Abstract: A method of designing a patient removable tooth positioning appliance may include receiving a digital representation of teeth of the patient in a selected arrangement and modeling the patient removable tooth positioning appliance having tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive and apply a resilient positioning force to the teeth of the patient based on the digital representation. The method may also include modeling a hook integral to the patient removable tooth positioning appliance and configured to interface with an elastic member so as to react a force from the elastic member into the appliance. The hook may be configured to be laterally offset from a portion of a tooth receiving cavity of the tooth receiving cavities. The method may also include outputting a three-dimensional representation of the patient removable tooth positioning appliance having the hook for fabrication by one or more fabrication machines.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for taking, using and displaying three-dimensional (3D) volumetric models of a patient's dental arch. A 3D volumetric model may include surface (e.g., color) information as well as information on internal structure, such as near-infrared (near-IR) transparency values for internal structures including enamel and dentin.

Abstract: A series of orthodontic aligners may be produced by a process including receiving a first position of at least one tooth of a patient for a first treatment stage of plurality of orthodontic treatment stages, determining a movement vector magnitude and direction for moving the at least one tooth from the first position towards a second position, analyzing a surface of the at least one tooth of the patient based on the determined movement vector, designing a first orthodontic aligner of the series of orthodontic aligners based on the analysis of the surface of the at least one tooth of the patient so that a physical orthodontic aligner, when in position on teeth of the patient at the first treatment stage, moves the at least one tooth from the first position towards the second position along the determined movement vector, and fabricating the physical orthodontic aligner.

Abstract: Creating a digital tooth model of a patient's tooth using interproximal information is provided. Interproximal information is received that represents a space between adjacent physical teeth of the patient. A digital teeth model of a set of physical teeth of the patient that includes the adjacent physical teeth is received. One or more digital tooth models is created that more accurately depicts one or more of the physical teeth than the corresponding digital teeth included in the digital teeth model based on the interproximal information.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance including a shell aligner having a portion accommodating movement of a patient's bracketed teeth between a first position and the second position as elicited by force from an orthodontic braces appliance worn by the patient, related systems and methods.

Abstract: A method of forming a system of aligners may include generating a first digital model of a first mold for a first orthodontic aligner including a first geometry for forming teeth receiving cavities to receive and reposition a first set of teeth, a first digital model of a first witness object for a first integral hook portion of the aligner on at least one of the tooth receiving cavities may be generated. A first mold with the first witness object based on the first digital model of the first mold with the first digital model of the first witness object may be fabricated. The first orthodontic aligner may fabricated by thermoforming polymeric material over the first mold. A material removal operation may be performed on the first integral hook portion to form a first u-shaped aperture to receive an elastic therein.

Abstract: Systems and methods for modeling a patient's tooth are provided. In some embodiments, a system includes a scanner configured to generate image data of a partial portion of a crown of a patient's tooth, a memory, and one or more processors operably coupled to the scanner and to the memory. The one or more processors can be configured to perform operations including: receiving the image data from the scanner, generating a digital representation of the crown of the patient's tooth based on the image data, selecting a digital tooth template having a crown portion, generating a morphed crown portion based on the crown portion of the digital tooth template, and generating a digital patient crown model by combining the morphed crown portion with the digital representation of the crown of the patient's tooth.

Abstract: Systems and methods for moving teeth of a patient from a first tooth arrangement toward a second tooth arrangement are provided, including: a first dental appliance corresponding to a first stage of an orthodontic treatment plan and corresponding to the first tooth arrangement; a second dental appliance corresponding to a second stage of the orthodontic treatment plan and corresponding to the second tooth arrangement; and a plurality of intermediate dental appliances corresponding to a plurality of intermediate stages between the first stage and the second stage of the orthodontic treatment plan. The intermediate dental appliances include a first intermediate dental appliance having first tooth receiving cavities shaped for moving the patient's teeth as prescribed for the respective intermediate stage by the orthodontic treatment plan, and a duplicate intermediate dental appliance having duplicate tooth receiving cavities with the same geometries as the first tooth receiving cavities.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides method, systems, and devices for expanding arch of teeth. A device for expanding an arch of teeth of a patient can include a removable shell formed of a first material having a number of cavities formed therein. The number of cavities are shaped to receive teeth of a patient. A device for expanding an arch of teeth of a patient can include an arch element extending from the removable shell in a lingual direction and across an arch width of the removable shell. The arch element can be formed of the first material and a second material that is a different material than the first material, can be designed to expand an arch of the teeth of the patient, and can have a width specific to a stage of a treatment plan.

