Patents Assigned to Align Technology, Inc.
  • Patent number: 12269226
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing objects are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a dental appliance formed using an additive manufacturing process, the dental appliance including a plurality of appliance portions. The method can include identifying, based on sensor data, a location of a subset of the appliance portions on the dental appliance. The method can further include applying energy to a subset of the appliance portions to selectively modify one or more material properties of the subset of the appliance portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Dorfinger, Michael Christopher Cole
  • Patent number: 12272067
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses (including systems and devices), including computer-implemented methods for segmenting, correcting and/or modifying a three-dimensional (3D) model of a subject's oral cavity to determine individual components such as teeth, gingiva, tongue, palate, etc., that may be selective and/or collectively digitally manipulated. In some implementations, artificial intelligence uses libraries of labeled 2D images and 3D dental models to learn how to segment a 3D dental model of a subject's oral cavity using 2D images, height map and/or other data and projection values that relate the 2D images to the 3D model. As noted herein, the dental classes can include a variety of intra-oral and extra-oral objects and can be represented as binary values, discrete values, a continuum of height map data, etc. In some implementations, several dental classes are predicted concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chad C. Brown, Yun Gao, Pavel Agniashvili, Avraham Zulti, Jonathan Coslovsky, Christopher E. Cramer, Roman Gudchenko, Ofer Saphier, Adi Levin, Maayan Moshe, Doron Malka
  • Patent number: 12263049
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Avi Kopelman
  • Patent number: 12263050
    Abstract: Improved dental models for use in dental procedures are provided. In one aspect, a unitary dental model of an intraoral cavity of a patient having a dental implant comprises a physical surface representative of gingival tissue of the patient. The model can comprise a channel shaped and oriented to receive an abutment corresponding to a physical abutment to be connected to the dental implant, in which the channel extends to an opening in the physical surface. The channel can comprise a first portion shaped to receive and constrain a corresponding structure of the abutment to a position and orientation and a second portion shaped to receive a fastener to couple the abutment to the unitary dental model. In many embodiments, the first portion comprises a shoulder shaped to receive the corresponding structure of the abutment in order to position the abutment along the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Sabina, Avi Kopelman, Yoram Sharabi
  • Patent number: 12263620
    Abstract: Implementations describe systems and methods for manufacturing and performing quality assessment of dental appliances. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a dental appliance comprises receiving, at a holder, a feature of the dental appliance, the feature comprising a first surface having a first shape, wherein the holder holds the feature of the dental appliance at a reference position. The method further includes automatically placing an object against the feature at the reference position using a robot arm, wherein the object comprises a second surface having a second shape that mates with the first shape. The method further includes applying pressure to press the object against the feature of the dental appliance and bonding the object to the feature of the dental appliance while applying the pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James Nishimuta, Enrique Soltero Borrego, Enrique Jonathan Guzman Olivas, Jun Sato, Kevin Daniel Rodriguez Trujillo, Jose Kiyotaka Blanco Romo, Erick Enriquez de Anda, Lance Robert Pickens, Wesly Wong, Gabriela Perez Vallejo, Carlos Alberto Garcia Carmona, Omar Barraza Alvarez, Miguel Angel Hurtado Soltero
  • Patent number: 12262869
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Avi Kopelman, Michael Sabina, Nir Makmel, Adi Levin, Arad Zulti, Arthur Hsieh
  • Patent number: 12263064
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gilad Elbaz, Erez Lampert, Yossef Atiya, Avi Kopelman, Ofer Saphier, Maayan Moshe, Shai Ayal, Michael Sabina, Eric Kuo, Assaf Weiss, Doron Malka, Eliahou Franklin Nizard, Ido Tishel
  • Patent number: 12263632
    Abstract: A method includes identifying one or more images of a mold of a dental arch, identifying a digital model corresponding to the mold of the dental arch, providing the one or more images and the digital model as input into a trained machine learning model, receiving, from the trained machine learning model, output, and determining, based on the output, whether the mold matches the digital model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Luis Carlos Martínez González, Rowan Fernando Garcia Saucedo, Mario Alfonso Rito Martinez, Ismael Núñez García, René David Alfaro, Shiva P. Sambu
