Align Technology, Inc.

Bob Grove

Srinivas Kaza

Eric E Kuo

Avi Kopelman

Jun Sato

Yaser Shanjani

Ryan Kimura

Jeremy Riley

Reza Shirazi Aghjari

A method of treating a patient's dentition may include generating, from a first 3D model of a first physical impression of a first arch of a patient and a second 3D model of a second physical impression of a first arch of the patient, a reconstructed 3D model of the first arch of the patient by incorporating one or more portions of the first 3D model with one or more portions of the second 3D model and creating a treatment plan for the patient's dentition using the first 3D model. The method may also include fabricating a set of dental alignment devices configured to implement the treatment plan when the dental alignment devices in the set of dental alignment devices are sequentially worn on the patient's dentition.

Methods for generating dental models and appliances

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.

Creating a digital dental model of a patient's teeth using interproximal information

Palatal expander systems and methods. A palatal expander includes a palatal region connecting tooth engagement regions, where the palatal region is configured to apply a lateral force across a patient's palate when the tooth engagement regions are worn over the patient's teeth. Attachment regions on buccal sides of the tooth engagement regions are shaped and sized to engage with dental attachments bonded to the patient's teeth. At least one breach region corresponding to a thinned region of the palatal expander extends anteriorly to posteriorly in the palatal region or an occlusal portion of one or both of the tooth engagement regions. The at least one breach region is configured to breach or bend when a pulling force is applied to one or both of the tooth engagement regions such that one or both of the attachment regions are detached from respective attachments.

Palatal expanders with breach regions

Method and system for managing multiple impressions of a patient's jaw for an orthodontic treatment are provided. The method includes scanning at least a first impression and a second impression of the same jaw for the orthodontic treatment; determining if the first jaw impression and the second jaw impression have distortion in different areas; selecting the first jaw impression or the second jaw impression as a base impression; and replacing distorted tooth data from the base impression with data for the same tooth from a non-base impression. The method also includes scanning at least a first jaw impression for the orthodontic treatment; scanning a bite impression for the orthodontic treatment; matching the scanned first jaw impression with the scanned bite impression; comparing bite information with a tooth occlusal surface; and determining if reconstruction is to be performed on the tooth occlusal surface.

System and method for digital tooth imaging

Methods of forming interproximal reduction guides are described herein. These interproximal reduction guides apparatuses may include a body that fits over the patient's dental arch and one or more guide slots formed in them configured to limit the motion of an interproximal reduction cutting tool in a defined manner.

Methods of forming interproximal reduction templates

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.

Releasable palatal expanders

Interproximal reduction guides apparatuses and methods of making and using them are described herein. These interproximal reduction guides apparatuses may include a body that fits over the patient's dental arch and one or more guide slots formed in them configured to limit the motion of an interproximal reduction cutting tool in a defined manner.

Interproximal reduction templates

Method and system for managing multiple impressions of a patient's jaw for an orthodontic treatment is provided. The method includes scanning at least a first impression and a second impression of same jaw for the orthodontic treatment; determining if the first jaw impression and the second jaw impression have distortion in different areas; selecting the first jaw impression or the second jaw impression as a base impression; and replacing a distorted tooth data from the base impression with data for the same tooth from a non-base impression. The method also includes scanning at least a first jaw impression for the orthodontic treatment; scanning a bite impression for the orthodontic treatment; matching the scanned first jaw impression with the scanned bite impression; comparing bite information with a tooth occlusal surface; and determining if reconstruction is to be performed on the tooth occlusal surface.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Bob Grove