is slightly out of alignment with the initial tooth configuration. Placement of the elastic positioner over the teeth applies controlled forces in specific locations to gradually move the teeth into the new configuration. Repetition of this process with successive appliances comprising new configurations eventually move the teeth through a series of intermediate configurations to a final desired configuration. A full description of an exemplary elastic polymeric positioning appliance is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,89, and in published PCT application WO 98/58596 which designates the United States and which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Both documents are incorporated by reference for all purposes.
- In addition to their ease of use, polymeric positioning appliances are generally transparent, providing an improved cosmetic appearance, and impart substantial force on the teeth, due to stiffness of the appliance. The stiffness of an elastic positioning appliance is a result of the modulus of the thermoformable polymer materials from which it is made. The higher the modulus of the materials, the higher the stiffness of the appliance. By designing the appliance to cover the teeth, a much larger and/or more varied contact surface area may be afforded compared to traditional spring retainers and wire-based appliances. Consequently, more dramatic tooth movements may be achieved.
- In some cases, however, orthodontic treatment may involve more complex tooth movements or treatment plans requiring additional devices or accessories. For example, it may be desirable to apply forces to surfaces of the teeth that may not be easily achieved by the appliance alone, either due to the location or characteristics of the surface itself or of the surrounding teeth. Similarly, it may be desirable to apply extraoral forces to some tooth surfaces to achieve certain tooth movements or to control growth and development of the bite and jaws. Likewise, it may be desirable to achieve such control indirectly through soft tissue stretch and muscular activity. Alternatively, it may be preferable to allow the passive eruption and movement of certain teeth, free of applied forces. The devices and accessories commonly utilized for these situations are typically separate removable appliances worn prior to the application of conventional braces, or accessories used in conjunction with conventional braces. Thus, such devices and accessories may not be compatible with the use of elastic polymeric positioning appliances for orthodontic treatment.
- Consequently, improved methods and apparatus for achieving these treatment objectives are desired for complete orthodontic treatment in such patients. Such devices, systems and methods would maintain the advantages of and be compatible with a removable appliance while providing supplementary features to assist in the improvement of jaw structuring, alignment and tooth repositioning, to name a few. At least some of these objectives will be met by the designs and methods of the present invention described hereinafter.
- The present invention provides improved devices, systems and methods for repositioning teeth from a first orientation to a successive orientation in a series of movements to a final tooth and bite configuration. Such repositioning is based on a system comprising at least one and usually a plurality of three or more elastic repositioning appliances configured to receive the teeth in a cavity and incrementally reposition individual teeth, usually in a series of successive steps. In cases involving more complex movements or treatment plans, it may be desired to utilize additional devices, components or accessories. The present invention provides for the utilization of such devices, components or accessories typically used in conventional orthodontic treatment. In some instances the present invention provides improved elastic repositioning appliances that take the place of such additional accessories. Further, the present invention may provide improved elastic repositioning appliances that provide simultaneous repositioning of tooth and bite configurations that may be unachievable with conventional devices.
- In a first aspect of the present invention, a removable elastic positioning appliance, typically used in a series of successive elastic appliances for orthodontic treatment, may be comprised of a polymeric shell having at least one orthodontic component or accessory. These components or accessories may be independent entities that are embedded in the polymeric shell during production of the appliance. Or, they may be mounted on the polymeric shell with a suitable adhesive in a post-production assembly protocol. In either case, the components may be traditional accessories that are typically used with conventional orthodontic devices, such as braces, or they may be any other readily available components used for dental treatment. Alternatively, the components may be specially created accessories designed for specific purposes when used with removable elastic positioning appliances. Such specially created accessories may be independent entities present on or in the polymeric shell as described above, or they may be formed by the polymeric shell itself. In these cases, the component may be a formed protrusion or shape in the wall of the polymeric shell, providing a variety of advantages, including but not limited to increased stability, safety from breakage, ease of manufacturing, cost savings, shortened treatment time and improved cosmetic appearance and patient compliance.
- In a first embodiment, the orthodontic components or accessories may be conventional accessories typically used with fixed, non-removable orthodontic devices. For example, headgear tubes are conventional accessories typically mounted on traditional braces for inserting a headgear device and applying extraoral force to the teeth and jaws. Tubes for receiving headgear may be mounted on or embedded in the polymeric shell of an elastic positioning appliance for a similar effect. Similarly, orthodontic hooks may be mounted on traditional braces to support elastic bands which may also apply distinct forces to the teeth and jaws. As with headgear tubes, such hooks may also be mounted on or embedded in the polymeric shell of a positioning appliance for a similar effect. Likewise, a number of other conventional accessories, such as brackets, springs, bumper tubes, palatal bars, frameworks, pin-and-tube apparatuses and the like, may be used in conjunction with polymeric positioning appliances. In some cases, such as with brackets, the accessory may be used to join a removable elastic appliance with a portion of teeth supporting fixed conventional devices, such as braces.
- In a second embodiment, the orthodontic components or accessories may be those which are primarily exclusive to removable appliances. These components are not generally suited for use with fixed appliances and devices due to their bulk and size. In addition, they are often used prior to the use of fixed devices to create a favorable environment for later tooth repositioning. For example, when a patient's teeth are still erupting, a number of devices may be used to foster improved eruption and development of the tooth arrangement and bite configuration. These may include buccal shields, buccinator bows or wire shields, bite plates, palatal expanders and bars, lingual flanges and pads, lip pads or bumpers, and the like. Since these components are currently used with removable appliances, they are ideally suited for use with removable elastic positioning appliances. Thus, the components may be mounted on or embedded in the polymeric shell of an elastic appliance. Similarly, supporting structures for such components may also be mounted or embedded in the polymeric shell for the removable application of a component. For example, a bumper tube may be embedded in the polymeric shell for later insertion and removal of a bumper. Alternatively, the components may be formed by the appliance itself, such components comprising a formed protrusion or shape in the wall of the polymeric shell. In these cases, the elastic repositioning appliance may take the place of any additional accessories.
- An added advantage of the use of elastic repositioning appliances having these components or accessories is the ability to provide the conventional benefit of the accessory while simultaneously repositioning the teeth, a combination previously limited. In conventional treatment, the use of fixed devices to reposition the teeth negated the ability of simultaneously using accessories provided by some removable appliances since removable appliances may not be readily applied with fixed devices in place. For example, situations in which it is desired to control eruption of specific teeth concomitant with repositioning of the same or other teeth would cause great difficulty if not an impossible dilemma with traditional devices. The present invention may provide such simultaneous maneuvers which are unachievable with conventional treatment.
- In a second aspect of the present invention, a removable dental positioning appliance, typically used in a series of successive elastic appliances for orthodontic treatment, may be comprised of at least one protrusion shaped to be used for an orthodontic function. As described above, such a protrusion may resemble, in form or function, a traditional component or accessory used in conventional orthodontic treatment with fixed, non-removable devices or with removable appliances. For example, an appliance may have a protrusion or shape in the wall of the polymeric shell in the form of a hook for mounting flexible bands, ligatures or adjunct devices. Such a hook may resemble traditional hooks found in dental care, or it may be specially designed for use with elastic repositioning appliances. Likewise, such a protrusion may form a spring which transmits force to one or more teeth to reposition teeth from a first arrangement to a successive arrangement. A spring of this type may be of a traditional design or it may be specially designed for use with elastic repositioning appliances. Further, it may be specially designed to engage an attachment body mounted on a tooth, a device primarily utilized in conjunction with removable elastic appliances. A full description of exemplary attachment bodies and devices is described in published PCT application WO 99/28228, which corresponds to co-pending application Ser. No. 09/454278, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Both documents are incorporated by reference for all purposes. Thus, in these and similar cases, such as a palatal bar, the protrusion may take the place of a traditional accessory or component, or it may be utilized in a specialized manner.
- In one embodiment, the protrusion may contact one or more dental surfaces to assist in holding the elastic appliance in position. For example, one or more protrusions may be sized and located to contact interdental areas of the patient's teeth, often near the gingival margin, when the appliance is properly inserted and positioned. Such protrusions may be formed in the wall of the polymeric shell, or they may be adhered to or embedded into the polymeric shell to protrude from the wall. Such placement of the protrusions may provide additional friction and “grab” in dental regions conducive to this effect. Similarly, a protrusion may be sized and located to contact a tooth along a portion of the gingival margin, with or without contact in the interdental areas. Or, the protrusion may be a continuous protrusion contacting more than one tooth along the gingival margin and the interdental areas. In each of these cases, the contact of the protrusion may assist in holding the appliance in proper position.
- In another embodiment, the one or more protrusions may form a bite plate. A bite plate is a device which prevents the teeth from closing completely. By opening the bite in this manner, unopposed teeth may be allowed to passively erupt in a controlled manner to beneficially alter vertical dental relationships. In addition, such an open state or disclusion may relieve teeth which are in crossbite allowing orthodontic forces to correct the crossbite.
- To provide anterior disclusion, an elastic positioning appliance may have an increase in thickness of material in the posterior occlusal regions. This increase in thickness may be applied to the appliance or formed by the appliance to create a protrusion over the designated occluding surfaces. Similarly, posterior disclusions may be provided by forming a protrusion which extends at least a portion of an upper palatal region with added thickness. Alternatively, posterior disclusions may be provided by forming a protrusion in an upper lingual or lower facial anterior region. Such protrusions may prevent the front teeth from closing completely, thus discluding the posterior teeth. As previously described, such protrusions may be formed in the appliance or applied to the surface of the appliance.
- Such embodiments of the present invention may be utilized in the treatment of patients with a condition commonly termed a “deep bite”. In these cases, the lower teeth contact the upper teeth and/or the palate in the natural bite. This occurs when the posterior teeth are not fully erupted in the correct position allowing the anterior teeth to become overdosed or overlap more than is desirable. Such a bite is injurious to the palate, tends to crowd the lower teeth, and affects flaring of the upper teeth leading to upper spaces. This may be alleviated with the use of a bite plate which provides posterior disclusion. Such disclusion allows the posterior teeth to naturally erupt without contacting the opposing teeth which may impede their eruption into the correct position. The present invention may provide the function of a bite plate while additionally providing repositioning forces and other orthodontic treatment to the patient. These functions may be simultaneous, an attribute not previously afforded by conventional orthodontic treatment.
- In a third aspect of the present invention, a removable dental positioning appliance, typically used in a series of successive elastic appliances for orthodontic treatment, may be comprised of at least one space filler shaped to align with a gap between adjacent teeth. If a tooth is extracted from a patient's dentition, a space or gap will be left behind between adjacent teeth. A similar gap may also be present due to general misalignment of the teeth. An elastic positioning appliance may be made to be positioned over a gap and its surrounding teeth. In such a case, a space filler may be shaped to align with the gap. In a preferred embodiment, the space filler may be a cavity in the polymer shell having the shape of at least a portion of a tooth, dental feature, sphere, oval or three-dimensional curved and/or flat sided object. In the case of a tooth shape, the space filler may act as a “pontic,” a fake tooth placed where a tooth is missing to give the appearance of the presence of a tooth. This same effect may also be given by other shapes. Likewise, as a gap is gradually eliminated due to repositioning of the teeth, a variety of shapes may be suitable throughout the repositioning process.
- To further conceal the presence of a space or gap between teeth during orthodontic treatment, a space filler may be opacified. By making the space filler at least partially opaque, it may give a more convincing appearance of the presence of a tooth or dental feature. Such opacity may be an effect of surface treatment of the space filler. For example, the inside and/or outside surfaces of the space filler may be painted with a tooth-colored material. Alternatively, the surfaces may be microetched to give a more frosted appearance to the polymeric shell material. In either case, the space or gap may be less visible.
- In addition to improving cosmetic appearance, a space filler may also provide structural support for the elastic appliance. When a space filler is a cavity, as described above, the presence of the cavity improves the structural integrity of the appliance by providing a uniform geometry. Alternatively, a space filler may be any number of structures providing similar support. For example, a space filler may be a structure that is at least partially solid. This may be achieved by the formation of a solid section of material spanning the gap, similar to a bridge or slab between adjacent teeth. Such a solid section may be formed by the fusing of the walls of the polymeric shell together. Alternatively, the shell may be filled with a solid material. In this case, the shell may be designed with undercuts or prongs to retain the solid material. In addition, a solid section may be corrugated to additionally improve the integrity of the appliance.
- In a fourth aspect of the present invention, a removable dental positioning appliance, typically used in a series of successive elastic appliances for orthodontic treatment, may be comprised of a polymeric shell having cavities shaped to receive and reposition teeth, wherein one or more cavities has a window to expose at least a portion of a received tooth. Such windows may be portions of the wall of the polymer shell which are removed. When the shell is positioned over the patient's teeth, portions of the teeth beneath the windows may be exposed. Exposing such tooth surfaces may allow brackets, buttons or other orthodontic components to be utilized in conjunction with the elastic appliance or to be exposed for other purposes.
