Abstract: The invention relates to a removable dental appliance comprising an appliance body configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth of a patient. The appliance body defines a shell configured to receive a tooth of the plurality of teeth in an initial position and a bendable flap integrally formed with the appliance body to extend from a hinge axis of the shell. The bendable flap defines a boundary region extending from a first end of the hinge axis around the bendable flap to a second end of the hinge axis and including an arcuate member. In one specific embodiment, the arcuate member comprises a spring bellows extending away from a plane of the shell. The bendable flap and the arcuate member are configured to apply a force to the tooth to cause movement of the tooth toward a desired position when the removable dental appliance is worn by the patient.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket is provided, comprising a bracket body configured to couple to an arch member and a first bracket footing disposed adjacent the bracket body. The first bracket footing has at least one major surface that is configured to mate with a receptacle formed from a bracket base, and extends beyond a plane formed by a major surface of the bracket body. In an embodiment, the base can be configured as a polymeric shell portion that is part of a removable dental appliance, wherein the polymeric shell portion can have one or more cavities shaped to receive one or more teeth.

Abstract: The invention relates to a removable dental appliance comprising an appliance body configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth of a patient. The appliance body defines a shell configured to receive a tooth of the plurality of teeth in an initial position and a bendable flap integrally formed with the appliance body to tether the flap to the shell. The bendable flap defines a boundary region around the bendable flap and includes abridge, wherein the bridge extends between the body and the flap at or adjacent the boundary region. In one specific embodiment, the bridge is an arcuate member and includes a spring bellows. The bendable flap and the bridge are configured to apply a force to the tooth to cause movement of the tooth toward a desired position when the removable dental appliance is worn by the patient.

Abstract: A method of forming an arch member comprising an arch member body and an arch member coupling integral with the body, comprising: providing a substrate comprising a resilient material; and removing a portion of the substrate to form the arch member. The arch member body including a cross-sectional geometry that varies along a length of the body. Also a method of designing an orthodontic appliance comprising: providing a proposed specification of the orthodontic appliance, wherein the orthodontic appliance comprises an arch member comprising an arch member body and an arch member coupling integral with the body, and a set of anchors, providing a first digital image representing a first dental arrangement associated with the orthodontic appliance; deriving a target digital image representing a target dental arrangement; revising the proposed specification of the orthodontic appliance based in part on the target digital image; and forming the orthodontic appliance based on the revised proposed specification.

Abstract: A method to combine dental anatomy data includes, by the use of a computing device: receiving volumetric dental data and superficial dental data; segmenting the crowns of the volumetric dental data from the roots of the volumetric dental data; segmenting the crowns of the superficial dental data from the gingiva of the superficial dental data; transforming superficial dental data of the crowns to substantially align with volumetric dental data of the crowns; stitching the transformed superficial dental data of the crowns to volumetric dental data of the crowns; and outputting for display an image data based on the combined dental data.

Abstract: A dental article includes at least one segment defining a complex three-dimensional shape configured to follow contours of an oral anatomy, in which the at least one segment includes a core component including a majority of parylene.

Abstract: A removable dental appliance may include an appliance body configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth of a dental arch of a patient. The appliance body may include a unitary material defining a shell shaped to receive at least one tooth of the patient and a spring member integrally formed with the shell. The spring member may be configured to receive an attachment. The attachment may be configured to affix to the at least one tooth. The spring member may be configured to apply a spring force to the attachment to cause at least one of a rotation, a translation, a tipping, a torqueing, an extrusion, or an intrusion of the at least one tooth toward a desired position of the tooth when the removable dental appliance is worn by the patient.

Abstract: An example removable dental appliance includes an appliance body configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth of a dental arch of a patient. The appliance body includes a shell shaped to engage a tooth in an initial position and a gingival ridge extending from a mesial interproximal region along a gingival edge of the shell to a distal interproximal region. The gingival ridge is configured to engage a lingual or labial surface of the tooth below a height of contour of the tooth to enable the appliance body to apply a force vector at a contact point on the tooth to cause movement of the tooth toward a desired position of the tooth when the removable dental appliance is worn by the patient.

Abstract: A removable dental appliance may include an appliance body at least partially surrounding a plurality of teeth and an interproximal reinforcement. The appliance body may include a first shell shaped to engage a first tooth and a second shell shaped to engage a second tooth. The interproximal reinforcement extends from a first gingival edge on a labial side of the appliance body along an interproximal region between the first tooth and the second tooth to a second gingival edge on a lingual side of the appliance body. The interproximal reinforcement is configured to engage at least one of a lingual surface or labial surface of the first tooth below a height of contour to enable the appliance body to cause movement of the first tooth toward a desired position. In particular embodiment, the disclosure describes a method including determining by the computer device, a removable dental appliance design including the same interproximal reinforcement.

Abstract: An orthodontic indirect bonding apparatus including integral custom bracket bonding pads and methods of making. The indirect bonding apparatus includes a receptacle having a frame at least partially surrounding the custom bracket bonding pad perimeter, the receptacle joined to the bracket bonding pad with a sprue and configured to receive a tooth. The custom bracket bonding pad is configured to complement contours of a portion of the tooth surface. The bracket bonding pad is formed integrally with the receptacle.

