Abstract: Methods for orthodontic treatment planning include modifying a digital picture of a patient based on a tooth model produced during simulated orthodontic treatment after movement of at least one model tooth to produce a modified digital image depicting the at least one model tooth after movement. The method includes matching and morphing information from the digital picture into the modified digital image. Modifying includes matching a model tooth in the T1 model to a tooth in the digital picture and morphing that information into the modified digital image. Morphing may include projecting a model tooth in the T1 model to an image plane of the digital picture and projecting a model tooth from an intermediate T model to the image plane. Parameterization of the projections of each model may be used to develop a pixel correspondence map, which is usable during rendering of a tooth in the modified digital image.

Abstract: Systems and methods of defining a trimline in relation to modeled teeth including modeled gingiva. The trimline is for use to manufacture an aligner. A margin point is placed proximate a gingival margin at each tooth on at least one jaw in the model. A trimline connects the plurality of margin points from which machine code is generated. The aligner manufactured includes an edge that correlates with the trimline according to the machine code. A margin point may be proximate a gingival zenith. At least one tooth cooperates with the modeled gingiva to define a line around the tooth. The trimline includes at least one tooth curve and at least one connector curve connected to the tooth curve at a transition point. At least one control point is on the trimline between two margin points. The trimline is defined by a spline that may be a Bèzier curve.

Abstract: Systems and methods of defining a trimline in relation to modeled teeth including a three-dimensional model of one or more intraoral surfaces of the patient. The trimline is for use to manufacture an aligner. For one or more pairs of adjacent teeth, a scallop plane is defined based on a scallop factor. The scallop plane is used to determine the position of scallop points on a line around each tooth adjacent to an interproximal region of the pair of teeth. Transition points are then defined on the line around each tooth apically of the scallop points, and the points connected to form an initial connector curve. The initial connector curve is projected on to a mesh of the three-dimensional model, and smoothing applied to the resulting segmented connector curve. The smoothed connector curves are then joined by teeth curves to form the trimline.

Abstract: An orthodontic aligner includes a shell defining at least one cavity sized to receive one of a patient's teeth. The cavity includes a lingual portion, a labial portion, and an occlusal portion. A bite structure forms at least a portion of the occlusal portion and is configured to be spaced apart from an occlusal surface of the patient's tooth by a distant sufficient to interfere with full closure of the patient's jaws. The bite structure has a non-planar surface that does not conform to the patient's tooth. The non-planar surface includes at least two spaced-apart projections separated by a boundary. The spaced-apart projections are spherical-like projections or ellipsoidal-like projections. The boundary has a grid-like appearance that spans the bite structure side to side. The spaced-apart projections define a tooth-engaging plane of the bite structure. The bite structure is an integral portion of the shell.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance includes a portion made of a shape memory alloy having a base alloy composition of at least two different metallic elements and a treated region having an alloy composition that is depleted in at least one of the metallic elements. The base alloy may include a nickel titanium alloy (NiTi), a copper chromium nickel titanium alloy (CuCrNiTi), or a copper aluminum nickel (CuAlNi) alloy. The treated region may be depleted in at least one of copper, aluminum, nickel, and titanium relative to the base alloy composition by exposing the base alloy to a source of energy. The base alloy composition has a first austenitic finish temperature and the treated region has an austenitic finish temperature that may be different than the first austenitic finish temperature. The treated region may form a part of an archwire, a stop, a hook, a crown, a band, or an orthodontic bracket.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present application discloses a photo-cleavable surface binding compound of the Formula I and Formula II: wherein the variables EG, EG1, SP1, SP2, SP3, Ar and BG are as defined herein. In another embodiment, the application discloses a method for forming a coating on a surface of a substrate using the surface binding compound.

Abstract: A method of producing a custom dental anchor application appliance may be provided. The appliance may be for mounting one or more anchors to teeth of a patient. The appliance may be for use in orthodontic aligner treatment. The method may include forming a dental appliance. The forming may be done using a three-dimensional printing approach. The appliance may include a body. The body may include at least one anchor-locating area. The anchor-locating area may be shaped to conform to a mounting area on a surface of a tooth. The appliance may include a receiving structure. The receiving structure may be configured to removably support a dental anchor. The dental anchor may be of a predefined configuration in a fixed position and orientation relative to the body.

Abstract: A method of producing a custom dental anchor application appliance may be provided. The appliance may be for mounting one or more anchors to teeth of a patient. The appliance may be for use in orthodontic aligner treatment. The method may include forming a dental appliance. The forming may be done using a three-dimensional printing approach. The appliance may include a body. The body may include at least one anchor-locating area. The anchor-locating area may be shaped to conform to a mounting area on a surface of a tooth. The appliance may include a receiving structure. The receiving structure may be configured to removably support a dental anchor. The dental anchor may be of a predefined configuration in a fixed position and orientation relative to the body.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for marking an object on an aligner. The aligner surface is modeled. The method includes calculating a normal for each tile in a tessellated surface and disqualifying a tile from being selected. For tiles not disqualified, a patch is identified that produces a markable area. The method includes selecting an object to be marked, calculating a location of the object in the markable area, and providing the location of the object to a marking device. Disqualifying includes comparing an angle between a normal and an orientation of the beam to an origin of the calculated normal on each tile. Disqualifying includes disqualifying the at least one tile when the angle is outside of a range of ?90° to +90°. Identifying the patch includes separating the patch into at least two smaller patches, and one of the two smaller patches of tiles is the markable area.

