Patents Examined by Ralph A. Lewis
  • Patent number: 11553993
    Abstract: Highly self-tapping dental implant system with hybrid cone type connection and interlocking rails, which allows high insertion (or removal) torque and double parallel cone locking between the implant, prosthetic abutment and internal screw, even in its 3.0 mm diameter embodiment, and gives the whole system high primary and secondary stability, optimal watertightness thanks to the double cone sealing, as well as predictable long-term fixation of the dental prosthesis on the implant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Inventor: Julian Cuesta Garcia
  • Patent number: 11553986
    Abstract: A system for fabricating a dental restoration to restore a tooth at a restoration site in a dentition of a patient is disclosed. The dentition includes a restoration dental arch and an opposing dental arch. The restoration dental arch include the restoration site and the opposing dental arch is opposite the restoration dental arch. The system includes an impression apparatus, a motion capture apparatus, an interface apparatus, and a restoration design system. The impression apparatus is configured to capture an impression of the dentition of the patient. The motion capture apparatus is configured to capture a plurality of location data points that represent the locations of the opposing dental arch relative to the restoration dental arch. The interference model generation system is configured to generate an interference model for the restoration site. The restoration design system is for designing a restoration using the interference model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: HULTGREN DENTAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Bruce Willard Hultgren
  • Patent number: 11547530
    Abstract: A tool for forming a dental restoration includes a mold body configured to provide a customized fit with at least one tooth of a patient. In some examples, the mold body defines an aperture configured to align with a portion of a surface of a tooth. The aperture is sufficiently large to allow placement and flow of restorative material over the desired portion of the surface of the tooth to be restored. The mold body is configured to combine with the at least one tooth of the patient to define a mold cavity encompassing at least a portion of desired tooth structure of the tooth to be restored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Joseph C. Dingeldein, James D. Hansen, Katelyn M. Languell, Christopher M. Brown
  • Patent number: 11540899
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to tools, systems and methods for recontouring/reshaping gum tissue by engaging a consumable tip on a powered tool to abrade/ablate excess or mal-contoured gum tissue to allow better visualization of the tooth/implant structure and reduce the periodontal pockets to provide improved access for cleaning by both the patient and clinician. In some embodiments, the powered tool may use vibrational movement, longitudinal reciprocating movement, rotational movement, reciprocating rotational movement, or a combination of any of the above movement schemes. In some embodiments, a consumable tip may be directed for cleaning tooth/implant surfaces and for recontouring/reshaping gum tissue. The powered tool itself may be constructed to allow the cooling water flow used for operation to be directed to the site where the procedure is carried out for irrigation or to be directed elsewhere at the user's selection to facilitate gum contouring procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Inventor: Bennett H. Jacoby
  • Patent number: 11540901
    Abstract: A bone foundation guide system having a bone foundation guide with a foundation guide body forming an open surgical space connecting a top of the bone foundation guide body with a bottom of the bone foundation guide body, the bottom contoured to removably affix the bone foundation guide body to the bone of a dental implant surgical site, the body further contoured to guide the cutting of bone from a dental implant surgical site and supporting a dental implant surgical guide; the dental implant surgical guide contoured to removably mate to the bone foundation guide body; wherein a combination of the bone foundation guide and the dental implant surgical guide forms a double open-ended placement channel that passes through a plurality of guiding cylinders held in tandem alignment to aid in the placement of a dental implant that is anchored in a site remote from the mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: NATIONAL DENTEX, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel R. Llop, Armand C. Jusuf, Ryan A. Spanke, Charles T. Fanlo
  • Patent number: 11534264
    Abstract: The invention relates to a preformed dental composite crown being characterized by its shape and chemical composition, the shape being characterized as follows: having an occlusal top surface and depending buccal, mesial, distal and lingual side surfaces, the side surfaces being connected to each other and forming a crown cervix, the wall thickness of the crown at the crown cervix being lower than 0.6 mm; at least two of opposing depending side surfaces having a concave shape; the chemical composition of the material the preformed dental composite crown is made of being a hardened composition comprising the following components: nano-filler(s) in an amount from 20 to 70 wt. %, resin matrix in an amount from 20 to 75 wt. %, wt. % with respect to the weight of the chemical composition, the resin matrix comprising urethane(meth)acrylate(s) and (meth)acrylate(s) not comprising a urethane moiety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Andreas Herrmann, Gallus Schechner, Reinhold Hecht, Helmar B. Mayr, Malte Korten, Bernhard Hofmann, Gioacchino Raia, Till Meurer
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11529217
    Abstract: A dental implant includes a fixture implanted into an alveolar bone, an abutment fixed to an upper part of the fixture and having a core hole formed in a center of an upper surface of the abutment, a crown bonded to an upper outer side of the abutment and having a passage vertically formed through a center of the crown, and a cover screw having a screw screw-fastened to the core hole and a head in close contact between an upper surface of the abutment and a lower surface of the crow to cover the core hole, in which, when the screw is released by a tool passing through the passage, the head moves up so that the cover screw provides a separating force to the crown. The dental implant may facilitate a separation of the crown and prevent binding force from weakening, thereby enabling an efficient procedure and management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Inventor: Jae-joon Lee
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11529216
    Abstract: An orthodontic appliance and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the present technology includes a positioning member configured to position an orthodontic appliance during installation in the patient's mouth. The positioning member may comprise a first portion configured to be coupled to the patient's teeth and a second portion extending away from the first portion. The second portion may be configured to be detachably coupled to the orthodontic appliance. While the positioning member is coupled to the orthodontic appliance, the positioning member is configured to be positioned in the patient's mouth and coupled to the patient's teeth, thereby positioning the orthodontic appliance at a desired location adjacent a patient's oral anatomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Brius Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Seyed Mehdi Roein Peikar, James Sylvester Wratten, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11517399
