Abstract: A system and a method for determining an orthodontic diagnostic analysis of a patient at various dental maturity stages predicts future conditions and/or treatment recommendations. The system and the method locate points in a mouth of a patient using an imaging device wherein the imaging device generates imaging data. The imaging data is transferred to a central processing unit wherein the central processing unit has access to a database having information associated with orthodontic conditions stored therein. The central processing unit obtains measurements associated with selected points and dentition in the mouth of the patient and predicts orthodontic conditions of the patient based upon the measurements and the information in the database. The central processing unit recommends treatments to the patient based upon the predicted orthodontic conditions.

Abstract: An oral appliance, a system and a method for correcting malocclusions may cause teeth and/or jaws of the patient to move into a corrected position. An upper body and a lower body of the appliance may be connected by a hinge. Lingual protrusions may extend rearward from the anterior portion of the upper body and contact the maxilla of the patient when the appliance is worn. A protrusion may extend from the anterior portion of the lower body forward relative to the mouth and contact the lips and exert a rearward force against the lower teeth.

Abstract: An apparatus, a system and a method provide automatic tooth straightening. An appliance may be placed on teeth to straighten teeth. The appliance or series of appliances may be made to fit a particular patient. The appliance may fit onto the teeth that do not require straightening using a section that may be made from relatively stiff material. The erupted teeth that require straightening may be straightened with a softer more resilient material. The unerupted teeth may be guided into the mouth by another portion of the appliance that is preformed with predicted sizes and shapes of teeth determined from sizes of other erupted adult teeth and shapes from anatomical standards. A hard stiffer inner shell and/or a stiffer isthmus having a softer material is overlayed to directly contact the teeth.

Abstract: An apparatus, a system and a method provide automatic tooth straightening. An appliance may be placed on teeth to straighten teeth. The appliance or series of appliances may be made to fit a particular patient. A portion of the appliance may be attached to fully erupted teeth that are substantially straight. The appliance may fit onto the teeth that do not require straightening using a section that may be made from relatively stiff material. The erupted teeth that require straightening may be straightened with a softer more resilient material. The unerupted teeth may be guided into the mouth by another portion of the appliance that is preformed with predicted sizes and shapes of teeth determined from sizes of other erupted adult teeth and shapes from anatomical standards. A hard stiffer inner shell and/or a stiffer isthmus having a softer material is overlayed to directly contact the teeth.

Abstract: An apparatus, a system and a method are provided for providing a dental diagnosis and/or a dental appliance to a user by examining a portion of a mouth of the user. To this end, the apparatus, system and method may evaluate images whether digital, still, video, digital x-ray or the like, of the portion of the mouth to determine if a medical condition may be cured and/or corrected by a dental appliance stored within a machine and capable of being dispensed from the machine. In addition, the system may provide a wafer or tray which the user may position in his mouth to make an impression. The wafer or tray, or an image of the wafer or tray, may then be sent to an individual and/or a central processing unit. Also, a user may position a film within his mouth and transmit the film or an image of the film to an individual and/or a central processing unit.

Abstract: A dental appliance and a method for correcting the arch shape and/or size of a patient by utilizing existing tooth shapes and sizes are provided. A method for correcting the position of the arch and/or teeth of a person is also provided either by a computer program or manually. Also provided is a method for correcting the position of teeth in the mouth, erupting teeth and/or teeth expected to erupt by utilizing existing tooth shapes and sizes and/or group standards. The dental appliance may be formed manually from altered models of the patient or may be formed from models made by stereolithography from a computer image. Further, the dental appliance may be made directly from laser-scanned models by stereolithography. Further, the dental appliances may have teeth sockets which may accept either a single tooth or multiple teeth. The teeth sockets may be formed to match the corresponding tooth of the patient identically or may be formed to correct the position of the tooth into the proper location.

Abstract: An appliance, a system and a method correct habits of an oral cavity of a patient. The appliance is preformed or is custom-made in an open position or in a closed position. The appliance prevents the patient from breathing through an oral cavity of the patient and encourages the patient to breathe through a nose of the patient. The appliance corrects abnormal swallowing patterns, finger sucking habits, thumb sucking habits, abnormal tongue posturing, abnormal lip posturing and/or speech problems. A slot is formed on a top portion of the appliance to receive teeth of the patient for wearing the appliance. A shelf is formed on a bottom portion of the appliance to move a tongue of the patient to a correct position within the oral cavity during swallowing movements and/or during resting periods between the swallowing movements since there is more room above the shelf from a hollow area above of the shelf which is more comfortable for the patient.

Abstract: A system of dental appliances having various sizes and types and a method for treating malocclusions of patients of various ages without adjustments or appointments are provided. The dental appliances may be sized to treat, for example, patients in age ranges of less than six years; six years to twelve years; and twelve or more years. The dental appliances may have preformed and/or customized sockets and/or slots for more than one tooth, such as incisors and/or canines and/or molars and/or premolars and/or deciduous molars and/or adult molars. The dental appliances may be one-size-fits-all type dental appliances. The dental appliances may be used to treat a malocclusion, such as, for example, an overbite, an overjet, crowding, spacing, or temporomandibular joint problems, and may be distributed in an over-the-counter manner.