  • Patent number: 12263063
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gilad Elbaz, Erez Lampert, Yossef Atiya, Avi Kopelman, Ofer Saphier, Maayan Moshe, Shai Ayal, Michael Sabina, Eric Kuo, Assaf Weiss, Doron Malka, Eliahou Franklin Nizard, Ido Tishel
  • Patent number: 12263060
    Abstract: A system for correcting malocclusions may include a maxillary appliance having tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of a maxilla and a first elastic coupling at gingival line of the maxillary appliance. The first elastic coupling may be configured for receiving an elastic. The system may also include mandibular appliance having tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of a mandible. The system may also include a corrective appliance having a first coupling configured to be coupled to the mandibular appliance at a first location on a first side of incisors of a patient and a second coupling configured to be coupled to the mandibular appliance on a second side of the incisors, and having an arm extending from the corrective appliance towards the gingival line of the maxillary appliance and being shaped to receive the elastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Mitra Derakhshan, Crystal Tjhia, Rohit Tanugula, Yaser Shanjani, Ryan Kimura, Bruce Cam, Eric Yau, Yuxiang Wang, Ken Wu, Peter Webber, Jun Sato, John Y. Morton
  • Patent number: 12256905
    Abstract: Methods and systems for taking images of a patient's teeth for tracking a progress of an orthodontic procedure. The methods and systems include a mobile device holder with one or more adjustable stops for providing a compressive force on a mobile device placed therein; a cheek retractor coupled to the mobile device holder; and a user interface on the mobile device indicating whether the mobile device holder is in a correct position relative to the patient's teeth as the mobile device holder is moved while the cheek retractor engages a cheek of the patient to expose the patient's teeth, while taking one or more visual images of the exposed teeth using a camera of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    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
  • Patent number: 12257773
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) object comprises a plurality of layers representative of an additive manufacturing process, wherein each layer of the plurality of layers approximately has a first thickness. A first layer of the plurality of layers forms at least a portion of a first surface of the 3D object, the first layer comprising a support region and an overcure region, wherein the first layer approximately has the first thickness at the support region and a greater second thickness at the overcure region. A support mark is included at the support region, wherein the support mark is inset from a first surface profile of the 3D object defined by the overcure region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehdi Mojdeh, Brett E. Kelly, Shiva P. Sambu
  • Patent number: 12257125
    Abstract: A method for forming dental appliance having an ornamental indicia carrier may include forming a polymeric shell, forming a first adhesive layer configured to be adhered to the polymeric shell, the first adhesive layer including a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, forming a first adhesion layer over the first adhesive layer, and applying a colorant between the first adhesion layer and the pressure sensitive adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Sriram Venkatasanthanam, Ramin Heydarpour, John Y. Morton, Jun Sato, Michael Christopher Cole, Mehdi Mojdeh, Prashanth Vanchy, Natalia Lysaya Powers, Sibel Narin, Jeremy Riley
  • Publication number: 20250090283
    Abstract: A system for generating aligner shapes may include one or more processors and memory comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to carry out a method. The method may include determining a desired force system for moving a tooth, generating a population of sets of degrees of freedom and contact surfaces, determining a force system for each of the sets in the population evaluating a cost function of each of the force systems compared to the desired force system, updating the population of sets of degrees of freedom and contact surfaces based on the cost function of each of the force systems, and repeating determining a force system, evaluating a cost function and updating the population until the determined force system for one of the sets matches the desired force system, to generate a final set of degrees of freedom and contact surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Applicant: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Iman SHOJAEI, Eric YAU, John Y. MORTON
  • Patent number: 12251288
