Abstract: A system and method for determining a center of resistance of a tooth may include receiving a 3D digital representation of an initial arrangement and a final arrangement of a patient's teeth and determining a 3D treatment plan. The 3D treatment plan may include a plurality of 3D stages for rearranging the teeth from the initial arrangement toward the final arrangement. The method may also include determining, in accordance with the 3D treatment plan, an intended movement of the teeth for each of the stages and deriving, using a 3D resistance model, an applied force system for achieving the intended movement of the teeth for each of the stages. The method may also include deriving 3D geometries of oral appliances for the stages in response to the applied force system. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed.

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: Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing and generating a treatment plan for temporomandibular joint dysfunction where a polymeric shell appliance is utilized to generate one or more activation forces that facilitate tooth movement. The polymeric shell appliances may comprise one or more tooth receiving cavities, in which each of the plurality of tooth receiving cavities is shaped and arranged to provide a counter moment of each of the plurality of teeth.

Abstract: A method for digital treatment planning may include defining a set of contact points on a tooth of a patient's dentition and a plurality of connections between pairs of the plurality of contact points. The plurality of connections may include Hookian stiffness parameters of a dental appliance between the plurality of contact points. The method may also include generating a relaxed model of a dental appliance using the plurality of contact points and the plurality of connections. The method may also include generating a deformed model of the dental appliance using the plurality of contact points and plurality of connections. The method may also include transforming the relaxed model to the deformed model to direct the patient dentition towards a target tooth arrangement.

Abstract: Improved systems, methods, and devices for treating sleep apnea are provided herein. In one aspect, an intraoral appliance for treating sleep apnea in a patient comprises an appliance shell comprising a plurality of cavities shaped to receive teeth of a jaw of the patient. The appliance shell can comprise an advancement structure arranged to interact with an opposing jaw of the patient so as to displace the lower jaw anteriorly relative to the upper jaw. The plurality of cavities can comprise cavity geometries shaped to reduce repositioning of one or more received teeth elicited by displacement of the lower jaw anteriorly relative to the upper jaw.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a center of resistance of a tooth may include receiving a 3D digital representation of an initial arrangement and a final arrangement of a patient's teeth and determining a 3D treatment plan. The 3D treatment plan may include a plurality of 3D stages for rearranging the teeth from the initial arrangement toward the final arrangement. The method may also include determining, in accordance with the 3D treatment plan, an intended movement of the teeth for each of the stages and deriving, using a 3D resistance model, an applied force system for achieving the intended movement of the teeth for each of the stages. The method may also include deriving 3D geometries of oral appliances for the stages in response to the applied force system. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for modeling a patient's tooth are provided. In some embodiments, a system includes a scanner configured to generate image data of a partial portion of a crown of a patient's tooth, a memory, and one or more processors operably coupled to the scanner and to the memory. The one or more processors can be configured to perform operations including: receiving the image data from the scanner, generating a digital representation of the crown of the patient's tooth based on the image data, selecting a digital tooth template having a crown portion, generating a morphed crown portion based on the crown portion of the digital tooth template, and generating a digital patient crown model by combining the morphed crown portion with the digital representation of the crown of the patient's tooth.

Abstract: A scan model that is a mathematical model to simulate an imaging process performed by an x-ray imaging device that created a two-dimensional x-ray image of at least one tooth is generated. The scan model uses an initial estimate of one or more parameters of the x-ray imaging device. The one or more parameters include a scan angle parameter indicative of a scan angle of the x-ray imaging device. A two-dimensional contour of a three-dimensional model is adjusted to cause a first component of the two-dimensional contour to approximately align with a second component of the two-dimensional x-ray image. The scan model is calibrated based on data obtained from adjusting the two-dimensional contour.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems including orthodontic tooth positioning appliances. An exemplary appliance can include teeth receiving cavities shaped such that, when worn by a patient, repositioning the patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a subsequent or target arrangement. Appliances can include a cavity having one or more shaped features or protrusions shaped and/or positioned so as to apply a desired force to a patient's tooth received in the cavity and move the tooth along a desired path or direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides computing device implemented methods, computing device readable media, and systems for adjustment of tooth position in a virtual dental model. Virtual dental modeling can include detecting space and/or collision between posterior teeth of an upper jaw and posterior teeth of a lower jaw in a virtual dental model that has been set in a preliminary target position. An energy function can be defined including the space and/or collision, tooth root movement, and align points. Weights can be assigned for each variable in the energy function. A position of the posterior teeth of the upper jaw and the posterior teeth of the lower jaw can be adjusted in six degrees of freedom to minimize the energy function. The detection, definition, assignment, and adjustment can be repeated until the energy function converges. The weights can be adjusted to reduce the space and/or collision.

Abstract: Systems for modeling a patient's teeth are provided. In some embodiments, a system includes a scanner operable to capture a scanned image of at least a portion of a surface of a first crown component of a first patient tooth, and to generate scanned image data representing a partial portion of the surface of the first crown component. The system can also include a processor configured to create a digital data set representing the scanned image data, select a digital tooth template that includes a second digital crown portion corresponding to the scanned image, create a morphed digital tooth crown model based on the selected digital tooth template, and merge the morphed digital tooth crown model with the digital data set representing the scanned image data of the first patient tooth to generate a complete digital patient tooth crown model.

