Abstract: Methods of fabricating orthodontic alignment devices. First forces may be applied to teeth of a digital model to simulate movement of the teeth from one stage of an ordered sequence of stages to a next stage. The first forces may include one or more unwanted forces that move one or more teeth of the digital model in an unwanted direction. One or more forces may be applied to the palate of the digital model that results in second forces applied to the teeth of the digital model to replace or offset the one or more unwanted forces. A shape for the orthodontic alignment device may be determined based on the first and second forces applied to the teeth and in combination with the one or more forces applied to the palate of the digital model. An orthodontic alignment device may be fabricated based on the determined shape.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses (e.g., devices, system, etc., including software, hardware and firmware) including convertible dental auxiliary devices and methods of making and using them. The convertible dental auxiliary devices described herein may convert between two or more different stable configurations that may be useful to engage with one or more patient-removable dental appliances and/or one or more orthodontic force accessories.

Abstract: A method for monitoring palatal expansion is provided. The method includes accessing a treatment plan for a patient comprising a series of sequential treatment stages, each treatment stage associated with a particular palatal expander in a series of palatal expanders, receiving 2D images of an oral cavity of the patient during a treatment stage of the treatment plan, determining, via processing of the 2D images, one or more observations progress indicators associated with the treatment plan, determining, based on the one or more observations progress indicators, a level of progress associated with the treatment plan, and providing a representation of progress corresponding to the determined level of progress.

Abstract: Dental appliances for treatment of a patient's dentition are provided. In some embodiments, a dental appliance includes a plurality of 3D printed polymer layers, where the plurality of 3D printed polymer layers includes a plurality of sequentially polymerized appliance cross-sections. The dental appliance can include an appliance shell formed from the plurality of sequentially polymerized appliance cross-sections. The appliance shell can include a plurality of tooth receiving cavities formed from the plurality of sequentially polymerized appliance cross-sections, the plurality of tooth receiving cavities arranged to receive a dentition and to exert one or more forces on the dentition, and a plurality of variable thickness regions formed from the plurality of sequentially polymerized appliance cross-sections.

Abstract: Dental appliances with shaped material components and methods of forming the same. Methods may include forming a shell to have one or more cavities that are configured to receive a patient's dentition. The shell may be configured to reposition one or more teeth of the patient's dentition toward a new configuration. One or more flaps of material may be folded to form a specialized feature of the dental appliance. The specialized feature may be configured to impart one or more specialized forces to one or more specific locations of the patient's dentition or dental arch.

Abstract: A system for correcting malocclusions may include a maxillary appliance having tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of a maxilla and a first elastic coupling at gingival line of the maxillary appliance. The first elastic coupling may be configured for receiving an elastic. The system may also include mandibular appliance having tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of a mandible. The system may also include a corrective appliance having a first coupling configured to be coupled to the mandibular appliance at a first location on a first side of incisors of a patient and a second coupling configured to be coupled to the mandibular appliance on a second side of the incisors, and having an arm extending from the corrective appliance towards the gingival line of the maxillary appliance and being shaped to receive the elastic.

Abstract: A series of patient-customized orthodontic aligners may be produced by a process including receiving a digital model of a patient's tooth, determining a force system for eliciting a tooth movement, and designing a patient-customized attachment configured to engage at least one of the series of patient-customized orthodontic aligners when worn by a patient and apply a repositioning force to the patient's tooth corresponding to the force system. The process may also include designing the at least one of the patient-customized orthodontic aligners to engage the patient-customized attachment when worn by the patient, the at least one of the patient-customized orthodontic aligners having a shape customized responsive to the attachment, the digital model and the force system. The process may also include fabricating the series of patient-customized orthodontic aligners including the at least one of the patient-customized orthodontic aligners.

Abstract: A system for correcting malocclusions may include a maxillary appliance having tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of a maxilla and a first elastic coupling at gingival line of the maxillary appliance. The first elastic coupling may be configured for receiving an elastic. The system may also include mandibular appliance having tooth receiving cavities shaped to receive teeth of a mandible. The system may also include a corrective appliance having a first coupling configured to be coupled to the mandibular appliance at a first location on a first side of incisors of a patient and a second coupling configured to be coupled to the mandibular appliance on a second side of the incisors, and having an arm extending from the corrective appliance towards the gingival line of the maxillary appliance and being shaped to receive the elastic.

Abstract: A method may include administering to a patient an orthodontic appliance. The orthodontic appliance may include a shell having teeth receiving cavities shaped to receive and reposition the patient's teeth, at least one of the cavities shaped to apply a resilient repositioning force to move at least one of the patient's teeth from a current arrangement toward a target arrangement, a ridge having a width and a length greater than the width, the ridge configured to apply at least a portion of the resilient repositioning force to the at least one of the patient's teeth, and a modification to a portion of the shell to compensate for a contact of the portion of the shell with the at least one patient's tooth due to positioning of the ridge in one or more of the teeth receiving cavities of the shell.

Abstract: A method of attachment design may include placing a virtual attachment having a shape at a location on a virtual tooth, generating attachment shape parameters for the virtual attachment, and determining whether the virtual attachment at the location and having the shape generates a solution that results in a desired movement of the virtual tooth for a stage of treatment in a treatment plan. The method may also include modifying, based on the determining, the shape of the virtual attachment or the location of the virtual attachment.

