Systems for determining patient compliance with an orthodontic treatment or retention plan

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12232928-B2
Application number	US-202418744553-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2024
Priority date	Jun 17, 2016
Publication date	Feb 25, 2025
Grant date	Feb 25, 2025

Abstract

Systems for determining patient compliance with an orthodontic treatment or retention plan may include a polymeric shell appliance for receiving the patient's teeth, a sensor module on the polymeric shell appliance having a temperature sensor, a proximity sensor, a power source, and a communication antenna for communicating with an external case, and a processor configured to determine that the polymeric shell is being worn by the patient based on temperature data from the temperature sensor and proximity data from the proximity sensor, by determining that a measured temperature is within a body temperature range and that a measured proximity value is within a threshold proximity to an intraoral target. Methods of manufacturing these dental appliances are also described herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for determining patient compliance with an orthodontic treatment or retention plan, the system comprising:
a polymeric shell appliance comprising a plurality of cavities for receiving the patient's teeth, wherein the polymeric shell appliance is configured to be removably worn over the patient's teeth;
a sensor module coupled to the polymeric shell appliance, wherein the sensor module comprises a temperature sensor, a proximity sensor, a power source, and a communication antenna for communicating with an external case configured to hold the sensor module therein; and
a processor configured to determine that the polymeric shell is being worn by the patient based on a temperature data from the temperature sensor and a proximity data from the proximity sensor, wherein such determination comprises determining that a measured temperature from the temperature data is within a body temperature range and that a measured proximity value is within a threshold proximity to an intraoral target.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the external case, wherein the external case is configured to hold the polymeric shell appliance coupled to the sensor module, the case having a second communication antenna for communication with the communication antenna of the sensor module.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor comprises a capacitive sensor and the proximity data is capacitive data.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a physical memory coupled to the polymeric shell, wherein the processor is configured to record the temperature data and the capacitive data on the physical memory at a predetermined interval over time.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to determine patient compliance over time based on the recorded temperature data and the capacitive data.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the sensor module is coupled to a buccal surface of the polymeric shell appliance, and wherein the capacitive sensor of the sensor module is disposed within the sensor module to be adjacent to one or more of the patient's teeth when the polymeric shell appliance is worn over the patient's teeth.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to distinguish when the polymeric shell appliance is being worn in a mouth, is out of the mouth or is submerged in a saliva-like environment.

8. The system of claim 3 , wherein the capacitive sensor is configured to sense a negative charge of a tooth crown, a positive charge associated with plaque and/or bacteria on the tooth crown, and/or a charge associated with minerals in the patient's saliva or a surface of the teeth.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is on the sensor module.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module comprises a sealed housing enclosing the power source, the communication antenna, and the temperature sensor, and wherein the sensor module is permanently attached to the polymeric shell appliance.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module comprises a sealed housing enclosing the power source, the communication antenna, and the temperature sensor, and wherein the sensor module is releasably coupled to the polymeric shell appliance, allowing for removal of the sensor module.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module is formed integrally with the polymeric shell appliance.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication antenna for communicating with the external case comprises a near-field communication (NFC) antenna.

14. The system of claim 2 , wherein the case comprises a second processor in communication with the second antenna, wherein the second processor is configured to communicate with the sensor module using near filed communication (NFC) and with a mobile device using Bluetooth (BLE) communication.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module is activated when in proximity to the patient's teeth.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module further comprises one or more of: a pressure sensor and an accelerometer.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric shell appliance is a palatal expander.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric shell appliance is a retainer.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the intraoral target is a tooth.

20. A system for determining patient compliance with an orthodontic treatment or retention plan, the system comprising:
a polymeric shell appliance configured to be removably worn over the patient's teeth;
a sensor module coupled to the polymeric shell appliance, wherein the sensor module comprises a temperature sensor, a capacitive sensor, a power source, and a communication antenna for communicating with an external case; and
a processor configured to determine a compliance indicator at a particular time from both a temperature data from the temperature sensor and a capacitive data from the capacitive sensor by determining if a pattern and/or range of the temperature data is within a body temperature range and a pattern and/or range of the capacitive data indicates proximity to and/or direct contact with an intraoral target, wherein the compliance indicator indicates that the polymeric shell appliance is being worn or not being worn.

21. A method of manufacturing a dental appliance with a sensor module for determining patient compliance with an orthodontic treatment or retention plan, the method comprising:
fabricating a polymeric shell appliance comprising a plurality of cavities for receiving the patient's teeth, wherein the polymeric shell appliance is configured to be removably worn over the patient's teeth;
coupling, to a buccal surface of the polymeric shell appliance, the sensor module comprising:
a temperature sensor, a proximity sensor, a power source, and a communication antenna for communicating with an external case configured to hold the sensor module therein;
a physical memory for storing a temperature data from the temperature sensor and a proximity data from the proximity sensor; and
a processor configured to determine that the polymeric shell is being worn by the patient based on the temperature data and the proximity data, wherein such determination comprises determining that a measured temperature from the temperature data is within a body temperature range and that a measured proximity value is within a threshold proximity to an intraoral target.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising assembling the sensor module by enclosing the power source, the communication antenna, the proximity sensor, and the temperature sensor in a sealed housing, wherein the sensor module is coupled the polymeric shell by permanently attaching the sensor module to the polymeric shell appliance.

23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising assembling the sensor module by enclosing the power source, the communication antenna, the proximity sensor, and the temperature sensor, wherein the sensor module is coupled the polymeric shell by releasably coupling the sensor module to the polymeric shell appliance.

Assignees

• Align Technology Inc

Inventors

• Shanjani Yaser
• Cam Bruce
• Sato Jun
• Morton John Y
• Chen Victor
• Li Chunhua
• Boronkay Allen R
• Kaza Srinivas

Classifications

• H04B5/00

  Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems · CPC title

• H04B5/72

  for local intradevice communication · CPC title

• H04B5/22

  Capacitive coupling · CPC title

• H04B5/70

  specially adapted for specific purposes · CPC title

• H04B5/45

  Transponders · CPC title