Customized aligner change indicator

US11779243B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Align Technology, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Huizhong Li · Salt Lake City, US
• Andrew Jang · San Mateo, US
• Michael Christopher Cole · Wilmington, US
• Yuxiang Wang · Newark, US
• Jun Sato · San Jose, US
• Allen Boronkay · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 30, 2019
• Grant date: Oct 10, 2023
• Expiry date: Feb 11, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01B5/30
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

According to the techniques herein, one or more sensors coupled to an aligner are used to sense one or more physical qualities of the aligner to determine whether the physical qualities indicate that the aligner material has relaxed and has, e.g., reduced the force systems applied to teeth and/or that the teeth movement for the stage has slowed down. The sensors may provide a signal that represents whether or not the physical qualities fall below a threshold value. A treatment plan may be modified if needed. These techniques have the potential to make treatment plans faster and more effective by speeding up some stages while making sure some, perhaps other, stages are implemented only after the teeth are near the appropriate position.