Abstract: Dental devices having folded material. A dental appliance may include a specialized region configured to impart one or more specialized forces to one or more particular areas of a patient's dentition. The specialized region may include a reinforcement structure including a rigid three- dimensional structure, where the rigid three-dimensional structure includes repeating geometric shapes defined by folds in a sheet of one or more polymeric materials. The folds may be folded along a pattern of lines according to the repeating geometric shapes. The rigid three-dimensional structure may have a greater thickness than the unfolded sheet so as to impart a greater rigidity to the specialized region compared to the unfolded sheet, thereby reinforcing the specialized region for imparting the one or more specialized forces to the one or more particular areas of the patient's dentition.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for producing appliances for expansion of the arch of a patient. Methods may include forming a shell from a prepolymer material, the shell including teeth receiving structures configured to receive at least a portion of the patient's teeth. The prepolymer material may be crosslinked to provide a first crosslinked polymer having a first degree of crosslinking. Methods may also include forming a force generating portion connected with the shell. The force generating portion may be configured to span a space between opposing posterior teeth of the patient and to apply an expansion force between the opposing posterior teeth of the patient. The force generating portion may be formed from the same prepolymer material as the shell. Forming the force generating portion may include varying crosslinking to provide a second crosslinked polymer having a second degree of crosslinking that is different than the first degree of crosslinking.

Abstract: A method may include generating a model of an orthodontic appliance having a shell having teeth receiving cavities shaped to receive and reposition the patient's teeth. At least one of the cavities may be shaped to apply a resilient repositioning force to move at least one of the patient's teeth from a current arrangement toward a target arrangement. The method may include forming a ridge on the at least one of the cavities having a width and a length greater than the width. The ridge may be configured to apply at least a portion of the resilient repositioning force to the at least one of the patient's teeth. The method may also include modeling the orthodontic appliance with the ridge on the patient's teeth and modifying a portion of the shell to compensate for modeled contact of the portion of the shell with the at least one patient's tooth.

Abstract: Methods for designing and fabricating palatal expanders by modeling expansion of the palatal region based on material properties for one or more regions of a maxillary jaw determined from a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan of the maxillary jaw and/or internal topological information for the maxillary jaw determined from the CBCT scan. Also described herein are series of palatal expanders having a sequence and configured to be sequentially worn by a patient to expand the patient's palate in which the left maxillary portion and the right maxillary portion are progressively separated relative to each other, and the thickness of the palatal region changes.

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 of the invention include tooth attachments having improved or optimized parameters selected or modified for more optimal and/or effective application of forces for a desired/selected orthodontic movement. Attachments of the present invention can be customized to a particular patient (e.g., patient-customized), a particular movement, and/or a sub-group or sub-set of patients, and configured to engage an orthodontic tooth positioning appliance worn by a patient, where engagement between the attachment and orthodontic appliance results in application of a repositioning force or series/system of forces to the tooth having the attachment and will generally elicit a tooth movement.

Abstract: Methods for designing a palatal expander. Methods may include forming a digital model of a palatal region and tooth engagement regions. Methods may include forming attachment regions on buccal sides of the tooth engagement regions, the attachment regions shaped and sized to engage with attachments bonded to a patient's teeth. Methods may also include forming at least one breach region corresponding to a thinned region of the palatal expander that extends anteriorly to posteriorly in the palatal region or an occlusal portion of one or both of the tooth engagement regions. The breach region may be configured to breach or bend when a pulling force is applied to one or both of the tooth engagement regions such that the attachment regions are detached from respective attachments.

Abstract: Methods for designing and fabrication of a series of apparatuses for expanding a patient's palate (“palatal expanders”). In particular, described herein are methods and apparatuses for forming palatal expanders, including rapid palatal expanders, as well as series of palatal expanders formed as described herein and apparatuses for designing and fabricating them.

Abstract: Palatal expander apparatuses for expanding a patient's palate (“palatal expanders”) and methods of using and making them. These palatal expanders may be configured to have a variable surface smoothness on one side (e.g., the lingual-facing surface) compared to the opposite side (e.g., the palatal-facing surface). These palatal expanders may be configured to have a varying thickness in the palatal region. These palatal expanders may be adapted for ease in removal by the patient or caregiver (e.g., including a hinged region and/or detachment region, and/or including a thinner buccal side then occlusal side, etc.).

Abstract: Series of apparatuses for expanding a patient's palate (“palatal expanders”), including rapid palatal expanders, wherein a left tooth engagement region and a right tooth engagement region are configured to add anti-tipping torque to at least one tooth. Left and right tooth engagement regions may include lingual surfaces with at least one lingual protrusion. Left and right tooth engagement regions may have buccally rotated cavities.

Abstract: A series of palatal expanders and methods of designing palatal expanders, including rapid palatal expanders, where outer occlusal surfaces of a palatal expander are shaped to conform to a geometry of corresponding teeth surfaces of the patient's lower jaw to provide occlusion between occlusal surfaces and the corresponding teeth surfaces.