Treatment plan specific bite adjustment structures

• US 10,299,894 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Tanugula, Rohit, Morton, John, Li, Chunhua, Pesenti, Bastien, Cheng, Jihua, Choi, Jeeyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Yogesh P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saunders, Matthew P
• Application Number:
  US14/186,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20150238283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 433 6, 433 18, 433 19
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/002 Orthodontic computer assisted systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/08 Mouthpiece-type retainers or positioners, e.g. for both the lower and upper arch arch-shaped medicament applicators for teeth or gums A61C19/063; mouthguards for protecting the teeth of sportsmen A63B71/085
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/36 Devices acting between upper and lower teeth
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]

Abstract

A series of appliances including a first shell and a second shell can be designed to incrementally implement a treatment plan. The first and second shells can have cavities designed to receive teeth of a jaw. A first bite adjustment structures can be formed of a same material as the first shell, extending from the first shell and designed to interface with teeth of a second jaw. A second bite adjustment structures can be formed of a same material as the second shell, extending from the second shell and designed to interface with teeth of the second jaw. The first and the second bite adjustment structures can have respective shapes and locations specific to respective stages of the treatment plan.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first appliance of a series of appliances to incrementally implement a treatment plan for a patient having a first jaw and a second jaw, comprising a first shell having a plurality of cavities therein to receive teeth of the first jaw;

a first bite adjustment structure formed of a same material as the first shell and extending therefrom and having a first location with respect to a cavity of the plurality of cavities of the first shell and a first shape, said first shape comprising a first planar surface oriented at first and second angles to an occlusal plane defined by the cavities of the first shell, the first angle being about a mesial-distal axis and the second angle being about a facial-lingual axis, thereby allowing a contacting tooth of a second jaw to slide along the surface;

a second appliance of the series of appliances, comprising a second shell having a plurality of cavities therein to receive teeth of the first jaw; and

a second bite adjustment structure formed of a same material as the second shell and extending therefrom and having a second location with respect to a cavity of the plurality of cavities of the second shell, the second location being different than the first location, a second shape, said second shape different than the first shape.

2. The system of claim 1, the first shape and first location are based on at least one of an interface with a particular tooth of the second jaw and an orientation of a tooth over which the bite adjustment structure is positioned when the appliance is worn and the first and second jaws are in occlusion.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the series of appliances includes a third appliance comprising a third shell having a plurality of cavities therein designed to receive teeth of the second jaw during the first stage of the treatment plan.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the third appliance includes a third bite adjustment structure formed of a same material as the third shell and extending therefrom and interfaces with teeth of the first jaw, and wherein the third of bite adjustment structure has a shape and a location specific to the first stage of the treatment plan.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first of bite adjustment structure extends from cavity of the shell that receives an anterior tooth, and wherein the first bite adjustment structure is on a canine-receiving cavity, said first bite adjustment structure on the canine-receiving cavity shaped to alter an interface between the canine-receiving cavity and a corresponding tooth on the second jaw when the first appliance is worn by the patient, thereby adjusting canine guidance.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first bite adjustment structure extends from a cavity of the shell that receives a posterior tooth, and wherein the first bite adjustment structure provides a disocclusion between the first jaw and the second jaw when the first appliance is worn by the patient.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first number of bite adjustment structures extend from a number of cavities of the shell that receive anterior teeth, and wherein the first number of bite adjustment structures provide a disocclusion between the first jaw and the second jaw when the first appliance is worn by the patient.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the series of appliances includes a third appliance comprising a third shell having a plurality of cavities therein to receive teeth of the first jaw and to reposition a number of the teeth of the first jaw, wherein the third appliance does not include a bite adjustment structure.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the series of appliances includes:

a third appliance comprising a third shell having a plurality of cavities therein to receive teeth of the first jaw;

a third bite adjustment structure formed of a same material as the third shell and extending therefrom, wherein the third bite adjustment structure has a third shape and a third location specific to a third stage of the treatment plan;

a fourth appliance comprising a fourth shell having a plurality of cavities therein to receive teeth of the second jaw; and

a fourth bite adjustment structure formed of a same material as the fourth shell and extending therefrom and interacting with the third bite adjustment structure, wherein the fourth bite adjustment structure have a fourth shape and a fourth location specific to the third stage of the treatment plan.

10. A system, comprising:

a first appliance of a series of appliances to incrementally implement a treatment plan for a patient having a first jaw and a second jaw, comprising a first shell having a plurality of cavities therein to receive teeth of the first jaw in a first stage of the treatment plan;

a first bite adjustment structure formed of a same material as the first shell, extending from a first cavity of the first shell and having a first location relative to the first cavity and a first shape specific to the first stage of the treatment plan to interface with a first tooth of the second jaw to provide a disocclusion between the first jaw and the second jaw; and

a second appliance of the series of appliances, comprising a second shell having a plurality of cavities therein to receive teeth of the first jaw in a second stage of the treatment plan;

a second bite adjustment structure formed of a same material as the second shell, extending from a second cavity of the second shell and having a second shape different than the first shape and a second location, relative to the second cavity of the second appliance, different than the first location, relative to the first cavity of the first appliance, said second shape and said second location specific to the second stage of the treatment plan and designed to interface with a second tooth of the second jaw, different than the first tooth of the second jaw to provide a disocclusion between the first jaw and the second jaw,

wherein the first bite adjustment structure extends through the occlusal plane, defining a space along the occlusal plane between the first bite adjustment structure and a part of the first appliance defining the first cavity, said first bite adjustment structure extending a distance sufficient to contact the first tooth of the second jaw, thereby providing disocclusion between the first jaw and the second jaw.

11. The system of claim 10, including a third appliance of the series of appliance, comprising a third shell having a plurality of cavities therein to receive teeth of the second jaw in the first stage of the treatment plan, wherein a cavity of the third appliance includes a surface that is contoured to receive the first bite adjustment structure.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first bite adjustment structure extends from a posterior cavity on a right side of the first shell;

and

wherein the second bite adjustment structure extends from a posterior cavity on a left side of the second shell.