Efficient data representation of teeth model
Granted: March 10, 2005
Application Number:
20050055118
A computer-implemented method generates a computer model of one or more teeth by receiving as input a digital data set of meshes representing the teeth; selecting a curved coordinate system with mappings to and from a 3D space; and generating a function in the curved coordinate system to represent each tooth.
Systems and methods for treatment analysis by teeth matching
Granted: March 3, 2005
Application Number:
20050048432
Systems and methods are disclosed for matching computer models of two sets of teeth each having corresponding matching regions includes calculating a difference for two sets of teeth shapes; finding the position of one set of teeth with respect to the other set of teeth; calculating a positional difference of the corresponding teeth based on the matching regions; and finding a corrective path to bring one set of teeth to the other set of teeth.
Methods and systems for treating teeth
Granted: February 3, 2005
Application Number:
20050026102
A system for repositioning teeth comprises a plurality of individual appliances used with braces. The appliances are configured to be placed successively on the patient's teeth and to incrementally reposition the teeth from an initial tooth arrangement, through a plurality of intermediate tooth arrangements, and to a final tooth arrangement. The appliances may be substituted with braces as appropriate to optimize the treatment of the teeth.
Systems and methods for positioning teeth
Granted: January 27, 2005
Application Number:
20050019721
A computer-implemented method treats teeth by generating a digital arrangement of teeth; specifying a sequence of tooth movements to move the teeth to a target arrangement; and generating one or more appliances in accordance with the specified sequence of tooth movements, the appliances comprise polymeric shells having cavities and wherein the cavities of successive shells have different geometries shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth from one arrangement to a successive…
Dental appliance sequence ordering system and method
Granted: January 6, 2005
Application Number:
20050003319
The present invention provides systems and methods for providing dental appliances, particularly orthodontic appliances, to a patient wherein the patient is easily able to determine the order or sequence in which the appliances should be worn. Typically the appliances are to be worn in a particular sequence to provide desired treatment, such as a progressive movement of teeth through a variety of arrangements to a final desired arrangement.
Systems and methods for fabricating a dental template
Granted: December 16, 2004
Application Number:
20040253562
A dental template to position an object on a patient's tooth includes digitizing the patient's tooth; adding virtual objects to predetermined three-dimensional positions on the digitized tooth; and fabricating the dental template to locate the object at the predetermined 3D position on the patient's tooth. The template can be used for etching or for positioning brackets on teeth.
Systems and methods for providing mass customization
Granted: December 2, 2004
Application Number:
20040243361
A method for mass-customizing a product by fitting a first object by generating a virtual model of the first object, altering the virtual model to generate a transformed virtual model, and generating a second physical object from the transformed virtual model.
Systems and methods for fabricating a dental template with a 3-D object placement
Granted: November 18, 2004
Application Number:
20040229185
A dental template to position an object on a patient's tooth includes digitizing the patient's tooth; adding virtual objects to predetermined three-dimensional positions on the digitized tooth; and fabricating the dental template to locate the object at the predetermined 3D position on the patient's tooth. The template can be used for etching or for positioning brackets on teeth.
System and method for releasing tooth positioning appliances
Granted: October 21, 2004
Application Number:
20040209218
An improved dental appliance system, and methods for using and fabricating the improved appliance, including a polymeric overlay or shell having a teeth-receiving cavity formed therein. The dental appliance having the necessary stiffness or strength to firmly secure the appliance on the teeth and provide controlled forces required for repositioning the teeth, until such time as removal of the appliance is desired. The appliance may be configured for use with a removal mechanism. The…
Method and kits for forming pontics in polymeric shell aligners
Granted: October 14, 2004
Application Number:
20040202983
Systems and methods are disclosed for forming a pontic in a polymeric shell dental appliance, including providing a polymeric shell dental appliance of the type which is removably placeable over a patient's dentition, said shell having a concave trough which conforms to the teeth when the appliance is placed over the dentition and a location in the trough corresponding to a missing tooth; and depositing a flexible, durably affixed material in the location to form the pontic.
System and method for positioning teeth
Granted: September 30, 2004
Application Number:
20040191719
A method to create a digital model of a patient's teeth includes creating an impression of the patient's teeth; and scanning the impression using an X-ray source to generate the digital model.
Modified tooth positioning appliances and methods and systems for their manufacture
Granted: September 30, 2004
Application Number:
20040191728
The present invention provides improved devices, systems and methods for producing dental molds, each having portions representing a patient's oral soft tissue and a desired tooth configuration. These molds are designed for use in the fabrication of appliances used in orthodontic treatment, particularly, elastic repositioning appliances. However, they may also be used in the fabrication of traditional appliances, such as retainers and positioners, used, for example in the final or…
Subdividing a digital dentition model
Granted: September 9, 2004
Application Number:
20040175671
A computer or other digital circuitry is used to assist in the creation of a digital model of an individual component, such as a tooth or gum tissue, in a patient's dentition. The computer receives a data set that forms a three-dimensional (3D) representation of the patient's dentition, applies a test to the data set to identify data elements that represent portions of the individual component, and creates a digital model of the individual component based upon the identified data…
Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance
Granted: September 2, 2004
Application Number:
20040170941
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…
System and method for positioning teeth
Granted: September 2, 2004
Application Number:
20040170943
Methods and apparatus fit a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system by generating a computer representation of the masticatory system and computing an occlusion based on interactions in the computer representation of the masticatory system.
Method and system for incrementally moving teeth
Granted: August 26, 2004
Application Number:
20040166456
A system for repositioning teeth comprises a plurality of individual appliances. The appliances are configured to be placed successively on the patient's teeth and to incrementally reposition the teeth from an initial tooth arrangement, through a plurality of intermediate tooth arrangements, and to a final tooth arrangement. The system of appliances is usually configured at the outset of treatment so that the patient may progress through treatment without the need to have the treating…
Systems and methods for fabricating a dental template
Granted: August 26, 2004
Application Number:
20040166462
A dental template to position an object on a patient's tooth includes digitizing the patient's tooth; adding virtual objects to predetermined locations on the digitized tooth; and fabricating the dental template to locate the object on the patient's tooth. The template can be used for etching or for positioning brackets on teeth.
Systems and methods for combination treatments of dental patients
Granted: August 26, 2004
Application Number:
20040166463
Systems and methods for fabricating a dental template to position an object on a patient's tooth to move the tooth from an initial position to a target position are disclosed. The system digitizes a model of the patient's tooth at the initial position; places an object on the tooth model at the target position; determines the position of the object at the initial position; and fabricates the dental template to locate the object on the patient's tooth.
Methods for correcting deviations in preplanned tooth rearrangements
Granted: July 22, 2004
Application Number:
20040142299
Orthodontic treatment is achieved using a series of successive, removable repositioning appliances, such as thin polymeric shell appliances referred to as aligners. A set of aligners is originally provided to the patient. If the patient's treatment goes off course using the original set of aligners, further aligners are designed and fabricated to move the deviant tooth arrangement back to a target tooth arrangement which was part of the original treatment program.
Tooth path treatment plan
Granted: July 15, 2004
Application Number:
20040137400
Systems and methods are disclosed to prepare a malocclusion treatment plan by selecting a tooth treatment pattern from a library of predetermined tooth treatment patterns; and generating the malocclusion treatment plan implementing the selected tooth treatment pattern.
