Orthodontic systems and methods including parametric attachments
First Claim
1. A method for designing a customized tooth movement system for eliciting a selected movement of a patient'"'"'s tooth, the method comprising:
- receiving, on a computer, a digital model of the patient'"'"'s tooth;
quantifying, using the computer, a desired force system for eliciting the selected tooth movement when applied to the patient'"'"'s tooth;
selecting, using the computer, a first non-custom attachment configured to engage an orthodontic appliance when worn by a patient, wherein the orthodontic appliance comprises a shell aligner;
determining, using the computer, a first force system for application to a tooth having the first non-custom attachment and engaged with an orthodontic appliance; and
designing, using the computer, a second custom attachment by modifying a configuration of the first non-custom attachment based on one or more patient-specific characteristics comprising tooth morphology, tooth or tooth surface orientation, or a prescribed tooth movement path, such that a second force system would be applied to a tooth having the second custom attachment and engaged with an orthodontic appliance, the second force system more closely corresponding to the desired force system than the first force system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Orthodontic systems and related methods are disclosed for designing and providing improved or more effective tooth moving systems for eliciting a desired tooth movement and/or repositioning teeth into a desired arrangement. Methods and orthodontic systems of the invention include tooth attachments having improved or optimized parameters selected or modified for more optimal and/or effective application of forces for a desired/selected orthodontic movement. Attachments of the present invention can be customized to a particular patient (e.g., patient-customized), a particular movement, and/or a sub-group or sub-set of patients, and configured to engage an orthodontic tooth positioning appliance worn by a patient, where engagement between the attachment and orthodontic appliance results in application of a repositioning force or series/system of forces to the tooth having the attachment and will generally elicit a tooth movement.
260 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for designing a customized tooth movement system for eliciting a selected movement of a patient'"'"'s tooth, the method comprising:
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receiving, on a computer, a digital model of the patient'"'"'s tooth; quantifying, using the computer, a desired force system for eliciting the selected tooth movement when applied to the patient'"'"'s tooth; selecting, using the computer, a first non-custom attachment configured to engage an orthodontic appliance when worn by a patient, wherein the orthodontic appliance comprises a shell aligner; determining, using the computer, a first force system for application to a tooth having the first non-custom attachment and engaged with an orthodontic appliance; and designing, using the computer, a second custom attachment by modifying a configuration of the first non-custom attachment based on one or more patient-specific characteristics comprising tooth morphology, tooth or tooth surface orientation, or a prescribed tooth movement path, such that a second force system would be applied to a tooth having the second custom attachment and engaged with an orthodontic appliance, the second force system more closely corresponding to the desired force system than the first force system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for generating a customized tooth movement system comprising a tooth attachment configured to engage an orthodontic appliance worn by a patient and apply a repositioning force system to a tooth of the patient corresponding to a selected movement of the patient'"'"'s tooth, the method comprising:
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quantifying, using a computer, a desired force system to be applied to the patient'"'"'s tooth so as to elicit the selected tooth movement; selecting, using the computer, a first non-custom attachment from a group of non-custom attachments; determining, using the computer, a first force system for application to a tooth having the first non-custom attachment and engaged with an orthodontic appliance; and designing, using the computer, a second custom attachment by modifying one or more attributes of the first non-custom attachment such that a second force system would be applied to the tooth having the second custom attachment and engaged with an orthodontic appliance worn by the patient, wherein the second force system more closely corresponds to the desired force system to be applied to the patient'"'"'s tooth so as to elicit the selected tooth movement than the first force system, wherein the orthodontic appliance comprises a shell aligner.
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12. A method for designing a customized tooth movement system comprising one or more tooth attachments for eliciting a selected movement of a patient'"'"'s tooth, the method comprising:
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quantifying, using a computer, one or more forces or torques for eliciting the selected tooth movement when applied to the patient'"'"'s tooth; selecting, using the computer, a first non-custom attachment configured to engage an orthodontic appliance when worn by a patient; and designing, using the computer, a second movement specific or patient-customized attachment configured to engage an orthodontic appliance when worn by a patient and apply, in conjunction with the orthodontic appliance, a repositioning force to the tooth, the second movement specific or patient-customized attachment having a configuration that has been modified from the first non-custom attachment based on the one or more forces and/or torques for eliciting the selected tooth movement to the patient'"'"'s tooth such that an applied repositioning force substantially matches the one or more forces or torques for eliciting the selected tooth movement to the patient'"'"'s tooth, wherein the orthodontic appliance comprises a shell aligner.
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13. A method for designing a customized tooth movement system, comprising:
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identifying, using a computer, a range of force or torque values corresponding to a force system to be applied to a tooth so as to elicit a selected tooth movement; modeling, using the computer, a first force or torque value applied to a tooth when a first non-custom attachment disposed on the tooth is engaged with an orthodontic appliance, the first non-custom attachment having a configuration affecting a force or torque applied to the tooth during engagement, wherein the first force or torque value is identified as being within the range of values; and designing, using the computer, a second custom attachment by modifying the first non-custom attachment configuration such that a second force or torque value is applied to a tooth having the second custom attachment and engaged with an orthodontic positioning appliance, wherein the second force or torque value is higher or lower in the range of values compared to the first force or torque value and selected to produce force or torque application to a tooth during orthodontic treatment, wherein the orthodontic appliance comprises a shell aligner. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for designing a custom attachment for eliciting a selected movement of a patient'"'"'s tooth, the method comprising:
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identifying, using a computer, an initial position and configuration of a non-custom attachment on a tooth at a location on a digital model of the patient'"'"'s dentition; computing, using the computer, attachment parameters based on the initial position and configuration of the non-custom attachment and a geometry of the tooth, wherein each attachment parameter is associated with a predetermined range of values corresponding to a selected force or a selected torque for the selected movement of the tooth when engaged with a shell aligner having at least one tooth receiving cavity configured to receive and resiliently move the tooth and in the event that at least one value of the computed parameters is not within the predetermined range of values, modifying the configuration of the non-custom attachment such that all of the attachment parameters are within the predetermined range of values which elicit the selected movement of the patient'"'"'s tooth. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer program product having a computer readable medium storing a set of code modules which when executed by a processor of a computer system cause the processor to model a custom attachment for eliciting a selected movement of a patient'"'"'s tooth, the computer program product comprising;
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code for identifying an initial position and configuration of a non-custom attachment on a tooth at a location on a digital model of the patient'"'"'s dentition; code for computing attachment parameters based on the initial position and configuration of the non-custom attachment and geometry of the tooth, wherein each attachment parameter is associated with a predetermined range of values corresponding to a selected force or a selected torque for the selected movement of the tooth when engaged with a shell aligner having at least one tooth receiving cavity configured to receive and resiliently move the tooth; and code for modifying the configuration of the non-custom attachment such that all of the attachment parameters are within the predetermined range of values which elicit the selected movement of a patient'"'"'s tooth.
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Specification