Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for improved orthodontic treatment of a patient's teeth are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method includes determining an appliance geometry for a dental appliance. The appliance geometry can include a first region representing a shell comprising a plurality of teeth receiving cavities, and a second region representing at least one integrally formed component to be integrally joined to the shell. The method can also include generating instructions including a first digital representation of the shell based on the first region, and a second digital representation of the at least one integrally formed component based on the second region. The method can further include transmitting the instructions to a fabrication system configured to additively manufacture the dental appliance by fabricating the shell based on the first digital representation, concurrently with fabricating the at least one integrally formed component based on the second digital representation.

Abstract: A system for generating missing data for 3D models of intraoral structures of a patient. The system may include a hand-held intraoral scanner and a computer having instructions that the system to scan the intraoral structure of a patient to generate first 3D data of the surface of a prepared tooth, generate a 3D virtual model of the prepared tooth based on the first 3D data, determine the 3D virtual model is missing a surface associated with the prepared, generate second 3D data approximating the surface that is determined to be missing from the 3D virtual model intraoral structure that is missing, and combine the second 3D data with the 3D virtual model such that the 3D virtual model includes the approximated surface, wherein the approximated surface approximates the prepared tooth associated with the surface determined to be missing from the 3D virtual model.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for generating and displaying a model of a subject's teeth. Described herein are intraoral scanning methods and apparatuses for generating a three-dimensional model of a subject's intraoral region (e.g., teeth). These methods and apparatuses may be used for identifying and evaluating lesions, caries and cracks in the teeth.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improved visual prosthetic and orthodontic treatment planning are provided herein. In some aspects, a method for preparing a tooth of a patient is disclosed. The method may comprise building a model of a dentition of the patient including a model of the initial shape of tooth. The method may also include determining a final prepared shape of the tooth. In some aspects, the method may also include generating a treatment plan comprising a plurality of steps to modify the initial shape of the tooth to the final prepared shape of the tooth. The method may also include rendering visualizations for the plurality of steps of the treatment plan. The visualizations may depict the removal of tooth material to modify the initial shape of the tooth to the final prepared shape of the tooth.

Abstract: A virtual model of an intraoral cavity is provided, wherein this process is initialized by a dental clinic, and the design and manufacture of a suitable dental prosthesis for the intraoral cavity is shared between a dental lab and a service center.

Abstract: A wax model of a required coping is produced using CNC machining techniques based on a virtual model of the coping created from digital data obtained from the intraoral cavity. The dental coping is then fabricated from the wax model.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to techniques for real-time and post-scan visualization of intraoral scan data, which may include 3D images, 3D scans, 3D surfaces and/or 3D models. In one embodiment, an intraoral scanning system comprises a plurality of image sensors to periodically generate a set of intraoral two-dimensional (2D) images, wherein for each set of intraoral 2D images each image sensor of the plurality of image sensors is to generate an intraoral 2D image, and wherein relative positions and orientations of the plurality of image sensors are known. The intraoral scanning system further comprises a computing device, wherein the computing device is to perform the following for each set of intraoral 2D images: generate a combined intraoral image based on merging the set of intraoral 2D images together during scanning; and output the combined intraoral image to a display.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improved visual prosthetic and orthodontic treatment planning are provided herein. In some aspects, a method for preparing a tooth of a patient is disclosed. The method may comprise building a model of a dentition of the patient including a model of the initial shape of tooth. The method may also include determining a final prepared shape of the tooth. In some aspects, the method may also include generating a treatment plan comprising a plurality of steps to modify the initial shape of the tooth to the final prepared shape of the tooth. The method may also include rendering visualizations for the plurality of steps of the treatment plan. The visualizations may depict the removal of tooth material to modify the initial shape of the tooth to the final prepared shape of the tooth.

Abstract: A virtual model of an intraoral cavity is provided, wherein this process is initialized by a dental clinic, and the design and manufacture of a suitable dental prosthesis for the intraoral cavity is shared between a dental lab and a service center.

