Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Bao Tran
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Patent number: 6767208Abstract: A method to create a digital model of a patient's teeth includes creating an impression of the patient's teeth; and scanning the impression using an X-ray source to generate the digital model.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2002Date of Patent: July 27, 2004Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventor: Srinivas Kaza
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Patent number: 6761560Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2002Date of Patent: July 13, 2004Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventor: Ross Miller
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Patent number: 6729876Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2001Date of Patent: May 4, 2004Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Huafeng Wen, Woncheol Choi
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Patent number: 6726478Abstract: A system arranges a computer model of teeth by displaying an outline of the first jaw on the screen; overlaying the teeth on the second jaw with the outline on the screen; and aligning the outline with the teeth on the second jaw.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2000Date of Patent: April 27, 2004Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Jun Samones Isiderio, Juan D. Gonzales
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Patent number: 6722880Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 14, 2002Date of Patent: April 20, 2004Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Kelsey Wirth
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Patent number: 6705861Abstract: An improved dental appliance system, and methods for using and fabricating the improved appliance, including a polymeric overlay or shell having a teeth-receiving cavity formed therein. The dental appliance having the necessary stiffness or strength to firmly secure the appliance on the teeth and provide controlled forces required for repositioning the teeth, until such time as removal of the appliance is desired. The appliance may be configured for use with a removal mechanism. The removal mechanism provides for selective release of the appliance from the teeth as the removal mechanism undergoes a state change stimulated by an environmental stimulus or environmental switch.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2002Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Loc X. Phan
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Patent number: 6705863Abstract: The present invention provides improved systems and methods for removably attaching a dental positioning appliance to the dental features of a patient during orthodontic treatment. These appliances function by applying force to specific surfaces of the teeth or dental features to cause directed movement. The application of force is improved by the use of one or more attachment devices which may be positioned on the teeth or dental features to provide the appropriate physical features. Specific design and location of these attachment devices may provide newly achievable and/or more effective repositioning forces, anchoring ability and appliance retention. The systems and methods of the present invention provide the design, production and use of such attachment devices with removable dental positioning appliances in orthodontic treatment.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2001Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Loc X. Phan, Muhammad Z. Chishti, Ross J. Miller
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Patent number: 6699037Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 21, 2001Date of Patent: March 2, 2004Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Kelsey Wirth
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Patent number: 6688886Abstract: A computer-implemented method separates first and second portions of a tooth by defining a cutting surface intersecting the first and second portions by specifying two points; and applying the cutting surface to the tooth to separate the tooth into two portions.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2001Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Joy Vannelia Hughes, Daniel Stuart Russel, Huazhang Luo, Carmen Cheang, Elena Pavloskaia, Venkata Sarva
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Patent number: 6685470Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 24, 2002Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Huafeng Wen, Elena Pavlovskaia, Ka Man Cheang
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Patent number: 6685469Abstract: An apparatus and method define a fit a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system of a patient by generating a computer representation of the masticatory system of the patient; and determining an occlusion from the computer representation of the masticatory system using one or more keys.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2002Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Andrew Beers
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Patent number: 6682346Abstract: Methods and corresponding apparatus for segmenting an orthodontic treatment path into clinically appropriate substeps for repositioning the teeth of a patient include providing a digital finite element model of the shape and material of each of a sequence of appliances to be applied to a patient; providing a digital finite element model of the teeth and related mouth tissue of the patient; computing the actual effect of the appliances on the teeth by analyzing the finite elements models computationally; and evaluating the effect against clinical constraints. The appliances can be braces, polymeric shells, or other forms of orthodontic appliance.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2002Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Elena I. Pavlovskaia, Gregory P. Bala, Brian Freyburger
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Patent number: 6665570Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a computer model of one or more teeth by receiving a digital data set of meshes representing the teeth; creating a parametric representation of the digital data set; and displaying the computer model of the teeth using the parametric representation. The model can be modified or transmitted for viewing or for fabricating dental appliances.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2002Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Elena Pavloskaia, Huafeng Wen
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Patent number: 6633789Abstract: A computer-implemented method generates a computer model of one or more teeth by receiving as input a digital data set of meshes representing the teeth; selecting a curved coordinate system with mappings to and from a 3D space; and generating a function in the curved coordinate system to represent each tooth.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2000Date of Patent: October 14, 2003Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Sergey Nikolskiy, Elena Pavloskaia, Huafeng Wen
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Patent number: 6629840Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 21, 2001Date of Patent: October 7, 2003Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Kelsey Wirth
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Patent number: 6621491Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 27, 2000Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Sheldon Baumrind, Sean Curry, Andrew Beers
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Patent number: 6607382Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2000Date of Patent: August 19, 2003Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Eric Kuo, Loc X. Phan
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Patent number: 6602070Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 25, 2001Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Ross J. Miller, Muhammad Chishti, Huafeng Wen
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Patent number: 6582227Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2001Date of Patent: June 24, 2003Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Loc X. Phan, Muhammad Chishti
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Patent number: 6583799Abstract: A computer implemented method uploads image data to a remote computer such as a server by: defining an area in a user interface adapted to receive an image; generating a thumbnail associated with the image when the image is associated with the area; and, uploading the image to the server.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 1999Date of Patent: June 24, 2003Assignee: Shutterfly, Inc.Inventors: Eva Manolis, Chase Garfinkle, Patrick Teo, Hwei Mien Quek, Roderick Mann