Orthodontic aligner fabrication by overlay method
US9610140B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 19, 2016 |
| Grant date | Apr 4, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 19, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61C9/00
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The orthodontic alignment of misaligned teeth includes preparing a digital and/or physical overlay model which is the superimposed positioning of the patient's original misaligned dentition with the target or final position. The superimposition of one upon the other creates an open space through which teeth may move in a natural manner, allowing for a treatment plan that takes into account the physical interaction of one tooth with another or the differences in tooth movement rates due in part to differences in underlying bone density or the like. An aligner tray fabricated using the model will likewise represent the before and after tooth positions and will also have the open space to allow tooth movement. Force exerting structures are preferably placed into the aligner tray to impinge upon the patient's teeth in a prescribed manner when the aligner tray is inserted into the patient's oral cavity.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.