Abstract: An intraoral scanner generates 2D images of a dental site and 3D intraoral scans of the dental site. The computing device receives the 2D images of the dental site and the 3D intraoral scans of the dental site from the intraoral scanner, generates a 3D model of the dental site based on the 3D intraoral scans of the dental site, and processes at least one of a) one or more of the 2D images of the dental site, b) one or more of the 3D intraoral scans of the dental site, or c) data from the 3D model of the dental site to identify one or more intraoral areas of interest (AOIs) at the dental site. The computing device determines a dental condition associated with the one or more intraoral AOIs, and determines a manner for scanning the one or more intraoral AOIs.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for producing appliances for expansion of the arch of a patient are provided. An arch expanding appliance comprises a force generating portion to apply an arch expansion force and a retention portion to hold the force generating portion on the teeth. The retention portion comprises a flexible portion and a stiff portion. The force generating portion applies a force to move teeth associated with the flexible portion, while the stiff portion resists movement of its associated teeth. The orthodontic appliances can be designed according to the specifications provided herein and manufactured using direct fabrication methods.

Abstract: Apparatuses, including sleeves, intraoral scanning systems to use these sleeves, and methods of using the sleeve, that authenticate the sleeve for use with an intraoral scanning system. Authentication may include verifying that the sleeve is new (unused) and/or verifying that the sleeve is appropriate and/or intended for use with the intraoral scanning system. Once authenticated, operation parameters of the intraoral scanning system can be automatically set based on information from a scanned identifier on the sleeve.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for improved orthodontic treatment of a patient's teeth are provided herein. A method may include determining a movement path to move one or more teeth from an initial arrangement to a target arrangement, determining an appliance geometry for an orthodontic appliance comprising a shell and one or more integrally formed components, wherein the shell comprises a plurality of teeth receiving cavities shaped to move the one or more teeth from the initial arrangement to the target arrangement, and generating instructions for direct fabrication of the orthodontic appliance, wherein the instructions are configured to cause direct fabrication of the shell using a first material and direct fabrication of the one or more integrally formed components using a second, different material.

Abstract: Releasable and removable palatal expander apparatuses for expanding a patient's palate (“palatal expanders”) and methods of using and making them. These releasable palatal expanders are adapted for ease in removal by the patient or caregiver, and may include a breach region configured to predictably bend or break when a pulling force is applied. The palatal expander apparatuses described herein may include one or more locks for locking the palatal expander onto the patient's teeth. The lock(s) may be unlocked to release the palatal expander from the teeth. A lock may include a control for manually unlocking the lock. Unlocking the locks may allow the palatal expander to automatically disengage from the patient's teeth.

Abstract: An image of a dental arch comprising a preparation tooth is generated by an image capture device associated with an augmented reality (AR) display. The image of the dental arch is registered to previous image data associated with the dental arch. A visual overlay associated with a dental prosthetic to be placed on the preparation tooth is generated based on the registering of the image of the dental arch to the previous image data associated with the dental arch. The visual overlay is output to the AR display, wherein the visual overlay is superimposed over a view of the preparation tooth on the AR display.

Abstract: Orthodontic appliances and associated methods are provided. In some embodiments, an orthodontic appliance includes an appliance shell configured to reposition a patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a second arrangement. The appliance shell can include a plurality of shell segments, each shell segment including a first material having a first elastic modulus. The appliance shell can also include a plurality of elastic segments, each elastic segment including a second material having a second elastic modulus less than the first elastic modulus. Each elastic segment can be coupled to a respective adjacent pair of shell segments.

Abstract: A method for preparing a tooth crown may include generating a 3D model of an external surface of a patient's tooth and generating a 3D model of an external surface of a first crown based on the 3D model of the external surface of the patient's tooth. The method may also include preparing the patient's tooth to receive the first crown while generating the 3D model of the external surface. A 3D model of the prepared tooth my be generated. A 3D model of an internal surface of the first crown may also be generated. The 3D model of the external surface and the 3D model of the internal surface may form a 3D model of the first crown.

Abstract: A wax model of a required coping is produced using CNC machining techniques based on a virtual model of the coping created from digital data obtained from the intraoral cavity. The dental coping is then fabricated from the wax model.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for manufacturing a physical dental model. A virtual model is provided representative of at least a portion of the intra-oral cavity including at least one dental implant implanted therein, and the virtual model includes a virtual portion representative of each dental implant. The virtual spatial disposition of each such virtual portion is determined with respect to the virtual model, corresponding to a real spatial disposition of the respective implant with respect to the intra oral cavity. A physical model is then manufactured based on the virtual model, the physical model including a physical analog corresponding to each implant at a respective physical spatial disposition with respect to the physical model corresponding to the respective virtual spatial disposition of the respective virtual portion with respect to the first virtual model as already determined.

Abstract: Apparatuses, including sleeves, intraoral scanning systems to use these sleeves, and methods of using the sleeve.