Abstract: Improved systems, methods, and devices for treating sleep apnea are provided herein. In one aspect, an intraoral appliance for treating sleep apnea in a patient comprises an appliance shell comprising a plurality of cavities shaped to receive teeth of a jaw of the patient. The appliance shell can comprise an advancement structure arranged to interact with an opposing jaw of the patient so as to displace the lower jaw anteriorly relative to the upper jaw. The plurality of cavities can comprise cavity geometries shaped to reduce repositioning of one or more received teeth elicited by displacement of the lower jaw anteriorly relative to the upper jaw.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing and generating a treatment plan for temporomandibular joint dysfunction where a polymeric shell appliance is utilized to generate one or more activation forces that facilitate tooth movement. The polymeric shell appliances may comprise one or more tooth receiving cavities, in which each of the plurality of tooth receiving cavities is shaped and arranged to provide a counter moment of each of the plurality of teeth.

Abstract: Systems and methods of generating an orthodontic model are disclosed. The method may include: generating an initial model of a patient dentition; generating a target model of the patient dentition; defining a plurality of caps and a plurality of links, wherein each link connects two of the plurality of caps; generating a relaxed model of a dental appliance from the plurality of caps and the plurality of links; generating a deformed model of a dental appliance from the plurality of caps and plurality of links; and determining a plurality of movements, wherein the plurality of moments transform the relaxed model to the deformed model and wherein the moments are configured to direct the patient dentition from the initial model to the target model.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for using an individualized orthodontic treatment index. One method embodiment includes receiving an initial virtual dental model from a first scan of a patient's dentition, modifying the initial virtual dental model to create a target virtual dental model according to a treatment goal, assigning a number of dental references to the target virtual dental model, receiving a treatment outcome virtual dental model from a second scan of the patient's dentition, mapping the number of dental references from the target virtual dental model to a treatment outcome virtual dental model, and calculating an individualized treatment index score for the treatment outcome virtual dental model according to one or more differences between the target virtual dental model and the treatment outcome virtual dental model based on the number of dental references.

Abstract: Methods and systems for digitally designing a plurality of aligners are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving an intraoral scan of the patient's teeth, and generating 3D dental model of the patient's teeth using the intraoral scan. The method can include identifying a movement path to move the patient's teeth from an initial arrangement toward a target arrangement through a plurality of intermediate arrangements in accordance with a treatment plan. The method can also include identifying one or more appliance features of at least one aligner, the one or more appliance features including one or more feature regions having one or more feature thicknesses. The method can further include instructing an additive manufacturing machine to directly fabricate the at least one aligner in a layer-by-layer fashion.

Abstract: A method includes to receive, via a computing device, data representing a plurality of teeth, identify data indicating which of the plurality of teeth are unerupted or erupting, predict at least one characteristic of a tooth of the unerupted or erupting teeth after they have fully erupted using one or more tooth eruption prediction factors, generate new data representing the unerupted or erupting teeth in multiple states of eruption based upon the predicted at least one characteristic of the fully erupted teeth, and generate a series of incremental tooth arrangements with the new data to define a proposed orthodontic treatment based on the new data representing the unerupted or erupting teeth in multiple states of eruption.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides computing device implemented methods, computing device readable media, and systems for adjustment of tooth position in a virtual dental model. Virtual dental modeling can include detecting space and/or collision between posterior teeth of an upper jaw and posterior teeth of a lower jaw in a virtual dental model that has been set in a preliminary target position. An energy function can be defined including the space and/or collision, tooth root movement, and align points. Weights can be assigned for each variable in the energy function. A position of the posterior teeth of the upper jaw and the posterior teeth of the lower jaw can be adjusted in six degrees of freedom to minimize the energy function. The detection, definition, assignment, and adjustment can be repeated until the energy function converges. The weights can be adjusted to reduce the space and/or collision.

Abstract: A scan model that is a mathematical model to simulate an imaging process performed by an x-ray imaging device that created a two-dimensional x-ray image of at least one tooth is generated. The scan model uses an initial estimate of one or more parameters of the x-ray imaging device. The one or more parameters include a scan angle parameter indicative of a scan angle of the x-ray imaging device. A two-dimensional contour of a three-dimensional model is adjusted to cause a first component of the two-dimensional contour to approximately align with a second component of the two-dimensional x-ray image. The scan model is calibrated based on data obtained from adjusting the two-dimensional contour.

Abstract: Orthodontic systems and related methods are disclosed for designing and providing improved or more effective tooth moving systems for eliciting a desired tooth movement and/or repositioning teeth into a desired arrangement. Methods and orthodontic systems include the generation of an overcorrection in the tooth-receiving cavities of an appliance worn in the dentition. The overcorrection may provide an improved and more accurately applied force or moment applied to a tooth. The overcorrected force or moment can move a tooth closer to a desired position than if not overcorrected as sufficient force can still applied to the tooth as it gets closer to the desired position. The overcorrected force or moment may also better target the root of the tooth where the biological response to tooth movement occurs. The overcorrection may be calculated in various ways as described herein.