Abstract: A dental article includes at least one segment defining a complex three-dimensional shape configured to follow contours of an oral anatomy, in which the at least one segment includes a core component including a majority of parylene.

Abstract: A removable dental appliance may include an appliance body configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth of a dental arch of a patient. The appliance body may include a unitary material defining a shell shaped to receive at least one tooth of the patient and a spring member integrally formed with the shell. The spring member may be configured to receive an attachment. The attachment may be configured to affix to the at least one tooth. The spring member may be configured to apply a spring force to the attachment to cause at least one of a rotation, a translation, a tipping, a torqueing, an extrusion, or an intrusion of the at least one tooth toward a desired position of the tooth when the removable dental appliance is worn by the patient.

Abstract: A removable dental appliance configured to reposition one or more teeth of a patient includes an appliance body forming an active band configured to surround two or more teeth of the patient. The appliance body includes a facial portion configured to register with facial sides of the surrounded teeth, a lingual portion configured to register with lingual sides of the surrounded teeth. The facial portion of the appliance body and the lingual portion of the appliance body form receptacles. Each receptacle is configured to accept at least one of the surrounded teeth. The receptacles separate the facial portion from the lingual portion at least along an anterior portion of the appliance body. The active band is configured such that occlusal surfaces of the surrounded teeth of the patient are exposed when the removable dental appliance is worn by the patient with the surrounded teeth positioned within the active band.

Abstract: An orthodontic palatal expander may include a first shell configured to receive at least one tooth of a first posterior segment of a dental arch of a patient; a second shell configured to receive at least one tooth of a second posterior segment of the dental arch; and a split beam connected between the first shell and the second shell. The split beam may include a first beam comprising a relatively high modulus material, a second beam comprising the high modulus material, and a region between the first beam and the second beam.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an additive manufactured article including a first portion and a second portion integral to the first portion. The second portion includes a coupling configured to engage a tool, as well as a frangible section at a connection point to the first portion. Further, a method of making the article is provided, including obtaining a photopolymerizable material and selectively curing the photopolymerizable material to form the article. Another method is provided, including obtaining a digital three-dimensional model of a patient's dental anatomy comprising a tooth in need of restoration and computing a digital three-dimensional model of a dental restoration to fit within the patient's dental anatomy, including determining a shape of the dental restoration. Optionally, the patient's dental anatomy may be prepared for a dental restoration prior to obtaining the digital three-dimensional model.

Abstract: A dental article such as a dental tray aligner or a dental crown that includes a substrate including a polymeric material having a modulus of elasticity that reduces upon exposure to water and a water-resistant coating on the substrate, where the water-resistant coating comprises parylene. In some examples, the water-resistant coating may include one or more layers that include parylene.

Abstract: A method for determining orthodontic brackets in order to use standard brackets or a combination of standard and custom brackets. The method determines which teeth in a digital 3D model of teeth have surfaces that will virtually fit to a base of a standard bracket within a tolerance. For those teeth that will virtually fit to one of the standard brackets, each of the teeth are associated with the corresponding standard bracket for later placement of the brackets on the surfaces of the patient's teeth. The method also identifies the teeth in the digital 3D model of teeth that will not virtually fit to a standard bracket, and brackets with custom bases can be designed and made for those teeth.

Abstract: A system and method for simulating orthodontic treatment using augmented reality. An electronic image of a user's face is received from a digital camera, and a region of interest in the image is identified where the region includes the user's teeth. Virtual orthodontic appliances are placed on the user's teeth in the image, and the user's image with the virtual orthodontic appliances is displayed on an electronic display device. The method occurs in real-time to provide the user with the augmented image simulating treatment when or shortly after the image of the user is received. The system and method can display a 3D representation of the user's face augmented with the virtual appliances. The user's augmented image or 3D representation can also be supplemented for display with an image or model of the user's facial anatomy such as an x-ray or a cone beam computed tomography image.

Abstract: A removable dental appliance may include an appliance body configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth of a patient. The appliance body defines a shell configured to receive a tooth of the plurality of teeth in an initial position and a bendable flap integrally formed with the appliance body to extend from a hinge axis of the shell. The bendable flap may be configured to apply a force to the tooth to cause movement of the tooth toward a desired position when the removable dental appliance is worn by the patient.

Abstract: A removable dental appliance may include an appliance body configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth. The appliance body may include a unitary material defining a shell shaped to receive at least one tooth of the patient; a spring member integrally formed with the shell; and a positioning member integrally formed with the shell. The spring member may be configured to receive an attachment affixed to the at least one tooth. The spring member may be configured to apply a spring force to the attachment to cause movement of the at least one tooth toward a desired position when the removable dental appliance is worn by the patient. The positioning member may be configured to facilitate engagement of the spring member with the attachment in response to a positioning force being applied to the positioning member.