ARCH EXPANDING APPLIANCE

• US 20180055602A1
• Filed: 10/24/2017
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Kopelman, Avi, Sambu, Shiva, Sterental, Rene M., Kuo, Eric, de Alencar Casa, Mauricio
• Granted Patent: US 10,130,445 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/002 Orthodontic computer assisted systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/08 Mouthpiece-type retainers or positioners, e.g. for both the lower and upper arch arch-shaped medicament applicators for teeth or gums A61C19/063; mouthguards for protecting the teeth of sportsmen A63B71/085
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/10 Devices having means to apply outwardly directed force, e.g. expanders

Abstract

The present disclosure provides method, systems, and devices for expanding arch of teeth. A device for expanding an arch of teeth of a patient can include a removable shell formed of a first material having a number of cavities formed therein. The number of cavities are shaped to receive teeth of a patient. A device for expanding an arch of teeth of a patient can include an arch element extending from the removable shell in a lingual direction and across an arch width of the removable shell. The arch element can be formed of the first material and a second material that is a different material than the first material, can be designed to expand an arch of the teeth of the patient, and can have a width specific to a stage of a treatment plan.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising:

a removable shell having a number of cavities formed therein, wherein the number of cavities are shaped to receive all of the teeth on a jaw of a patient; and

an arch element extending from the removable shell in a lingual direction and continuing uninterrupted across the arch width of the removable shell from a first side of the removable shell to a second side of the removable shell.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the arch element is designed to expand an arch of the teeth of the patient.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the arch element has a width specific to a stage of a treatment plan.

4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the arch element includes a first portion and a second portion.

5. The appliance of claim 4, wherein the first portion of the arch element is made of a first material and the second portion of the arch element is made from a second material, wherein the first material and second material are different.

6. The appliance of claim 5, wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.

7. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the arch element includes at least one interlock feature to connect a first portion of the arch element with a second portion of the arch element.

8. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the at least one interlock feature includes a top portion and a trunk portion.

9. The appliance of claim 8, wherein the trunk portion is smaller than the top portion in at least one dimension.

10. A system, comprising:

a first appliance, of a series of appliances designed to incrementally implement a treatment plan, comprising a first shell having a plurality of cavities therein designed to receive all of the teeth on a jaw of a patient, wherein the first appliance includes a first arch element with a first width specific to a first stage of the treatment plan, extending therefrom in a lingual direction and continuing uninterrupted across an arch width of the first shell from a first side of the first shell to a second side of the first shell; and

a second appliance, of the series of appliances, comprising a second shell having a plurality of cavities therein designed to receive all of the teeth on the jaw of the patient, wherein the second appliance includes a second arch element with a second width different than the first width and specific to a second stage of the treatment plan.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first arch element and the second arch element are designed to expand an arch of the teeth of the patient.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the second arch element includes a third portion and a fourth portion.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the third portion of the second arch element is made of a third material and the fourth portion of the second arch element is made from a fourth material, wherein the third material and the fourth material are different.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the third portion of the second arch element is made from a third material and the second shell is made from the third material.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the second arch element includes at least one feature to interlock the third portion of the second arch element and the fourth portion of the second arch element.

16. A method of forming a dental appliance, comprising:

forming a portion of an arch element using a virtual model of a palate of a patient and a virtual model of a jaw of the patient, wherein the portion of the arch element is wider than an arch width of the jaw of the patient; and

forming a removable shell over a molded jaw of the patient, wherein the removable shell includes a number of cavities formed therein, wherein the number of cavities are shaped to receive all of the teeth on the jaw of the patient.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein forming the removable shell includes thermoforming.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein forming the portion of the arch element includes offsetting the arch element from a palatal surface of the patient.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein forming the portion of the arch element includes creating at least one interlock feature.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein forming the portion of the arch element includes creating at least one raised feature in a position to provide added force to the removable shell.