- In a preferred embodiment, a polymeric shell may have a plurality of windows over portions of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth. In this case, segments of the shell may still be present along the facial and lingual surfaces of the teeth and across the interdental regions or spaces between the teeth. Exposure of the occlusal surfaces in appropriate size and location may allow interdigitation of the upper and lower teeth. This may also be achieved with the presence of one or a few larger windows over portions of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth. In these cases, segments of the shell may not be present across the interdental regions or spaces between the teeth. In either case, interdigitation of at least portions of the upper and lower teeth may benefit tooth and jaw orientations, leading to improved treatment, appearance, comfort and consequently patient compliance. Likewise, similarly placed windows may provide the benefits offered by a lower elastic modulus, such that the lowest stiffness may be provided by the absence of the material. Such benefits and a full description is provided in application Ser. No. 09/616,830 (Attorney. Docket No. 18563-001310), filed on Jul. 14, 2000, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,101 on Feb. 25, 2003, assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration a variety of orthodontic components or accessories typically used with fixed orthodontic devices mounted on or embedded in the polymeric shell of a removable elastic repositioning appliance. -
FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of a typical transpalatal arch bar mounted on or embedded in the polymeric shell of an appliance. -
FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration an appliance having a lip pad. -
FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a buccal shield. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having buccinator bow. -
FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having lingual pad. -
FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration of appliances joined by frameworks used in Herbst Appliances. -
FIG. 8 is a perspective illustration of appliances joined by frameworks used in Jasper Jumpers. -
FIG. 9 illustrates of an appliance having a protrusion formed in the polymeric shell in the shape of a hook. -
FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate steps of producing a protrusion depicted inFIG. 9 . -
FIG. 11 illustrates an appliance having a protrusion formed in the polymeric shell in the shape of a spring. -
FIG. 12 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a protrusion in the polymeric shell to form a transpalatal bar. -
FIG. 13 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a corrugated protrusion in the polymeric shell to form a transpalatal bar. -
FIG. 14A is a side view of a patient's teeth showing the placement of protruding divots contacting interdental areas, andFIG. 14B is a perspective illustration of a portion of an appliance having such divots. -
FIG. 15A is a perspective illustration of a portion of an appliance having a continuous protrusion along the gingival line, andFIG. 15B is a cross-sectional view of a tooth having such an appliance in place. -
FIG. 16 is a side view of a posterior portion of an appliance illustrating an increase in thickness of material to form a bite plate. -
FIG. 17 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a protrusion of an upper palatal region to form a bite plate. -
FIG. 18A and 18B are cross-sectional views of appliances having protrusions in an upper lingual and lower facial anterior regions, respectively, to form bite plates. -
FIG. 19 illustrates a patient having a gap between adjacent teeth. -
FIG. 20 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a space filler cavity in the shape of a tooth placed over the patient's dentition illustrated inFIG. 19 . -
FIG. 21 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a space filling structure formed between two cavities in the polymeric shell. -
FIG. 22 is a perspective illustration of an appliance having a space filling corrugated structure formed between two cavities in the polymeric shell. -
FIG. 23A illustrates an unwanted disclusion due to thickness of the appliance along the occlusional surfaces.FIG. 23B illustrates the elimination of the disclusion ofFIG. 23A by eliminating material along the occlusional surfaces.FIG. 23C illustrates a preferred embodiment of an appliance with portions of the occlusional surfaces eliminated. -
FIG. 24A illustrates a release tab embedded in the polymeric shell of an appliance.FIG. 24B illustrates a preferred embodiment of an appliance with release tabs encircling areas of occlusional surfaces of the appliance. - Traditional orthodontic treatment often involves the use of basic repositioning devices, such as braces, and the use of supplementary devices, components or accessories to achieve desired end results. As previously described, such supplementary components may be mounted on fixed, non-removable devices or they may be part of a removable appliance typically worn prior to the application of the fixed devices. As with traditional treatment, it may be desired to utilize similar supplementary components when repositioning teeth with removable elastic repositioning appliances. Due to the nature of elastic appliances, such components may take a variety of forms ranging from readily available traditional accessories to specially created devices, as will be described below.
- Referring to
FIG. 1 , a variety of orthodontic components or accessories typically used with fixed orthodontic devices, such as braces, are shown in conjunction with a removableelastic positioning appliance 10. The majority of these accessories may be readily available since they are typically used with conventional treatment. They are also typically mounted on fixed devices, so they are available as separate individual components. As previously described, these components may be embedded in thepolymeric shell 12 of anelastic repositioning appliance 10 during production or they may be mounted on theshell 12 in a post-production assembly. One such type of component is atube 14 which is used in pairs to mount a headgear appliance. Headgear appliances are typically mounted on opposite posterior molars of the upper jaw for a number of purposes, including keeping the upper jaw from growing, pulling the upper teeth backward, and pulling the upper jaw and teeth upward and backward so that they align with the lower jaw and teeth. Therefore,tubes 14 for receiving headgear may be mounted on the buccal surfaces of thepolymeric shell 12 covering the posterior molars. The distal ends of the headgear which enter the oral cavity may then be inserted into thetubes 14 to apply extra oral forces to the teeth and jaw. Other components may includehooks 16, primarily used for mounting elastic bands,brackets 18, used for mounting additional components and accessories or possibly for interconnection with fixed brackets or devices, andbuttons 20, primarily used as an attachment point for various purposes. It may be appreciated that such components have been shown on thesame appliance 10 for illustrative purposes, however typical use may involve one or a few of such components with varying arrangements. - Referring to
FIG. 2 , an additional component which may be mounted on or embedded in apolymeric shell 12 is a transpalatalarch bar 26. Such palatal bars typically span the palate and are fixed at both ends to permanent devices mounted on opposing molars. This is often used to stabilize and maintain positioning after active arch expansion. In the case of anelastic repositioning appliance 10, the conventionalarch bar 26 may be positioned in a similar location, attached at both ends to the polymeric shell covering the lingual surfaces of opposing upper molars. In addition, a low hanging transpalatal bar for control of vertical dimension may be used. Also shown inFIG. 2 , one ormore wires 22 may be mounted on or embedded in thepolymeric shell 12.Such wires 22 may span the majority of the arch, as in the case of a conventional archwire, as shown. Or,such wires 22 may span only portions of the arch, may be present on or within the facial and/or lingual surfaces of the shell, may be multiple in number at a given location, and may be curved, straight or a combination of these, to name a few. The presence of such awire 22 may be used most commonly for structural reinforcement but may also be used to aid in the application of orthodontic repositioning forces. Again, it may be appreciated that such components have been shown on thesame appliance 10 for illustrative purposes, however typical use may involve one or a few of such components with varying arrangements. -
FIGS. 3-8 illustrate the use of a variety of orthodontic components or accessories which are typically used with removable functional appliances. These components are not generally suited for use with fixed appliances and devices due to their bulk and size. However, they may be readily used with removable elastic repositioning appliances. In most functional appliances, flanges are used to provide the stimulus to posture the mandible to a new position. Growth modification is most effective if the patient uses his or her own musculature to posture the mandible forward, as opposed to the mandible being held forward by external pressure while the patient relaxes. Thus, the key to mandibular repositioning is the contact of the pad or flange with soft tissue. Such pads or flanges may be mounted or embedded in elastic repositioning appliances. Referring toFIG. 3 , alip pad 30 may be positioned on thepolymeric shell 12 so that it is low in the vestibule, holding the lips away from the teeth and forcing the lips to stretch to form an oral seal. This forces the lip musculature to stretch during function, presumably improving the tonicity of the lips and perhaps promoting some soft tissue remodeling that would contribute to stability of changes in incisor position. - Referring to
FIGS. 4 and 5 , plasticbuccal shields 34 and wire buccinator bows 36 may be mounted on or embedded in thepolymer shell 12 to hold the soft tissues away from the teeth. Abuccal shield 34 or bow 36 may be positioned on the buccal surface of thepolymeric shell 12 to lie between the teeth and the cheek. Thebuccal shield 34 is most useful to hold the cheek away from the dentition to facilitate posterior dental expansion by disrupting the tongue-cheek equilibrium. This in turn leads to facial movement of the teeth and arch expansion. A combination oflip pads 30 andbuccal shields 34 will result in an increase in arch circumference as well. It may be appreciated that similar shields may be mounted on the lingual surface of the polymeric shell to remove the resting tongue from between the teeth. This has the effect of enhancing tooth eruption in designated areas. In addition, a lingual pad orflange 38 may be positioned on the lingual surfaces of thepolymeric shell 12 covering the lower anterior teeth, as shown inFIG. 6 . Thelingual pad 38 determines the anteroposterior and vertical mandibular posture for most functional appliances.Such pads 38 may not only position the mandible forward but also exert a protrusive effect on the mandibular incisors when the mandible attempts to return to its original position. - Referring to
FIGS. 7 and 8 , a number of components and accessories may be removably or fixedly attached to both an upper and lower elastic positioning appliance. Components commonly used in this arrangement are frameworks used in Herbst Appliances and Jasper Jumpers. Herbst Appliances are devices in which the maxillary and mandibular arches are splinted with frameworks that are connected with a pin-and-tube device that holds the mandible forward. When used with elastic repositioning appliances,FIG. 7 , the pin-and-tube apparatus 40 may be mounted on the buccal surfaces of theupper polymeric shell 42 and lowerpolymeric shell 44 as shown. The Jasper Jumper functions in a similar manner as the maxillary and mandibular arches are splinted with frameworks that are connected with a spring covered by a plastic sheath. When used with elastic repositioning appliances,FIG. 8 , the sheath coveredspring 48 may be mounted in a similar manner as shown. - As an alternative to mounting or embedding conventional orthodontic components on an elastic repositioning device, protrusions or other shapes may be formed in the polymeric shell of the device to be used for orthodontic functions. For example, referring to
FIG. 9 , ahook 50 may be formed in thepolymeric shell 12 of anelastic repositioning appliance 10 for use in mounting aflexible band 52. Such ahook 50 may resemble traditional hooks found in dental care, or it may be specially designed for use with elastic repositioning appliances. The embodiment illustrated inFIG. 9 may be produced by a series of production steps. First, a mold of the dentition is produced by any method. Second,FIG. 10A , a wedge or similar protrudingmass 54 is then mounted on themold 55 in the location desired for the resulting hook. It may be appreciated that such a protrudingmass 54 may be formed in theoriginal mold 55 by a variety of methods, particularly in the case of computer-guided production methods. Next, a polymeric sheet is thermoformed over themold 55 to form theappliance 10. Theappliance 10 may then be trimmed along the dashedline 56,FIG. 10B , and the polymeric material removed from the joiningarea 57 to create ahook 50 shown inFIG. 9 . - In another embodiment, shown in
FIG. 11 , aspring 60 may be formed in thepolymeric shell 12 of anelastic repositioning appliance 10 for use in transmitting repositioning force to one or more teeth. Such aspring 60 may resemble traditional springs found in dental care, or it may be specially designed for use with elastic repositioning appliances. In this example, thespring 60 is comprised of a pre-formed strip or portion of thepolymeric shell 12 which engages anattachment body 62 mounted on anunderlying tooth 64. Theattachment body 62 is accessible through awindow 66 in theappliance 10. - In further embodiments, larger protrusions may also be formed in the polymeric shell to provide additional support for the appliance and/or to provide orthodontic functions. Such a protrusion may form a