    Abstract: A dental isolation system includes a dental tool that has a handle portion at a proximal end, a tip portion at an opposite, distal end, and a body portion extending between the handle portion and the tip portion. The handle portion has handles and finger apertures so that a dentist can manipulate the distal end. The tip portion is inserted into an O-ring of a dental dam and, when actuated by a dentist, the tip portion forms a quadrant, allowing the stretched O-ring to easily fit over a tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Inventor: Spencer Torgerson
  • Patent number: 11514199
    Abstract: System and method for developing a treatment plan for achieving a treatment goal including creating a virtual model of a dental patient's dentition; transforming the virtual model of the dentition using virtual prosthodontics to facilitate achievement of the treatment goal; transforming the virtual model of the dentition using virtual orthodontics to facilitate achievement of the treatment goal; iterating on the transforming steps until substantially achieving the treatment goal; and generating an orthodontic treatment plan and a prosthodontic treatment plan based upon the substantially achieved treatment goal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Eric Kuo, Jihua Cheng, Vadim Matov, Juan Carlos Alvarez, Ali Kakavand
  • Patent number: 11510761
    Abstract: A bite registration device including a scan post configured to attach to a dental implant, a bite pillar configured to be attached at a coronal end of the scan post, and a mechanism for attaching the bite pillar to the scan post, wherein the mechanism enables adjustment of a distance from a coronal end of the bite pillar to an apical end of the scan post. A bite pillar including a wide coronal end and an elongate shape configured to attach to an object in a mouth of a patient. A scan post including a screw thread for attaching a bite pillar thereto. A reference pillar configured as an elongate shape to be attached at a first end to an object in a mouth of a patient. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Inventor: Philippe Nuytens
  • Patent number: 11510755
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Ormco Corporation
    Inventor: Richard Mark Matty
  • Patent number: 11504210
    Abstract: A first guide member includes a horizontal body portion and a pair of upright portions. The horizontal body portion has an arcuate configuration and includes a first horizontal surface, a front surface, a rear surface, and a second horizontal surface. The first horizontal surface is flat. The first upright body portion includes a first inwardly extending portion. A first engagement surface of the first inwardly extending portion is configured to rest on a ridge of the alveolar arch of the patient. The second upright body portion includes a second inwardly extending portion. A second engagement surface of the second inwardly extending portion is configured to rest on a ridge of the alveolar arch of the patient. The first guide member lacks a component configured to extend along a lingual or palatal side of the alveolar arch of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: NATIONAL DENTEX, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel R. Llop, Michael J. Mandeville
  • Patent number: 11504212
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for orthodontic treatment planning and orthodontic treatment are disclosed herein. Various embodiments of the present technology, for example, are directed to a method of obtaining data characterizing movements of a patient's teeth from original positions to desired, final positions. In some embodiments, the method can include identifying one or more components of the movements, evaluating the movements, and/or modifying the movements. A method in accordance with several embodiments of the present technology can comprise obtaining an orthodontic treatment plan, which can include one or more suggested interventions to accomplish the tooth movements, a design of such intervention(s), and/or other useful information regarding the orthodontic treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Brius Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Sylvester Wratten, Jr., Seyed Mehdi Roein Peikar
  • Patent number: 11497584
    Abstract: Orthodontic systems and related methods are disclosed for designing and providing improved or more effective tooth moving systems for eliciting a desired tooth movement and/or repositioning teeth into a desired arrangement. Methods and orthodontic systems include the generation of an overcorrection in the tooth-receiving cavities of an appliance worn in the dentition. The overcorrection may provide an improved and more accurately applied force or moment applied to a tooth. The overcorrected force or moment can move a tooth closer to a desired position than if not overcorrected as sufficient force can still applied to the tooth as it gets closer to the desired position. The overcorrected force or moment may also better target the root of the tooth where the biological response to tooth movement occurs. The overcorrection may be calculated in various ways as described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vadim Matov, Fuming Wu, Jihua Cheng, Jennifer Chen, Chunhua Li, Bastien Pesenti, Igor Kvasov
  • Patent number: 11490995
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for orthodontic treatment planning and orthodontic treatment are disclosed herein. Various embodiments of the present technology, for example, are directed to a method of obtaining data characterizing movements of a patient's teeth from original positions to desired, final positions. In some embodiments, the method can include identifying one or more components of the movements, evaluating the movements, and/or modifying the movements. A method in accordance with several embodiments of the present technology can comprise obtaining an orthodontic treatment plan, which can include one or more suggested interventions to accomplish the tooth movements, a design of such intervention(s), and/or other useful information regarding the orthodontic treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Brius Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Sylvester Wratten, Jr., Seyed Mehdi Roein Peikar
  • Patent number: 11490993
    Abstract: An elastic matrix band for use during a dental restoration process is provided. In one embodiment, among others, the matrix band may include an elastic circular band that has a first end and a second end. The elastic circular band includes an opening at the second end, and the first end has a larger diameter than the second end. The elastic circular band is configured to expand in order to situate the elastic circular band around a tooth and contract in order to adhere to the tooth. Additionally, the elastic circular band comprises a ridge that is positioned between the first end and the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SMILE BUILDERS INNOVATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Robyn B. Lesser
  • Patent number: 11484189
    Abstract: A cart or man-portable system and method for performing endoscopic procedures is provided. A portable display device, such as a laptop computer, is coupled to a handle comprising a miniature camera and fiber optic illumination subsystem. A sterile disposable portion is fitted over the illumination subsystem and inserted into a target area on a patient. Images of the target area are conveyed from the camera to the display device while an endoscopic procedure is performed, thus facilitating real-time diagnosis during the procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: VisionScope Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Thomas J. Gill, James E. McDonald