IP Library Granted Patent US 9,939,999
Granted Patent B2
US 9,939,999 · App. 14/255,832 · Granted Apr 10, 2018

Treatment of teeth by aligners

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,939,999
App. No.
14/255,832
Granted
Apr 10, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for treating a subject's teeth. A target configuration for the subject's teeth is determined. Receiving features are produced on a dental base in response to the target configuration, the receiving features being configured to receive physical tooth models. The physical tooth models are assembled on the dental base to form a physical arch model. A dental aligner is produced using the physical arch model to move the subject's teeth to the target configuration.

Claims (28)

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause said computer to perform a method for treating a subject's teeth, comprising:

simultaneously presenting, in a same directional view, a first digital representation at a first display window and a second digital representation at a second display window, wherein said first digital representation comprises one of a pre-modified tooth arch of a patient and a post-modified tooth arch of said patient, and wherein said second digital representation comprises the other of said pre-modified tooth arch and said post-modified tooth arch;

in response to a receipt of tooth rotation instructions, executing a first rotation, wherein said executing said first rotation comprises:

rotating said first digital representation presented at said first display window; and

simultaneously with said executing said first rotation, executing a second rotation, wherein said executing said second rotation comprises:

rotating said second digital representation presented at said second display window, wherein said first rotation and said second rotation are executed in a same direction and in a same amount.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing selectable directional view icons that, upon selection, communicate a directional view by which said first digital representation and said second digital representation will be viewed.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a potential collision of adjacent teeth within said post-modified tooth arch.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a potential collision of a root of a first tooth with a root of a second tooth of said post-modified tooth arch, wherein said second tooth is adjacent to said first tooth.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3 , further comprising:

providing an alert that said potential collision may occur.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3 , further comprising:

based on said potential collision, not allowing a tooth of said post-modified tooth arch to be digitally rotated such that a collision representing said potential collision is realized.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising:

representing each tooth of said pre-modified tooth arch and said post-modified tooth arch as a mesh of points, such that an overlapping of said mesh of points indicates that a potential collision between adjacent teeth has occurred.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising:

using boundary parameters to prevent an over-rotation of said post-modified tooth arch, such that an amount of rotation and displacement is prescribed for each tooth of said pre-modified tooth arch.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising:

determine a movement pathway based on said pre-modified tooth arch and said post-modified tooth arch.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause said computer to perform a method for treating a subject's teeth, comprising:

simultaneously presenting, in a same directional view, a first digital representation at a first display window and a second digital representation at a second display window, wherein said first digital representation comprises a one of a pre-modified tooth arch of a patient and a post-modified tooth arch of said patient, and wherein said second digital representation comprises the other of said pre-modified tooth arch and said post-modified tooth arch, wherein digital representations of said pre-modified tooth arch and said post-modified tooth arch comprise a display of roots of each tooth therein;

in response to a receipt of tooth rotation instructions, executing a first rotation, wherein said executing said first rotation comprises:

rotating said first digital representation presented at said first display window; and

simultaneously with said executing said first rotation, executing a second rotation, wherein said executing said second rotation comprises:

rotating said second digital representation presented at said second display window, wherein said first rotation and said second rotation are executed in a same direction and in a same amount.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2021
From: WEN, HUAFENG; LIU, FRANK ZHENHUAN
To: ORTHOCLEAR HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 056843/0482 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2021
From: ORTHOCLEAR HOLDINGS, INC.
To: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 056843/0542 →