Abstract: An orthodontic aligner includes a shell that defines a tooth cavity. The tooth cavity is configured to receive a patient's tooth and has an edge that defines an opening. An integral hook extends outwardly from wall portions of the shell adjacent the tooth cavity and is spaced occlusally apart from the edge. The integral hook has a side wall that defines an interior space and includes a window. The interior space opens to the tooth cavity. The window extends through the side wall so that the interior space is accessible. The window can be sized to interfere with insertion of an elastic band. A system for orthodontic treatment includes an attachment. The integral hook is configured to receive the attachment. The attachment is accessible through the window. The attachment may not fill the interior space. A method of manufacturing the orthodontic aligner includes preparing a mold including a hook mold.

Abstract: A system for orthodontic treatment planning. The system comprises a processor and memory. Computer-program instructions cause the system to display a user interface on a display. The user interface is for a user to input a prescription for treatment of the patient. The user interface provides a plurality of commands for selection. Each command is a one-word instruction, a two-word instruction, or a three-word instruction based on orthodontic nomenclature. The system receives selected two or more of the plurality of commands into the prescription for treatment. The two or more selected commands are to be applied according to a predetermined protocol to the patient's teeth. A database is configured to receive the prescription for treatment of the patient and to contain a plurality of other prescriptions for treatment of other patients. The database is configured to receive a plurality of other prescriptions from a plurality of users of the system.

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: 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: 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: 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: An orthodontic appliance for dental treatment includes an aligner or a bracket having a dimension (G, I, V) that compensates for a restorative treatment. The dimension (G, I, V) compensates for gingival alteration, hard tissue build-up, or hard tissue removal on the patient's teeth. An apparatus (10) for smile design includes a first data structure (20) that defines a digital 3-D smile template (100) of teeth arranged in accordance with predetermined criteria. A method of planning dental treatment of a patient includes superimposing a digital 3-D smile template (100) of teeth with a digital orthodontic setup (26) of a patient's teeth.

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 computational device determines a representation of one or more anatomical features, and based on the determined representation of the one or more anatomical features, a three-dimensional model is oriented in a three-dimensional space in an anatomically accurate manner. Thereafter, an orthodontic device design is created using the oriented three dimensional model and an orthodontic device is manufactured based at least in part on the orthodontic device design.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and systems for providing a unitary shell appliance for use in a course of treatment for a dental patient and being of controlled thickness. The unitary shell appliance may be formed to present cavities configured to receive teeth of one of an upper or lower arch of the patient when the appliance is positioned on the patient. The appliance may be formed to have a first portion engageable with any tooth selected from the arch of the patient on which the appliance is to be positioned and a second portion associated with another tooth of the arch. The appliance may be further formed with a first thickness and a second thickness. A difference between the first and second thicknesses may be used to apply different levels of force to different teeth.

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: Provided is a method in which a computational device generates a design of a negative mold of teeth. The negative mold of the teeth is fabricated from the design of the negative mold. An aligner is formed using the fabricated negative mold. Provided also is a negative mold of teeth for fabricating a positive model of the teeth for an aligner. The negative mold comprises a tooth surface, and an identity tracking entity coupled to the tooth surface to provide identification.

Abstract: A method for registering imageries of a tooth includes integrating imageries to roughly register two imageries. The method includes cross-sectioning the imageries through the tooth and moving one imagery relative to another one. Moving includes at least one of rotating and translating an imagery and may be relative to a characteristic feature of the tooth in the imagery. The tooth may be an anterior tooth, such as an incisor. Cross-sectioning may be at the characteristic feature in a sagittal plane, a transverse plane, and a coronal plane. And, moving may include at least one of rotating and translating the second imagery on a plane-by-plane basis in each plane. The method may include evaluating an error in the position of the imageries and repeating moving the imageries. A dental registration system includes a first imaging system and a second imaging system to capture different imageries of the teeth.

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.