Ceramic processing for the direct manufacture of customized labial and lingual orthodontic brackets
A method of manufacturing customized ceramic labial/lingual orthodontic brackets by digital light processing, said method comprises measuring dentition data of a profile of teeth of a patient, wherein measuring dentition data is performed using a CT scanner or intra-oral scanner, based on the dentition data, creating a three dimensional computer-assisted design (3D CAD) model of the patient's teeth using reverse engineering, and saving the 3D CAD model on a computer, designing a 3D CAD bracket structure model for a single labial or lingual bracket structure, importing the 3D CAD bracket structure model into a Digital Light Processing (DLP) machine, directly producing the bracket by layer manufacturing.
1. A method of manufacturing a customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket by additive manufacturing, said method comprising:
accessing data related to a 3D CAD bracket structure model for the customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket into an additive manufacturing machine; and
directly producing the customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket in the additive manufacturing machine by layer manufacturing, wherein a manufacturing accuracy is from 2 to about 60 micrometers (μm) and is achieved by predicting, using between layer additive error compensation, an amount of polymerization shrinkage, and wherein a thickness of manufactured layers is from 5 to 100 μm based on resolution requirements of the customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additive manufacturing machine comprises:
a digital light processing (DLP) machine; or
a stereolithographic machine.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein predicting, using the between layer additive error compensation, the amount of polymerization shrinkage comprises predicting the amount of polymerization shrinkage to avoid divergent slot walls.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein predicting, using the between layer additive error compensation, the amount of polymerization shrinkage comprises predicting the amount of polymerization shrinkage to avoid convergent slot walls.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein predicting, using the between layer additive error compensation, the amount of polymerization shrinkage comprises predicting the amount of polymerization shrinkage to achieve a desired slot height.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the between layer additive error compensation is configured to avoid errors in a bracket base morphology.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the 3D CAD bracket structure model includes data representing at least:
a) a bracket pad having recesses that is custom shaped to fit a negative of a tooth surface and to contact a particular area of the tooth surface;
b) at least one slot for positioning the customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket according to an orthodontia need of a patient;
c) a bracket material; and
d) error compensation data that predicts an amount of polymerization shrinkage.
8. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform:
accessing data related to a 3D CAD bracket structure model for a customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket into an additive manufacturing machine; and
directly producing the customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket in the additive manufacturing machine by layer manufacturing, wherein a manufacturing accuracy is from 2 to about 60 micrometers (μm) and is achieved by predicting, using between layer additive error compensation, an amount of polymerization shrinkage, and wherein a thickness of manufactured layers is from 5 to 100 μm based on resolution requirements of the customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket.
9. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the additive manufacturing machine comprises:
a digital light processing (DLP) machine; or
a stereolithographic machine.
10. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein predicting, using the between layer additive error compensation, the amount of polymerization shrinkage comprises predicting the amount of polymerization shrinkage to avoid divergent slot walls.
11. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein predicting, using the between layer additive error compensation, the amount of polymerization shrinkage comprises predicting the amount of polymerization shrinkage to avoid convergent slot walls.
12. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein predicting, using the between layer additive error compensation, the amount of polymerization shrinkage comprises predicting the amount of polymerization shrinkage to achieve a desired slot height.
13. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein between layer additive error compensation is configured to avoid errors in a bracket base morphology.
14. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the 3D CAD bracket structure model includes data representing at least:
a) a bracket pad having recesses that is custom shaped to fit a negative of a tooth surface and to contact a particular area of the tooth surface;
b) at least one slot for positioning the customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket according to an orthodontia need of a patient;
c) a bracket material; and
d) error compensation data that predicts an amount of polymerization shrinkage.
15. A customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket produced by additive manufacturing, the bracket comprising:
a plurality of layers directly produced in an additive manufacturing machine by layer manufacturing, a shape of each layer consistent with a 3D CAD bracket structure model for the customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket;
wherein a manufacturing accuracy is from 2 to about 60 micrometers (μm) and is achieved by predicting, using between layer additive error compensation, an amount of polymerization shrinkage, and wherein a thickness of manufactured layers is from 5 to 100 μm based on resolution requirements of the customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket.
16. The customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket of claim 15 , wherein predicting, using the between layer additive error compensation, the amount of polymerization shrinkage comprises predicting the amount of polymerization shrinkage to avoid divergent slot walls.
17. The customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket of claim 15 , wherein predicting, using the between layer additive error compensation, the amount of polymerization shrinkage comprises predicting the amount of polymerization shrinkage to avoid convergent slot walls.
18. The customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket of claim 15 , wherein predicting, using the between layer additive error compensation, the amount of polymerization shrinkage comprises predicting the amount of polymerization shrinkage to achieve a desired slot height.
19. The customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket of claim 15 , wherein the 3D CAD bracket structure model includes data representing at least:
a bracket pad having recesses that is custom shaped to fit a negative of a tooth surface and to contact a particular area of the tooth surface; and
at least one slot for positioning the customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket according to an orthodontia need of a patient.
20. The customized labial/lingual orthodontic bracket of claim 19 , wherein the 3D CAD bracket structure model includes data representing at least:
a bracket material; and
error compensation data that predicts an amount of polymerization shrinkage.