Aligner image based quality control system
Granted: September 22, 2020
Patent Number:
10783629
A method for inspecting a customized orthodontic aligner for manufacturing defects, the customized orthodontic aligner customized for a specific arch of a specific patient and a specific stage of orthodontic treatment, the method including obtaining images of the customized orthodontic aligner; identifying an identifier of the customized orthodontic aligner, determining a digital file based on the identifier, the digital file associated with the customized orthodontic aligner including a…
Polymerizable monomers and method of polymerizing the same
Granted: September 22, 2020
Patent Number:
10781275
Provided herein are photopolymerizable monomers, optionally for use as reactive diluents in a high temperature lithography-based photopolymerization process, a method of producing polymers using said photopolymerizable monomers, the polymers thus produced, and orthodontic appliances comprising the polymers.
Polymerizable monomers and method of polymerizing the same
Granted: September 22, 2020
Patent Number:
10781274
Provided herein are photopolymerizable monomers, optionally for use as reactive diluents in a high temperature lithography-based photopolymerization process, a method of producing polymers using said photopolymerizable monomers, the polymers thus produced, and orthodontic appliances comprising the polymers.
System for post-processing orthodontic appliance molds
Granted: September 22, 2020
Patent Number:
10779915
A system and method for post-processing of polymeric items having a liquid component and a predetermined heat deflection temperature is provided. The system includes a washing station to spray water at elevated temperature and pressure on the items while maintaining the temperature of the item below the heat deflection temperature. Then using a water distillation system to separate the water from the water mixed with the liquid polymer component by evaporating the water using heating…
Laser cutting
Granted: September 15, 2020
Patent Number:
10773337
Laser cutting systems and methods are described herein. One or more systems include a laser generating component, an optical component, a fixture for holding a support with a part positioned on the support, and a control mechanism for adjusting at least one of the laser generating component, the optical component, and the fixture such that a ratio of a laser energy applied to the part and a part material thickness is maintained within a predetermined acceptable range at each point along…
Dental materials using thermoset polymers
Granted: September 15, 2020
Patent Number:
10772707
Provided herein are crosslinked polymers useful in orthodontic appliances and light polymerizable liquid compositions and formulations useful for making crosslinked polymers. Also provided are methods of making an orthodontic appliance comprising a cross-linked polymer formed by a direct fabrication technique.
Apparatus for dental confocal imaging
Granted: September 15, 2020
Patent Number:
10772506
An apparatus for dental confocal imaging comprises an illumination module for generating an array of light beams, an optics system for confocal focusing of the array of light beams and a probe head with a light-guiding part having an entrance face and an exit face. The illumination module, the optics system and the probe head are arranged such that the array of light beams from the illumination module passes through the optics system, enters the light-guiding part via the entrance face…
System and method for sorting items
Granted: September 8, 2020
Patent Number:
10766055
A system and associated method is provided for sorting parts, which includes a conveyor system for receiving and circulating a plurality of randomly presented parts, a sorting buffer for accumulating selected parts from the plurality of randomly presented parts in an assigned buffer location, and a sequencing system for sequencing the accumulated selected parts.
