Methods for controlling object sorting and sequencing
Granted: September 3, 2024
Patent Number:
12076754
Methods for controlling the sorting and sequencing of objects are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving sensor data of a plurality of dental appliances, each dental appliance associated with an identifier including (a) group data indicating a group to which the dental appliance belongs, and (b) sequence data indicating a sequential position for the dental appliance within the group. The method can include controlling a sorting cell to direct each dental appliance…
Multilayer dental appliances and related methods and systems
Granted: September 3, 2024
Patent Number:
12076209
A dental appliance for positioning a patient's teeth includes a removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities shaped to directly receive at least some of the patient's teeth and apply a resilient positioning force to the patient's teeth. The appliance includes a hard polymer layer having a hard polymer layer elastic modulus disposed between a first soft polymer layer having a first soft polymer layer elastic modulus and a second soft polymer layer…
Direct fabrication of mixed metal and polymer orthodontic devices
Granted: September 3, 2024
Patent Number:
12076208
The disclosed systems, methods, and apparatus for designing, fabricating, and making directly fabricated metal and polymer dental appliances may include receiving patient data and a treatment plan and determining, using the patient data and the treatment plan, an appliance design for treating the patient. The method may include directly fabricating a metal and polymer appliance based on the appliance design. The apparatus may include a directly fabricated metal and polymer appliance.
Systems and methods for precision wing placement
Granted: September 3, 2024
Patent Number:
12076207
The disclosed computer-implemented method for selecting locations of mandibular relocation features (MRFs) on oral appliances may include determining candidate locations for placing an MRF on a first oral appliance for a first stage of mandibular relocation (MR) treatment and determining candidate locations for placing an MRF on a second oral appliance for a second stage. The method may include selecting from the candidate locations for the first stage and the second stage based on…
Methods for aligner design using thickness maps
Granted: September 3, 2024
Patent Number:
12076206
Methods for designing orthodontic appliances are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a treatment plan for a patient's dentition and generating an aligner model representing an aligner configured to implement a treatment stage of the treatment plan. The aligner model can include a thickness map having a thickness parameter for each location of the aligner model. The method can include adjusting the thickness map by using the aligner model to evaluate an outcome when…
Digital 3D models of dental arches with accurate arch width
Granted: September 3, 2024
Patent Number:
12076200
A method of generating a virtual 3D model of a dental arch is provided. The method includes receiving intraoral scans of a dental arch, determining a first depth of a first intraoral 3D surface in a first intraoral scan, and determining a second depth of a second intraoral 3D surface in the first intraoral scan, and wherein there is a fixed distance between the first intraoral 3D surface and the second intraoral 3D surface in the first intraoral scan. The method further includes…
Intraoral scanning and dental condition identification
Granted: September 3, 2024
Patent Number:
12076114
An intraoral scanner generates 2D images of a dental site and 3D intraoral scans of the dental site. The computing device receives the 2D images of the dental site and the 3D intraoral scans of the dental site from the intraoral scanner, generates a 3D model of the dental site based on the 3D intraoral scans of the dental site, and processes at least one of a) one or more of the 2D images of the dental site, b) one or more of the 3D intraoral scans of the dental site, or c) data from the…
Correction of unclear features in three-dimensional models of dental sites
Granted: August 27, 2024
Patent Number:
12070367
A processor receives first intraoral scan data comprising a first depiction of a dental site; generates a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model of the dental site using the first intraoral scan data; and processes at least one of the first intraoral scan data or data from the virtual 3D model to identify an unclear feature. The processor outputs instructions to generate second intraoral scan data of the dental site depicting the portion of the dental site that is unclear; receives the…
Automated quality control for three-dimensional (3D) printed mold for orthodontic aligner
Granted: August 27, 2024
Patent Number:
12073552
Systems and methods for performing automated quality control for 3D printed molds for orthodontic aligners are described. A method includes generating a plurality of images of the 3D printed mold for the orthodontic aligner using one or more imaging devices, wherein each image of the plurality of images depicts a distinct region of the 3D printed mold for the orthodontic aligner; processing the plurality of images by a processing device to identify one or more types of manufacturing…
Area of interest overlay on dental site using augmented reality
Granted: August 27, 2024
Patent Number:
12070375
A system comprises an image capture device, an augmented reality (AR) display to display, and a processing device. The processing deice receives image data of a dental arch from the image capture device and processes the image data using a plurality of detection rules, where each detection rule detects one or more dental conditions. The processing device determines a dental condition for the dental arch based on the processing, determines a position of an area of interest on the dental…