palatal bar 70, as shown inFIG. 12 . Here, apalatal bar 70 is formed in thepolymeric shell 12 itself. In addition, a variety of palatal bars may be formed in the shell, such as a low hanging transpalatal bar for control of vertical dimension. These may provide orthodontic functions as described above in relation to conventional palatal bars, and they may also provide support for theappliance 10. This may be particularly useful in highly flexible appliances. For increased support of the construction, the protrusion may be a corrugatedpalatal bar 71, as shown inFIG. 13 . - In still further embodiments, protrusions in an elastic repositioning appliance may assist in holding the elastic appliance in place when it is properly inserted and positioned. Such protrusions may be
divots 74 sized and located to contactinterdental areas 76 of the patient'steeth 78, often near thegingival margin 79 as shown inFIG. 14A . Such placement may provide additional friction and “grab” in dental regions conducive to this effect.Such divots 74 may be most visible by viewing the hollow cavities of theappliance 10, as shown inFIG. 14B . These protrusions may besolid divots 80 adhered to or embedded in thepolymeric shell 12 to inwardly protrude from the wall. Alternatively, the protrusions may be formeddivots 82 in the wall of thepolymeric shell 12 so that essentially the wall protrudes inwardly in these areas. As shown, the divots may be of any shape, number and configuration, including paireddivots 84 andsingle divots 86 as shown. - Similarly, these protrusions may be a continuous protrusion contacting more than one tooth along the gingival margin and the interdental areas. This is illustrated in
FIG. 15A as acontinuous protrusion 90 is shown along the edges of the hollow cavities of the appliance. This may be asolid protrusion 92 adhered to or embedded in thepolymeric shell 12 to inwardly protrude from the wall, or it may be a formedprotrusion 94 in the wall of thepolymeric shell 12 so that essentially the wall protrudes inwardly in these areas. When the appliance is positioned over the teeth, such aprotrusion 90 may fit in the undercut of thetooth 64 along thegingival margin 79, as shown inFIG. 15B . Here asolid protrusion 92 and a formedprotrusion 94 are shown in cross-section. Such positioning along the undercut of the teeth may assist in holding the appliance in place. It may be appreciated that such a protrusions may be sized, formed and located in any combination within the polymer shell so as to assist in holding the appliance in a desired position. - In another embodiment, the one or more protrusions may form a bite plate. A bite plate is a device which prevents the teeth from closing completely. The resulting open state, or disclusion, may be useful for a number of orthodontic treatments, including crossbite correction and controlled passive eruption. To provide anterior disclusion, an
elastic positioning appliance 10 may have an increase in thickness ofmaterial 100 in the posterior occlusion regions of thepolymeric shell 12, as shown inFIG. 16 . The increase in thickness ofmaterial 100 may be applied to theappliance 10 or formed by theappliance 10 to create a protrusion over the designated occluding surfaces. Similarly, as shown inFIG. 17 , posterior disclusions may be provided by forming aprotrusion 102 in thepolymer shell 12 which extends at least a portion of an upper palatal region with added thickness. This protrusion may be formed in theappliance 10 or applied to the surface of theappliance 10. - Alternatively, posterior disclusions may be provided by forming a protrusion in an upper lingual or lower facial anterior region, as depicted in
FIGS. 18A and 18B . Here, the bite is shown in cross-section, with anupper incisor 110 overlapping alower incisor 112 and amolar 114 positioned for reference. InFIG. 18A , thepolymeric shell 12 of anelastic positioning appliance 10 is shown covering theupper incisor 110. On the lingual surface of theshell 12, aprotrusion 116 is shown which may contact thelower incisor 112 during biting, thus acting like a bite plate. Thisprotrusion 116 may be formed into thepolymeric shell 12 or applied along the lingual surfaces of theappliance 10. Such an arrangement may thus provide posterior disclusions. Similarly, thepolymeric shell 12 may cover thelower incisor 112, as shown inFIG. 18B . In this case, aprotrusion 118 on the facial surface of theshell 12 is shown which may contact theupper incisor 110 during biting. Again, thisprotrusion 118 may be formed into thepolymeric shell 12 or applied along the facial surfaces of theappliance 10. This arrangement may also provide posterior disclusions. - Referring to
FIG. 19 , many patient's dentition present agap 120 or space betweenadjacent teeth 67. Such agap 120 may be the size of atooth 67, as may be the case when a tooth is extracted, or thegap 120 may be larger or smaller than the size of atypical tooth 67, as is often the case due to general misalignment of the teeth. In either case, anelastic positioning appliance 10 may be made to be positioned over thegap 120 and the surroundingteeth 67 with a space filler aligning with thegap 120. In a preferred embodiment, shown inFIG. 20 , the space filler may be acavity 122 in thepolymer shell 12 having the shape of a tooth. Thus, the space filler may act as a “pontic”, a fake tooth placed where a tooth is missing to give the appearance of the presence of a tooth. Likewise, such acavity 122 may have the shape of any portion of a tooth, dental feature, sphere, oval or three-dimensional curved and/or flat sided object for any desired effect. To further conceal the presence of a space orgap 120 betweenteeth 67 during orthodontic treatment, the space filler may be opacified, as depicted by shading 124 inFIG. 20 . - In addition to improving cosmetic appearance, a space filler may also provide structural support for the elastic appliance. When a space filler is a cavity, as described above, the presence of the cavity improves the structural integrity of the appliance by providing a uniform geometry. Alternatively, a space filler may be any number of structures providing similar support. In a preferred embodiment, shown in
FIG. 21 , the space filler may be astructure 130 formed between two cavities in thepolymeric shell 12 of anappliance 10. Thestructure 130 may be comprised of thefacial wall 132 andlingual wall 133 of thepolymeric shell 12 fusing together to form an at least partially solid slab or bridge. In addition, suitable fillers or reinforcements may be used in the fusing or similar process for added support. Likewise, acorrugated structure 135 may be formed between the cavities, as shown inFIG. 22 . Such corrugation may further reinforce the structure for added support. In any case, a designatedcavity 122 orstructure polymeric shell 12 may be designed to align with agap 120 betweenadjacent teeth 67 when theappliance 10 positioned over the patient's teeth for improved cosmetic appearance and/or structural support. - Although forming protrusions or adding additional material to elastic repositioning appliances may provide useful features in orthodontic treatment, it may also be beneficial to remove material or form windows in an appliance. Referring to
FIG. 23A , if the occlusional surfaces 140 of anupper appliance 142 and alower appliance 143 are relatively thick, simultaneous wearing of theappliances occlusional surfaces 140 between the jaws may cause the posterior teeth to prematurely contact, thus preventing the anterior teeth to suitably close. This may be avoided by reducing or eliminating the occlusional surfaces of the appliances, as shown inFIGS. 23B and 23C . In a preferred embodiment, shown inFIG. 23C , apolymeric shell 12 of anappliance 10 may have a plurality ofwindows 150 in the portions which cover the occlusal surfaces of the teeth. In this example, segments of theshell 12 are still present along thefacial surfaces 152 andlingual surfaces 153 of theappliance 10 and across theinterdental regions 154 or spaces between the teeth. When such an appliance is placed over theupper teeth 155 andlower teeth 156, the teeth may interdigitate, as shown inFIG. 23B . Interdigitation of at least portions of the upper and lower teeth may benefit tooth and jaw orientations, leading to improved treatment, appearance, comfort and consequently patient compliance. - Removal of material may be aided by the use of a
release tab 200, as shown inFIGS. 24A and 24B . Arelease tab 200 may be used to remove a layer of material from thepolymeric shell 12 or to remove an entire portion of theshell 12, such as to either create a window, as described above, or to eliminate theshell 12 from covering specific teeth or portions of the patient's teeth. Referring toFIG. 24A , arelease tab 200 may be embedded in thepolymeric shell 12 along aline 202 for future separation between portion A (shaded) and portion B. Although such aline 202 is depicted as a dashed line adjacent to thetab 200 edge, such aline 202 may lie directly over the tab or in any close relation to thetab 202. In the case of apolymeric shell 12 comprised of multiple layers of material, thetab 200 may be embedded between the layers with a portion exposed for grasping. By grasping thetab 200 and pulling thetab 200 along its length, one or more layers of material may be released along aline 202 of separation and removed from theshell 12. In this example, the result may be portion A comprising two layers of material and portion B comprising only one. Alternatively, the result may be portion A comprising one or more layers and portion B removed entirely. Other combinations or examples are possible. Such alterations may be beneficial for patient comfort, ease of use, or obtainment of orthodontic repositioning goals, to name a few.FIG. 24B illustrates a preferred embodiment of placement of such arelease tab 200 in apolymeric shell 12 of anelastic repositioning appliance 10. Thetab 200 may be placed to encircleareas 206 of the occlusional surfaces of theappliance 10. Thus, the orthodontic treatment of a patient may allow material in theseareas 206 of anappliance 10 for a given duration of the treatment plan. At a given point in the treatment, the orthodontic practitioner may prefer to remove a layer of material or the material entirely in theseareas 206 during a patient office visit. The practitioner may perform such a removal by pulling on theappropriate release tabs 200 as described above. This may thus reduce time and cost of patient treatment. - Although the forgoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example, for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be obvious that various alternatives, modifications and equivalents may be used and the above description should not be taken as limiting in scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims.
Claims (25)
1. A removable elastic appliance comprising:
a thin polymeric shell which is shaped to be positioned over at least some teeth of a jaw and adapted to interact with an oral surface to expand the palate of the jaw.
2. An appliance as in claim 1 , wherein the appliance further comprises an orthodontic component mounted directly on the shell.
3. An appliance as in claim 1 , wherein the orthodontic component is formed by the shell.
4. An appliance as in claim 3 , wherein the component is configured to interact with the palate.
5. A system comprising two or more removable elastic appliances as in claim 1 .
6. An appliance as in claim 5 , wherein the system comprises three or more elastic appliances.
7. A removable positioning appliance comprising:
a thin polymeric shell having cavities shaped to receive at least some of the teeth of a jaw and adapted to interact with an oral surface to expand the palate of the jaw.
8. An appliance as in claim 7 , wherein the thin polymeric shell includes a protrusion having an increased thickness of material in at least a portion of a posterior occlusal region.
9. An appliance as in claim 7 , wherein the thin polymeric shell includes a protrusion having an extension of at least a portion of an upper palatal region with added thickness.
10. An appliance as in claim 3 , wherein the component comprises a wire which spans an arch of the shell between the portions which are positioned over opposing upper molars.
11. An appliance as in claim 3 , wherein the component comprises a wire which is embedded in the polymeric shell.
12. An appliance as in claim 4 , wherein the component is a palatal bar.
13. An appliance as in claim 12 , wherein the palatal bar is corrugated.
14. An appliance as in claim 7 , further comprising a wire which spans an arch of the shell between the portions which are positioned over opposing upper molars.
15. An appliance as in claim 7 , further comprising a wire which is embedded in the polymeric shell.
16. An appliance as in claim 7 , further comprising a palatal bar formed as part of the shell and spanning an arch between portions of the shell positioned over opposing upper molars.
17. An appliance as in claim 16 , wherein the palatal bar is corrugated.
18. A system comprising a series of removable thin shell appliances, including one or more intermediate appliances each of which has a geometry selected to progressively expand the palate and a final appliance having a geometry selected to expand the palate to a target desired breadth.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein each of the appliances comprises molar cavities adapted to fit over the patient's molars and a palatal component separating the two molar regions.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein each molar cavity fits over two posterior molars.
21. The system of claim 18 , wherein there are at least two intermediate appliances.
22. The system of claim 18 , wherein there are at least 10 intermediate appliances.
23. The system of claim 18 , wherein there are at least 20 intermediate appliances.
24. A method of expanding the palate of a patient using the system of claim 18 , the method comprising positioning each appliance in the series of appliances to expand the palate of the patient, leaving the appliance in position for a period of time and replacing the appliance with the next in the series until the desired palatal expansion has occurred.
