IP Library Granted Patent US 7,435,083
Granted Patent B2
US 7,435,083 · App. 11/096,627 · Granted Oct 14, 2008

Tooth path treatment plan

Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,435,083
App. No.
11/096,627
Granted
Oct 14, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed to prepare a malocclusion treatment plan by selecting a tooth treatment pattern from a library of predetermined tooth treatment patterns; and generating the malocclusion treatment plan implementing the selected tooth treatment pattern.

Claims (27)

1. A computer-implemented method for preparing digital models of a patient's teeth, said method comprising:

selecting a tooth treatment pattern from a library of predetermined tooth treatment patterns, the selected pattern comprising an all equal movement pattern, A-shaped movement pattern, V-shaped movement pattern, M-shaped movement pattern, W-shaped movement pattern, symmetric staircase pattern, asymmetric staircase pattern, or equal equal movement pattern;

calculating tooth movement paths for moving teeth from a first tooth arrangement to a second tooth arrangement and in accordance with the selected treatment pattern; and

generating computer models representing a series of successive tooth arrangements progressing along the calculated tooth movement paths in accordance with the selected treatment pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment pattern is selected from one or more clinical treatment prescriptions.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more clinical treatment-prescriptions includes at least one of the following: space closure, reproximation, dental expansion, flaring, proclination, distalization, and lower incisor extraction.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a tooth path comprises finding a collision free shortest path between an initial position and a final position for one or more teeth.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating tooth movement paths comprises specifying a series of treatment stages for one or more teeth.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising dividing the path(s) for one or more teeth into the series of stages while keeping the movement of teeth in each stage below a predetermined range.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating an appliance for a treatment stage.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the appliance is either a removable appliance or a fixed appliance.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a three-dimensional model for the teeth for a treatment stage.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising generating dental diagnostic information from the three-dimensional model.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising generating interproximal reduction information from the 3D model.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising generating tooth size discrepancy information from the 3D model.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising generating Bolton information from the 3D model.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected pattern comprises an all equal movement pattern, further comprising subdividing paths while satisfying one or more constraints.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the constraint comprises minimizing tooth oscillation and tooth movement distance.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected pattern comprises an equal equal pattern, further comprising:

dividing the teeth into a prestage movement group and a post stage movement group; and

applying the all equal movement to the prestage movement group and subsequently applying the all equal movement to the prestage movement group.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected pattern is an A-shaped movement pattern, further comprising sequentially moving each tooth from an incisor tooth toward a molar tooth.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected pattern is a V-shaped movement pattern, further comprising sequentially moving each tooth from a molar tooth toward an incisor tooth.

19. A computer-implemented method for preparing digital models of a patient's teeth, said method comprising:

selecting a tooth treatment pattern from a library of predetermined tooth treatment patterns, the selected pattern comprising an all equal pattern, an A-shaped movement pattern, a V-shaped movement pattern, an M-shaped movement pattern, a W-shaped movement pattern, a symmetric staircase pattern, an asymmetric staircase pattern, or an equal equal movement pattern;

calculating tooth movement paths for moving teeth based on the selected treatment pattern; and

generating computer models representing a series of successive tooth arrangements progressing along the calculated tooth movement paths in accordance with the treatment pattern.

Continuity (8)
Continuation 1075184700 · Jan 5, 2004
Continuation 0994309700 · Aug 29, 2001
Continuation In Part 0931328900 · May 13, 1999
Continuation In Part 1040417800 · Mar 31, 2003
Continuation 0984324600 · Apr 25, 2001
Continuation In Part 0931328900 · May 13, 1999
Provisional Application 6019961000 · Apr 25, 2000
Related Publication 20070003907A1 · Jan 4, 2007