Multilayer dental appliances and related methods and systems
First Claim
1. A removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities shaped to directly receive at least some of a patient'"'"'s teeth and apply a resilient positioning force to the patient'"'"'s teeth, the appliance comprising:
- a hard inner polymer layer comprising a co-polyester and having a hard polymer layer elastic modulus; and
a first soft outer polymer layer and a second soft outer polymer layer each comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and each having a soft polymer elastic modulus less than the hard polymer layer elastic modulus, a flexural modulus of greater than about 35,000 psi, a hardness of about 60A to about 85D, and a thickness in a range from 25 μ
m to 100 μ
m,wherein the hard inner polymer layer is disposed between the first soft outer polymer layer and the second soft outer polymer layer so as to reduce degradation of the resilient positioning force applied to the teeth when the appliance is worn.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dental appliance for positioning a patient'"'"'s teeth includes a removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities shaped to directly receive at least some of the patient'"'"'s teeth and apply a resilient positioning force to the patient'"'"'s teeth. The appliance includes a hard polymer layer having a hard polymer layer elastic modulus disposed between a first soft polymer layer having a first soft polymer layer elastic modulus and a second soft polymer layer having a second soft polymer layer elastic modulus. The hard polymer layer elastic modulus is greater than each of the first soft polymer layer elastic modulus and the second soft polymer layer elastic modulus. At least one of the first soft polymer layer and the second soft polymer layer has a flexural modulus of greater than about 35,000 psi.
238 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities shaped to directly receive at least some of a patient'"'"'s teeth and apply a resilient positioning force to the patient'"'"'s teeth, the appliance comprising:
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a hard inner polymer layer comprising a co-polyester and having a hard polymer layer elastic modulus; and a first soft outer polymer layer and a second soft outer polymer layer each comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and each having a soft polymer elastic modulus less than the hard polymer layer elastic modulus, a flexural modulus of greater than about 35,000 psi, a hardness of about 60A to about 85D, and a thickness in a range from 25 μ
m to 100 μ
m,wherein the hard inner polymer layer is disposed between the first soft outer polymer layer and the second soft outer polymer layer so as to reduce degradation of the resilient positioning force applied to the teeth when the appliance is worn. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An orthodontic system for positioning a patient'"'"'s teeth, comprising:
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a plurality of incremental position adjustment appliances having teeth receiving cavities shaped to directly receive at least some of the patient'"'"'s teeth and apply a resilient positioning force to the patient'"'"'s teeth, wherein the appliances are successively worn by a patient to move teeth from one arrangement to a successive arrangement, and wherein at least one of the appliances comprises; a hard inner polymer layer comprising a co-polyester and having a hard polymer layer elastic modulus; and a first soft outer polymer layer and a second soft outer polymer layer each comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and each having a soft polymer elastic modulus less than the hard polymer layer elastic modulus, a flexural modulus of greater than about 35,000 psi, a hardness of about 60A to about 85D, and a thickness in a range from 25 μ
m to 100 μ
m,wherein the hard inner polymer layer is disposed between the first soft outer polymer layer and the second soft outer polymer layer so as to reduce degradation of the resilient positioning force applied to the teeth when the appliance is worn. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An orthodontic appliance for repositioning a patient'"'"'s teeth, the appliance comprising:
a shell having a plurality of teeth receiving cavities shaped to apply a repositioning force to the patient'"'"'s teeth, wherein the shell is formed from a multilayer material configured to reduce degradation of the repositioning force over time when the shell is worn on the patient'"'"'s teeth, the multilayer material comprising; a first soft polymer layer and a second soft polymer layer each having a compression set greater than 40% after 24 hours at 70°
C., wherein the first and second soft polymer layers each comprise a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer; anda single hard polymer layer disposed between the first and second soft polymer layers and having a stress relaxation greater than 10% at 24 hour testing between 90% to 100% humidity, wherein the single hard polymer layer comprises a co-polyester. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
Specification