Orthodontic appliances with elastics
Granted: September 1, 2020
Patent Number:
10758323
Improved orthodontic appliances, along with related systems and methods, are provided. In one aspect, an appliance includes a shell having a plurality of cavities shaped to receive teeth, and a discontinuity formed in the shell. The appliance also includes an elastic member having a first portion directly coupled to the shell at a first attachment point and a second portion directly coupled to the shell at a second attachment point. The elastic member can be positioned to interact with…
Method and apparatus for imaging a three-dimensional structure
Granted: September 1, 2020
Patent Number:
10764557
A method for determining surface characteristics of an intraoral structure may include illuminating an intraoral structure with light of a first light source passing through focusing optics and capturing depth image data during the illumination with the first light source of light from the intraoral structure passing through the focusing optics. The method may also include illuminating the intraoral structure with a second light source and capturing two-dimensional image data during the…
Virtually representing an orthodontic treatment outcome using automated detection of facial and dental reference objects
Granted: September 1, 2020
Patent Number:
10758322
A computer-implemented method for virtually representing an orthodontic treatment outcome using automated detection of facial and dental reference objects is disclosed herein. The computer-implemented method may involve modeling initial positions of an orthodontic patient's teeth in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual model and determining the effect of application of various force systems applied through an orthodontic treatment plan on the patient's teeth. Images of the patient's face may…
Smile designer
Granted: September 1, 2020
Patent Number:
10758321
Various methods and systems for designing a restored smile are provided. One method includes receiving scan data of a patient's teeth, developing a digital model of the patient's teeth via a computing device, where the model represents the patient's teeth based upon the scan data, creating a dental treatment plan to restore one or more teeth from an initial condition to a successive condition, and wherein a final condition of the one or more is based on the one or more teeth having at…
VCSEL based low coherence emitter for confocal 3D scanner
Granted: August 25, 2020
Patent Number:
10756511
Methods and apparatus for measuring objects comprise a plurality of light sources to generate a plurality of light beams directed toward a spot generator array comprising a plurality of spot generating lenses. The plurality of light sources is separated from the spot generator array with a separation distance sufficient to overlap the plurality of light beams at each of the spot generating lenses. The overlap of each of the beams at each of the spot generating lenses provides smoothing…
Method and apparatus for structure imaging a three-dimensional structure
Granted: August 18, 2020
Patent Number:
10750152
A system for determining the surface topology and associated color of at least a portion of a three-dimensional structure includes a hand-held device. A scanning system may be configured to provide depth data of the portion. An imaging system may be configured to provide two-dimensional color image data of the portion associated with the plurality of data points. A processor may be operably coupled to the hand-held device and configured to associate the depth data with the color image…
Method and apparatus for colour imaging a three-dimensional structure
Granted: August 18, 2020
Patent Number:
10750151
A device for determining the surface topology and associated color of a structure, such as a teeth segment, includes a scanner for providing depth data for points along a two-dimensional array substantially orthogonal to the depth direction, and an image acquisition means for providing color data for each of the points of the array, while the spatial disposition of the device with respect to the structure is maintained substantially unchanged. A processor combines the color data and…
Confocal surface topography measurement with fixed focal positions
Granted: August 18, 2020
Patent Number:
10746540
An apparatus is described for measuring surface topography of a three-dimensional structure. In many embodiments, the apparatus is configured to focus each of a plurality of light beams to a respective fixed focal position relative to the apparatus. The apparatus measures a characteristic of each of a plurality of returned light beams that are generated by illuminating the three-dimensional structure with the light beams. The characteristic is measured for a plurality of different…
Apparatus and method for measuring surface topography optically
Granted: August 18, 2020
Patent Number:
10743967
An apparatus is described for determining surface topography of a three-dimensional structure. The apparatus can include a probe and an illumination unit configured to output a plurality of light beams. In many embodiments, the apparatus includes a light focusing assembly. The light focusing assembly can receive and focus each of a plurality of light beams to a respective external focal point. The light focusing assembly can be configured to overlap the plurality of light beams within a…
Dual aligner assembly
Granted: August 18, 2020
Patent Number:
10743964
A dual aligner assembly including a plurality of aligners, including a first aligner and a second aligner. The first aligner has a first shape corresponding to a set of target tooth positions and applies an orthodontic force against a set of target teeth. The first orthodontic force generates movement of the set of target teeth to the set of target tooth positions. The second aligner has a second shape corresponding to a combination of current tooth positions of the set of target teeth,…
Shape engineered aligner—auto shaping
Granted: August 11, 2020
Patent Number:
10736716
The present invention relates to orthodontic positioning appliances and related methods. An appliance in accordance with the present invention has teeth receiving cavities shaped to receive and apply a resilient positioning force to the patient's teeth. At least one of the cavities of the appliance includes a portion shaped to compensate for non-elastic deformation due to use of the appliance.
Reinforced aligner hooks
Granted: August 4, 2020
Patent Number:
10729515
Orthodontic positioning devices, and related methods and systems, are disclosed for use with one or more orthodontic elastic members. The disclosed devices are configured to couple with an orthodontic elastic member so as to react a force from the elastic member into the appliance to, for example, generate traction forces on the patient's teeth to produce a desired occlusion. A positioning device includes a patient removable tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities…