Abstract: The present technology relates to methods for fabricating mouth guard systems. In some embodiments, for example, a method includes fabricating an aligner having a polymeric shell including a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities shaped to reposition teeth of a patient. The polymeric shell can be shaped to cover an occlusal surface of the teeth when the aligner is worn by the patient. The method may further include fabricating a mouth guard shaped to protect the teeth, the mouth guard including a plurality of cavities shaped to receive the teeth and accommodate the aligner when worn on the teeth, and an occlusal portion connected to the plurality of cavities. The occlusal portion may be shaped to reduce impact forces on the teeth. The mouth guard may be configured to be removably coupled to the aligner.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for generating and displaying a model of a subject's teeth. Described herein are intraoral scanning methods and apparatuses for generating a three-dimensional model of a subject's intraoral region (e.g., teeth). These methods and apparatuses may be used for identifying and evaluating lesions, caries and cracks in the teeth.

Abstract: Methods of forming dental appliances for expanding dental arches. Methods may include forming first and second virtual dental appliances, each having: virtual teeth receiving cavities shaped to conform to representations of the teeth at a point during respective first and second stages of orthodontic treatment, and virtual arch elements that extend between respective virtual teeth receiving cavities and having widths that are wider than an anatomical arch width. The methods may include fabricating first and second dental appliances using the first and second virtual dental appliances, respectively. At least one of the dental appliances may be fabricated to vary in thickness along the respective arch element.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for generating and displaying a model of a subject's teeth. Described herein are intraoral scanning methods and apparatuses for generating a three-dimensional model of a subject's intraoral region (e.g., teeth). These methods and apparatuses may be used for identifying and evaluating lesions, caries and cracks in the teeth.

Abstract: A current digital dental model is received that includes a representation of the set of physical teeth for the patient with the current dental appliance attached to the physical teeth or oral cavity. The current digital dental model is a direct digital scan of the set of physical teeth and the current dental appliance. The physical teeth are at a position in treatment when all or a part of the current dental appliance is desired to be removed from one or more of the set of physical teeth and it is desired to use a subsequent appliance. The current digital dental model is created based a new digital dental model that includes the representation of the set of physical teeth without including the current dental appliance.

Abstract: Creating a digital tooth model of a patient's tooth using interproximal information is provided. Interproximal information is received that represents a space between adjacent physical teeth of the patient. A digital teeth model of a set of physical teeth of the patient that includes the adjacent physical teeth is received. One or more digital tooth models is created that more accurately depicts one or more of the physical teeth than the corresponding digital teeth included in the digital teeth model based on the interproximal information.

Abstract: Systems for protecting and repositioning teeth are provided. In some embodiments, a system includes a tooth repositioning appliance and a covering guard. The tooth repositioning appliance can have a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities shaped to reposition teeth of a patient. The covering guard, when worn by the patient and coupled with the tooth repositioning appliance, can provide protection against impact-induced injuries. The covering guard can have a guard segment that covers at least a portion of the tooth repositioning appliance. A combination of the covering guard and the tooth repositioning appliance can include an occlusal portion disposed between a plurality of upper and lower teeth when worn by the patient. The occlusal portion can have a compliance selected to provide impact absorption during an impact forcing the lower teeth into the upper teeth.

Abstract: A system for creating a visualization of results of a dental treatment may include an intraoral scanner and a computing device including memory and one or more processors configured to perform a method that may include simulating a first dental treatment process on digital representations of initial teeth parameters to move teeth toward a target occlusion to produce a first set of output results, simulating a second dental treatment process on the first set of output results from the simulation of the first dental treatment process to produce a second set of output results, the first set of output results from the simulation of the first dental treatment process comprising supplementary teeth parameters, and displaying the simulation of the second dental treatment process. The first dental treatment process is one of a palatal expansion treatment or dental treatment and the second dental treatment process is the other.

Abstract: Described herein are intraoral scanning apparatuses comprising visible light and near-infrared (near-IR) light images from a patient's dentition. These apparatuses may display a 3D model of the patient's dental arch and a plurality of images of the patient's dental arch taken from different angles and positions relative to the patient's dental arch, and may both generate and display a two-dimensional (2D) image based on a relative angle and position between the indicator relative to the 3D model of the patient's dental arch.

Abstract: Methods for tracking progress of a patient undergoing orthodontic treatment are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a 3D model of a dental arch. The 3D model can be generated by receiving a plurality of images of the dental arch, at least some of the images including a portion of the dental arch together with a portion of a reference element. A registration can be determined between an image and at least one other image using the portions of the reference element in the respective images to improve registration accuracy. The plurality of images can be stitched together according to the determined registrations to generate the 3D model of the dental arch. The method can further include assessing progress of the orthodontic treatment by comparing the 3D model of the dental arch to a previous 3D model representing an earlier state of the dental arch.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for generating and displaying a model of a subject's teeth. Described herein are intraoral scanning methods and apparatuses for generating a three-dimensional model of a subject's intraoral region (e.g., teeth). These methods and apparatuses may be used for identifying and evaluating lesions, caries and cracks in the teeth.