Methods and systems for visualizing teeth and treatment planning
Granted: August 20, 2024
Patent Number:
12067210
Orthodontic devices such as aligners, palatal expanders, retainers, and dental implants can be used to adjust the position of teeth and to treat various dental irregularities. To help the clinician or doctor (i.e., orthodontist) design and plan the subject's treatment plan, a 3D digital model of the subject's teeth, dentition, and gingiva can be constructed from a 3D scan of the subject's mouth, teeth, dentition, and gingiva. The 3D model of the subject's teeth and dentition can be…
Method for appliances with bite adjustment structures
Granted: August 20, 2024
Patent Number:
12064316
A series of appliances including a first shell and a second shell can be designed to incrementally implement a treatment plan. The first and second shells can have cavities designed to receive teeth of a jaw. A first number of bite adjustment structures can be formed of a same material as the first shell, extending therefrom and designed to interface with teeth of a second jaw. The first number of bite adjustment structures can have a first shape and location specific to a first stage of…
Dental appliance compliance monitoring
Granted: August 20, 2024
Patent Number:
12064314
The present disclosure describes devices, systems, and methods for monitoring use of an oral appliance in an oral cavity using extra-oral sensor(s). One method includes sensing one or more physical properties of an oral appliance using an extra-oral sensor, providing a compliance signal from the extra-oral sensor, identifying one or more patient compliance factors based on the compliance signal, the one or more patient compliance factors providing a basis to identify an extent of…
Filling undercut areas of teeth relative to axes of appliance placement
Granted: August 20, 2024
Patent Number:
12064312
The present disclosure provides computing device implemented methods, computing device readable medium, and molds for filling undercut areas of teeth relative to an axis of placement. Filling undercut areas of teeth relative to an axis of placement can include calculating an undercut area of a tooth relative to an axis of placement of part of a dental appliance over a number of teeth and a height of contour that is defined based on the axis of placement. Filling undercut areas of teeth…
Visual presentation of gingival line generated based on 3D tooth model
Granted: August 20, 2024
Patent Number:
12064311
Systems and methods of simulating dental treatments are disclosed. A method may include capturing a first 2D image of a patient's face, including the patient's teeth, building a parametric 3D model of the patient's teeth and gingiva based on the first 2D image, developing a simulated outcome of a dental treatment of the patient's teeth by rendering the parametric 3D model with the patient's teeth in one or more positions and/or orientations corresponding to the treatment goals of the…
Systems, methods, and apparatus for correcting malocclusions of teeth
Granted: August 20, 2024
Patent Number:
12064310
Methods and systems are provided for manufacturing an appliance for correcting malocclusions of a patient's teeth. The method may include measuring the positions of a patient's teeth and receiving tooth movement constraints. The method may also include generating an initial treatment plan based on the measured tooth positions and the tooth movement constraints and measuring the malocclusions of the patient's teeth for one or more types of dental malocclusions. The method may also include…
Automated, generation of dental features in digital models
Granted: August 13, 2024
Patent Number:
12062180
In embodiments, a processing device generates a three-dimensional model of a dental site from scan data, the three-dimensional model comprising a representation of a tooth, wherein a portion of the three-dimensional model comprises an interfering surface that obscures a portion of the tooth. The processing device receives or generates an image of the tooth, wherein the image depicts the interfering surface. The processing device processes the image to generate a modified image, wherein…
Orthodontic repositioning appliances having improved geometry, methods and systems
Granted: August 13, 2024
Patent Number:
12059321
The present invention provides methods and systems including orthodontic tooth positioning appliances. An exemplary appliance can include teeth receiving cavities shaped such that, when worn by a patient, repositioning the patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a subsequent or target arrangement. Appliances can include a cavity having one or more shaped features or protrusions shaped and/or positioned so as to apply a desired force to a patient's tooth received in the cavity and…
Reinforced aligner hooks
Granted: August 6, 2024
Patent Number:
12053344
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…
Recoating system including multiple blades
Granted: August 6, 2024
Patent Number:
12053925
A system includes a carrier film including an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface is configured to contact rollers. The system further includes a first blade configured to form a layer of resin on the outer surface of the carrier film. The system further includes a second blade configured to prevent printed features from contacting the first blade. The system further includes a build platform. A portion of the layer of resin is to be added to an object being formed on…
