Manufacturing aligners having cut line markings
A method of fabricating a dental appliance includes receiving a digital three-dimensional model of a mold for a dental arch of a patient, the digital three-dimensional model of the mold comprising one or more features associated with a cut line. The method further includes fabricating the mold by a rapid prototyping machine using the digital three-dimensional model, the mold having the one or more features. The method further includes thermoforming the dental appliance over the mold, wherein the one or more features cause the dental appliance to have one or more markings or elements for the cut line. The method further includes removing the dental appliance from the mold, and trimming the dental appliance along the cut line using the one or more markings or elements.
1. A method of fabricating a dental appliance, comprising:
receiving a digital three-dimensional model of a mold for a dental arch of a patient, the digital three-dimensional model of the mold comprising one or more features associated with a cut line;
fabricating the mold by a rapid prototyping machine using the digital three-dimensional model, the mold having the one or more features;
thermoforming the dental appliance over the mold, wherein the one or more features cause the dental appliance to have one or more markings or elements for the cut line;
removing the dental appliance from the mold; and
trimming the dental appliance along the cut line using the one or more markings or elements.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dental appliance comprises at least one of an orthodontic aligner, an orthodontic retainer or an orthodontic splint to be used for at least one of aligning, retaining, or positioning one or more teeth of a patient.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cut line is customized for the dental arch of the patient.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cut line controls a distance between an edge of the dental appliance and a gum line of a patient.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital three-dimensional model of the mold for the dental arch of the patient and the fabricated mold comprise one or more additional features for an additional cut line for the dental appliance, and wherein the one or more additional features cause the dental appliance to have an additional marking or element for the additional cut line, the method further comprising:
trimming the dental appliance along the additional cut line using the additional marking or element.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one of:
a) trimming the dental appliance along the additional cut line removes at least one of an occlusal surface of the dental appliance;
b) trimming the dental appliance along the additional cut line removes a portion of the dental appliance and causes a hook to be formed that is usable with an elastic; or
c) the one or more features comprise a first type of marking or element and the one or more additional features comprises a second type of marking or element.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cut line is a gingival cut line, wherein the cut line is configured to be spaced apart from a gingival surface at regions where the dental appliance will contact a tooth, and wherein the cut line is configured to at least partially touch a patient's gingival surface in one or more interproximal areas between teeth.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more features comprise at least one of a) a positive feature in the mold that causes a negative element in the dental appliance or b) a negative feature in the mold that causes a positive element in the dental appliance.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more markings or elements comprise at least one of a) a single line that represents the cut line, b) a plurality of lines that define the cut line, or c) a plurality of shapes that point to the cut line.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital three-dimensional model of the mold further comprises one or more additional features associated with additional information to be added to the dental appliance, and wherein the one or more additional features cause the dental appliance to have the additional information.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more markings or elements comprise at least one of ridges or trenches.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the ridges or trenches cause light to reflect off of and/or refract through the dental appliance to render the one or more markings or elements visible.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more markings are visible in the dental appliance but do not affect a shape or feel of the dental appliance.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more markings or elements comprise slight indentations, the method further comprising:
applying a dye or a colored filler to the slight indentations to increase a contrast between the cut line and a remainder of the dental appliance.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating the digital three-dimensional model, wherein generating the digital three-dimensional model comprises:
generating or receiving an initial version of the digital three-dimensional model of the mold;
determining the cut line for the dental appliance; and
supplementing the initial version of the digital three-dimensional model by adding the one or more features to the initial version of the digital three-dimensional model, wherein the one or more features comprise at least one of an elevation or a depression that extends along the cut line and is in the digital three-dimensional model after supplementing the initial version of the three-dimensional model, wherein the one or more features are designed such that the dental appliance formed over the mold will have an impression of the one or more features that identifies the cut line.
16. A method of fabricating a dental appliance, comprising:
receiving a digital three-dimensional model of a mold for a dental arch of a patient, the digital three-dimensional model of the mold comprising one or more markings associated with a cut line;
fabricating the mold by a rapid prototyping machine using the digital three-dimensional model, the mold having the one or more markings;
thermoforming the dental appliance over the mold;
trimming the dental appliance along the cut line using the one or more markings while the dental appliance is on the mold; and
subsequently removing the dental appliance from the mold.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the dental appliance comprises at least one of an orthodontic aligner, an orthodontic retainer or an orthodontic splint to be used for at least one of aligning, retaining, or positioning one or more teeth of a patient, wherein the cut line is customized for the dental arch of the patient, and wherein the cut line controls a distance between an edge of the dental appliance and a gum line of a patient.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein fabricating the mold comprises:
fabricating a first portion of the mold using at least one of a first material or a first color; and
fabricating a second portion of the mold using at least one of a second material or a second color, wherein an interface between the first portion of the mold and the second portion of the mold comprises the one or more markings that define the cut line.