Methods for correcting tooth movements midcourse in treatment
DCFirst Claim
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1. A method of fabrication of a plurality of tooth positioning appliances, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of digital data sets, the plurality comprising an initial digital data set and successive digital data sets, wherein each successive set represents a successive tooth configuration from an initial tooth configuration toward a subsequent configuration;
providing a reconfigurable dental model system comprising a frame and a plurality of tooth members;
manipulating one or more tooth members of the dental model system according to the successive digital data sets so as to position the tooth members in a plurality of successive tooth arrangements; and
generating from the dental model system a first plurality of successive appliances corresponding to the successive tooth arrangements, the appliances having inner cavities, wherein the inner cavities of successive appliances have different geometries shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth from the initial arrangement toward a subsequent arrangement.
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Abstract
Appliances are made using a dental mold representing a patient'"'"'s dental configuration. In particular, thermoformable plastic positioning appliances which fit over the patient'"'"'s teeth may be formed over a three-dimensional mold of the patient'"'"'s dentition. An apparatus and methods which employ a manipulable or reconfigurable mold to model patient dentition and gingiva at each stage of treatment. The apparatus and methods are particularly useful for performing midcourse corrections during orthodontic procedures using a plurality of such appliances in sequence.
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21 Claims
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1. A method of fabrication of a plurality of tooth positioning appliances, the method comprising:
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providing a plurality of digital data sets, the plurality comprising an initial digital data set and successive digital data sets, wherein each successive set represents a successive tooth configuration from an initial tooth configuration toward a subsequent configuration; providing a reconfigurable dental model system comprising a frame and a plurality of tooth members; manipulating one or more tooth members of the dental model system according to the successive digital data sets so as to position the tooth members in a plurality of successive tooth arrangements; and generating from the dental model system a first plurality of successive appliances corresponding to the successive tooth arrangements, the appliances having inner cavities, wherein the inner cavities of successive appliances have different geometries shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth from the initial arrangement toward a subsequent arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of repositioning teeth using appliances having cavities shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth, the method comprising:
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generating a plurality of digital data sets, the plurality comprising an initial digital data set and successive digital data sets, wherein each successive set represents a successive tooth arrangement from an initial tooth configuration toward a final configuration; generating a first plurality of successive appliances corresponding to the successive tooth arrangements, the appliances having inner cavities and wherein the inner cavities of successive appliances have different geometries shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth from the initial arrangement toward a subsequent arrangement; receiving information regarding progress of the patient'"'"'s teeth following administering one or more appliances of the first plurality of appliances; generating a second plurality of appliances based on the information received, the appliances of the second plurality shaped to reposition the teeth from an actual intermediate arrangement to a successive intermediate or final arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification