公开(公告)号：US11564777B2

公开(公告)日：2023-01-31

申请号：US16380801

申请日：2019-04-10

Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Avi Kopelman ,  Ryan Kimura ,  Yaser Shanjani ,  Jeremy Riley ,  Jun Sato ,  Bob Grove ,  Reza Shirazi Aghjari

IPC: A61C7/10 ,  A61C7/02

Abstract: Releasable and removable palatal expander apparatuses for expanding a patient's palate (“palatal expanders”) and methods of using and making them. These releasable palatal expanders are adapted for ease in removal by the patient or caregiver, and may include a breach region configured to predictably bend or break when a pulling force is applied. The palatal expander apparatuses described herein may include one or more locks for locking the palatal expander onto the patient's teeth. The lock(s) may be unlocked to release the palatal expander from the teeth. A lock may include a control for manually unlocking the lock. Unlocking the locks may allow the palatal expander to automatically disengage from the patient's teeth.

公开(公告)号：US11523881B2

公开(公告)日：2022-12-13

申请号：US16584791

申请日：2019-09-26

Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Yuxiang Wang ,  Rohit Tanugula ,  Reza Shirazi Aghjari ,  Chunhua Li ,  Jun Sato ,  Luyao Cai ,  Kangning Su

IPC: A61C7/00 ,  G06F30/23 ,  B29C33/38 ,  B29C73/00 ,  G06F30/20 ,  G06F17/18 ,  G06N20/00 ,  A61C7/08 ,  G16H50/50 ,  G01N33/44 ,  B33Y80/00 ,  A61C9/00 ,  A61C13/34 ,  B29C51/30 ,  G06F30/27 ,  G06F119/18 ,  G06F113/22 ,  G06F111/10 ,  B33Y50/00 ,  B29L31/00

Abstract: Embodiments relate to an aligner breakage solution that tests progressive damage to an aligner. A method includes gathering a digital model representing an aligner for a dental arch of a patient, and simulating progressive damage to the aligner. Simulating progressive damage for a region of the aligner comprises simulating, using at least the digital model, a sequence of loads on the aligner, determining an amount of damage to the region of the aligner for each load, and after each simulation of a load on the aligner, updating the digital model based on the amount of damage to the region of the aligner. The method further includes determining whether a damage criterion is satisfied for at least one region of the aligner and determining whether to implement one or more corrective actions for the aligner.

公开(公告)号：US10517482B2

公开(公告)日：2019-12-31

申请号：US16048054

申请日：2018-07-27

Applicant: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Inventor： Jun Sato ,  Allen Boronkay ,  Yaser Shanjani ,  Reza Shirazi Aghjari ,  Avi Kopelman ,  Andrew Jang ,  Jihua Cheng ,  Eric Kuo ,  Vladimir Shelbakh ,  Bastien Pesenti

IPC: G06T7/73 ,  A61B5/00 ,  A61C7/00 ,  A61C7/08 ,  A61C7/10 ,  A61C9/00 ,  A61C13/00 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G06T15/08

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for 3D imaging (including 3D optical coherence tomography imaging) to measure the shape of orthodontic aligners, teeth, and other oral structures simultaneously, in-vivo or in-vitro. These methods and apparatuses may be used to determine contact locations of aligners with teeth and/or teeth with other teeth with very high precision, including determining the size of gaps where they are not in contact. These measurements may be used design, modify or replace an aligner and/or to verify aligner fit. 3D models of the whole aligner and teeth may be generated.