Orthodontic articles and methods of making and postprocessing same

US12121413B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Solventum Intellectual Properties Company · US

Inventors

• Saswata Chakraborty · Cottage Grove, US
• Benjamin C. MacMurray · Minneapolis, US
• James D. Hansen · White Bear Lake, US
• Karl J.L. Geisler · Okabena, US
• Thomas P. Klun · Lakeland, US
• Daniel J. Skamser · Albuquerque, US
• John M. Riedesel · San Jose, US
• Steven H. Kong · Woodbury, US
• Anja Friedrich · Munich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 21, 2020
• Grant date: Oct 22, 2024
• Expiry date: Oct 20, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B33Y40/20
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method of making an orthodontic article. The method includes (a) providing a photopolymerizable composition; (b) selectively curing the photopolymerizable composition using actinic radiation to form an article in the shape of an orthodontic article including a number of layers of at least one photopolymerized polymer; and (c) moving the article and thereby generating a mass inertial force in the uncured photopolymerizable composition. The article has a first surface, and no more than 75% of the first surface has a slope magnitude greater than 2.5 degrees. Orthodontic articles are also provided, including an orthodontic article that is prepared according to the method. Orthodontic articles having low extractable component content are further provided. The mass inertial force tends to form a coating layer of uncured photopolymerizable composition on the article, and curing the coating layer can form a surface having low slope magnitude. The low slope magnitude may be correlated to a low haze of the surface of the article.