Direct fabrication of aligners for arch expansion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017007366-A1
Application number	US-201615202452-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 5, 2016
Priority date	Jul 7, 2015
Publication date	Jan 12, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for producing appliances for expansion of the arch of a patient are provided. An arch expanding appliance comprises a force generating portion to apply an arch expansion force and a retention portion to hold the force generating portion on the teeth. The retention portion comprises a flexible portion and a stiff portion. The force generating portion applies a force to move teeth associated with the flexible portion, while the stiff portion resists movement of its associated teeth. The orthodontic appliances can be designed according to the specifications provided herein and manufactured using direct fabrication methods.

First claim

1 . An apparatus, to expand an arch of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
a force generating portion to expand the arch of the teeth; a flexible retention portion to hold the force generating portion on the teeth; and a stiff retention portion coupled to the flexible retention portion, and positioned adjacent to a first plurality of teeth receiving structures of the flexible retention portion to receive a first plurality of teeth, to resist movement of the first plurality of teeth while allowing movement of a second plurality of teeth when the apparatus is worn.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the force generating portion, the flexible retention portion, and the stiff retention portion have been directly fabricated together.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the force generating portion comprises a stiff material.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the force generating portion comprises one or more of a compressible material or a resilient compressible structure to generate force to the teeth when placed.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stiff retention portion comprises one or more ribs or thickened portions.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , where in the force generating portion spans the space between the bicuspid or molar teeth.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of materials.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the force generating portion comprises one or more of a compressible material, a hydratable material, or a resilient compressible structure to generate force to the teeth when worn.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible retention portion comprises a plurality of teeth receiving structures, the plurality of teeth receiving structures comprising one or more of a plurality of teeth receiving cavities or a plurality of teeth receiving extensions shaped to extend at least partially around received teeth.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the force generating portion comprises adjacent stiff segments separated in a mesial-distal direction with an expansion force generating portion extending therebetween.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the adjacent stiff segments comprise extensions sized to extend into interproximal portions to engage the teeth, and soft retention structures are affixed to the stiff segments and sized and shaped to extend around the teeth and into interproximal portions to engage the teeth and retain one or more stiff segments against the teeth.

12 .- 14 . (canceled)

15 . A method of fabricating an appliance to expand an arch of a patient, the method comprising:
receiving scan data of teeth of an arch of the patient; determining a shape profile of the appliance to engage the teeth and expand the arch, the appliance comprising a force generating portion to expand the arch of the teeth, a flexible retention portion to hold the force generating portion on the teeth, and a stiff retention portion coupled to the flexible retention portion, and positioned adjacent to a first plurality of teeth receiving structures of the flexible retention portion to receive a first plurality of teeth, to resist movement of the first plurality of teeth while allowing movement of a second plurality of teeth when the apparatus is worn; and outputting direct fabrication instructions to manufacture the appliance with a direct fabrication apparatus.

16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising;
determining an amount of force to expand the arch in response to the scan data; and determining a shape of the force generating portion to provide the force to the teeth.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the force generating portion is stiffer than the flexible retention portion.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the force generating portion comprises adjacent stiff segments separated in a mesial-distal direction with an expansion force generating portion extending therebetween.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the appliance is configured to expand the arch with increasing separation of the adjacent stiff segments in a mesial-distal direction, and wherein the adjacent stiff segments comprise extensions sized to extend into interproximal portions to engage the teeth.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the appliance further comprises soft retention structures affixed to the stiff segments and sized and shaped to extend around the teeth and into interproximal portions to engage the teeth and retain one or more stiff segments against the teeth.

21 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising directly manufacturing the appliance according to the direct fabrication instructions.

22 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the direct fabrication instructions include instructions to manufacture the appliance using an additive manufacturing process.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the additive manufacturing process comprises one or more of vat photopolymerization, material jetting, binder jetting, material extrusion, powder bed fusion, sheet lamination, or directed energy deposition.

24 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the direct fabrication instructions include instructions to manufacture the appliance using a subtractive manufacturing process.

25 . An appliance to expand an arch of a patient, comprising:
a teeth engagement component comprising a plurality of teeth engagement structures; and a force generating component coupled to the teeth engagement component, wherein the teeth engagement component comprises a plurality of structures disposed on the lingual side of the teeth engagement component, and the force generating component comprises a plurality of engagement structures to engage the structures of the teeth engagement component to apply an arch expanding force.

26 . The appliance of claim 25 , wherein the force generating component is a sintered metal or sintered plastic force generating component comprising a plurality of engagement structures to engage corresponding structures of the teeth engagement component with force in order to increase a size of the arch.

27 . The appliance of claim 26 , wherein the teeth engagement component is a sintered metal or sintered plastic teeth engagement component.

Assignees

• Align Technology Inc

Inventors

• Kopelman Avi
• Boronkay Allen
• Kimura Ryan
• Shanjani Yaser

Classifications

• B29C64/386 Primary

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• A61C13/0013

  using stereolithographic techniques · CPC title

• G06Q30/0621

  by configuring or customising goods or services · CPC title

• A61C7/08

  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 title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title