Abstract: An appliance, a system and a method prevent snoring of a patient. The appliance opens an airway of the patient by advancing a lower jaw of the patient. A slot is formed on an upper shell and/or a lower shell of the appliance to receive teeth of the patient for wearing the appliance. A hinge connects the upper shell to the lower shell and resists the closing of the mouth of the patient to maintain the open airway of the patient. Wedges protrude from the hinge between the upper shell and the lower shell to further resist the closing of the mouth of the patient. Stiffer material of the hinge and/or the wedges relative to material of the upper shell and the lower shell requires more force to close the mouth of the patient and maintains the open airway of the patient during sleep. Extended margins may receive liner material to secure the appliance to the dentition. Lingual extensions on the lower arch help to maintain the lower jaw in a forward position relative to the upper jaw.

Abstract: Dental appliances and systems and methods for distributing dental appliances are provided. The dental appliances may be worn within a mouth of a patient to treat a dental condition. The dental appliances may be distributed to the patient through various venues. The venues range from those in which the patient has direct contact with a care provider to those in which the patient is able to independently determine an appropriate dental appliance to treat the dental condition. As a result, the amount of interaction between the patient and a care provider is significantly reduced, as well as an overall cost of treatment. The time necessary for appointments, if any, is also reduced and/or eliminated.

Abstract: A dental appliance having increased or decreased thickness between an upper shell and a lower shell in combination with a hinging mechanism and a system and a method for treating malocclusions are provided. The dental appliance may have an upper shell and a lower shell which receive upper teeth and lower teeth, respectively, of a user. The upper shell and the lower shell may be attached at a hinge. The dental appliance may have an increased thickness between the upper shell and the lower shell as well as an increased thickness of the hinge. In an embodiment, the dental appliance may have a decreased vertical thickness and an insertable hinging mechanism. The dental appliance may then extend treatment of malocclusions to the rear teeth of the user and may correct a dental condition, such as, for example, overbite, overjet, open bite, crowding, rotations, spacing, cross-bites, gummy smiles and temporomandibular joint problems.

Abstract: An appliance, a system and a method prevent snoring of a patient. The appliance opens an airway of the patient by advancing a lower jaw of the patient. A slot is formed on an upper shell and/or a lower shell of the appliance to receive teeth of the patient for wearing the appliance. A hinge connects the upper shell to the lower shell and resists the closing of the mouth of the patient to maintain the open airway of the patient. Wedges protrude from the hinge between the upper shell and the lower shell to further resist the closing of the mouth of the patient. Stiffer material of the hinge and/or the wedges relative to material of the upper shell and the lower shell requires more force to close the mouth of the patient and maintains the open airway of the patient during sleep. Extended margins may receive liner material to secure the appliance to the dentition. Lingual extensions on the lower arch help to maintain the lower jaw in a forward position relative to the upper jaw.

Abstract: A pacifier, a system and a method for maintaining proper dentitions in a child are provided. The pacifier may have a bulb which is connected to an external shield by an isthmus. A child may suck on the bulb when the pacifier is worn in the mouth. The isthmus connecting the bulb and the external shield may be flat. Moreover, the isthmus may have a thickness which may be less than a thickness of known connectors, and may be wider from side-to-side than connectors associated with known pacifiers which connect a bulb and an external shield. As a result, the pacifier may prevent the child from developing, for example, an open bite or other malocclusion. The pacifier may or may not incorporate a thickened pillow to aid in the reduction of pain associated with teething.

Abstract: An appliance, a system and a method correct habits of an oral cavity of a patient. The appliance is preformed or is custom-made in an open position or in a closed position. The appliance prevents the patient from breathing through an oral cavity of the patient and encourages the patient to breathe through a nose of the patient. The appliance corrects abnormal swallowing patterns, finger sucking habits, thumb sucking habits, abnormal tongue posturing, abnormal lip posturing and/or speech problems. A slot is formed on a top portion of the appliance to receive teeth of the patient for wearing the appliance. A shelf is formed on a bottom portion of the appliance to move a tongue of the patient to a correct position within the oral cavity during swallowing movements and/or during resting periods between the swallowing movements since there is more room above the shelf from a hollow area above of the shelf which is more comfortable for the patient.

Abstract: A dental appliance, a system and a method for treating malocclusions minimize cooperation by a patient for treating the malocclusions. A reline material is insertable between the appliance and one or more teeth of the patient. An internal surface of the appliance is roughened for receiving the reline material to increase retention of the appliance to one or more teeth of the patient. A hinge connects an upper half to a lower half to increase retention of the appliance to one or more teeth of the patient. The appliance maintains a lower jaw of the patient in a position with respect to an upper jaw of the patient. A lingual tab of the lower half maintains the lower jaw of the patient in the position with respect to the upper jaw of the patient. The appliance is made of one or more materials having varying stiffness and/or softness to increase retention of the appliance and/or to increase movement of one or more teeth of the patient.

Abstract: A dental appliance, a system and a method for treating malocclusions are provided wherein a need for patient cooperation to treat the malocclusion may be reduced. The dental appliance may cause teeth of the user to move into a corrected position. As a result, the patient may not be required to perform an amount of exercise, or like co-operational action, normally required by the patient to correct the malocclusion. In another embodiment, the method of exercise or cooperation performed may reduce an amount of time the dental appliance is worn in the mouth on a daily basis.