25. A method of expanding the palate of a patient, the method comprising generating from an initial model of the patient's upper jaw a series of incremental appliances including a first appliance having a geometry selected to incrementally expand the palate; one or more intermediate appliances having geometries selected to progressively expand the palate; and a final appliance having a geometry selected to expand the palate to a target desired breadth; and sequentially positioning the appliances over the molars in the patient's upper jaw for a period of time effective to expand the palate to approximately the target desired breadth.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/829,702 US20080020337A1 (en) | 2000-04-25 | 2007-07-27 | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance |
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US19965000P | 2000-04-25 | 2000-04-25 | |
US19964900P | 2000-04-25 | 2000-04-25 | |
US09/616,222 US6572372B1 (en) | 2000-04-25 | 2000-07-14 | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance |
US10/409,409 US20030190576A1 (en) | 2000-04-25 | 2003-04-07 | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance |
US11/829,702 US20080020337A1 (en) | 2000-04-25 | 2007-07-27 | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/409,409 Continuation US20030190576A1 (en) | 2000-04-25 | 2003-04-07 | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20080020337A1 true US20080020337A1 (en) | 2008-01-24 |
Family
ID=27394049
Family Applications (4)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/616,222 Expired - Lifetime US6572372B1 (en) | 1998-11-30 | 2000-07-14 | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance |
US10/409,409 Abandoned US20030190576A1 (en) | 2000-04-25 | 2003-04-07 | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance |
US10/797,215 Abandoned US20040170941A1 (en) | 2000-04-25 | 2004-03-09 | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance |
US11/829,702 Abandoned US20080020337A1 (en) | 2000-04-25 | 2007-07-27 | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance |
Family Applications Before (3)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/616,222 Expired - Lifetime US6572372B1 (en) | 1998-11-30 | 2000-07-14 | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance |
US10/409,409 Abandoned US20030190576A1 (en) | 2000-04-25 | 2003-04-07 | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance |
US10/797,215 Abandoned US20040170941A1 (en) | 2000-04-25 | 2004-03-09 | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (4) | US6572372B1 (en) |
Cited By (29)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20110104640A1 (en) * | 2009-11-05 | 2011-05-05 | Yan Pogorelsky | System and method for aligning teeth |
US20110104639A1 (en) * | 2009-11-05 | 2011-05-05 | Yan Pogorelsky | System and method for aligning teeth |
US20110236849A1 (en) * | 2009-11-05 | 2011-09-29 | Yan Pogorelsky | System and method for incrementally moving teeth |
US20120261638A1 (en) * | 2011-04-13 | 2012-10-18 | Micron Technology, Inc. | Vertical memory cell for high-density memory |
US8356993B1 (en) * | 2009-07-06 | 2013-01-22 | Marston Blake E | Orthodontic appliance system |
US20130089828A1 (en) * | 2011-10-10 | 2013-04-11 | Align Technology, Inc. | Automatic placement of precision cuts |
US20160000527A1 (en) * | 2011-12-15 | 2016-01-07 | Airton Arruda | Apparatus for orthodontic aligner tray retention |
US20160074137A1 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2016-03-17 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reinforced aligner hooks |
US20160106521A1 (en) * | 2014-02-21 | 2016-04-21 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliances with repositioning jaw elements |
WO2017044631A1 (en) | 2015-09-08 | 2017-03-16 | Martz Martin G | Tooth-positioning appliance, systems and methods of producing and using the same |
US20180140385A1 (en) * | 2016-11-21 | 2018-05-24 | James John Jasper | Orthodontic Vector Force Application Apparatus |
WO2019069163A1 (en) * | 2017-10-06 | 2019-04-11 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Orthodontic palatal expander including split beams |
US20200107907A1 (en) * | 2018-10-03 | 2020-04-09 | Yun-Wen Deng | Orthodontic brace |
EP3653163A1 (en) * | 2008-05-23 | 2020-05-20 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method for planning of series of dental positioning appliances |
CN111772834A (en) * | 2014-03-21 | 2020-10-16 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Segmented orthodontic appliances with elastics |
US10973613B2 (en) | 2012-05-14 | 2021-04-13 | Align Technology, Inc. | Multilayer dental appliances and related methods and systems |
WO2021073858A1 (en) | 2019-10-17 | 2021-04-22 | Werner Baudisch | Orthodontic device |
US11173015B2 (en) | 2017-10-06 | 2021-11-16 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Removable dental appliance including spring member |
US11298210B2 (en) | 2015-10-09 | 2022-04-12 | John H. Khouri | Orthodontic assembly |
US11351012B2 (en) * | 2016-12-16 | 2022-06-07 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Orthodontic bracket footing |
US11395718B2 (en) | 2017-10-06 | 2022-07-26 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Removable dental appliance including jumpers |
US11446117B2 (en) | 2017-10-06 | 2022-09-20 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Removable dental appliance including positioning member |
US11478336B1 (en) | 2021-11-15 | 2022-10-25 | Sympal, Inc. | Orthodontic appliances |
US11517401B2 (en) | 2017-10-06 | 2022-12-06 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Removable dental appliance including spring bellows |
WO2023014457A1 (en) * | 2021-08-03 | 2023-02-09 | Ortho-Tain, Inc. | Overlapping canines and laterals dentition appliance |
US11660167B2 (en) | 2014-02-21 | 2023-05-30 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance with repositioning jaw elements |
US11737857B2 (en) | 2017-11-01 | 2023-08-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for correcting malocclusions of teeth |
US11771527B2 (en) | 2019-02-20 | 2023-10-03 | Sdc U.S. Smilepay Spv | Limited wear aligner and treatment methods |
US12023219B2 (en) | 2021-11-09 | 2024-07-02 | Solventum Intellectual Properties Company | Removable dental appliance including spring member |
Families Citing this family (299)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6450807B1 (en) * | 1997-06-20 | 2002-09-17 | Align Technology, Inc. | System and method for positioning teeth |
US8496474B2 (en) | 1997-06-20 | 2013-07-30 | Align Technology, Inc. | Computer automated development of an orthodontic treatment plan and appliance |
IL122807A0 (en) | 1997-12-30 | 1998-08-16 | Cadent Ltd | Virtual orthodontic treatment |
IL125659A (en) | 1998-08-05 | 2002-09-12 | Cadent Ltd | Method and apparatus for imaging three-dimensional structure |
US6802713B1 (en) * | 1998-10-08 | 2004-10-12 | Align Technology, Inc. | Defining tooth-moving appliances computationally |
US11026768B2 (en) | 1998-10-08 | 2021-06-08 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance reinforcement |
US7121825B2 (en) * | 1998-11-30 | 2006-10-17 | Align Technology, Inc. | Tooth positioning appliances and systems |
US6406292B1 (en) | 1999-05-13 | 2002-06-18 | Align Technology, Inc. | System for determining final position of teeth |
WO2000033759A1 (en) * | 1998-12-04 | 2000-06-15 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reconfigurable dental model system for fabrication of dental appliances |
US6318994B1 (en) * | 1999-05-13 | 2001-11-20 | Align Technology, Inc | Tooth path treatment plan |
US7373286B2 (en) * | 2000-02-17 | 2008-05-13 | Align Technology, Inc. | Efficient data representation of teeth model |
US7904307B2 (en) | 2000-03-24 | 2011-03-08 | Align Technology, Inc. | Health-care e-commerce systems and methods |
US20020188478A1 (en) | 2000-03-24 | 2002-12-12 | Joe Breeland | Health-care systems and methods |
US6454565B2 (en) | 2000-04-25 | 2002-09-24 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for varying elastic modulus appliances |
AU2001255655A1 (en) | 2000-04-25 | 2001-11-07 | Align Technology, Inc. | Treatment analysis systems and methods |
US7040896B2 (en) * | 2000-08-16 | 2006-05-09 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for removing gingiva from computer tooth models |
US6783360B2 (en) * | 2000-12-13 | 2004-08-31 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for positioning teeth |
US7074038B1 (en) | 2000-12-29 | 2006-07-11 | Align Technology, Inc. | Methods and systems for treating teeth |
US7580846B2 (en) * | 2001-01-09 | 2009-08-25 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and system for distributing patient referrals |
US7011518B2 (en) * | 2001-07-02 | 2006-03-14 | Deluke Anthony G | Contoured palatal expander |
KR100554713B1 (en) * | 2001-07-02 | 2006-02-22 | 최영규 | Orthodontic appliance by using a shape memory polymer |
US20040202983A1 (en) * | 2001-09-28 | 2004-10-14 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and kits for forming pontics in polymeric shell aligners |
US6830450B2 (en) | 2002-04-18 | 2004-12-14 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for improved engagement between aligners and teeth |
US20030198912A1 (en) * | 2002-04-23 | 2003-10-23 | James Mah | Thin, polymeric orthodontic appliance with headgear channels |
US7716062B2 (en) * | 2002-05-28 | 2010-05-11 | Ortho-Tain Inc | Dental appliances and systems and methods for distributing dental appliances |
US7255558B2 (en) | 2002-06-18 | 2007-08-14 | Cadent, Ltd. | Dental imaging instrument having air stream auxiliary |
US20040009449A1 (en) * | 2002-07-09 | 2004-01-15 | James Mah | Removable expansion appliance |
EP3403612B1 (en) | 2002-10-03 | 2023-06-07 | Align Technology, Inc. | A method for preparing a teeth model |
MXPA05003928A (en) * | 2003-01-21 | 2005-06-17 | Ortho Tain Inc | A dental appliance and a system and a method for reducing an amount of patient cooperation to treat a malocclusion using the dental appliance. |
US20040166462A1 (en) | 2003-02-26 | 2004-08-26 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for fabricating a dental template |
EP1610708B1 (en) | 2003-04-03 | 2019-11-27 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and system for fabricating a dental coping |
US7030383B2 (en) | 2003-08-04 | 2006-04-18 | Cadent Ltd. | Speckle reduction method and apparatus |
US7192273B2 (en) | 2003-08-07 | 2007-03-20 | Mcsurdy Jr David W | System and method for palatal expansion |
US7261533B2 (en) * | 2003-10-21 | 2007-08-28 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and apparatus for manufacturing dental aligners |
US7333874B2 (en) | 2004-02-24 | 2008-02-19 | Cadent Ltd. | Method and system for designing and producing dental prostheses and appliances |
US20050186524A1 (en) * | 2004-02-24 | 2005-08-25 | Align Technology, Inc. | Arch expander |
US7904308B2 (en) | 2006-04-18 | 2011-03-08 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and system for providing indexing and cataloguing of orthodontic related treatment profiles and options |
US9492245B2 (en) | 2004-02-27 | 2016-11-15 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and system for providing dynamic orthodontic assessment and treatment profiles |
US11298209B2 (en) | 2004-02-27 | 2022-04-12 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and system for providing dynamic orthodontic assessment and treatment profiles |
US8874452B2 (en) | 2004-02-27 | 2014-10-28 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and system for providing dynamic orthodontic assessment and treatment profiles |
US7481647B2 (en) * | 2004-06-14 | 2009-01-27 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for fabricating 3-D objects |
ATE383817T1 (en) | 2004-06-17 | 2008-02-15 | Cadent Ltd | METHOD FOR PROVIDING DATA RELATED TO THE ORAL CAVITY |
ATE480200T1 (en) * | 2004-06-18 | 2010-09-15 | Dentsply Int Inc | SPECIFIED ORTHODONTIC ACTIVATORS |
US20060073433A1 (en) * | 2004-06-18 | 2006-04-06 | Anderson Michael C | Thermoforming plastic sheets for dental products |
US7090490B2 (en) * | 2004-07-26 | 2006-08-15 | Brian Keith Graham | Attachable orthodontic hook system |
DK1771122T3 (en) * | 2004-07-26 | 2016-01-11 | Dentsply Int Inc | System for individual orthodontic treatment |
US20060141420A1 (en) * | 2004-09-14 | 2006-06-29 | Dentsply Research And Development Corp. | Notched pontic and system for fabricating dental appliance for use therewith |
US20060110698A1 (en) * | 2004-10-08 | 2006-05-25 | Robson Farrand C | Dental orthotic devices and methods for management of impaired oral functions and resultant indications |
US20060078840A1 (en) * | 2004-10-08 | 2006-04-13 | Robson Farrand C | Dental orthotic for management of impaired oral functions |
US7922490B2 (en) * | 2004-12-14 | 2011-04-12 | Align Technology, Inc. | Base for physical dental arch model |
US20060093993A1 (en) * | 2004-11-02 | 2006-05-04 | Huafeng Wen | Producing a base for physical dental arch model |
US20060199142A1 (en) * | 2005-03-07 | 2006-09-07 | Liu Frank Z | Dental aligner for providing accurate dental treatment |
US20060093982A1 (en) * | 2004-11-02 | 2006-05-04 | Huafeng Wen | Method and apparatus for manufacturing and constructing a dental aligner |
US20060093987A1 (en) * | 2004-11-02 | 2006-05-04 | Huafeng Wen | Producing an adjustable physical dental arch model |
US7384266B2 (en) * | 2004-11-02 | 2008-06-10 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and apparatus for manufacturing and constructing a physical dental arch model |
US8636513B2 (en) * | 2004-12-14 | 2014-01-28 | Align Technology, Inc. | Fabricating a base compatible with physical tooth models |
US7309230B2 (en) | 2004-12-14 | 2007-12-18 | Align Technology, Inc. | Preventing interference between tooth models |
US20060199145A1 (en) * | 2005-03-07 | 2006-09-07 | Liu Frank Z | Producing physical dental arch model having individually adjustable tooth models |
US20070092853A1 (en) * | 2005-10-24 | 2007-04-26 | Liu Frank Z | Multi-layer casting methods and devices |
US7335024B2 (en) * | 2005-02-03 | 2008-02-26 | Align Technology, Inc. | Methods for producing non-interfering tooth models |
AU2005305194A1 (en) * | 2004-11-10 | 2006-05-18 | Ortho-Tain, Inc. | Upper and lower single preformed and/or customized appliance |
US6976627B1 (en) | 2004-11-12 | 2005-12-20 | Align Technology, Inc. | Identification of units in customized production |
ES2370405T3 (en) * | 2004-11-17 | 2011-12-15 | Dentsply International, Inc. | PLASTIC SHEETS FOR THERMOCONFORMING OF DENTAL PRODUCTS. |
US7862336B2 (en) | 2004-11-26 | 2011-01-04 | Cadent Ltd. | Method and system for providing feedback data useful in prosthodontic procedures associated with the intra oral cavity |
