Patents Assigned to Align Technology
  • Patent number: 6524101
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved devices, systems and methods for repositioning teeth from an initial tooth arrangement to a final tooth arrangement. Repositioning is accomplished with a system comprising a series of polymeric appliances configured to receive the teeth in a cavity and incrementally reposition individual teeth in a series of successive steps. This is accomplished by applying force to specific surfaces of the teeth through stiffness of the appliance. However, such stiffness creates limitations in ease of use, patient compliance, and overall cost in material, manufacturing labor and treatment time. To overcome these limitations, the present invention utilizes polymeric or other material appliances with portions differing in rigidity or stiffness. Alternatively, elastic moduluses may differ from one appliance to the next in a successive series to accomplish various treatment goals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Loc X. Phan, Muhammad Chishti, Ross J. Miller, H. Robert Vandenberg, Eric Kuo
  • Patent number: 6514074
    Abstract: A computer obtains a digital model of a patient's dentition, including a dental model representing the patient's teeth at a set of initial positions and a gingival model representing gum tissue surrounding the teeth. The computer then derives from the digital model an expected deformation of the gum tissue as the teeth move from the initial positions to another set of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Huafeng Wen, Elena Pavlovskaia, Ka Man Cheang
  • Patent number: 6499997
    Abstract: The present invention provides a manipulable or reconfigurable dental model system and methods for its use to model a series of tooth configurations corresponding to sequential tooth movements during an orthodontic treatment. When a patient undergoes orthodontic treatment, teeth and bite configurations are realigned in a series of stages. Each stage represents a new pattern or dental configuration that will eventually lead to a proper final positioning of the entire dentition. Progress from the initial configuration, through the intermediate stages and finally to the final configuration may be accomplished using any one or a combination of different dental appliances. Of particular interest to the present invention, many of these appliances may be made using a dental mold representing the patient's dental configuration. In particular, thermoformable plastic positioning appliances which fit over the patient's teeth may be formed over a three-dimensional mold of the patient's dentition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Loc X. Phan
  • Patent number: 6497574
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved devices, systems and methods for producing dental molds, each having portions representing a patient's oral soft tissue and a desired tooth configuration. These molds are designed for use in the fabrication of appliances used in orthodontic treatment, particularly, elastic repositioning appliances. However, they may also be used in the fabrication of traditional appliances, such as retainers and positioners, used, for example in the final or finishing stages of an otherwise conventional treatment. The dental molds are comprised of a mold or relief of the patient's soft tissue, such as a palate, facial gingival tissue and/or lingual gingival tissue, and a separate or separable mold or relief of the patient's dental arch having teeth in a desired tooth configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Ross J. Miller
  • Publication number: 20020187451
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved devices, systems and methods for repositioning teeth from an initial tooth arrangement to a final tooth arrangement. Repositioning is accomplished with a system comprising a series of polymeric shell appliances configured to receive the teeth and incrementally reposition individual teeth in a series of successive steps. The individual appliances may be formed from layers having different stiffnesses (elastic moduluses), and the stiffnesses of successive appliances may be different, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Loc X. Phan, Muhammad Chishti, Ross J. Miller, H. Robert Vandenberg, Eric Kuo
  • Patent number: 6488499
    Abstract: Orthodontic treatment is achieved using a series of successive, removable repositioning appliances, such as thin polymeric shell appliances referred to as aligners. A set of aligners is originally provided to the patient. If the patient's treatment goes off course using the original set of aligners, further aligners are designed and fabricated to move the deviant tooth arrangement back to a target tooth arrangement which was part of the original treatment program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Ross Miller
  • Publication number: 20020177108
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method separates gingiva from a model of a tooth by defining a cutting surface along the gingiva; and applying the cutting surface to the tooth to separate the gingiva from the tooth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Elena Pavlovskaia, Venkata S. Sarva, Carmen Cheang
  • Patent number: 6485298
    Abstract: An improved dental appliance system, and methods for using and fabricating the improved appliance, including a polymeric overlay or shell having a teeth-receiving cavity formed therein. The dental appliance having the necessary stiffness or strength to firmly secure the appliance on the teeth and provide controlled forces required for repositioning the teeth, until such time as removal of the appliance is desired. The appliance may be configured for use with a removal mechanism. The removal mechanism provides for selective release of the appliance from the teeth as the removal mechanism undergoes a state change stimulated by an environmental stimulus or environmental switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Loc X. Phan
  • Patent number: 6471511
    Abstract: Methods and corresponding apparatus for segmenting an orthodontic treatment path into clinically appropriate substeps for repositioning the teeth of a patient. The methods include providing a digital finite element model of the shape and material of each of a sequence of appliances to be applied to a patient; providing a digital finite element model of the teeth and related mouth tissue of the patient; computing the actual effect of the appliances on the teeth by analyzing the finite elements models computationally; and evaluating the effect against clinical constraints. The appliances can be braces, polymeric shells, or other forms of orthodontic appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Elena I. Pavlovskaia, Gregory P. Bala, Brian Freyburger
  • Publication number: 20020150855