    Abstract: Tooth attachments are provided comprising one or more convex surfaces for engagement by a surface of an orthodontic appliance. Polymeric shell appliances are provided in which the polymeric shell appliances are configured to provide one or more activation forces to facilitate tooth movement. The polymeric shell appliances may comprise one or more tooth receiving cavities. The polymeric shell appliances may further comprise an engagement portion with a surface configured to engage a convex attachment surface in order to apply a tooth moving force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Allen Boronkay, Tzishing Jesse Lim
  • Patent number: 12251287
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for improved orthodontic treatment of a patient's teeth are provided herein. In some aspects, a method for fabricating an orthodontic appliance for treating a patient's teeth is disclosed. The method may comprise determining a movement path to move a tooth from an initial arrangement towards a target arrangement; determining a force system to move the tooth along the movement path; determining a variable gable bend to produce the force system; determining a geometry for a tooth receiving cavity of the appliance based on the variable gable bend; and generating instructions for fabricating the appliance having a tooth receiving cavity formed according to the geometry for the tooth receiving cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Peter Webber
  • Patent number: 12251186
    Abstract: Removable barrier devices for covering an intraoral scanner. The barrier device includes a cover that is adapted to fit over a probe of the scanner. The cover includes a distal portion having walls defining an internal cavity for accommodating a distal end of the probe and formed of a first material, wherein at least one of the walls includes at least one window for allowing transmission of an optical signal between the probe and an external environment. The cover also includes a proximal portion coupled to the distal portion. The barrier device also includes a flexible sleeve adapted to cover a handle of the scanner, the flexible sleeve coupled to the proximal portion of the cover at an interface region configured to prevent fluid from passing through the barrier device between the cover and the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ariel Shalev, Eran Green, Zakhar Ginzburg, Matthew Durban, Roee Gorfinkel, Ofer Saphier, Tal Verker, Nir Makmel, Eran Ishay, Raphael Levy
  • Patent number: 12251289
    Abstract: A method may include administering to a patient an orthodontic appliance. The orthodontic appliance may include a shell having teeth receiving cavities shaped to receive and reposition the patient's teeth, at least one of the cavities shaped to apply a resilient repositioning force to move at least one of the patient's teeth from a current arrangement toward a target arrangement, a ridge having a width and a length greater than the width, the ridge configured to apply at least a portion of the resilient repositioning force to the at least one of the patient's teeth, and a modification to a portion of the shell to compensate for a contact of the portion of the shell with the at least one patient's tooth due to positioning of the ridge in one or more of the teeth receiving cavities of the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Heng Cao, Vadim Matov, John Y. Morton, Jon Moss, Ryan Kimura
  • Patent number: 12254565
    Abstract: Embodiments include obtaining an input image depicting a body part of a person and processing the input image against a set of semantic landmarks representing landmarks of the body part; obtaining a mesh model for a set of images; generating, from the mesh model and the set of semantic landmarks, a body part mesh of the person, wherein the body part mesh is an approximation of a 3D model for the body part depicted in the input image; obtaining a target body part mesh data structure, distinct from the body part mesh; and generating a modified view image of the body part, modified to reflect differences between the target body part mesh data structure and the body part mesh while retaining at least some texture of the body part from the input image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Endri Dibra, Niko Benjamin Huber
  • Publication number: 20250082441
    Abstract: A method of attachment design may include placing a virtual attachment having a shape at a location on a virtual tooth, generating attachment shape parameters for the virtual attachment, and determining whether the virtual attachment at the location and having the shape generates a solution that results in a desired movement of the virtual tooth for a stage of treatment in a treatment plan. The method may also include modifying, based on the determining, the shape of the virtual attachment or the location of the virtual attachment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2024
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Applicant: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: John MORTON, Vadim MATOV, Heng CAO, Ryan KIMURA, Jihua CHENG, Bastien PESENTI