US7236842B2 (en) | 2004-12-02 | 2007-06-26 | Cadent Ltd. | System and method for manufacturing a dental prosthesis and a dental prosthesis manufactured thereby |
US7448514B2 (en) * | 2005-02-03 | 2008-11-11 | Align Technology, Inc. | Storage system for dental devices |
US7819659B2 (en) | 2005-04-25 | 2010-10-26 | Align Technology, Inc. | System for organizing dental aligners |
US7286954B2 (en) | 2005-03-03 | 2007-10-23 | Cadent Ltd. | System and method for scanning an intraoral cavity |
US8337199B2 (en) * | 2005-03-07 | 2012-12-25 | Align Technology, Inc. | Fluid permeable dental aligner |
US7831322B2 (en) * | 2005-03-07 | 2010-11-09 | Align Technology, Inc. | Producing wrinkled dental aligner for dental treatment |
US8684729B2 (en) * | 2005-03-07 | 2014-04-01 | Align Technology, Inc. | Disposable dental aligner |
US7374421B2 (en) * | 2005-03-31 | 2008-05-20 | Frederick Solomon | System and method for improved control of tooth movement with elastic repositioning appliances |
US20060275731A1 (en) | 2005-04-29 | 2006-12-07 | Orthoclear Holdings, Inc. | Treatment of teeth by aligners |
US20060252011A1 (en) * | 2005-05-09 | 2006-11-09 | Michael Etessami | Method and device for inhibiting nail biting |
US7555403B2 (en) | 2005-07-15 | 2009-06-30 | Cadent Ltd. | Method for manipulating a dental virtual model, method for creating physical entities based on a dental virtual model thus manipulated, and dental models thus created |
US20070026358A1 (en) * | 2005-07-26 | 2007-02-01 | Schultz Charles J | Two-phase invisible orthodontics |
US7673017B2 (en) * | 2005-09-06 | 2010-03-02 | Interpolls Network Inc. | Systems and methods for integrating XML syndication feeds into online advertisement |
US20070224567A1 (en) * | 2006-01-06 | 2007-09-27 | Robson Farrand C | Dental orthotic and methods of using the same |
WO2007116656A1 (en) * | 2006-03-28 | 2007-10-18 | Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. | Dentition correcting device |
US7975701B2 (en) | 2006-04-18 | 2011-07-12 | Ortho-Tain, Inc | Appliance, system and method for correction habits of an oral cavity |
US20110020761A1 (en) * | 2006-08-21 | 2011-01-27 | Thomas Kalili | Orthodontic Repositioning Applicance |
US20080044786A1 (en) * | 2006-08-21 | 2008-02-21 | Tom Kalili | Orthodontic repositioning appliance |
US8038444B2 (en) | 2006-08-30 | 2011-10-18 | Align Technology, Inc. | Automated treatment staging for teeth |
WO2008045932A1 (en) * | 2006-10-10 | 2008-04-17 | Ormco Corporation | Orthodontic anterior open-bite splint |
US20080090196A1 (en) * | 2006-10-12 | 2008-04-17 | Omar David Lomas | Dental cover and dental brace adapted for use with a cover |
US9326831B2 (en) | 2006-10-20 | 2016-05-03 | Align Technology, Inc. | System and method for positioning three-dimensional brackets on teeth |
US8359114B2 (en) | 2006-11-28 | 2013-01-22 | Dentsable, Inc. | Haptically enabled dental modeling system |
ES2300219B1 (en) * | 2006-11-30 | 2009-04-16 | Jose Duran Von Arx | PREFABRICATED ELEMENTS APPLICABLE IN A FERULA SYSTEM FOR CORRECTION OF MALOCLUSIONS IN ORTHODONTICS. |
US20080138767A1 (en) * | 2006-12-07 | 2008-06-12 | Eric Kuo | Method and system for improving dental esthetics |
GB0703384D0 (en) * | 2007-02-21 | 2007-03-28 | Ortho Pro Teknica Ltd | Orthodontic appliances |
US7957824B2 (en) | 2007-03-02 | 2011-06-07 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and system for providing automated high scale fabrication of custom items |
US8562337B2 (en) * | 2007-03-19 | 2013-10-22 | Align Technology, Inc. | Active attachments for interacting with a polymeric shell dental appliance |
EP1982652A1 (en) * | 2007-04-20 | 2008-10-22 | Medicim NV | Method for deriving shape information |
CA2694017A1 (en) * | 2007-04-23 | 2008-10-30 | Thomas E. Meade | Mandibular advancement appliance |
US7878805B2 (en) | 2007-05-25 | 2011-02-01 | Align Technology, Inc. | Tabbed dental appliance |
US7883334B2 (en) * | 2007-06-01 | 2011-02-08 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and system for providing alternating use orthodontic aligners |
US9060829B2 (en) * | 2007-06-08 | 2015-06-23 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and method for management and delivery of orthodontic treatment |
US20080306724A1 (en) * | 2007-06-08 | 2008-12-11 | Align Technology, Inc. | Treatment planning and progress tracking systems and methods |
US10342638B2 (en) | 2007-06-08 | 2019-07-09 | Align Technology, Inc. | Treatment planning and progress tracking systems and methods |
US8075306B2 (en) | 2007-06-08 | 2011-12-13 | Align Technology, Inc. | System and method for detecting deviations during the course of an orthodontic treatment to gradually reposition teeth |
US8562338B2 (en) | 2007-06-08 | 2013-10-22 | Align Technology, Inc. | Treatment progress tracking and recalibration |
US8591225B2 (en) * | 2008-12-12 | 2013-11-26 | Align Technology, Inc. | Tooth movement measurement by automatic impression matching |
WO2009032318A1 (en) * | 2007-09-07 | 2009-03-12 | Clearpath Orthodontics International, Llc | Tooth positioners, method of making the same, and method of positioning teeth using the same |
US9597163B2 (en) | 2007-09-07 | 2017-03-21 | Clearpath Orthodontics Hfz | Tooth positioners, method and apparatus for making the same, and method of positioning teeth using the same |
US8738394B2 (en) | 2007-11-08 | 2014-05-27 | Eric E. Kuo | Clinical data file |
US8118592B2 (en) * | 2007-11-21 | 2012-02-21 | Joseph Tortorici | Hybrid orthodontic appliance |
US7914283B2 (en) | 2007-12-06 | 2011-03-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Activatable dental appliance |
US8439672B2 (en) | 2008-01-29 | 2013-05-14 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and system for optimizing dental aligner geometry |
US8899977B2 (en) | 2008-01-29 | 2014-12-02 | Align Technology, Inc. | Orthodontic repositioning appliances having improved geometry, methods and systems |
US8108189B2 (en) | 2008-03-25 | 2012-01-31 | Align Technologies, Inc. | Reconstruction of non-visible part of tooth |
US9119691B2 (en) * | 2008-05-23 | 2015-09-01 | Align Technology, Inc. | Orthodontic tooth movement device, systems and methods |
US8092215B2 (en) | 2008-05-23 | 2012-01-10 | Align Technology, Inc. | Smile designer |
US8172569B2 (en) | 2008-06-12 | 2012-05-08 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance |
EP2306928B1 (en) | 2008-07-03 | 2021-06-02 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and system for use in dental procedures |
US8509932B2 (en) | 2008-07-17 | 2013-08-13 | Cadent Ltd. | Methods, systems and accessories useful for procedures relating to dental implants |
KR100974081B1 (en) | 2008-07-24 | 2010-08-04 | 이화여자대학교 산학협력단 | Removable orthodontic appliance |
US20100055635A1 (en) | 2008-09-02 | 2010-03-04 | Align Technology, Inc. | Shape engineered aligner - auto shaping |
DE202008011841U1 (en) * | 2008-09-06 | 2008-11-13 | Toussaint, Winfried, Dr. | Adjustable lower jaw splint splint for the treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea |
US8517726B2 (en) * | 2008-09-12 | 2013-08-27 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance with resilient portion |
CN102170838B (en) * | 2008-10-01 | 2015-08-19 | 皇家飞利浦电子股份有限公司 | For the sectioned mouthpiece of mouth care |
US8152518B2 (en) | 2008-10-08 | 2012-04-10 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental positioning appliance having metallic portion |
US20100104998A1 (en) * | 2008-10-25 | 2010-04-29 | Stanley Edward Farrell | Dental Splint |
US9161823B2 (en) | 2008-11-20 | 2015-10-20 | Align Technology, Inc. | Orthodontic systems and methods including parametric attachments |
US20100129763A1 (en) * | 2008-11-24 | 2010-05-27 | Align Technology, Inc. | Sequential sports guard |
US8936463B2 (en) | 2008-11-24 | 2015-01-20 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance with simulated teeth and method for making |
US8401686B2 (en) | 2008-12-18 | 2013-03-19 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reduced registration bonding template |
US9642678B2 (en) | 2008-12-30 | 2017-05-09 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and system for dental visualization |
US8382474B2 (en) | 2008-12-31 | 2013-02-26 | Cadent Ltd. | Dental articulator |
US20100291505A1 (en) * | 2009-01-23 | 2010-11-18 | Curt Rawley | Haptically Enabled Coterminous Production of Prosthetics and Patient Preparations in Medical and Dental Applications |
US8936464B2 (en) | 2009-02-24 | 2015-01-20 | Cadent Ltd. | Method, system and model for indirect bonding |
US8292617B2 (en) * | 2009-03-19 | 2012-10-23 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental wire attachment |
US8765031B2 (en) | 2009-08-13 | 2014-07-01 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method of forming a dental appliance |
US8708697B2 (en) | 2009-12-08 | 2014-04-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Tactile objects for orthodontics, systems and methods |
US20110165536A1 (en) * | 2010-01-06 | 2011-07-07 | Rainbow Medical Ltd. | Alveolar ridge augmentation |
US9241774B2 (en) | 2010-04-30 | 2016-01-26 | Align Technology, Inc. | Patterned dental positioning appliance |
US9211166B2 (en) | 2010-04-30 | 2015-12-15 | Align Technology, Inc. | Individualized orthodontic treatment index |
WO2011143620A2 (en) | 2010-05-13 | 2011-11-17 | Symdent, Inc. | Dental appliance, dental appliance adhesive and related methods and uses |
US9299192B2 (en) | 2010-07-19 | 2016-03-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Methods and systems for creating and interacting with three dimensional virtual models |
EP2663254B1 (en) | 2011-01-13 | 2020-07-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Methods, systems and accessories useful for procedures relating to dental implants |
US20120202171A1 (en) * | 2011-02-07 | 2012-08-09 | D Anjou Lissa T | Dental appliance |
US9108338B2 (en) * | 2011-04-13 | 2015-08-18 | Align Technology, Inc. | Methods and systems for thermal forming an object |
WO2012170450A2 (en) * | 2011-06-06 | 2012-12-13 | Rostami Sylvia | Device for correcting sunken cheeks |
US20130014765A1 (en) * | 2011-07-16 | 2013-01-17 | Meade Thomas E | Tongue and mandibular advancement appliance |
US9125709B2 (en) | 2011-07-29 | 2015-09-08 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for tracking teeth movement during orthodontic treatment |
US9403238B2 (en) | 2011-09-21 | 2016-08-02 | Align Technology, Inc. | Laser cutting |
US8777611B2 (en) * | 2011-12-20 | 2014-07-15 | Michele Cios | Enhancement to dental alignment device |
US9375300B2 (en) | 2012-02-02 | 2016-06-28 | Align Technology, Inc. | Identifying forces on a tooth |
US9022781B2 (en) | 2012-02-15 | 2015-05-05 | Align Technology, Inc. | Orthodontic appliances that accommodate incremental and continuous tooth movement, systems and methods |
US9375298B2 (en) | 2012-02-21 | 2016-06-28 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental models and related methods |
US9220580B2 (en) | 2012-03-01 | 2015-12-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Determining a dental treatment difficulty |
DE102012005323B4 (en) * | 2012-03-19 | 2015-05-13 | Gernot Heine | Jaw-related correction device and method of making the device |
US9414897B2 (en) | 2012-05-22 | 2016-08-16 | Align Technology, Inc. | Adjustment of tooth position in a virtual dental model |
ES2392303B1 (en) * | 2012-07-06 | 2013-06-21 | Mónica BADRENA MORALES | Method for preparing a dental correction splint and splint thus obtained |
US20140067334A1 (en) | 2012-09-06 | 2014-03-06 | Align Technology Inc. | Method and a system usable in creating a subsequent dental appliance |
US10617489B2 (en) | 2012-12-19 | 2020-04-14 | Align Technology, Inc. | Creating a digital dental model of a patient's teeth using interproximal information |
US9668829B2 (en) | 2012-12-19 | 2017-06-06 | Align Technology, Inc. | Methods and systems for dental procedures |
US9675427B2 (en) | 2013-06-07 | 2017-06-13 | Align Technology, Inc. | Adjusting a tooth position |
US9393087B2 (en) | 2013-08-01 | 2016-07-19 | Align Technology, Inc. | Methods and systems for generating color images |
US20150132707A1 (en) * | 2013-09-11 | 2015-05-14 | Ormco Corporation | Braces to aligner transition in orthodontic treatment |
WO2015040495A2 (en) * | 2013-09-18 | 2015-03-26 | Megabite 3D Pte Ltd. | System/process for producing orthodontic appliances |
GB201319341D0 (en) * | 2013-11-01 | 2013-12-18 | Tal Nimrod | Orthodontic device |
US9937018B2 (en) * | 2013-12-11 | 2018-04-10 | Martin G. Martz | Tooth positioning appliance with curved interconnecting elements |
US10555792B2 (en) | 2014-01-31 | 2020-02-11 | Align Technology, Inc. | Direct fabrication of orthodontic appliances with elastics |
CN106029001B (en) | 2014-01-31 | 2022-08-30 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Orthodontic appliance with elastic body |
US10299894B2 (en) * | 2014-02-21 | 2019-05-28 | Align Technology, Inc. | Treatment plan specific bite adjustment structures |
US9795460B2 (en) * | 2014-03-13 | 2017-10-24 | Martin G. Martz | Tooth-positioning appliance for closing spaces |
US10052175B1 (en) | 2014-04-28 | 2018-08-21 | Ruchir Ramesh Patel | Magnetic orthodontic assembly |
US10016262B2 (en) | 2014-06-16 | 2018-07-10 | Align Technology, Inc. | Unitary dental model |
WO2015193709A1 (en) | 2014-06-20 | 2015-12-23 | Align Technology, Inc. | Aligners with elastic layer |
PL3157459T3 (en) | 2014-06-20 | 2021-11-22 | Align Technology, Inc. | Elastic-coated orthodontic appliance |
US9261356B2 (en) | 2014-07-03 | 2016-02-16 | Align Technology, Inc. | Confocal surface topography measurement with fixed focal positions |
US9439568B2 (en) | 2014-07-03 | 2016-09-13 | Align Technology, Inc. | Apparatus and method for measuring surface topography optically |
US9261358B2 (en) | 2014-07-03 | 2016-02-16 | Align Technology, Inc. | Chromatic confocal system |
US10772506B2 (en) | 2014-07-07 | 2020-09-15 | Align Technology, Inc. | Apparatus for dental confocal imaging |
US9693839B2 (en) | 2014-07-17 | 2017-07-04 | Align Technology, Inc. | Probe head and apparatus for intraoral confocal imaging using polarization-retarding coatings |
US9675430B2 (en) | 2014-08-15 | 2017-06-13 | Align Technology, Inc. | Confocal imaging apparatus with curved focal surface |
US9724177B2 (en) | 2014-08-19 | 2017-08-08 | Align Technology, Inc. | Viewfinder with real-time tracking for intraoral scanning |
US9700385B2 (en) * | 2014-08-22 | 2017-07-11 | Alitn Technology, Inc. | Attachment structure |
US9660418B2 (en) | 2014-08-27 | 2017-05-23 | Align Technology, Inc. | VCSEL based low coherence emitter for confocal 3D scanner |
