Multilayer dental appliances and related methods and systems
First Claim
1. 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 thickness in a range from 25 μ
m to 100 μ
m and a compression set greater than 40% after 24 hours at 70°
C., wherein the first and second soft polymer layer each comprise a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer; and
a hard polymer layer disposed between the first and second soft polymer layers and having a thickness in a range from 400 μ
m to 1100 μ
m, a tensile modulus greater than 150,000 psi, and a tensile strength at yield between 4000 psi and 6500 psi, wherein the hard polymer layer comprises a co-polyester.
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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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. 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 thickness in a range from 25 μ
m to 100 μ
m and a compression set greater than 40% after 24 hours at 70°
C., wherein the first and second soft polymer layer each comprise a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer; anda hard polymer layer disposed between the first and second soft polymer layers and having a thickness in a range from 400 μ
m to 1100 μ
m, a tensile modulus greater than 150,000 psi, and a tensile strength at yield between 4000 psi and 6500 psi, wherein the hard polymer layer comprises a co-polyester.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An orthodontic system for repositioning 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 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 thickness in a range from 25 μ
m to 100 μ
m and a compression set greater than 40% after 24 hours at 70°
C.; anda hard polymer layer disposed between the first and second soft polymer layers and having a thickness in a range from 400 μ
m to 1100 μ
m, a tensile modulus greater than 150,000 psi, and a tensile strength at yield between 4000 psi and 6500 psi,wherein the first and second soft polymer layer each comprise a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and the hard polymer layer comprises a co-polyester. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification