Abstract: A system for repositioning teeth comprises a plurality of individual appliances. The appliances are configured to be placed successively on the patient's teeth and to incrementally reposition the teeth from an initial tooth arrangement, through a plurality of intermediate tooth arrangements, and to a final tooth arrangement. The system of appliances is usually configured at the outset of treatment so that the patient may progress through treatment without the need to have the treating professional perform each successive step in the procedure.
Abstract: Systems and methods are described for integrating anatomical information from a plurality of sources of information. The system receives two or more three dimensional (3D) anatomical maps sharing a common plane specified by three or more marker points common to the two or more maps; and aligns the two or more 3D anatomical maps using the marker points.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 27, 2000
Date of Patent:
September 16, 2003
Assignee:
Align Technology, Inc.
Inventors:
Sheldon Baumrind, Sean Curry, Andrew Beers
Abstract: The present invention provides devices, systems and methods for orthodontic treatment using elastic repositioning appliances while concurrently providing dental and periodontal therapies. Such therapies are traditionally provided with the use of a variety of accessories and devices which are applied when the repositioning appliance is removed from the patient's mouth. The present invention eliminates the need for such removal and additional devices by incorporating these therapies into the repositioning appliance.
Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods implement a dental treatment plan by specifying tooth movement patterns using a two-dimensional array; and generating treatment paths to move the teeth in accordance with the specified pattern.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 25, 2001
Date of Patent:
August 5, 2003
Assignee:
Align Technology, Inc.
Inventors:
Ross J. Miller, Muhammad Chishti, Huafeng Wen
Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems of repositioning teeth for use in orthodontic treatment, with particular applicability to removable elastic repositioning appliances. Such appliances may be challenged by traditional tooth movements which intrude the crown of the tooth or present tooth positions which reduce available points of purchase. These challenges may be overcome with a series of tooth movements in which a tooth is translated in a “root-first” position. The movements may take advantage of the inherent characteristics of elastic repositioning appliances in translating a tooth from a first position to a desired position along a gingival plane.
Abstract: A system for repositioning teeth comprises a plurality of individual appliances. The appliances are configured to be placed successively on the patient's teeth and to incrementally reposition the teeth from an initial tooth arrangement, through a plurality of intermediate tooth arrangements, and to a final tooth arrangement. The system of appliances is usually configured at the outset of treatment so that the patient may progress through treatment without the need to have the treating professional perform each successive step in the procedure.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 30, 2002
Date of Patent:
April 29, 2003
Assignee:
Align Technology, Inc.
Inventors:
Muhammad Chishti, Apostolos Lerios, Brian Freyburger, Kelsey Wirth, Richard Ridgley
Abstract: A computer obtains a digital model of a patient's dentition, including a dental model representing the patient's teeth at a set of initial positions and a gingival model representing gum tissue surrounding the teeth. The computer then derives from the digital model an expected deformation of the gum tissue as the teeth move from the initial positions to another set of positions.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 14, 1999
Date of Patent:
February 4, 2003
Assignee:
Align Technology, Inc.
Inventors:
Muhammad Chishti, Huafeng Wen, Elena Pavlovskaia, Ka Man Cheang
Abstract: Orthodontic treatment is achieved using a series of successive, removable repositioning appliances, such as thin polymeric shell appliances referred to as aligners. A set of aligners is originally provided to the patient. If the patient's treatment goes off course using the original set of aligners, further aligners are designed and fabricated to move the deviant tooth arrangement back to a target tooth arrangement which was part of the original treatment program.