US9610141B2 (en) | 2014-09-19 | 2017-04-04 | Align Technology, Inc. | Arch expanding appliance |
US10449016B2 (en) * | 2014-09-19 | 2019-10-22 | Align Technology, Inc. | Arch adjustment appliance |
US20160081767A1 (en) * | 2014-09-22 | 2016-03-24 | ClearRetain, LLC | Dental Retainer |
US10111730B2 (en) | 2014-11-12 | 2018-10-30 | Align Technology, Inc. | Orthodontic aligner with isolated segments |
US11147652B2 (en) | 2014-11-13 | 2021-10-19 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method for tracking, predicting, and proactively correcting malocclusion and related issues |
US9744001B2 (en) | 2014-11-13 | 2017-08-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance with cavity for an unerupted or erupting tooth |
RU2687867C2 (en) * | 2014-12-30 | 2019-05-16 | 3М Инновейтив Пропертиз Компани | Method for computer designing of dental devices |
US11980523B2 (en) * | 2015-01-05 | 2024-05-14 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method to modify aligner by modifying tooth position |
US10517701B2 (en) | 2015-01-13 | 2019-12-31 | Align Technology, Inc. | Mandibular advancement and retraction via bone anchoring devices |
US10588776B2 (en) | 2015-01-13 | 2020-03-17 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems, methods, and devices for applying distributed forces for mandibular advancement |
US10537463B2 (en) | 2015-01-13 | 2020-01-21 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for positioning a patient's mandible in response to sleep apnea status |
US10504386B2 (en) | 2015-01-27 | 2019-12-10 | Align Technology, Inc. | Training method and system for oral-cavity-imaging-and-modeling equipment |
CN107405177B (en) | 2015-02-23 | 2020-11-20 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Method for manufacturing aligner by correcting tooth position |
EP3261579B1 (en) | 2015-02-23 | 2023-06-07 | Align Technology, Inc. | Primer aligner stages for lag issue resolution in low-stage clear aligner treatments |
TWI569781B (en) * | 2015-03-26 | 2017-02-11 | 洪澄祥 | Orthognathic correction device |
EP3081187B1 (en) * | 2015-03-26 | 2019-11-20 | Cheng-Hsiang Hung | Orthognathic correction device |
US11850111B2 (en) | 2015-04-24 | 2023-12-26 | Align Technology, Inc. | Comparative orthodontic treatment planning tool |
CN106073912B (en) * | 2015-04-27 | 2019-06-25 | 洪澄祥 | Chewing type Dentition correcting device |
US10492888B2 (en) | 2015-07-07 | 2019-12-03 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental materials using thermoset polymers |
US10743964B2 (en) | 2015-07-07 | 2020-08-18 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dual aligner assembly |
US11045282B2 (en) | 2015-07-07 | 2021-06-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Direct fabrication of aligners with interproximal force coupling |
US11419710B2 (en) | 2015-07-07 | 2022-08-23 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems, apparatuses and methods for substance delivery from dental appliance |
US11642194B2 (en) | 2015-07-07 | 2023-05-09 | Align Technology, Inc. | Multi-material aligners |
US20170007359A1 (en) | 2015-07-07 | 2017-01-12 | Align Technology, Inc. | Direct fabrication of orthodontic appliances with variable properties |
US10959810B2 (en) * | 2015-07-07 | 2021-03-30 | Align Technology, Inc. | Direct fabrication of aligners for palate expansion and other applications |
US10248883B2 (en) | 2015-08-20 | 2019-04-02 | Align Technology, Inc. | Photograph-based assessment of dental treatments and procedures |
US10624717B2 (en) | 2015-10-07 | 2020-04-21 | Ulab Systems Inc. | Tooth modeling system |
US11583365B2 (en) | 2015-10-07 | 2023-02-21 | uLab Systems, Inc. | System and methods for tooth movement as a flock |
US10335250B2 (en) | 2015-10-07 | 2019-07-02 | uLab Systems, Inc. | Three-dimensional printed dental appliances using lattices |
US10631953B2 (en) | 2015-10-07 | 2020-04-28 | uLab Systems, Inc. | Three-dimensional printed dental appliances using support structures |
US10548690B2 (en) | 2015-10-07 | 2020-02-04 | uLab Systems, Inc. | Orthodontic planning systems |
US10357336B2 (en) | 2015-10-07 | 2019-07-23 | uLab Systems, Inc. | Systems and methods for fabricating dental appliances or shells |
US11931222B2 (en) | 2015-11-12 | 2024-03-19 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental attachment formation structures |
US11554000B2 (en) | 2015-11-12 | 2023-01-17 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental attachment formation structure |
US11103330B2 (en) | 2015-12-09 | 2021-08-31 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental attachment placement structure |
US11596502B2 (en) | 2015-12-09 | 2023-03-07 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental attachment placement structure |
US10045835B2 (en) | 2016-02-17 | 2018-08-14 | Align Technology, Inc. | Variable direction tooth attachments |
US10383705B2 (en) | 2016-06-17 | 2019-08-20 | Align Technology, Inc. | Orthodontic appliance performance monitor |
EP3471599A4 (en) | 2016-06-17 | 2020-01-08 | Align Technology, Inc. | Intraoral appliances with sensing |
US10507087B2 (en) | 2016-07-27 | 2019-12-17 | Align Technology, Inc. | Methods and apparatuses for forming a three-dimensional volumetric model of a subject's teeth |
CN115869098A (en) | 2016-07-27 | 2023-03-31 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Intraoral scanner with dental diagnostic capability |
US10463452B2 (en) | 2016-08-24 | 2019-11-05 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method to visualize and manufacture aligner by modifying tooth position |
US20180071054A1 (en) * | 2016-09-14 | 2018-03-15 | Dang Ha | Apparatus and method for correcting orthodontic malocclusions |
AU2017332257B2 (en) | 2016-09-21 | 2020-12-10 | uLab Systems, Inc. | Combined orthodontic movement of teeth with airway development therapy |
US10952821B2 (en) | 2016-09-21 | 2021-03-23 | uLab Systems, Inc. | Combined orthodontic movement of teeth with temporomandibular joint therapy |
US10357342B2 (en) | 2016-09-21 | 2019-07-23 | uLab Systems, Inc. | Digital dental examination and documentation |
WO2018085718A2 (en) | 2016-11-04 | 2018-05-11 | Align Technology, Inc. | Methods and apparatuses for dental images |
US10350031B2 (en) * | 2016-11-21 | 2019-07-16 | James John Jasper | Method and apparatus for applying curved vector forces for orthodontic corrections |
US10993783B2 (en) | 2016-12-02 | 2021-05-04 | Align Technology, Inc. | Methods and apparatuses for customizing a rapid palatal expander |
EP3547952B1 (en) | 2016-12-02 | 2020-11-04 | Align Technology, Inc. | Palatal expander |
WO2018102702A1 (en) | 2016-12-02 | 2018-06-07 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance features for speech enhancement |
US11376101B2 (en) * | 2016-12-02 | 2022-07-05 | Align Technology, Inc. | Force control, stop mechanism, regulating structure of removable arch adjustment appliance |
US10548700B2 (en) | 2016-12-16 | 2020-02-04 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance etch template |
US11166788B2 (en) | 2016-12-19 | 2021-11-09 | Align Technology, Inc. | Aligners with enhanced gable bends |
US11071608B2 (en) | 2016-12-20 | 2021-07-27 | Align Technology, Inc. | Matching assets in 3D treatment plans |
US10456043B2 (en) | 2017-01-12 | 2019-10-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Compact confocal dental scanning apparatus |
US10779718B2 (en) | 2017-02-13 | 2020-09-22 | Align Technology, Inc. | Cheek retractor and mobile device holder |
EP4241725A3 (en) | 2017-03-20 | 2023-11-01 | Align Technology, Inc. | Generating a virtual depiction of an orthodontic treatment of a patient |
US10613515B2 (en) | 2017-03-31 | 2020-04-07 | Align Technology, Inc. | Orthodontic appliances including at least partially un-erupted teeth and method of forming them |
JP7448295B2 (en) | 2017-05-31 | 2024-03-12 | ベイ マテリアルズ エルエルシー | Double shell dental device and material composition |
US11999141B2 (en) | 2017-05-31 | 2024-06-04 | Bay Materials, Llc. | Dual shell dental appliance and material constructions |
US10870263B2 (en) | 2017-05-31 | 2020-12-22 | Bay Materials, Llc | Dual shell dental appliance and material constructions |
US11045283B2 (en) | 2017-06-09 | 2021-06-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Palatal expander with skeletal anchorage devices |
CN110769777B (en) | 2017-06-16 | 2023-08-11 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Automatic detection of tooth type and eruption status |
US10639134B2 (en) | 2017-06-26 | 2020-05-05 | Align Technology, Inc. | Biosensor performance indicator for intraoral appliances |
US11793606B2 (en) | 2017-06-30 | 2023-10-24 | Align Technology, Inc. | Devices, systems, and methods for dental arch expansion |
CN115006018A (en) | 2017-06-30 | 2022-09-06 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Computer-implemented method and system for designing and/or manufacturing an orthodontic appliance for treating or preventing temporomandibular joint dysfunction |
US10885521B2 (en) | 2017-07-17 | 2021-01-05 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and apparatuses for interactive ordering of dental aligners |
WO2019018784A1 (en) | 2017-07-21 | 2019-01-24 | Align Technology, Inc. | Palatal contour anchorage |
US11633268B2 (en) | 2017-07-27 | 2023-04-25 | Align Technology, Inc. | Tooth shading, transparency and glazing |
EP4278957A3 (en) | 2017-07-27 | 2024-01-24 | Align Technology, Inc. | System and methods for processing an orthodontic aligner by means of an optical coherence tomography |
US11116605B2 (en) | 2017-08-15 | 2021-09-14 | Align Technology, Inc. | Buccal corridor assessment and computation |
WO2019036677A1 (en) | 2017-08-17 | 2019-02-21 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance compliance monitoring |
CN110996837B (en) | 2017-08-17 | 2022-07-26 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | System, method and apparatus for correcting malocclusions |
US10813720B2 (en) | 2017-10-05 | 2020-10-27 | Align Technology, Inc. | Interproximal reduction templates |
WO2019084326A1 (en) | 2017-10-27 | 2019-05-02 | Align Technology, Inc. | Alternative bite adjustment structures |
EP3703608B1 (en) | 2017-10-31 | 2023-08-30 | Align Technology, Inc. | Determination of a dental appliance having selective occlusal loading and controlled intercuspation |
CN115252177A (en) | 2017-11-01 | 2022-11-01 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Automated therapy planning |
WO2019100022A1 (en) | 2017-11-17 | 2019-05-23 | Align Technology, Inc. | Orthodontic retainers |
US10792128B2 (en) | 2017-11-30 | 2020-10-06 | Richter Orthodontics, P.C. | Orthodontic settling retainer |
CN114948315A (en) | 2017-11-30 | 2022-08-30 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Sensor for monitoring oral appliance |
WO2019118876A1 (en) | 2017-12-15 | 2019-06-20 | Align Technology, Inc. | Closed loop adaptive orthodontic treatment methods and apparatuses |
US10980613B2 (en) | 2017-12-29 | 2021-04-20 | Align Technology, Inc. | Augmented reality enhancements for dental practitioners |
CN111655191B (en) | 2018-01-26 | 2022-04-08 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Diagnostic intraoral scanning and tracking |
CN114948303A (en) | 2018-01-26 | 2022-08-30 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Visual restorative and orthodontic treatment plan |
US11937991B2 (en) | 2018-03-27 | 2024-03-26 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental attachment placement structure |
AU2019251474A1 (en) | 2018-04-11 | 2020-10-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Releasable palatal expanders |
CA3098621A1 (en) | 2018-05-04 | 2019-11-07 | Align Technology, Inc. | Curable composition for use in a high temperature lithography-based photopolymerization process and method of producing crosslinked polymers therefrom |
DE202018102517U1 (en) * | 2018-05-07 | 2018-05-17 | Ca Digital Gmbh | Device for producing a dental splint |
US11504214B2 (en) | 2018-05-11 | 2022-11-22 | Align Technology, Inc. | Devices, systems, and computer-implemented methods for dental attachment templates |
CN108670452A (en) * | 2018-05-11 | 2018-10-19 | 杭州牙数字口腔有限公司 | The included invisible orthotic device for assisting forcing down device and auxiliary force down system |
US11026766B2 (en) | 2018-05-21 | 2021-06-08 | Align Technology, Inc. | Photo realistic rendering of smile image after treatment |
AU2019292003A1 (en) | 2018-06-29 | 2021-01-07 | Align Technology, Inc. | Providing a simulated outcome of dental treatment on a patient |
US11553988B2 (en) | 2018-06-29 | 2023-01-17 | Align Technology, Inc. | Photo of a patient with new simulated smile in an orthodontic treatment review software |
US11701203B2 (en) | 2018-06-29 | 2023-07-18 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance hook placement and visualization |
US10835349B2 (en) | 2018-07-20 | 2020-11-17 | Align Technology, Inc. | Parametric blurring of colors for teeth in generated images |
US11813138B2 (en) * | 2018-08-24 | 2023-11-14 | Memory Medical Systems, Inc. | Modular aligner devices and methods for orthodontic treatment |
US11318667B2 (en) | 2018-09-14 | 2022-05-03 | Align Technology, Inc. | Hybrid 3D printing with photo-curable materials |
US11737856B2 (en) | 2018-11-15 | 2023-08-29 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Removable dental appliance with gingival ridges |
US11478334B2 (en) | 2019-01-03 | 2022-10-25 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for nonlinear tooth modeling |
WO2020142534A1 (en) | 2019-01-03 | 2020-07-09 | Align Technology, Inc. | Automatic aligner design with robust parametric optimization method |
US11779243B2 (en) | 2019-01-07 | 2023-10-10 | Align Technology, Inc. | Customized aligner change indicator |
AU2020275774A1 (en) | 2019-05-14 | 2021-12-09 | Align Technology, Inc. | Visual presentation of gingival line generated based on 3D tooth model |
KR20220019711A (en) * | 2019-05-20 | 2022-02-17 | 앤드류 에스. 마츠 | Tooth positioning devices, systems and methods for creating and using the same |
US11602414B2 (en) | 2019-06-11 | 2023-03-14 | Align Technology, Inc. | Aligner material, cleanliness, and quality detection via aligner case |
CA3153719A1 (en) | 2019-09-16 | 2021-03-25 | Align Technology, Inc. | Durable ornamental indicia carrier |
EP4065037A1 (en) | 2019-12-09 | 2022-10-05 | Align Technology, Inc. | Occlusal block design for lateral locking |
US11723748B2 (en) | 2019-12-23 | 2023-08-15 | Align Technology, Inc. | 2D-to-3D tooth reconstruction, optimization, and positioning frameworks using a differentiable renderer |
