Optical coherence tomography for orthodontic aligners

US10517482B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Align Technology, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Jun Sato · San Jose, US
• Allen Boronkay · San Jose, US
• Yaser Shanjani · Sunnyvale, US
• Reza SHIRAZI AGHJARI · San Jose, US
• Avi Kopelman · Palo Alto, US
• Andrew Jang · San Mateo, US
• Jihua Cheng · Cupertino, US
• Eric Kuo · San Francisco, US
• Vladimir SHELBAKH · Hayward, US
• Bastien Pesenti · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 27, 2018
• Grant date: Dec 31, 2019
• Expiry date: Jul 27, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G16H30/40
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for 3D imaging (including 3D optical coherence tomography imaging) to measure the shape of orthodontic aligners, teeth, and other oral structures simultaneously, in-vivo or in-vitro. These methods and apparatuses may be used to determine contact locations of aligners with teeth and/or teeth with other teeth with very high precision, including determining the size of gaps where they are not in contact. These measurements may be used design, modify or replace an aligner and/or to verify aligner fit. 3D models of the whole aligner and teeth may be generated.