Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, a dental appliance is provided including a matrix of printed voxels having a three-dimensional shape of a dental arch for surrounding a set of teeth corresponding to a first teeth alignment of a patient, the shape of the dental arch having a lingual side, an occlusal surface, and a facial side, where each voxel includes a deposited material for adhering to an adjacent voxel, and where the matrix of printed voxels applies a force to one or more teeth of the set of teeth causing the one or more teeth to shift into a second teeth alignment.

Abstract: A system and associated methodology for the generation of digital models that account for the adaptation of the shape of the patient's gingiva is provided. The exemplary system uses an initial scan of the patient's gingiva as a base model, taking into account the type and morphology of the teeth, the shape, orientation and movements of the roots inside the gingiva, and other factors for a more accurate prediction of the changes in the shape of the gingiva throughout every step of the treatment. In particular, the system proactively determines the areas of the model that will be covered by the aligner and prevents changes to such areas, whereas the shape of the model outside these areas is altered in a way to minimize the size of model and to add any necessary features for the manufacturing of the aligners.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, a server can include processing circuitry configured to receive a virtual modeling file encoded with an orthodontic treatment plan such that the encoded information of the virtual modeling file format allows all steps of the orthodontic treatment plan to be displayed without a separate file for each treatment step. Additionally, the processing circuitry can be configured to download a first treatment step of the virtual modeling file format, receive gingiva and teeth geometries corresponding to the first treatment step, and display the first treatment step. Further, a selected treatment step can be displayed based on information encoded into the orthodontic virtual modeling file format.

Abstract: Systems and methods for designing thermoformed removable orthodontic aligners and improving the retention of such aligners to patient teeth are disclosed. The systems generally include a digital scanner that is configured to obtain a digital image of a patient's dentition and a computing environment that is configured to receive a copy of the digital image; create a reference plane relative to one or more teeth featured within the digital image; position a line that runs perpendicular from the reference plane and runs tangential to a height of maximum convexity of each of the one or more teeth; measure an area of undercut between such perpendicular line and an exterior surface of each of the one or more teeth; repeat the foregoing steps at a plurality of points along the perimeter of each of the one or more teeth; and construct a three-dimensional model of an undercut area for each of the one or more teeth.

Abstract: Systems and methods for real-time processing and linking of orders to enhance execution performance can be configured to receive an incoming order from a customer including product data, customer information, and shipping information; determine that the incoming order can be linked to an existing shipment bundle that has one or more orders assigned orders based on predetermined linking criteria; assign a bundle identification (ID) to the incoming order corresponding to the existing shipment bundle; and release the existing shipment bundle for shipment when one or more predetermined shipping criteria are met.

Abstract: A system for maximum intercuspation articulation, including a database including patient records and images, and a server in communication with the database and including processing circuitry configured to receive virtual modeling geometrics of two opposing dental models as an input, wherein the two opposing dental models include an upper dental model and a lower dental model of the patient. The processing circuitry is also configured to detect intersection regions between the upper dental model and the lower dental model and perform a simulation on the two opposing dental models, wherein the simulation includes applying simulated physics rules at the two opposing dental models. The processing circuitry is further configured to repeat the detection of the intersection regions and the simulation to generate a maximum intercuspation alignment of the two opposing dental models, mark the intersection regions on the maximum intercuspation alignment, and output the maximum intercuspation alignment.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, a server can include processing circuitry configured to receive a virtual modeling file encoded with an orthodontic treatment plan such that the encoded information of the virtual modeling file format allows all steps of the orthodontic treatment plan to be displayed without a separate file for each treatment step. Additionally, the processing circuitry can be configured to download a first treatment step of the virtual modeling file format, receive gingiva and teeth geometries corresponding to the first treatment step, and display the first treatment step. Further, a selected treatment step can be displayed based on information encoded into the orthodontic virtual modeling file format.

Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, a dental appliance is provided including a matrix of printed voxels having a three-dimensional shape of a dental arch for surrounding a set of teeth corresponding to a first teeth alignment of a patient, the shape of the dental arch having a lingual side, an occlusal surface, and a facial side, where each voxel includes a deposited material for adhering to an adjacent voxel, and where the matrix of printed voxels applies a force to one or more teeth of the set of teeth causing the one or more teeth to shift into a second teeth alignment.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, a server can include processing circuitry configured to receive a virtual modeling file encoded with an orthodontic treatment plan such that the encoded information of the virtual modeling file format allows all steps of the orthodontic treatment plan to be displayed without a separate file for each treatment step. Additionally, the processing circuitry can be configured to download a first treatment step of the virtual modeling file format, receive gingiva and teeth geometries corresponding to the first treatment step, and display the first treatment step. Further, a selected treatment step can be displayed based on information encoded into the orthodontic virtual modeling file format.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for thermoforming a batch of dental appliances simultaneously. An embodiment of the invention includes a vacuum plate having an upper surface and a plurality of cups for receiving dental models. A polymer sheet extends over the upper surface of the vacuum plate and over the cups. A heater cap that is movable in proximity to the cups is provided to heat the polymer sheet to be formed onto the dental models. The vacuum plate is configured to create a vacuum seal between an upper edge of the cups and the polymer sheet. A vacuum source is provided to apply a vacuum to the cups below the polymer sheet wherein the pressure contained in said cups is lower than atmospheric pressure whereby at least a portion of the polymer sheet is drawn into each of the cups and drawn over the dental models to form an aligner over each of the dental models.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, a server can include processing circuitry configured to receive a virtual modeling file encoded with an orthodontic treatment plan such that the encoded information of the virtual modeling file format allows all steps of the orthodontic treatment plan to be displayed without a separate file for each treatment step. Additionally, the processing circuitry can be configured to download a first treatment step of the virtual modeling file format, receive gingiva and teeth geometries corresponding to the first treatment step, and display the first treatment step. Further, a selected treatment step can be displayed based on information encoded into the orthodontic virtual modeling file format.

Abstract: A system for maximum intercuspation articulation, including a database including patient records and images, and a server in communication with the database and including processing circuitry configured to receive virtual modeling geometrics of two opposing dental models as an input, wherein the two opposing dental models include an upper dental model and a lower dental model of the patient. The processing circuitry is also configured to detect intersection regions between the upper dental model and the lower dental model and perform a simulation on the two opposing dental models, wherein the simulation includes applying simulated physics rules at the two opposing dental models. The processing circuitry is further configured to repeat the detection of the intersection regions and the simulation to generate a maximum intercuspation alignment of the two opposing dental models, mark the intersection regions on the maximum intercuspation alignment, and output the maximum intercuspation alignment.

Abstract: Systems and methods for real-time processing and linking of orders to enhance execution performance can be configured to receive an incoming order from a customer including product data, customer information, and shipping information; determine that the incoming order can be linked to an existing shipment bundle that has one or more orders assigned orders based on predetermined linking criteria; assign a bundle identification (ID) to the incoming order corresponding to the existing shipment bundle; and release the existing shipment bundle for shipment when one or more predetermined shipping criteria are met.

Abstract: A system and associated methodology for the generation of digital models that account for the adaptation of the shape of the patient's gingiva is provided. The exemplary system uses an initial scan of the patient's gingiva as a base model, taking into account the type and morphology of the teeth, the shape, orientation and movements of the roots inside the gingiva, and other factors for a more accurate prediction of the changes in the shape of the gingiva throughout every step of the treatment. In particular, the system proactively determines the areas of the model that will be covered by the aligner and prevents changes to such areas, whereas the shape of the model outside these areas is altered in a way to minimize the size of model and to add any necessary features for the manufacturing of the aligners.

Abstract: A dual-purpose aligner which can serve as both an engager template and an aligning appliance includes is used for treating a patient according to a predetermined orthodontic treatment plan. The dual-purpose aligner can be seated on the teeth of the patient as an engager template having an engager void which is filled with a predetermined composite for bonding to a tooth of a patient. The engager template aligns the engager void with a corresponding tooth. A light-curing process cures the predetermined composite in the engager void through the dual-purpose aligner appliance to fabricate the engager and attach the engager to the corresponding tooth. The dual-purpose aligner can also be seated on the teeth of the patient as an aligner appliance for moving the teeth of the patient from a first position to a second position according to the predetermined orthodontic treatment plan.