Methods and systems for treating teeth
First Claim
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1. A method for generating treatment plans for repositioning a patient'"'"'s teeth, the method comprising:
- generating, using a computer, a first treatment plan comprising successively placing a first plurality of polymeric shell appliances on the patient'"'"'s teeth, the first plurality of polymeric shell appliances having tooth receiving cavities with different geometries selected to reposition the teeth towards a target arrangement;
receiving, using a computer, evaluation data indicating whether repositioning of the teeth is progressing in a satisfactory fashion after the patient has been administered at least one polymeric shell appliance of the first plurality of polymeric shell appliances; and
generating, using a computer, a second treatment plan in response to the evaluation data, the second treatment plan comprising a first phase and a second phase administered to the patient in a pre-selected order, wherein the first phase comprises placing a wire and bracket system on the teeth and the second phase comprises successively placing a second plurality of polymeric shell appliances on the teeth, the second plurality of polymeric shell appliances having tooth receiving cavities with different geometries selected to reposition the teeth towards a target arrangement.
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Abstract
A system for repositioning teeth comprises a plurality of individual appliances used with braces. The appliances are configured to be placed successively on the patient'"'"'s teeth and to incrementally reposition the teeth from an initial tooth arrangement, through a plurality of intermediate tooth arrangements, and to a final tooth arrangement. The appliances may be substituted with braces as appropriate to optimize the treatment of the teeth.
196 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for generating treatment plans for repositioning a patient'"'"'s teeth, the method comprising:
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generating, using a computer, a first treatment plan comprising successively placing a first plurality of polymeric shell appliances on the patient'"'"'s teeth, the first plurality of polymeric shell appliances having tooth receiving cavities with different geometries selected to reposition the teeth towards a target arrangement; receiving, using a computer, evaluation data indicating whether repositioning of the teeth is progressing in a satisfactory fashion after the patient has been administered at least one polymeric shell appliance of the first plurality of polymeric shell appliances; and generating, using a computer, a second treatment plan in response to the evaluation data, the second treatment plan comprising a first phase and a second phase administered to the patient in a pre-selected order, wherein the first phase comprises placing a wire and bracket system on the teeth and the second phase comprises successively placing a second plurality of polymeric shell appliances on the teeth, the second plurality of polymeric shell appliances having tooth receiving cavities with different geometries selected to reposition the teeth towards a target arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system for generating treatment plans for repositioning a patient'"'"'s teeth, the system comprising:
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a processor; and a data storage device coupled to the processor, the data storage device storing instructions executable by the processor to cause the system to; generate a first treatment plan comprising successively placing a first plurality of polymeric shell appliances on the patient'"'"'s teeth, the first plurality of polymeric shell appliances having tooth receiving cavities with different geometries selected to reposition the teeth towards a target arrangement, receive evaluation data indicating whether repositioning of the teeth is progressing in a satisfactory fashion after the patient has been administered at least one polymeric shell appliance of the first plurality of polymeric shell appliances, and generate a second treatment plan in response to the evaluation data, the second treatment plan comprising a first phase and a second phase administered to the patient in a pre-selected order, wherein the first phase comprises placing a wire and bracket system on the teeth and the second phase comprises successively placing a second plurality of polymeric shell appliances on the teeth, the second plurality of polymeric shell appliances having tooth receiving cavities with different geometries selected to reposition the teeth towards a target arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for repositioning a patient'"'"'s teeth, the method comprising:
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(a) placing at least one polymeric shell appliance of a first plurality of polymeric shell appliances on the patient'"'"'s teeth, the first plurality of polymeric shell appliances having tooth receiving cavities with different geometries selected to reposition the teeth towards a target arrangement; (b) evaluating whether repositioning of the teeth is progressing in a satisfactory fashion after placement of the at least one polymeric shell appliance of the first plurality of polymeric shell appliances on the teeth; and (c) placing, in response to the evaluation of step (b), a wire and bracket system and a second plurality of polymeric shell appliances on the teeth in a pre-selected order, the second plurality of polymeric shell appliances having tooth receiving cavities with different geometries selected to reposition the teeth towards a target arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification