Orthodontic appliances with discontinuities and elastics
Orthodontic appliances are provided. In some embodiments, an orthodontic appliance includes a polymeric shell having a plurality of teeth-receiving cavities. The polymeric shell can include a discontinuity that is configured to deform when the orthodontic appliance is worn on a patient's teeth. The orthodontic appliance can also include an elastic member having a first portion directly coupled to a first location on the polymeric shell, and a second portion directly coupled to a second location on the polymeric shell. When the orthodontic appliance is worn on the patient's teeth, the elastic member can be configured to cause an interaction with the deformed discontinuity, the interaction eliciting a movement of one or more of the patient's teeth to change a size of an interproximal space between the patient's teeth.
1. An orthodontic appliance comprising:
a single unitary polymeric shell comprising a plurality of teeth-receiving cavities, wherein the polymeric shell comprises a discontinuity that is configured to deform when the orthodontic appliance is worn on a patient's teeth; and
an elastic member having a first portion directly coupled to a first location on the polymeric shell, and a second portion directly coupled to a second location on the polymeric shell, wherein when the orthodontic appliance is worn on the patient's teeth, the elastic member is configured to cause an interaction with the deformed discontinuity, the interaction eliciting a movement of one or more of the patient's teeth to change a size of an interproximal space between the patient's teeth.
2. The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 , wherein the discontinuity comprises one or more of an aperture, a protrusion, an indentation, or a flap formed in the polymeric shell.
3. The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric shell comprises a receptacle configured to accommodate an attachment mounted on a tooth of the patient.
4. The orthodontic appliance of claim 3 , wherein the elastic member is configured to engage the attachment when the orthodontic appliance is worn on the patient's teeth.
5. The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 , wherein the elastic member spans two or more of the plurality of teeth-receiving cavities.
6. The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first location is on a lingual surface of the polymeric shell and the second location is on a buccal surface of the polymeric shell.
7. The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first and second locations are on a lingual surface of the polymeric shell, or the first and second locations are on a buccal surface of the polymeric shell.
8. The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a retention feature formed in the polymeric shell and configured to retain a portion of the elastic member at a specified position relative to the polymeric shell.
9. The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric shell comprises a second discontinuity that is configured to deform when the orthodontic appliance is worn on the patient's teeth, and the orthodontic appliance comprises a second elastic member coupled to the polymeric shell and configured to interact with the deformed second discontinuity.
10. The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the elastic member is bonded to the first location, and wherein the second portion of the elastic member is bonded to the second location.
11. The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 , wherein the discontinuity is an opening formed in the polymeric shell.
12. An orthodontic appliance comprising:
an appliance shell comprising a plurality of cavities configured to receive a patient's teeth, wherein the appliance shell comprises a first discontinuity that is configured to deform when the appliance shell is placed on the patient's teeth and a second discontinuity that is configured to deform when the appliance shell is worn on the patient's teeth;
a first elongate elastic having a first portion coupled to a first location on the appliance shell, and a second portion coupled to a second location on the appliance shell, wherein when the appliance shell is placed on the patient's teeth, the first elongate elastic is configured to interact with the deformed first discontinuity to produce a first repositioning force that changes a spacing between the patient's teeth; and
a second elongate elastic coupled to the appliance shell and configured to interact with the deformed second discontinuity to produce a second repositioning force.
13. The orthodontic appliance of claim 12 , wherein the first discontinuity comprises one or more of an aperture, a protrusion, an indentation, or a flap formed in the appliance shell.
14. The orthodontic appliance of claim 12 , wherein the appliance shell comprises a receptacle configured to accommodate an attachment mounted on a tooth of the patient.
15. The orthodontic appliance of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first elongate elastic or second elongate elastic is configured to exert a force on the attachment when the orthodontic appliance is worn on the patient's teeth.
16. The orthodontic appliance of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first elongate elastic or the second elongate elastic spans a plurality of the patient's teeth when the appliance shell is placed on the patient's teeth.
17. The orthodontic appliance of claim 12 , wherein the appliance shell comprises a first discrete shell section and a second discrete shell section, the first location is on the first discrete shell section, and the second location is on the second discrete shell section.
18. The orthodontic appliance of claim 12 , wherein the first and second locations are on different surfaces of the appliance shell.
19. The orthodontic appliance of claim 12 , wherein the first and second locations are the same surface of the appliance shell.
20. The orthodontic appliance of claim 12 , further comprising a retention feature formed in the appliance shell and configured to retain a portion of at least one of the first elongate elastic or the second elongate elastic at a specified position relative to the appliance shell.