Computer automated development of an orthodontic treatment plan and appliance
First Claim
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1. A method of providing a custom orthodontic appliance based on the anatomy of an individual patient wherein the appliance has a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of a crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient, the method comprising:
- producing three dimensional digital data of shapes of crowns of a plurality of teeth of an individual-patient'"'"'s teeth moved from an initial arrangement to an intermediate or final arrangement of the teeth;
manufacturing a custom orthodontic shell appliance having a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient, based on the digital data, by a process that includes;
manufacturing at least one intermediate object by depositing material, in accordance with the digital data, layer by layer in a plurality of layers, each layer containing a cross section having an edge defined by the digital data in the shape of at least one crown of a tooth of the individual patient, the layers being stacked so the edges form a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient; and
,using the intermediate object to form the custom orthodontic appliance having a three dimensional surface matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patientwherein the shell appliance comprises cavities shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth.
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Abstract
A computer is used to create a plan for repositioning an orthodontic patient'"'"'s teeth. The computer receives an initial digital data set representing the patient'"'"'s teeth at their initial positions and a final digital data set representing the teeth at their final positions. The computer then uses the data sets to generate treatment paths along which the teeth will move from the initial positions to the final positions.
140 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method of providing a custom orthodontic appliance based on the anatomy of an individual patient wherein the appliance has a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of a crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient, the method comprising:
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producing three dimensional digital data of shapes of crowns of a plurality of teeth of an individual-patient'"'"'s teeth moved from an initial arrangement to an intermediate or final arrangement of the teeth; manufacturing a custom orthodontic shell appliance having a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient, based on the digital data, by a process that includes; manufacturing at least one intermediate object by depositing material, in accordance with the digital data, layer by layer in a plurality of layers, each layer containing a cross section having an edge defined by the digital data in the shape of at least one crown of a tooth of the individual patient, the layers being stacked so the edges form a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient; and
,using the intermediate object to form the custom orthodontic appliance having a three dimensional surface matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient wherein the shell appliance comprises cavities shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of providing a custom orthodontic appliance based on the anatomy of an individual patient wherein the appliance has a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of a crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient, the method comprising:
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producing three dimensional digital data of shapes of crowns of a plurality of teeth of an individual patient'"'"'s teeth moved from an initial arrangement to an intermediate arrangement of the teeth; manufacturing a custom orthodontic shell appliance having a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient, based on the digital data, by a process that includes depositing material, in accordance with the digital data, layer by layer into a plurality of layers to form cross sections of a pattern having the shape of at least a portion of one crown of a tooth of the individual patient, the layers being stacked so the edges form a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient; and
,using the pattern to form the custom orthodontic shell appliance having a three dimensional surface matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient, wherein the shell appliance comprises cavities shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth toward the intermediate arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method of providing a custom orthodontic appliance based on the anatomy of an individual patient wherein the appliance has a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of a crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient, the method comprising:
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producing three dimensional digital data of shapes of crowns of a plurality of teeth of an individual patient'"'"'s teeth moved from an initial arrangement to an intermediate arrangement of the teeth; manufacturing a custom orthodontic shell appliance having a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient, based on the digital data, by a process that includes depositing material using a rapid prototyping machine so as to form an intermediate object or pattern having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient; and
,using the intermediate object or pattern to form the custom orthodontic shell appliance having a three dimensional surface matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient, wherein the shell appliance comprises cavities shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth toward the intermediate arrangement.
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Specification