Orthodontic tooth movement device, systems and methods
First Claim
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1. A dental positioning appliance, comprising:
- a removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities having an incisal side and a gingival side and shaped to receive and apply a resilient positioning force to a patient'"'"'s teeth, the removable appliance further comprising a spring-loaded tooth movement device at least partially disposed in one of the teeth receiving cavities so as to engage an attachment mounted on a surface of a patient'"'"'s tooth in order to apply force to move the tooth in a desired direction so as to elicit an extrusive movement of the tooth toward the incisal side of the cavity in which the tooth movement device is at least partially disposed, wherein the removable tooth positioning appliance is shaped to engage the attachment in order to move the tooth with the extrusive movement relative to the cavity greater than a buccal or lingual movement of the tooth relative to the cavity, and wherein the cavity in which the tooth movement device is at least partially disposed comprises a relief that includes a space therewithin configured to accommodate movement of the attachment relative to the cavity in which the tooth movement device is at least partially disposed.
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Abstract
The present invention provides orthodontic appliances and systems, and related methods, for applying a force to a target tooth as an appliances is worn by the patient. One positioning appliance includes a tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities shaped to apply a positioning force to the patient'"'"'s teeth. The appliance includes a spring-loaded tooth movement device disposed in the appliance so as to engage an attachment mounted on a surface of a patient'"'"'s tooth and apply a force to the tooth.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A dental positioning appliance, comprising:
a removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities having an incisal side and a gingival side and shaped to receive and apply a resilient positioning force to a patient'"'"'s teeth, the removable appliance further comprising a spring-loaded tooth movement device at least partially disposed in one of the teeth receiving cavities so as to engage an attachment mounted on a surface of a patient'"'"'s tooth in order to apply force to move the tooth in a desired direction so as to elicit an extrusive movement of the tooth toward the incisal side of the cavity in which the tooth movement device is at least partially disposed, wherein the removable tooth positioning appliance is shaped to engage the attachment in order to move the tooth with the extrusive movement relative to the cavity greater than a buccal or lingual movement of the tooth relative to the cavity, and wherein the cavity in which the tooth movement device is at least partially disposed comprises a relief that includes a space therewithin configured to accommodate movement of the attachment relative to the cavity in which the tooth movement device is at least partially disposed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for orthodontically treating a patient'"'"'s teeth, comprising:
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mounting an attachment on a surface of a tooth of the patient; and providing an orthodontic tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities having an incisal side and a gingival side and shaped to receive and apply a resilient positioning force to the patient'"'"'s teeth, the appliance comprising a spring-loaded tooth movement device at least partially disposed in one of the teeth receiving cavities so as to engage the mounted attachment and apply a force to the tooth so as to elicit an extrusive movement of the tooth toward the incisal side of the cavity in which the tooth movement device is at least partially disposed, wherein the tooth positioning appliance is shaped to engage the attachment in order to move the tooth with the extrusive movement relative to the cavity greater than a buccal or lingual movement of the tooth relative to the cavity, and wherein the cavity in which the tooth movement device is at least partially disposed comprises a relief that includes a space therewithin configured to accommodate movement of the attachment relative to the cavity in which the tooth movement device is at least partially disposed. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for providing orthodontic treatment to a patient, comprising:
a plurality of incremental tooth position adjustment appliances, the plurality comprising a patient removable appliance for each of at least two intermediate arrangements for repositioning the patient'"'"'s teeth from an initial position toward a final position, each patient removable appliance having teeth receiving cavities having an incisal side and a gingival side, 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, at least one appliance of the plurality comprising a spring-loaded tooth movement device at least partially disposed in one of the teeth receiving cavities so as to engage an attachment mounted on a surface of a patient'"'"'s tooth in order to apply a force to the tooth so as to elicit an extrusive movement of the tooth toward the incisal side of the cavity in which the tooth movement device is at least partially disposed, wherein the at least one appliance is shaped to engage the attachment in order to move the tooth with the extrusive movement relative to the cavity greater than a buccal or lingual movement of the tooth relative to the cavity, and wherein the cavity in which the tooth movement device is at least partially disposed comprises a relief that includes a space therewithin configured to accommodate movement of the attachment relative to the cavity in which the tooth movement device is at least partially disposed. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
Specification