Granted Patent B2

US 12,551,318 · App. 18/442,014 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Inventor: Avi Kopelman (Palo Alto, CA)

Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

A61C7/146A61C7/002G05B17/02G05B19/4099G05B19/4145B29L2031/753B33Y10/00B33Y50/02B33Y80/00G05B2219/45167G05B2219/49023

Abstract

Claims (33)

1 . A system for manufacturing a dental model for facilitating placement of an orthodontic appliance at a desired location, the system comprising: a computer-controlled manufacturing center configured to:

form a positive physical model of at least a portion of the patient's dentition, including one or more teeth,

wherein the positive physical model is received into a transfer tray and anchors the orthodontic appliance therein,

wherein the one or more teeth of the positive physical model comprise a recess dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the orthodontic appliance extending into the recess,

wherein the recess is configured to constrain movement of the orthodontic appliance when the orthodontic appliance extends into the recess and is received therein, and wherein the recess is located at a location corresponding to a targeted placement position of the orthodontic appliance on the patient's dentition; and

wherein the orthodontic appliance extends into the recess of the positive physical model while within the transfer tray.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-controlled manufacturing center is configured to form the positive physical model using at least one of a CNC machining process or a rapid prototyping process.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-controlled manufacturing center is configured to form the positive physical model based on one or more virtual models of the positive physical model.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-controlled manufacturing center is configured to form the recess in the positive physical model concurrently while forming the positive physical model.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-controlled manufacturing center is configured to form the recess in the positive physical model after forming the positive physical model.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the recess comprises an edge, wherein the edge is configured to abut against the orthodontic appliance and secure a position of the orthodontic appliance.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the recess comprises a shape corresponding to a base of the orthodontic appliance.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more teeth of the positive physical model comprise an opening for receiving at least the portion of the orthodontic appliance.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the positive physical model corresponds to a real dental surface of the patient's dentition.

10 . A computer-implemented method of manufacturing a dental model for facilitating placement of an orthodontic appliance at a desired location, the method comprising:

forming a positive physical model of at least a portion of the patient's dentition, including one or more teeth,

wherein the positive physical model is received into a transfer tray and anchors the orthodontic appliance therein,

wherein the one or more teeth of the positive physical model comprise a recess dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the orthodontic appliance,

wherein the recess is configured to constrain movement of the orthodontic appliance when the orthodontic appliance extends into the recess and is received therein, and wherein the recess is located at a location corresponding to a targeted placement position of the orthodontic appliance on the patient's dentition; and

wherein the orthodontic appliance extends into the recess of the positive physical model while within the transfer tray.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising forming the positive physical model using at least one of a CNC machining process or a rapid prototyping process.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising forming the positive physical model based on one or more virtual models of the positive physical model.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the recess comprises an edge, wherein the edge is configured to abut against the orthodontic appliance and secure a position of the orthodontic appliance.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the recess comprises a shape corresponding to a base of the orthodontic appliance.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more teeth of the positive physical model comprise an opening for receiving at least the portion of the orthodontic appliance.

16 . A system for facilitating placement of an orthodontic appliance on a patient's dentition, the system comprising:

a transfer tray; and

a positive physical model of at least a portion of the patient's dentition, including one or more teeth;

wherein the one or more teeth of the positive physical model comprise a recess dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the orthodontic appliance extending into the recess,

wherein the recess is configured to constrain movement of the orthodontic appliance when the orthodontic appliance extends into the recess and is received therein, and wherein the recess is located at a location corresponding to a targeted placement position of the orthodontic appliance on the patient's dentition;

wherein the orthodontic appliance is configured to be bonded on a tooth of the patient's dentition;

wherein the positive physical model is configured to be received into the transfer tray and anchor the orthodontic appliance therein; and

wherein the orthodontic appliance extends into the recess of the positive physical model while within the transfer tray.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (7)

References Cited (173)