Abstract: Provided are a system, method, and computer readable storage medium in which data is received from a dental imaging system. The received data is analyzed to adjust one or more imaging parameters of the dental imaging system.

Abstract: An orthodontic adhesive includes components capable of allowing easy debonding of an orthodontic device from a patient's tooth. The adhesive includes an engineered marine mussel protein. The adhesive may include at least one photocleavable moiety. The adhesive is applied in one or more individual layers. One of the components of the adhesive is capable of binding to a tooth and the other component may be capable of binding to an orthodontic device. A method of adhering an orthodontic device to a tooth includes applying a layer of an orthodontic adhesive to either the tooth or the orthodontic device or the tooth and the orthodontic device and affixing the orthodontic device to the tooth with the orthodontic adhesive situated between the tooth and the orthodontic device. The engineered marine mussel protein includes one or more catechol moieties or one or more derivatives of a catechol moiety.

Abstract: Provided are a system, method, and computer readable storage medium for generating an intra-oral scan of a dentition. A contiguous scan of an occlusal surface of at least a part of one arch of the dentition is generated. At least one additional surface is associated to the contiguous scan of the occlusal surface.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket is described and which includes a base member defining an archwire slot having an opening, and at least one projection extending outwardly from the base member; a ligating slide moveable between a first position which is clear of the archwire slot, and second position where the ligating slide projects over the opening of the archwire slot; and a biasing member borne by the ligating slide, and resiliently cooperating with the projection, and wherein the biasing member has a first portion which receives the projection when the ligating slide is in the first position, and a second portion which receives the projection when the ligating slide is in the second position.

Abstract: A dental aligner and methods and systems for manufacturing the dental aligner. A boundary contour is defined in a two-dimensional space based on an edge of a model aligner in a ruler disc. The boundary contour may be measured on a grid in which the model aligner is formed. The information pertaining to the boundary contour in the model is transferred to a flat workpiece. The boundary contour may follow the patient's gingival margin. A trench is formed in the flat workpiece based on the boundary contour measured in the model aligner. The flat workpiece including the trench is deformed. Deforming the trench forms at least a portion of the edge of the dental aligner and may include a trim boundary. The aligner may be separated from the workpiece at the trim boundary. The model aligner and dental aligner may vacuum thermoformed from the same mold.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket having a bracket body configured to be mounted to a tooth includes an archwire slot having a base surface defining a base plane and a slide engagement track defining a translation plane. The translation plane is angled with respect to the base plane. A ligating slide is engaged with the slide engagement track of the bracket body and movable along the slide engagement track and parallel to the translation plane between an opened position, in which an archwire is insertable into the archwire slot, and a closed position, in which the archwire is retained within the archwire slot. The translation plane is angled with respect to the base plane so as to prevent the ligating slide from contacting the gingiva surrounding the tooth when the ligating slide is moved to the opened position.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods, systems, and computer program products for digital orthodontic setup using a prescribed ideal arch form. The invention may include an imaging system, an orthodontic device production system, and an orthodontic treatment system interconnected by way of a network. The orthodontic treatment system may facilitate manipulating one or more reference teeth into a position by the dental practitioner. The orthodontic treatment system may further facilitate selection of an ideal unit-less arch form and scaling of the ideal unit-less arch form into a scaled ideal arch form to fit the reference teeth. After the selected ideal unit-less arch form is scaled to fit the reference teeth, the remaining teeth are positioned with respect to the scaled ideal arch form, either manually by a dental practitioner or automatically by an alignment algorithm.

Abstract: Methods for orthodontic treatment planning include modifying a digital picture of a patient based on a tooth model produced during simulated orthodontic treatment after movement of at least one model tooth to produce a modified digital image depicting the at least one model tooth after movement. The method includes matching and morphing information from the digital picture into the modified digital image. Modifying includes matching a model tooth in the T1 model to a tooth in the digital picture and morphing that information into the modified digital image. Morphing may include projecting a model tooth in the T1 model to an image plane of the digital picture and projecting a model tooth from an intermediate T model to the image plane. Parameterization of the projections of each model may be used to develop a pixel correspondence map, which is usable during rendering of a tooth in the modified digital image.

Abstract: A method for altering an orthodontic archwire of a unitary piece of shape memory alloy having a composition and generally uniformly formed properties along its length to different stiffness profiles along the length of the archwire. In one embodiment, the method includes determining a stress profile for teeth at a location. The method may include calculating a force the archwire is to produce on the teeth to satisfy the determined stress profile and determining an altered stiffness of a section of the archwire based on the calculated force. The method may include changing the composition of the section based on the determined altered stiffness. The method may include determining a load for teeth and calculating a force the archwire is to produce on the teeth to satisfy the determined load.