System and method for positioning teeth

• US 7,331,783 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Chishti, Muhammad, Beers, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson; John J
• Application Number:
  US10/788,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20040170943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 433/24, 433/6, 433/213
• US Class Current: 433/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 11/00 Dental articulators, i.e. for simulating movement of the temporo-mandibular joints; Articulation forms or mouldings
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/045 for recording mandibular movement, e.g. face bows
• 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

Abstract

Methods and apparatus fit a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system by generating a computer representation of the masticatory system and computing an occlusion based on interactions in the computer representation of the masticatory system.

Claims

1. A method for fitting a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system of a patient, comprising:

modeling a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system of a patient in three or more different predetermined positions prior to a stage of treatment; and

generating a patient removable appliance for each of the three or more predetermined positions, said appliance having cavities and wherein the cavities of successive ones of the plurality appliances have different geometries shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth from one arrangement to a successive arrangement, wherein said stage of treatment comprises successively applying the appliances to the patient'"'"'s teeth.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the modeling the set of teeth comprises selecting one or more arch forms specifying the ideal set of teeth.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the masticatory system includes jaws and wherein generating includes:

registering a model of the upper and lower teeth with a model of the masticatory system;

simulating the motion of the jaws to generate contact data between the upper and lower teeth; and

placing a tooth in a final position based on the contact data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the model is registered using X-ray data.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the model is registered using computed tomography data.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the model is registered using data associated with a mechanical model.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the simulating step further comprises applying kinematics to the model of the teeth.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the simulating step further comprises applying a constrained motion to the model of the tooth.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the placing step is based on a measure of undesirability to the contacts.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising optimizing the position of the tooth according to the measure of undesirability.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising minimizing the measure of undesirability.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the measure of undesirability is a function of one or more of Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) metrics, distance-based metrics and shape-based metrics.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein the simulating step includes providing a library of motions.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the library of motions includes a protrusive motion.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the library of motions includes a lateral motion.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the library of motions includes tooth-guided motions.

18. The method of claim 4, wherein the simulating step includes applying physical forces to one jaw.

19. The method of claim 4, wherein the placing step further includes updating a computer representation of the masticatory system with new patient data.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the patient has a first teeth model, further comprising:

scanning the teeth of the patient to generate a second teeth model;

matching the second teeth model with the first teeth model;

applying a final position transform to the second teeth model; and

adjusting the position of teeth in the second model based on new information.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the matching step compares correspondences between the first and second teeth models.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the correspondences include feature correspondences.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the new information includes information from a new prescription.

2. A method for fitting a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system of a patient, comprising:

modeling a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system of a patient using three or more different predetermined molds or casts, each of the molds or casts representing a different arrangement of the patient'"'"'s teeth, prior to a stage of treatment; and

generating a patient removable appliance having cavities for each of the three or more molds or casts, said appliance having cavities and wherein the cavities of successive ones of the plurality appliances have different geometries shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth from one arrangement to a successive arrangement, wherein said stage of treatment comprises successively applying the appliances to the patient'"'"'s teeth.

24. A method for generating appliances for repositioning a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system of a patient, comprising:

modeling a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system of a patient prior to a stage of treatment, the modeling comprising modeling the set of teeth in an initial position, a desired position, and a plurality of intermediate positions; and

generating a patient removable appliance for each of at least two of the intermediate positions, each patient removable appliance having cavities and wherein the cavities of successive appliances of the plurality have different geometries shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth from one arrangement to a successive arrangement, wherein said stage of treatment comprises successively applying the appliances to the patient'"'"'s teeth.