Abstract: A custom orthodontic appliance comprised of brackets to be positioned on a patient's teeth, and an archwire, is customized to provide a desired torque to a tooth by selecting an angle for the slot of at least one bracket so as to provide a torque interaction between that bracket slot and the archwire. The torque interaction is computed to compensate for tooth tilt resulting from misalignment of the force vector applied by the archwire with the tooth center of resistance. The torque interaction is computed at the desired final position of the teeth, and may be computed to provide for an applied torque even where the tooth is positioned in the desired final tooth position to compensate for force diminution. Material properties of the archwire and the relative archwire slot geometry are evaluated to determine an archwire/slot angular offset in which torque is applied to the bracket.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods to plan, display and evaluate orthodontic treatment plans. A plurality of teeth in a representation on a computer display may be moved simultaneously in accordance with a mathematically defined pattern. Software tools available to generate the treatment path may include adjusting the smile teeth, moving teeth along a curve fit to points in the mandible, individually moving a tooth, cross sectioning to check for interference and simulations of occlusal points, highlighting teeth that have moved from their original position, making notations on the teeth, and generating and saving animation sequences of before and after treatment tooth positions.

Abstract: A custom orthodontic appliance comprised of brackets to be positioned on a patient's teeth, and an archwire, is customized to provide a desired torque to a tooth by selecting an angle for the slot of at least one bracket so as to provide a torque interaction between that bracket slot and the archwire. The torque interaction is computed to compensate for tooth tilt resulting from misalignment of the force vector applied by the archwire with the tooth center of resistance. The torque interaction is computed at the desired final position of the teeth, and may be computed to provide for an applied torque even where the tooth is positioned in the desired final tooth position to compensate for force diminution. Material properties of the archwire and the relative archwire slot geometry are evaluated to determine an archwire/slot angular offset in which torque is applied to the bracket.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance for attachment to a tooth with adhesive is provided that resists debonding due to impact. The appliance is provided with a compliant interface between the adhesive and the point of impact. An appliance may be provided with an orthodontic bracket suspended from a mechanical bonding base that is to be secured with adhesive to a tooth. The suspension provides compliant movement between the appliance and the mechanical bond. The movement is preferably resilient or elastic movement, but may be plastic. The movement resists fracture of the adhesive by more slowly decelerating an impacting mass, reducing forces on the adhesive. A pad attached at its outer periphery to a mesh which leaves the inner central portion of the pad free may provide the compliance, so the pad exhibits flex, suspending the bracket to move with impacting masses, absorbing energy and reducing forces transmitted to the adhesive.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance for attachment to a tooth with adhesive is provided that resists debonding due to impact. The appliance is provided with a compliant interface between the adhesive and the point of impact. An appliance may be provided with an orthodontic bracket suspended from a mechanical bonding base that is to be secured with adhesive to a tooth. The suspension provides compliant movement between the appliance and the mechanical bond. The movement is preferably resilient or elastic movement, but may be plastic. The movement resists fracture of the adhesive by more slowly decelerating an impacting mass, reducing forces on the adhesive. A pad attached at its outer periphery to a mesh which leaves the inner central portion of the pad free may provide the compliance, so the pad exhibits flex, suspending the bracket to move with impacting masses, absorbing energy and reducing forces transmitted to the adhesive.

Abstract: Computer analysis is made of individual patient related data in order to select standard or pre-manufactured orthodontic appliances or appliance components (10) that are most likely to provide orthodontic treatment suitable for the individual patient. This analysis can be made by the software of a custom orthodontic appliance designing system, without actually manufacturing the custom appliance. Geometric parameters (21-24, 28, 29) of a custom designed appliance may be compared with corresponding parameters of alternative standard appliances or appliance components so that the closest standard component can be used. The custom appliance can be designed to accommodate the geometries of one or more appliance components. Where custom mounting instructions that modify otherwise standard installation of an appliance or component will render the standard component more compatible with a custom appliance design, such instructions are provided to the orthodontist along with the selection.

