Systems and methods for automated bite-setting of tooth models
Granted: December 25, 2003
Application Number:
20030235803
A method to bite set a dental model includes: scanning upper and lower arches of the dental model; scanning the upper and lower arches in their bite position; and aligning the upper and lower arches..
System and method for producing tooth movement
Granted: November 27, 2003
Application Number:
20030219691
The present invention provides methods and systems of repositioning teeth for use in orthodontic treatment, with particular applicability to removable elastic repositioning appliances. Such appliances may be challenged by traditional tooth movements which intrude the crown of the tooth or present tooth positions which reduce available points of purchase. These challenges may be overcome with a series of tooth movements in which a tooth is translated in a “root-first”…
Methods and systems for concurrent tooth repositioning and substance delivery
Granted: November 13, 2003
Application Number:
20030211440
The present invention provides devices, systems and methods for orthodontic treatment using elastic repositioning appliances while concurrently providing dental and periodontal therapies. Such therapies are traditionally provided with the use of a variety of accessories and devices which are applied when the repositioning appliance is removed from the patient's mouth. The present invention eliminates the need for such removal and additional devices by incorporating these therapies into…
Systems and methods for treating patients
Granted: November 6, 2003
Application Number:
20030207227
Systems and methods for treating a patient at a treatment provider's office include digitally scanning the patient at the treatment provider's office and generating at the treatment provider's office one or more appliances to treat the patient.
Manipulable dental model system for fabrication of a dental appliance
Granted: October 30, 2003
Application Number:
20030203334
A dental appliance fabrication system includes a reconfigurable dental model including a frame having one or more tooth members disposed on the frame; and one or more micro-positioners each coupled to one tooth member to move the tooth in six degrees of freedom relative to the frame.
Systems and methods for improved engagement between aligners and teeth
Granted: October 23, 2003
Application Number:
20030198911
A system and method for repositioning teeth in a patient jaw includes an attachment bonded to a tooth. The attachment has at least one force receiving component for receiving a force. A polymeric shell repositioning appliance is positioned over at least some of the teeth in the patient jaw. The polymeric shell has at least one force transmitting component for engaging the force receiving component to form a locus of engagement. The locus of engagement transmits the force and moves but is…
Methods and systems for modeling bite registration
Granted: October 23, 2003
Application Number:
20030198917
The present invention provides methods and devices for determining an axis of upper and lower jaw articulation of a patient and modeling jaw movement about such an axis, particularly with the use of computerized visual images. The methods comprise providing digital data sets of tooth and bite configuration information which may be used to determine an estimated condylar axis of rotation for a patient. A number of data sets may be acquired and utilized for such estimations. Data sets may…
Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance
Granted: October 9, 2003
Application Number:
20030190576
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 releasing tooth positioning appliances
Granted: October 2, 2003
Application Number:
20030186184
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…
Efficient data representation of teeth model
Granted: July 24, 2003
Application Number:
20030139834
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.
System for determining final position of teeth
Granted: April 3, 2003
Application Number:
20030064345
An apparatus and method define a fit a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system of a patient by generating a computer representation of the masticatory system of the patient; and determining an occlusion from the computer representation of the masticatory system using one or more keys.
Methods for correcting tooth movements midcourse in treatment
Granted: March 13, 2003
Application Number:
20030049584
Appliances are made using a dental mold representing a patient's dental configuration. In particular, thermoformable plastic positioning appliances which fit over the patient's teeth may be formed over a three-dimensional mold of the patient's dentition. An apparatus and methods which employ a manipulable or reconfigurable mold to model patient dentition and gingiva at each stage of treatment. The apparatus and methods are particularly useful for performing midcourse corrections during…
Manipulating a digital dentition model to form models of individual dentition components
Granted: February 27, 2003
Application Number:
20030039389
A programmed computer is used to create a digital model of an individual component of a patient's dentition. The computer obtains a 3D digital mode of the patient's dentition, identifies points in the dentition model that lie on an inter-proximal margin between adjacent teeth in the patient's dentition, and uses the identified points to create a cutting surface that separates portions of the dentition model representing the adjacent teeth.
Methods for correcting deviations in preplanned tooth rearrangements
Granted: February 27, 2003
Application Number:
20030039940
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.
Digitally modeling the deformation of gingival tissue during orthodontic treatment
Granted: February 27, 2003
Application Number:
20030039941
A computer obtains a digital model of a patient's dentition, including a dental model representing the patient's teeth at a set of initial positions and a gingival model representing gum tissue surrounding the teeth. The computer then derives from the digital model an expected deformation of the gum tissue as the teeth move from the initial positions to another set of positions.
Dental decals and method of application
Granted: January 9, 2003
Application Number:
20030008259
A system for repositioning teeth includes a plurality of individual appliances. The system can be esthetically enhanced with one or more dental decorations attached to the surface of each appliance.
Efficient data representation of teeth model
Granted: January 9, 2003
Application Number:
20030009252
A computer-implemented method for generating a computer model of one or more teeth by receiving a digital data set of meshes representing the teeth; creating a parametric representation of the digital data set; and displaying the computer model of the teeth using the parametric representation.
Defining tooth-moving appliances computationally
Granted: January 2, 2003
Application Number:
20030003416
Methods and corresponding apparatus for segmenting an orthodontic treatment path into clinically appropriate substeps for repositioning the teeth of a patient include providing a digital finite element model of the shape and material of each of a sequence of appliances to be applied to a patient; providing a digital finite element model of the teeth and related mouth tissue of the patient; computing the actual effect of the appliances on the teeth by analyzing the finite elements models…
Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance
Granted: December 19, 2002
Application Number:
20020192617
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…
Systems and methods for varying elastic modulus appliances
Granted: December 12, 2002
Application Number:
20020187451
The present invention provides improved devices, systems and methods for repositioning teeth from an initial tooth arrangement to a final tooth arrangement. Repositioning is accomplished with a system comprising a series of polymeric shell appliances configured to receive the teeth and incrementally reposition individual teeth in a series of successive steps. The individual appliances may be formed from layers having different stiffnesses (elastic moduluses), and the stiffnesses of…