US11622836B2 (en) | 2019-12-31 | 2023-04-11 | Align Technology, Inc. | Aligner stage analysis to obtain mechanical interactions of aligners and teeth for treatment planning |
US11851510B2 (en) | 2020-03-02 | 2023-12-26 | Align Technology, Inc. | Low viscosity photo-curable resins for the direct fabrication of orthodontic appliances |
CN115485310A (en) | 2020-03-13 | 2022-12-16 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Weak covalent crosslinking for toughness enhancement in thermosets |
US11661468B2 (en) | 2020-08-27 | 2023-05-30 | Align Technology, Inc. | Additive manufacturing using variable temperature-controlled resins |
CN116887784A (en) | 2020-12-14 | 2023-10-13 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Replacement accessory system |
CN112932701A (en) * | 2021-01-22 | 2021-06-11 | 湘南学院附属医院 | Multifunctional appliance for orthodontics |
US20220313391A1 (en) * | 2021-03-31 | 2022-10-06 | Larry J. Moray | Methods and apparatuses for orthodontic aligners with pressure areas |
US20230135019A1 (en) * | 2021-05-18 | 2023-05-04 | 1092228 B.C. Ltd | Orthodontic Aligner with Bulges |
US11992383B2 (en) | 2021-06-23 | 2024-05-28 | uLab Systems, Inc. | System for force measurement upon orthodontic appliances |
WO2022272094A1 (en) | 2021-06-24 | 2022-12-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Recovery of monomeric and oligomeric building blocks from polymeric materials |
US20240033053A1 (en) * | 2022-07-26 | 2024-02-01 | Align Technology, Inc. | Integrated tissue management solutions in orthodontic aligners |
FR3138769A1 (en) * | 2022-08-09 | 2024-02-16 | Patrice BERGEYRON | Process for manufacturing an orthodontic splint |
Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5312247A (en) * | 1992-05-21 | 1994-05-17 | Ormco Corporation | Transpalatal orthodontic appliance of superelastic or shape-memory alloy |
US5836761A (en) * | 1996-08-05 | 1998-11-17 | Big Picture, Inc. | Adjustable customized dental appliance |
Family Cites Families (122)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US401096A (en) * | 1889-04-09 | altice | ||
US2467432A (en) * | 1943-07-23 | 1949-04-19 | Harold D Kesling | Method of making orthodontic appliances and of positioning teeth |
US2643652A (en) * | 1951-04-09 | 1953-06-30 | Fred P Moffett | Mouth protector |
US3407500A (en) | 1966-05-06 | 1968-10-29 | Peter C. Kesling | Tooth positioner |
US3600608A (en) * | 1969-05-08 | 1971-08-17 | Reliance Electric Co | High speed low-offset electronic switch for analog signals |
US3660900A (en) | 1969-11-10 | 1972-05-09 | Lawrence F Andrews | Method and apparatus for improved orthodontic bracket and arch wire technique |
US3600808A (en) | 1970-01-22 | 1971-08-24 | James Jackson Reeve | Anterior root-torquing auxiliary wire |
US3682502A (en) | 1970-06-29 | 1972-08-08 | Johns Manville | Pipe coupling |
US3860803A (en) | 1970-08-24 | 1975-01-14 | Diecomp Inc | Automatic method and apparatus for fabricating progressive dies |
US3683502A (en) * | 1970-09-14 | 1972-08-15 | Melvin Wallshein | Orthodontic systems |
US3922786A (en) | 1974-01-30 | 1975-12-02 | Joseph L Lavin | Method and apparatus for forming and fitting orthodontic appliances |
US3950851A (en) | 1975-03-05 | 1976-04-20 | Bergersen Earl Olaf | Orthodontic positioner and method for improving retention of tooth alignment therewith |
US4045871A (en) * | 1976-06-16 | 1977-09-06 | Hmw Industries, Inc. | Palatal expander |
JPS5358191A (en) | 1976-11-05 | 1978-05-25 | Osamu Yoshii | Method of producing dental correction treating instrument using silicon resin material |
US4348178A (en) * | 1977-01-03 | 1982-09-07 | Kurz Craven H | Vibrational orthodontic appliance |
US4150485A (en) | 1977-09-13 | 1979-04-24 | Kidd Patrick D | Liquid paint-on dental restorative process and composition |
US4195046A (en) * | 1978-05-04 | 1980-03-25 | Kesling Peter C | Method for molding air holes into a tooth positioning and retaining appliance |
US4324547A (en) | 1978-09-16 | 1982-04-13 | Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. | Dentistry technique |
US4253828A (en) | 1979-04-09 | 1981-03-03 | Coles Donna C | Orthodontic appliance |
DE2936847A1 (en) | 1979-09-12 | 1981-03-19 | Paul Dr. 6054 Rodgau Heitlinger | METHOD FOR PRODUCING DENTAL SPARE AND DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD |
US4575805A (en) * | 1980-12-24 | 1986-03-11 | Moermann Werner H | Method and apparatus for the fabrication of custom-shaped implants |
US4368040A (en) * | 1981-06-01 | 1983-01-11 | Ipco Corporation | Dental impression tray for forming a dental prosthesis in situ |
US4370129A (en) * | 1981-06-18 | 1983-01-25 | Professional Positioners, Inc. | Tooth positioner with harder areas |
FR2525103B1 (en) * | 1982-04-14 | 1985-09-27 | Duret Francois | IMPRESSION TAKING DEVICE BY OPTICAL MEANS, PARTICULARLY FOR THE AUTOMATIC PRODUCTION OF PROSTHESES |
US4663720A (en) * | 1984-02-21 | 1987-05-05 | Francois Duret | Method of and apparatus for making a prosthesis, especially a dental prosthesis |
US4500294A (en) | 1983-10-03 | 1985-02-19 | Epic International Corporation | Method and device for detecting dental cavities |
US4505672A (en) * | 1983-11-14 | 1985-03-19 | Kurz Craven H | Two-piece gnathologic orthodontic positioner |
US4526540A (en) | 1983-12-19 | 1985-07-02 | Dellinger Eugene L | Orthodontic apparatus and method for treating malocclusion |
DE3415006A1 (en) * | 1984-04-19 | 1985-11-07 | Helge Dr. 8000 München Fischer-Brandies | DENTAL PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR BENDING AND TURNING A WIRE PIECE |
US4798534A (en) | 1984-08-03 | 1989-01-17 | Great Lakes Orthodontic Laboratories Inc. | Method of making a dental appliance |
US4609349A (en) | 1984-09-24 | 1986-09-02 | Cain Steve B | Active removable orthodontic appliance and method of straightening teeth |
US4591341A (en) | 1984-10-03 | 1986-05-27 | Andrews Lawrence F | Orthodontic positioner and method of manufacturing same |
US4664626A (en) | 1985-03-19 | 1987-05-12 | Kesling Peter C | System for automatically preventing overtipping and/or overuprighting in the begg technique |
US4763791A (en) * | 1985-06-06 | 1988-08-16 | Excel Dental Studios, Inc. | Dental impression supply kit |
DE3521782A1 (en) * | 1985-06-19 | 1987-01-02 | Mtu Muenchen Gmbh | HYBRID SHOVEL MADE OF METAL AND CERAMIC |
US4936862A (en) | 1986-05-30 | 1990-06-26 | Walker Peter S | Method of designing and manufacturing a human joint prosthesis |
CH672722A5 (en) | 1986-06-24 | 1989-12-29 | Marco Brandestini | |
CA1284040C (en) | 1986-06-26 | 1991-05-14 | Peter C. Kesling | Edgewise bracket to provide both free crown tipping and a predetermineddegree of root uprighting |
US4877398A (en) | 1987-04-16 | 1989-10-31 | Tp Orthodontics, Inc. | Bracket for permitting tipping and limiting uprighting |
US4676747A (en) | 1986-08-06 | 1987-06-30 | Tp Orthodontics, Inc. | Torquing auxiliary |
US4983334A (en) | 1986-08-28 | 1991-01-08 | Loren S. Adell | Method of making an orthodontic appliance |
US4755139A (en) | 1987-01-29 | 1988-07-05 | Great Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd. | Orthodontic anchor appliance and method for teeth positioning and method of constructing the appliance |
US4850864A (en) * | 1987-03-30 | 1989-07-25 | Diamond Michael K | Bracket placing instrument |
US4850865A (en) | 1987-04-30 | 1989-07-25 | Napolitano John R | Orthodontic method and apparatus |
US4856991A (en) | 1987-05-05 | 1989-08-15 | Great Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd. | Orthodontic finishing positioner and method of construction |
US5186623A (en) | 1987-05-05 | 1993-02-16 | Great Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd. | Orthodontic finishing positioner and method of construction |
US4836778A (en) | 1987-05-26 | 1989-06-06 | Vexcel Corporation | Mandibular motion monitoring system |
NL8702391A (en) * | 1987-10-07 | 1989-05-01 | Elephant Edelmetaal Bv | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A DENTAL CROWN FOR A TEETH PREPARATION USING A CAD-CAM SYSTEM |
US4793803A (en) | 1987-10-08 | 1988-12-27 | Martz Martin G | Removable tooth positioning appliance and method |
US4880380A (en) | 1987-10-13 | 1989-11-14 | Martz Martin G | Orthodonture appliance which may be manually installed and removed by the patient |
US4941826A (en) | 1988-06-09 | 1990-07-17 | William Loran | Apparatus for indirect dental machining |
US5100316A (en) | 1988-09-26 | 1992-03-31 | Wildman Alexander J | Orthodontic archwire shaping method |
US5055039A (en) | 1988-10-06 | 1991-10-08 | Great Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd. | Orthodontic positioner and methods of making and using same |
DE3841202A1 (en) | 1988-12-07 | 1990-06-13 | Jeckel Norbert | DEVICE FOR ORTHODAEDIC DENTAL TREATMENT |
JPH04504510A (en) * | 1989-01-24 | 1992-08-13 | ドルフィン イメージング システムス インコーポレーテッド | Method and device for creating craniometric images |
US5011405A (en) | 1989-01-24 | 1991-04-30 | Dolphin Imaging Systems | Method for determining orthodontic bracket placement |
US5121333A (en) * | 1989-06-09 | 1992-06-09 | Regents Of The University Of Minnesota | Method and apparatus for manipulating computer-based representations of objects of complex and unique geometry |
US5184306A (en) * | 1989-06-09 | 1993-02-02 | Regents Of The University Of Minnesota | Automated high-precision fabrication of objects of complex and unique geometry |
US5128870A (en) * | 1989-06-09 | 1992-07-07 | Regents Of The University Of Minnesota | Automated high-precision fabrication of objects of complex and unique geometry |
US5027281A (en) * | 1989-06-09 | 1991-06-25 | Regents Of The University Of Minnesota | Method and apparatus for scanning and recording of coordinates describing three dimensional objects of complex and unique geometry |
JPH039712U (en) | 1989-06-20 | 1991-01-30 | ||
US5139419A (en) | 1990-01-19 | 1992-08-18 | Ormco Corporation | Method of forming an orthodontic brace |
US5454717A (en) | 1990-01-19 | 1995-10-03 | Ormco Corporation | Custom orthodontic brackets and bracket forming method and apparatus |
US5447432A (en) | 1990-01-19 | 1995-09-05 | Ormco Corporation | Custom orthodontic archwire forming method and apparatus |
US5368478A (en) | 1990-01-19 | 1994-11-29 | Ormco Corporation | Method for forming jigs for custom placement of orthodontic appliances on teeth |
US5431562A (en) | 1990-01-19 | 1995-07-11 | Ormco Corporation | Method and apparatus for designing and forming a custom orthodontic appliance and for the straightening of teeth therewith |
US5474448A (en) | 1990-01-19 | 1995-12-12 | Ormco Corporation | Low profile orthodontic appliance |
US5395238A (en) | 1990-01-19 | 1995-03-07 | Ormco Corporation | Method of forming orthodontic brace |
US5533895A (en) | 1990-01-19 | 1996-07-09 | Ormco Corporation | Orthodontic appliance and group standardized brackets therefor and methods of making, assembling and using appliance to straighten teeth |
US5452219A (en) | 1990-06-11 | 1995-09-19 | Dentsply Research & Development Corp. | Method of making a tooth mold |
AU642266B2 (en) * | 1990-06-25 | 1993-10-14 | Kevin John Bourke | Method and apparatus for dental treatment |
US5340309A (en) | 1990-09-06 | 1994-08-23 | Robertson James G | Apparatus and method for recording jaw motion |
SE468198B (en) * | 1990-12-12 | 1992-11-23 | Nobelpharma Ab | PROCEDURE AND DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURE OF INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNED THREE-DIMENSIONAL BODIES USEFUL AS TENDERS, PROTESTES, ETC |
US5131844A (en) * | 1991-04-08 | 1992-07-21 | Foster-Miller, Inc. | Contact digitizer, particularly for dental applications |
US5200174A (en) * | 1991-05-06 | 1993-04-06 | Procter & Gamble | Gel stick antiperspirant composition containing 2-oxazolidinone derivative and process for making them |
US5131843A (en) * | 1991-05-06 | 1992-07-21 | Ormco Corporation | Orthodontic archwire |
US5145364A (en) | 1991-05-15 | 1992-09-08 | M-B Orthodontics, Inc. | Removable orthodontic appliance |
JP3232602B2 (en) | 1991-09-06 | 2001-11-26 | ソニー株式会社 | Euclidean circuit |
US5242304A (en) * | 1991-10-24 | 1993-09-07 | Tru-Tain, Inc. | Dental appliance including surface-mounted undercuts and method of manufacture |
US5516812A (en) * | 1992-03-31 | 1996-05-14 | Loctite Corporation | UV-moisture dual cure silicone conformal coating compositions with improved surface tack |
US5273429A (en) | 1992-04-03 | 1993-12-28 | Foster-Miller, Inc. | Method and apparatus for modeling a dental prosthesis |
US5384862A (en) * | 1992-05-29 | 1995-01-24 | Cimpiter Corporation | Radiographic image evaluation apparatus and method |
FR2693096B1 (en) | 1992-07-06 | 1994-09-23 | Deshayes Marie Josephe | Process for modeling the cranial and facial morphology from an x-ray of the skull. |
AU5598894A (en) | 1992-11-09 | 1994-06-08 | Ormco Corporation | Custom orthodontic appliance forming method and apparatus |
US5542842A (en) | 1992-11-09 | 1996-08-06 | Ormco Corporation | Bracket placement jig assembly and method of placing orthodontic brackets on teeth therewith |
US5456600A (en) | 1992-11-09 | 1995-10-10 | Ormco Corporation | Coordinated orthodontic archwires and method of making same |
US5904479A (en) * | 1992-11-12 | 1999-05-18 | Staples; Jeffrey J. | Orthodontic palate expander apparatus |
US5379478A (en) * | 1992-12-18 | 1995-01-10 | Quickie Manufacturing Corporation | Swivel joint assembly for a dust mop |
US5528735A (en) | 1993-03-23 | 1996-06-18 | Silicon Graphics Inc. | Method and apparatus for displaying data within a three-dimensional information landscape |
CN1054737C (en) | 1993-07-12 | 2000-07-26 | 欧索-泰公司 | A multi-racial preformed orthodontic treatment appliance |
SE501410C2 (en) * | 1993-07-12 | 1995-02-06 | Nobelpharma Ab | Method and apparatus in connection with the manufacture of tooth, bridge, etc. |
SE501411C2 (en) | 1993-07-12 | 1995-02-06 | Nobelpharma Ab | Method and apparatus for three-dimensional body useful in the human body |
US5382164A (en) | 1993-07-27 | 1995-01-17 | Stern; Sylvan S. | Method for making dental restorations and the dental restoration made thereby |
US5338198A (en) | 1993-11-22 | 1994-08-16 | Dacim Laboratory Inc. | Dental modeling simulator |
SE502427C2 (en) | 1994-02-18 | 1995-10-16 | Nobelpharma Ab | Method and device utilizing articulator and computer equipment |
US5880961A (en) | 1994-08-02 | 1999-03-09 | Crump; Craig D. | Appararus and method for creating three-dimensional modeling data from an object |
