Patents Assigned to Align Technology, Inc.
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THE DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF PROVISIONAL AND PERMANENT CROWNS
    Publication number: 20230008156
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Avi KOPELMAN, Moti BEN DOV
  • Method to modify aligner by modifying tooth position
    Patent number: 11547532
    Abstract: Polymeric shell appliances are provided in which the polymeric shell appliances are configured to provide one or more activation forces to facilitate tooth movement. In many embodiments, the activation forces are arranged to provide force in a direction opposite to an intended direction of 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: John Morton, Mitra Derakhshan
  • Tactile objects for orthodontics, systems and methods
    Patent number: 11547533
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus's for improving orthodontic treatments. In an embodiment, an orthodontic system including a tactile object is provided for modulating an engagement between a tooth attachment and an orthodontic appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chunhua Li, Jennifer Chen, John Morton, Jon Moss, Clark Kaufhardt, Heng Cao
  • Curable composition for use in a high temperature lithography-based photopolymerization process and method of producing crosslinked polymers therefrom
    Patent number: 11542362
    Abstract: Provided herein are curable compositions for use in a high temperature lithography-based photopolymerization process, a method of producing crosslinked polymers using said curable compositions, crosslinked polymers thus produced, and orthodontic appliances comprising the crosslinked polymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Liska, Christian Gorsche, György Harakaly, Markus Kury, Jürgen Stampfl, Peter Dorfinger, Yan Chen, Chunhua Li, Srinivas Kaza
  • Interproximal reduction planning
    Patent number: 11534265
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes computing device related, systems, and methods for IPR planning as described herein. One method includes identifying a first tooth and a second tooth in a digital dental model with an overlap in a target final position in a treatment plan and identifying a reference line on each of the first tooth and the second tooth; revising the treatment plan wherein a position of each of the first tooth and the second tooth is determined in which the reference line of each of the first tooth and the second tooth are aligned and the first tooth and second tooth are not overlapping; and prescribing IPR based on the determined position of each of the first tooth and the second tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Khardekar, Artem Borovinskih, Rene M. Sterental, Giovanny Garro Acevedo, Jason Ramos, Mitra Derakhshan, Sergey Kurchatov, Igor Kvasov
  • Alternative bite adjustment structures
    Patent number: 11534268
    Abstract: A series of appliances including a first appliance and a second appliance. The first appliance can be configured to receive at least one tooth of a first jaw and have a first number of bite adjustment structures extending from the lingual surface of the first appliance. The first number of bite adjustment structures can have a first shape and location specific to a first stage of the treatment plan. The second appliance can be configured to receive at least one tooth of the second jaw, have a second number of bite adjustment structures extending from the second appliance and be designed to make contact with the first number of bite adjustment structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Huizhong Li, Crystal Tjhia, Eric Yau, Rohit Tanugula, Jun Sato
  • Customized fabrication of orthodontic retainers based on patient anatomy
    Patent number: 11534974
    Abstract: Dental retainer devices are provided. The dental retainer devices can be customized based on patient specific dental anatomy and dental treatment plans. Methods of making the dental retainer devices are also provided. The methods can included additive manufacturing. Methods are also provided for customization of a dental retainer device based on the patient specific anatomy. The methods for customization can include providing a dentist with different options for anterior teeth coverage, posterior teeth coverage, and palatal configurations for the dental retainer devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Siobhan O'Leary, Jun Sato, Rohit Tanugula, Ryan Kimura, Allen R. Boronkay, Huizhong Li, Fuming Wu, Jihua Cheng, Jeremy Riley, Paula Alvarado
  • Laser cutting
    Patent number: 11534861
    Abstract: Laser cutting systems and methods are described herein. One or more systems include a laser generating component, an optical component, a fixture for holding a support with a part positioned on the support, and a control mechanism for adjusting at least one of the laser generating component, the optical component, and the fixture such that a ratio of a laser energy applied to the part and a part material thickness is maintained within a predetermined acceptable range at each point along a cut path to cut through the part while maintaining the integrity of the support. Other systems and methods are disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James C. Culp
  • Machine learning scoring system and methods for tooth position assessment
    Patent number: 11534272
    Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for scoring a post-treatment tooth position of a patient's teeth. A patient's dentition may be scanned and/or segmented. Raw dental features, principal component analysis (PCA) features, and/or other features may be extracted and compared to those of other teeth, such as those obtained through automated machine learning systems. A classifier can identify and/or output the post-treatment tooth position of the patient's teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Guotu Li, Christopher E. Cramer, Chad Clayton Brown, Anton Spiridonov
  • Various structured supports for 3D printed aligners/mouth pieces
    Patent number: 11534277
    Abstract: A support is coupled to an appliance to decrease warpage. The support may comprise a plurality of extensions coupled to the appliance to decrease warpage. The extensions can be coupled to the appliance at one or more of many locations, such as on an occlusal surface, a wall, an edge or an interior of the appliance. In some embodiments, the extensions are coupled to walls of the appliance such as a buccal wall and a lingual wall, and the extensions can be coupled to the walls of the appliance near edges of the walls, such as gingivally facing edges of the walls that are oriented toward the gingiva when the appliance is worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Chavez, Peter Webber, Zhou (Jonelle) Yu, Tzishing Jesse Lim, Luyao Cai, Eric Yau
  • Intraoral 3D scanner employing multiple miniature cameras and multiple miniature pattern projectors
    Patent number: 11534273
    Abstract: An apparatus for intraoral scanning includes an elongate handheld wand that has a probe. One or more light projectors and two or more cameras are disposed within the probe. The light projectors each has a pattern generating optical element, which may use diffraction or refraction to form a light pattern. Each camera may be configured to focus between 1 mm and 30 mm from a lens that is farthest from the camera sensor. Other applications are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ofer Saphier, Yossef Atiya, Arkady Rudnitsky, Nir Makmel, Sergei Ozerov, Tal Verker, Tal Levy