Abstract: Computer analysis is made of individual patient related data in order to select standard or pre-manufactured orthodontic appliances or appliance components (10) that are most likely to provide orthodontic treatment suitable for the individual patient. This analysis can be made by the software of a custom orthodontic appliance designing system, without actually manufacturing the custom appliance. Geometric parameters (21-24, 28, 29) of a custom designed appliance may be compared with corresponding parameters of alternative standard appliances or appliance components so that the closest standard component can be used. The custom appliance can be designed to accommodate the geometries of one or more appliance components. Where custom mounting instructions that modify otherwise standard installation of an appliance or component will render the standard component more compatible with a custom appliance design, such instructions are provided to the orthodontist along with the selection.

Abstract: A placement jig for locating an orthodontic appliance on a tooth is provided with a cavity formed in a jig body and conforming to the contour of an occlusal portion a tooth crown, which cavity is coated with a releasable adhesive to hold the jig to the tooth as the appliance is bonded to the tooth. Connecting structure is fixed to the jig body. In certain embodiments, at least two jig-locating areas shaped to respectively conform to areas on the occlusal surfaces of two different teeth of a group are machined into the machinable material, and appliance receiving structures are also machined on each jig body, each for holding an orthodontic appliance in a fixed position and orientation relative to the jig body. The jig bodies for placing orthodontic appliances on the teeth of an individual patient are preferably formed of a single piece of machinable material. A method and an apparatus for forming the jig bodies are provided.

Abstract: A placement jig for locating an orthodontic appliance on a tooth is provided with a cavity formed in a jig body and conforming to the contour of an occlusal portion a tooth crown, which cavity is coated with a releasable adhesive to hold the jig to the tooth as the appliance is bonded to the tooth. Connecting structure is fixed to the jig body and has a spring metal tip that frictionally fits into a hole in the appliance. The peg is oriented in the occlusal-gingival direction so that its tip slides out of the hole in the bracket when the jig is moved occlusally from the tooth to remove the jig after the appliance has been bonded. A handle is formed into or extends from the jig body at a generally balanced position opposite the cavity, and a specially configured handling tool is provided to grip the jig and appliance combination to place it on a tooth or to remove the jig from the appliance and the tooth.

Abstract: Various features are provided for a custom orthodontic appliance manufacturing or designing system. These include features for inputting of data of patient anatomy and practitioner decisions, features for interactively or automatically manipulating data to arrive at appliance characteristics, and features for affecting design or manufacture of the appliance.

Abstract: A system (10) and method by which an orthodontic appliance (25) is automatically designed and manufactured from digital lower jaw and tooth shape data of a patient provides for the scanning of the mouth of a patient (12), preferably from a model (20) of the patient's mouth, to produce a three-dimensional digitized model (26) of the shapes of the patient's teeth and their positions in the patient's mouth. Then a computer (30) calculates the post-treatment positions of the teeth and produces three-dimensional images of the teeth, individually and in their calculated positions.

Abstract: A system (10) and method by which an orthodontic appliance (25) is automatically designed and manufactured from digital lower jaw and tooth shape data of a patient provides for the scanning of the mouth of a patient (12), preferably from a model (20) of the patient's mouth, to produce a three-dimensional digitized model (26) of the shapes of the patient's teeth and their positions in the patient's mouth. Then a computer (30) calculates the post-treatment positions of the teeth and produces three-dimensional images of the teeth, individually and in their calculated positions.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance for attachment to a tooth with adhesive is provided that resists debonding due to impact. The appliance is provided with a compliant interface between the adhesive and the point of impact. An appliance may be provided with an orthodontic bracket suspended from a mechanical bonding base that is to be secured with adhesive to a tooth. The suspension provides compliant movement between the appliance and the mechanical bond. The movement is preferably resilient or elastic movement, but may be plastic. The movement resists fracture of the adhesive by more slowly decelerating an impacting mass, reducing forces on the adhesive. A pad attached at its outer periphery to a mesh which leaves the inner central portion of the pad free may provide the compliance, so the pad exhibits flex, suspending the bracket to move with impacting masses, absorbing energy and reducing forces transmitted to the adhesive.

Abstract: A system and method by which an orthodontic appliance is automatically designed and manufactured from digital lower jaw and tooth shape data of a patient provides for preferably scanning a model of the patient's mouth to produce two or three dimensional images and digitizing contours and selected points. A computer may be programmed to construct archforms and/or to calculate finish positions of the teeth, then to design an appliance to move the teeth to the calculated positions. The appliance may include archwires and brackets. Machine code is generated and appliances are automatically produced that will straighten the teeth of the patient. Custom placement jigs may also be automatically designed and fabricated and are provided with the custom appliance to position the appliance on the patient's teeth.

Abstract: Orthodontic appliances such as orthodontic brackets are provided with bases that are shaped to correspond to the profiles of the specific teeth to which they are to be attached. The shapes of the bases facilitate the visual placement of the appliances on the teeth of patients by visually signaling to the practitioner the positioning of the appliance with the base thereof centered on the facial side of the tooth. This invention further facilitates the positioning of an archwire support of the appliance at a position on a tooth that is offset from the facial axis or from the center of the face of the tooth by manufacture of the appliance with the support offset from the center of the tooth-shaped pad. Preferably, the appliance base is a scaled reduction of the profile of the tooth, viewed from its facial side.

Abstract: Computer analysis is made of individual patient related data in order to select standard or pre-manufactured orthodontic appliances or appliance components (10) that are most likely to provide orthodontic treatment suitable for the individual patient. This analysis can be made by the software of a custom orthodontic appliance designing system, without actually manufacturing the custom appliance. Geometric parameters (21-24, 28, 29) of a custom designed appliance may be compared with corresponding parameters of alternative standard appliances or appliance components so that the closest standard component can be used. The custom appliance can be designed to accommodate the geometries of one or more appliance components. Where custom mounting instructions that modify otherwise standard installation of an appliance or component will render the standard component more compatible with a custom appliance design, such instructions are provided to the orthodontist along with the selection.

Abstract: A placement jig for locating an orthodontic appliance on a tooth is provided with a cavity formed in a jig body and conforming to the contour of an occlusal portion a tooth crown, which cavity is coated with a releasable adhesive to hold the jig to the tooth as the appliance is bonded to the tooth. Connecting structure is fixed to the jig body and has a spring metal tip that frictionally fits into a hole in the appliance. The peg is oriented in the occlusal-gingival direction so that its tip slides out of the hole in the bracket when the jig is moved occlusally from the tooth to remove the jig after the appliance has been bonded. A handle is formed into or extends from the jig body at a generally balanced position opposite the cavity, and a specially configured handling tool is provided to grip the jig and appliance combination to place it on a tooth or to remove the jig from the appliance and the tooth.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket is provided with a base shaped to correspond to the profile of the specific tooth to which it is to be attached. The shape of the base facilitates the visual placement of the bracket on the tooth of a patient by visually signaling to the practitioner the positioning of the bracket with its base centered on the facial side of the tooth. This invention facilitates the positioning of the archwire support of the bracket at a position on a tooth that may be offset from the facial axis or from the center of the face of the tooth by manufacture of the bracket with the support offset from the center of the tooth-shaped base. Preferably, the appliance base is a scaled reduction of the profile of the tooth, viewed from its facial side. The archwire support includes tie wings that have parallel sides and are fixed to the base with their tips defining between them the archwire slot that defines a reference line.

Abstract: A system and method by which an orthodontic appliance is automatically designed and manufactured from digital lower jaw and tooth shape data of a patient provides for preferably scanning a model of the patient's mouth to produce two or three dimensional images and digitizing contours and selected points. A computer may be programmed to construct archforms and/or to calculate finish positions of the teeth, then to design an appliance to move the teeth to the calculated positions. The appliance may include archwires and brackets. Machine code is generated and appliances are automatically produced that will straighten the teeth of the patient. Custom placement jigs may also be automatically designed and fabricated and are provided with the custom appliance to position the appliance on the patient's teeth.

Abstract: An orthodontic expansion device which may be used for expanding the palate of a patient or for other orthodontic treatments. The expansion device is a compact design which essentially uses tubular-shaped screw actuating structure and rod-shaped screw actuating structure for connecting first and second legs which are respectively attached to a patient's teeth. When at least one of the screw actuating structures is rotated, expansion of the legs may be effected during the treatment of a patient. The legs may be connected rigidly to the screw actuating structure or may form part of the screw actuating structure.