US5538168A (en) * | 1994-09-16 | 1996-07-23 | Valley Industries | Swing-out spare tire assembly |
US5549476A (en) | 1995-03-27 | 1996-08-27 | Stern; Sylvan S. | Method for making dental restorations and the dental restoration made thereby |
JP3672966B2 (en) | 1995-04-14 | 2005-07-20 | 株式会社ユニスン | Method and apparatus for creating dental prediction model |
US5645421A (en) | 1995-04-28 | 1997-07-08 | Great Lakes Orthodontics Ltd. | Orthodontic appliance debonder |
US5683244A (en) * | 1995-07-10 | 1997-11-04 | Truax; Lloyd H. | Dental appliance to correct malocclusion |
US5655653A (en) * | 1995-07-11 | 1997-08-12 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Pouch for orthodontic appliance |
US5536169A (en) * | 1995-08-07 | 1996-07-16 | Pro-Orthoappliance Corporation | Full arch spring orthodontic retainer |
US5607300A (en) | 1995-11-14 | 1997-03-04 | Tepper; Harry W. | Removable resilient orthodontic retainer |
US6080450A (en) * | 1996-02-23 | 2000-06-27 | Dymax Corporation | Composition exhibiting improved fluorescent response |
US5725376A (en) | 1996-02-27 | 1998-03-10 | Poirier; Michel | Methods for manufacturing a dental implant drill guide and a dental implant superstructure |
US5692894A (en) | 1996-04-08 | 1997-12-02 | Raintree Essix, Inc. | Thermoformed plastic dental retainer and method of construction |
US5725378A (en) | 1996-08-16 | 1998-03-10 | Wang; Hong-Chi | Artificial tooth assembly |
JPH1075963A (en) | 1996-09-06 | 1998-03-24 | Nikon Corp | Method for designing dental prosthetic appliance model and medium recording program for executing the method |
JP2824424B2 (en) | 1996-11-07 | 1998-11-11 | 株式会社エフ・エーラボ | 3D machining method |
US6217334B1 (en) | 1997-01-28 | 2001-04-17 | Iris Development Corporation | Dental scanning method and apparatus |
US5957686A (en) | 1997-04-29 | 1999-09-28 | Anthony; Wayne L. | Incisor block |
US5879158A (en) | 1997-05-20 | 1999-03-09 | Doyle; Walter A. | Orthodontic bracketing system and method therefor |
US5866058A (en) | 1997-05-29 | 1999-02-02 | Stratasys Inc. | Method for rapid prototyping of solid models |
US5975893A (en) | 1997-06-20 | 1999-11-02 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method and system for incrementally moving teeth |
US6183248B1 (en) | 1998-11-30 | 2001-02-06 | Muhammad Chishti | System and method for releasing tooth positioning appliances |
US5951291A (en) | 1997-08-15 | 1999-09-14 | Bukk, Inc. | Cosmetic accessory device for teeth |
US5971754A (en) | 1998-07-30 | 1999-10-26 | Sondhi; Anoop | Indirect bonding method and adhesive for orthodontic treatment |
US5964587A (en) | 1998-09-16 | 1999-10-12 | Sato; Mikio | Bite control point and a method to form a projection on tooth surface |
US6123544A (en) | 1998-12-18 | 2000-09-26 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Method and apparatus for precise bond placement of orthodontic appliances |
US6190165B1 (en) | 1999-03-23 | 2001-02-20 | Ormco Corporation | Plastic orthodontic appliance having mechanical bonding base and method of making same |
US6524101B1 (en) * | 2000-04-25 | 2003-02-25 | Align Technology, Inc. | System and methods for varying elastic modulus appliances |
-
2000
- 2000-07-14 US US09/616,222 patent/US6572372B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
2003
- 2003-04-07 US US10/409,409 patent/US20030190576A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2004
- 2004-03-09 US US10/797,215 patent/US20040170941A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2007
- 2007-07-27 US US11/829,702 patent/US20080020337A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5312247A (en) * | 1992-05-21 | 1994-05-17 | Ormco Corporation | Transpalatal orthodontic appliance of superelastic or shape-memory alloy |
US5836761A (en) * | 1996-08-05 | 1998-11-17 | Big Picture, Inc. | Adjustable customized dental appliance |
Cited By (64)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP3653163A1 (en) * | 2008-05-23 | 2020-05-20 | Align Technology, Inc. | Method for planning of series of dental positioning appliances |
US8356993B1 (en) * | 2009-07-06 | 2013-01-22 | Marston Blake E | Orthodontic appliance system |
US8491305B2 (en) | 2009-11-05 | 2013-07-23 | Yan Pogorelsky | System and method for aligning teeth |
US20110104639A1 (en) * | 2009-11-05 | 2011-05-05 | Yan Pogorelsky | System and method for aligning teeth |
US20110236849A1 (en) * | 2009-11-05 | 2011-09-29 | Yan Pogorelsky | System and method for incrementally moving teeth |
US20110104640A1 (en) * | 2009-11-05 | 2011-05-05 | Yan Pogorelsky | System and method for aligning teeth |
US8419430B2 (en) | 2009-11-05 | 2013-04-16 | Yan Pogorelsky | System and method for incrementally moving teeth |
US20230200939A1 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2023-06-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Protruding aligner hooks |
US10271923B2 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2019-04-30 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reinforced aligner hooks |
US11890159B2 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2024-02-06 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reinforced aligner hooks |
US20160074137A1 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2016-03-17 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reinforced aligner hooks |
US20220378550A1 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2022-12-01 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reinforced aligner hooks |
US20210145545A1 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2021-05-20 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reinforced aligner hooks |
US11471250B2 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2022-10-18 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reinforced aligner hooks |
US11890160B2 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2024-02-06 | Align Technology, Inc. | Protruding aligner hooks |
US20230200940A1 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2023-06-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for fabrication of orthodontic aligners |
US10912627B2 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2021-02-09 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reinforced aligner hooks |
US11998418B2 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2024-06-04 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reinforced aligner hooks |
US20210361388A1 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2021-11-25 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reinforced aligner hooks |
US20190321134A1 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2019-10-24 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reinforced aligner hooks |
US10729515B2 (en) | 2010-04-30 | 2020-08-04 | Align Technology, Inc. | Reinforced aligner hooks |
US11896457B2 (en) * | 2010-04-30 | 2024-02-13 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for fabrication of orthodontic aligners |
US20120261638A1 (en) * | 2011-04-13 | 2012-10-18 | Micron Technology, Inc. | Vertical memory cell for high-density memory |
US20130089828A1 (en) * | 2011-10-10 | 2013-04-11 | Align Technology, Inc. | Automatic placement of precision cuts |
US11389272B2 (en) | 2011-10-10 | 2022-07-19 | Align Technology, Inc. | Orthodonitic appliance with precision cutout |
US8641414B2 (en) * | 2011-10-10 | 2014-02-04 | Align Technology, Inc. | Automatic placement of precision cuts |
US10136964B2 (en) | 2011-10-10 | 2018-11-27 | Align Technology, Inc. | Automatic placement of precision cuts |
US9433477B2 (en) | 2011-10-10 | 2016-09-06 | Align Technology, Inc. | Automatic placement of precision cuts |
US20160000527A1 (en) * | 2011-12-15 | 2016-01-07 | Airton Arruda | Apparatus for orthodontic aligner tray retention |
US11154384B2 (en) | 2012-05-14 | 2021-10-26 | Align Technology, Inc. | Multilayer dental appliances and related methods and systems |
US11576753B2 (en) | 2012-05-14 | 2023-02-14 | Align Technology, Inc. | Multilayer dental appliances and related methods and systems |
US10973613B2 (en) | 2012-05-14 | 2021-04-13 | Align Technology, Inc. | Multilayer dental appliances and related methods and systems |
US11213369B2 (en) | 2012-05-14 | 2022-01-04 | Align Technology, Inc. | Multilayer polymer sheets |
US10537406B2 (en) | 2014-02-21 | 2020-01-21 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance with repositioning jaw elements |
US11660167B2 (en) | 2014-02-21 | 2023-05-30 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance with repositioning jaw elements |
US11744676B2 (en) * | 2014-02-21 | 2023-09-05 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliances with repositioning jaw elements |
US20230346518A1 (en) * | 2014-02-21 | 2023-11-02 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliances with repositioning jaw elements |
US20210236242A1 (en) * | 2014-02-21 | 2021-08-05 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliances with repositioning jaw elements |
US11633261B2 (en) | 2014-02-21 | 2023-04-25 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliance with repositioning jaw elements |
US10912629B2 (en) * | 2014-02-21 | 2021-02-09 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliances with repositioning jaw elements |
US20160106521A1 (en) * | 2014-02-21 | 2016-04-21 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliances with repositioning jaw elements |
US20170209238A9 (en) * | 2014-02-21 | 2017-07-27 | Align Technology, Inc. | Dental appliances with repositioning jaw elements |
CN111772834A (en) * | 2014-03-21 | 2020-10-16 | 阿莱恩技术有限公司 | Segmented orthodontic appliances with elastics |
AU2016321226B2 (en) * | 2015-09-08 | 2021-08-12 | Andrew S. MARTZ | Tooth-positioning appliance, systems and methods of producing and using the same |
EP3346941B1 (en) * | 2015-09-08 | 2021-08-04 | Martz, Martin, G. | Tooth-positioning appliance and method of producing an orthodontic appliance system |
WO2017044631A1 (en) | 2015-09-08 | 2017-03-16 | Martz Martin G | Tooth-positioning appliance, systems and methods of producing and using the same |
US11298210B2 (en) | 2015-10-09 | 2022-04-12 | John H. Khouri | Orthodontic assembly |
US20180140385A1 (en) * | 2016-11-21 | 2018-05-24 | James John Jasper | Orthodontic Vector Force Application Apparatus |
US11351012B2 (en) * | 2016-12-16 | 2022-06-07 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Orthodontic bracket footing |
EP3691562A4 (en) * | 2017-10-06 | 2021-06-09 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Orthodontic palatal expander including split beams |
US11173015B2 (en) | 2017-10-06 | 2021-11-16 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Removable dental appliance including spring member |
US11517401B2 (en) | 2017-10-06 | 2022-12-06 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Removable dental appliance including spring bellows |
WO2019069163A1 (en) * | 2017-10-06 | 2019-04-11 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Orthodontic palatal expander including split beams |
US11446117B2 (en) | 2017-10-06 | 2022-09-20 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Removable dental appliance including positioning member |
US11395718B2 (en) | 2017-10-06 | 2022-07-26 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Removable dental appliance including jumpers |
US11058516B2 (en) | 2017-10-06 | 2021-07-13 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Orthodontic palatal expander including split beams |
US11737857B2 (en) | 2017-11-01 | 2023-08-29 | Align Technology, Inc. | Systems and methods for correcting malocclusions of teeth |
US20200107907A1 (en) * | 2018-10-03 | 2020-04-09 | Yun-Wen Deng | Orthodontic brace |
US11771527B2 (en) | 2019-02-20 | 2023-10-03 | Sdc U.S. Smilepay Spv | Limited wear aligner and treatment methods |
DE102019128048A1 (en) * | 2019-10-17 | 2021-04-22 | Werner Baudisch | Orthodontic appliance |
WO2021073858A1 (en) | 2019-10-17 | 2021-04-22 | Werner Baudisch | Orthodontic device |
WO2023014457A1 (en) * | 2021-08-03 | 2023-02-09 | Ortho-Tain, Inc. | Overlapping canines and laterals dentition appliance |
US12023219B2 (en) | 2021-11-09 | 2024-07-02 | Solventum Intellectual Properties Company | Removable dental appliance including spring member |
US11478336B1 (en) | 2021-11-15 | 2022-10-25 | Sympal, Inc. | Orthodontic appliances |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20040170941A1 (en) | 2004-09-02 |
US20030190576A1 (en) | 2003-10-09 |
US6572372B1 (en) | 2003-06-03 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US6572372B1 (en) | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance | |
EP1286627B1 (en) | Embedded features of a dental appliance | |
US20070231765A1 (en) | Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance | |
US20040009449A1 (en) | Removable expansion appliance | |
EP3141209B1 (en) | Active attachments for interactions with a polymeric shell dental appliance | |
AU2003270813B2 (en) | Dental appliances for treating malocclusions | |
EP0548473B1 (en) | Orthodontic device for expansion of arches with imbedded wire | |
CN110063801B (en) | Invisible appliance | |
US7018203B2 (en) | Mandibular advancer and method of installing the same | |
EP1323393A1 (en) | Mouthpiece for orthodontic treatment and device for orthodontic treatment using the mouthpiece | |
JP2011517603A (en) | Lingual orthodontic appliance with removable part | |
EP2814417A1 (en) | Shell aligners that accommodate incremental and continuous tooth movement with brackets, systems and methods | |
US20140170585A1 (en) | Orthodontic Appliance Anchoring Method and Apparatus | |
Gorman | Treatment of adults with lingual orthodontic appliances | |
US5697781A (en) | Functional regulating device and method for treating malocclusion | |
US3293747A (en) | Muscle anchorage appliance | |
CN114145864A (en) | Multidimensional traction type personalized correction device for embedded teeth | |
JPH01160546A (en) | Muscle expanding bamper | |
Isaacson et al. | Closing anterior open bites: the extrusion arch | |
McNally et al. | Orthodontic retention: why when and how? | |
Papadopoulos | Non-compliance approaches for management of Class II malocclusion | |
Nanda et al. | Orthodontic space closure | |
US20070298365A1 (en) | Anchorage preparing buccal tube | |
CN219846879U (en) | Device for integrally and remotely moving posterior dentition by lingual push rod | |
RU207098U1 (en) | The design of the occlusal splint attachment for the treatment of pathologies of the temporomandibular joint |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |