Method and apparatus for designing and forming a custom orthodontic appliance and for the straightening of teeth therewith
US5431562A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 9, 1992 |
| Grant date | Jul 11, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 9, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB33Y80/00
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system and method by which an orthodontic appliance is automatically designed and manufactured from digital lower jaw and tooth shape data of a patient provides for preferably scanning a model of the patient's mouth to produce two or three dimensional images and digitizing contours and selected points. A computer is programmed to construct archforms and calculate finish positions of the teeth, then to design an appliance, preferably including archwires and brackets, to move the teeth to the calculated positions. The lower teeth are positioned at their roots on an arch defined by the lower jaw bone, and the arch is modified to best fit the tooth tips on a smooth curve. Then upper archforms are constructed for the upper teeth. Crown long axes of the teeth are derived and preserved in the treatment which places all lower teeth but the cuspids in a plane and fits the occluding teeth to them. Overlaps for the upper incisors and for cuspid rise are calculated.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.