  • Creating a digital dental model of a patient's teeth using interproximal information
    Patent number: 11534266
    Abstract: Creating a digital tooth model of a patient's tooth using interproximal information is provided. Interproximal information is received that represents a space between adjacent physical teeth of the patient. A digital teeth model of a set of physical teeth of the patient that includes the adjacent physical teeth is received. One or more digital tooth models is created that more accurately depicts one or more of the physical teeth than the corresponding digital teeth included in the digital teeth model based on the interproximal information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bob Grove, Eric Kuo
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DENTAL TREATMENT
    Publication number: 20220401182
    Abstract: A method for preparing for and providing dental treatment may include determining, by an action management system, that 3D scan data of a patient's dentition has been received by a treatment planning system. A treatment planning system may generate a treatment plan to move the patient's teeth from an initial position towards a final position, based on the 3D scan of the patient's dentition. The treatment plan may be provided to a dental professional system. The action management system my generate an object for display on the dental professional system indicating that the treatment plan has been provided. An indication that the treatment plan is approved for fabrication may be received, and instructions to fabricate a dental appliance based on the treatment plan may be sent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Kristin WINTERHALTER, Eric BROWN, Sanket DESAI
  • Cheek retractor and mobile device holder
    Patent number: 11529047
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, computing device readable medium, devices, and systems that utilize a cheek retractor and/or a mobile device holder for case assessment and/or dental treatments. One cheek retractor includes a first and a second lip holder, both including imaging markers of a predetermined size to determine a scale of teeth of a user, where each imaging marker is located a predefined distance from the remaining imaging markers, and where the lip holder is to hold a cheek away from a mouth of a user to expose teeth of the user. A mobile device holder can include elements to receive a mobile device to capture images of the patient's teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric P. Meyer, Roman A. Roschin, Tzishing Jesse Lim, Palak Mittal, Stephan Albert Alexandre Dumothier, Norman C. Su, Huameng Ivan Chu
  • Method and system for optimizing dental aligner geometry
    Patent number: 11529215
    Abstract: Method and system for establishing an initial position of a tooth, determining a target position of the tooth in a treatment plan, calculating a movement vector associated with the tooth movement from the initial position to the target position, determining a plurality of components corresponding to the movement vector, and determining a corresponding one or more positions of a respective one or more attachment devices relative to a surface plane of the tooth such that the one or more attachment devices engages with a dental appliance are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vadim Matov, John Y. Morton, Eric Kuo, Heng Cao
  • Method and apparatus for colour imaging a three-dimensional structure
    Patent number: 11528463
    Abstract: A device for determining the surface topology and associated color of a structure, such as a teeth segment, includes a scanner for providing depth data for points along a two-dimensional array substantially orthogonal to the depth direction, and an image acquisition means for providing color data for each of the points of the array, while the spatial disposition of the device with respect to the structure is maintained substantially unchanged. A processor combines the color data and depth data for each point in the array, thereby providing a three-dimensional color virtual model of the surface of the structure. A corresponding method for determining the surface topology and associate color of a structure is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Noam Babayoff
  • Method and system for fabricating a dental coping, and a coping fabricated thereby
    Patent number: 11523887
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Avi Kopelman, Eldad Taub
  • Mounting system that maintains stability of optics as temperature changes
    Patent number: 11523885
    Abstract: A scanner for scanning a dental site comprises a base, a detector mounted to the base, and an optical element to redirect light reflected off of the dental site towards the detector along a detection axis in a first direction. Two or more flexures couple the optical element to the base, wherein thermal expansion or contraction of the optical element with respect to at least one of the detector or the base bends each flexure of the two or more flexures in a respective second direction without bending the flexure in a respective third direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction and the respective second direction, wherein the two or more flexures maintain an alignment of the optical element to the detector with changes in temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Rami Boltanski
  • Prediction of aligner progressive damage using simulation
    Patent number: 11523881
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to an aligner breakage solution that tests progressive damage to an aligner. A method includes gathering a digital model representing an aligner for a dental arch of a patient, and simulating progressive damage to the aligner. Simulating progressive damage for a region of the aligner comprises simulating, using at least the digital model, a sequence of loads on the aligner, determining an amount of damage to the region of the aligner for each load, and after each simulation of a load on the aligner, updating the digital model based on the amount of damage to the region of the aligner. The method further includes determining whether a damage criterion is satisfied for at least one region of the aligner and determining whether to implement one or more corrective actions for the aligner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuxiang Wang, Rohit Tanugula, Reza Shirazi Aghjari, Chunhua Li, Jun Sato, Luyao Cai, Kangning Su
  • OCCLUSAL BLOCK DESIGN FOR LATERAL LOCKING
    Publication number: 20220387141
    Abstract: A first appliance and a second appliance comprise engagement surfaces that provide mandibular relocation forces and forces to limit lateral movement of the jaw, such as opposing inclined surfaces on opposite sides of the mouth. In some embodiments, engagement surfaces between oral appliances comprise a curvature difference, which allows engagement at differing angles and positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: James NISHIMUTA, Jun SATO, Rohit TANUGULA