    Abstract: A system for repositioning teeth comprises a plurality of individual appliances. The appliances are configured to be placed successively on the patient's teeth and to incrementally reposition the teeth from an initial tooth arrangement, through a plurality of intermediate tooth arrangements, and to a final tooth arrangement. The system of appliances is usually configured at the outset of treatment so that the patient may progress through treatment without the need to have the treating professional perform each successive step in the procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Shishti, Apostolos Lerios, Brian Freyburger, Kelsey Wirth, Richard E. Ridgley
  • Patent number: 6463344
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a computer model of one or more teeth by receiving a digital data set of meshes representing the teeth; creating a parametric representation of the digital data set; and displaying the computer model of the teeth using the parametric representation. The model can be modified or transmitted for viewing or for fabricating dental appliances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Elena Pavloskaia, Huafeng Wen
  • Patent number: 6457972
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and computer-implemented method for arranging a computer model of teeth. According to one implementation, the method includes generating an archform representing an arrangement of teeth; placing a plurality of teeth according to the archform; determining a differential distance between each tooth and its neighbors; and moving each tooth according to the differential distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Ziaullah Khan Chishti, Andrew C. Beers
  • Patent number: 6454565
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved devices, systems and methods for repositioning teeth from an initial tooth arrangement to a final tooth arrangement. Repositioning is accomplished with a system comprising a series of polymeric shell appliances configured to receive the teeth and incrementally reposition individual teeth in a series of successive steps. The individual appliances may be formed from layers having different stiffnesses (elastic moduluses), and the stiffnesses of successive appliances may be different, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Loc X. Phan, Muhammad Chishti, Ross J. Miller, H. Robert Vandenberg, Eric Kuo
  • Publication number: 20020133386
    Abstract: Practitioners are certified to perform a medical procedure, such as an orthodontic procedure. Certified practitioners are maintained in a referral directory and classified within tiers based on criteria such as the number of procedures that they have performed. Inquiries are solicited from prospective patients, and referral lists are provided to those patients who request them. The referral lists are obtained from the referral directory with doctors from higher tiers who have performed more procedures receiving preferential inclusion on the referral lists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2001
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Kenneth Vargha, Joe Breeland
  • Patent number: 6453096
    Abstract: A jig for the batch production of optical communication apparatuses includes a jig body whose upper surface is provided with a plurality of U-shaped recesses arranged in a matrix array to receive silicon bases each carrying optical devices and a plurality of vacuum holes vertically formed through the jig body, to communication with the respective bottom surfaces of the U-shaped recesses. The silicon bases received by the U-shaped recesses are held onto the bottom surfaces thereof when a vacuum is applied thereto through the vacuum holes. A method using the jig enables batch production by simultaneously processing many silicon bases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Aligned Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Do Youl Kim, Han Jun Koh, Min Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 6450807
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus fit a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system by generating a computer representation of the masticatory system and computing an occlusion based on interactions in the computer representation of the masticatory system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Andrew Beers
  • Publication number: 20020119423
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus fit a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system by generating a computer representation of the masticatory system and computing an occlusion based on interactions in the computer representation of the masticatory system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Andrew Beers
  • Publication number: 20020106604
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved systems and methods for removably attaching a dental positioning appliance to the dental features of a patient during orthodontic treatment. These appliances function by applying force to specific surfaces of the teeth or dental features to cause directed movement. The application of force is improved by the use of one or more attachment devices which may be positioned on the teeth or dental features to provide the appropriate physical features. Specific design and location of these attachment devices may provide newly achievable and/or more effective repositioning forces, anchoring ability and appliance retention. The systems and methods of the present invention provide the design, production and use of such attachment devices with removable dental positioning appliances in orthodontic treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Publication date: August 8, 2002
    Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Loc X. Phan, Muhammad Z. Chishti, Ross J. Miller
  • Publication number: 20020102009
    Abstract: A programmed computer is used to create a digital model of an individual component of a patient's dentition. The computer obtains a 3D digital model of the patient's dentition, identifies points in the dentition model that lie on an inter-proximal margin between adjacent teeth in the patient's dentition, and uses the identified points to create a cutting surface that separates portions of the dentition model representing the adjacent teeth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy N. Jones, Muhammad Chishti, Huafeng Wen, Gregory P. Bala
  • Publication number: 20020094503
    Abstract: The present invention provides a manipulable or reconfigurable dental model system and methods for its use to model a series of tooth configurations corresponding to sequential tooth movements during an orthodontic treatment. When a patient undergoes orthodontic treatment, teeth and bite configurations are realigned in a series of stages. Each stage represents a new pattern or dental configuration that will eventually lead to a proper final positioning of the entire dentition. Progress from the initial configuration, through the intermediate stages and finally to the final configuration may be accomplished using any one or a combination of different dental appliances. Of particular interest to the present invention, many of these appliances may be made using a dental mold representing the patient's dental configuration. In particular, thermoformable plastic positioning appliances which fit over the patient's teeth may be formed over a three-dimensional mold of the patient's dentition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Chishti, Loc X. Phan