Align Technology, Inc.

Fuming Wu

Jihua Cheng

Vadim Matov

John Y Morton

Jun Sato

Ryan Kimura

Jeremy Riley

Norman C Su

Yaser Shanjani

Bastien Pesenti

Eric E Kuo

Kenji Tan

Chunhua Li

Yan Chen

Rene M Sterental

Allen R Boronkay

Artem Borovinskih

Anton Spiridonov

Anatoliy Boltunov

Pavel Agapov

Larry Lai

Jennifer C Chen

Igor Kvasov

Tzishing Jesse Lim

Anton Terekhov

Sergei Brodsky

Roman A Roschin

Rohit Tanugula

Ian Kitching

Jennifer P Chen

Alexey Vishnevskiy

Reza Shirazi Aghjari

Eric Yau

Iman Shojaei

Huizhong Li

Siobhan O'Leary

Jenghuei Gene Luong

Paula Alvarado

Jihua (Michael) Cheng

Jenghuei Gene Loung

Roman Roschin

A scan model that is a mathematical model to simulate an imaging process performed by an x-ray imaging device that created a two-dimensional x-ray image of at least one tooth is generated. The scan model uses an initial estimate of one or more parameters of the x-ray imaging device. The one or more parameters include a scan angle parameter indicative of a scan angle of the x-ray imaging device. A two-dimensional contour of a three-dimensional model is adjusted to cause a first component of the two-dimensional contour to approximately align with a second component of the two-dimensional x-ray image. The scan model is calibrated based on data obtained from adjusting the two-dimensional contour.

Three-dimensional tooth modeling using an estimation of an imaging process of an x-ray imaging device

Methods and systems for generating a three-dimensional occlusogram are disclosed. One method includes determining a virtual three dimensional (3D) mesh model object of at least one tooth of a patient and displaying the determined virtual 3D mesh model object of at least one tooth of a patient wherein the 3D mesh model object includes a plurality of data sets associated with a set of occlusal information for the at least one tooth of the patient. In some examples, a 3D occlusogram is updated in response to a change of position of a 3D model of a tooth.

Dynamic three-dimensional occlusogram

A method may include generating a comparison of one or more anatomical reference shapes and one or more surface features on a planned dentition model with a corresponding one or more anatomical reference shapes and one or more surface features on a tracking dentition model using a coarse to fine volume 3D array to represent one or both of the plan model and the tracking model to minimize distances between teeth represented in the plan model and corresponding teeth represented in the tracking model. The method may also include detecting one or more positional differences between the anatomical reference shapes and surface features of the plan model and the corresponding anatomical reference shapes and surface features of the tracking model based on the comparison and generating a modified treatment plan based on the one or more detected positional differences.

Methods for orthodontic progress tracking

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computing device readable media for determining an individualized orthodontic treatment index. One embodiment includes generating a target dental model by modifying an initial dental model, graphically marking dental references on the target dental model including assigning contact points between adjacent first and second teeth of the target dental model, generating a treatment outcome dental model representing the patient's dentition after at least a portion of the orthodontic treatment has been completed, mapping the dental references marked on the target dental model to the treatment outcome dental model, and calculating an individualized treatment index score for the treatment outcome dental model according to one or more differences between the target dental model and the treatment outcome dental model.

Individualized orthodontic treatment index

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.

Palatal expanders for controlling crown tipping

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.

Palatal expanders and methods of designing palatal expanders

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 include the generation of an overcorrection in the tooth-receiving cavities of an appliance worn in the dentition. The overcorrection may provide an improved and more accurately applied force or moment applied to a tooth. The overcorrected force or moment can move a tooth closer to a desired position than if not overcorrected as sufficient force can still applied to the tooth as it gets closer to the desired position. The overcorrected force or moment may also better target the root of the tooth where the biological response to tooth movement occurs. The overcorrection may be calculated in various ways as described herein.

Systems for treatment planning with overcorrection

Palatal expander apparatuses for expanding a patient's palate ('palatal expanders') and methods of using and making them. The palatal expanders may include tooth engagement regions connected by a palatal region that is configured to apply force between the tooth engagement regions. At least a portion of the palatal region may be configured to have a clearance from the patient's mid-palatal region when the palatal expander is worn by the patient. The clearance between the palatal region and the patient's palate may decrease from the patient's mid-palatal region laterally toward the tooth engagement regions.

Palatal expanders and methods of expanding a palate

Palatal expander apparatuses for expanding a patient's palate ('palatal expanders') and methods of making them. The apparatuses may include a pair of tooth engagement regions connected by a palatal region. A detachment region on at least one of the tooth engagement regions may be defined by one or more first vertical cut-out regions extending from a bottom of a buccal side toward an occlusal side of the tooth engagement region. The buccal side may be more flexible than the occlusal side so that the detachment region flexes when a removal force to release the palatal expander apparatus from the patient's palate is applied to the detachment region.

Palatal expanders and methods of forming the same

A system and method for determining a center of resistance of a tooth may include receiving a 3D digital representation of an initial arrangement and a final arrangement of a patient's teeth and determining a 3D treatment plan. The 3D treatment plan may include a plurality of 3D stages for rearranging the teeth from the initial arrangement toward the final arrangement. The method may also include determining, in accordance with the 3D treatment plan, an intended movement of the teeth for each of the stages and deriving, using a 3D resistance model, an applied force system for achieving the intended movement of the teeth for each of the stages. The method may also include deriving 3D geometries of oral appliances for the stages in response to the applied force system. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Accurate method to determine center of resistance for 1D/2D/3D problems

A dual aligner assembly including a plurality of aligners, including a first aligner and a second aligner. The first aligner has a first shape corresponding to a set of target tooth positions and applies an orthodontic force against a set of target teeth. The first orthodontic force generates movement of the set of target teeth to the set of target tooth positions. The second aligner has a second shape corresponding to a combination of current tooth positions of the set of target teeth, the set of target tooth positions, and a thickness of the first aligner. The second aligner partially encloses the first aligner and provides an anchor for at least a portion of the first aligner. Via the anchor, a combination of the first aligner and the second aligner provides an orthodontic force that prevents the set of target teeth from moving to unwanted tooth positions during orthodontic treatment.

Dual aligner assembly

Methods for designing orthodontic appliances for repositioning a patient's teeth are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes determining a movement path to move one or more teeth from an initial arrangement to a target arrangement, determining a force system to produce movement of the one or more teeth along the movement path, and determining an appliance geometry for an orthodontic appliance configured to produce the force system. The orthodontic appliance can include an outer shell comprising a plurality of teeth-receiving cavities and an inner structure positioned on an inner surface of the outer shell. The inner structure can have an elastic modulus different than an elastic modulus of the outer shell. The method can also include generating instructions for directly fabricating the orthodontic appliance using a layer-by-layer additive manufacturing technique.

Methods for designing multi-material aligners

The present disclosure provides computing device implemented methods, computing device readable media, and systems for adjustment of tooth position in a virtual dental model. Virtual dental modeling can include detecting space and/or collision between posterior teeth of an upper jaw and posterior teeth of a lower jaw in a virtual dental model that has been set in a preliminary target position. An energy function can be defined including the space and/or collision, tooth root movement, and align points. Weights can be assigned for each variable in the energy function. A position of the posterior teeth of the upper jaw and the posterior teeth of the lower jaw can be adjusted in six degrees of freedom to minimize the energy function. The detection, definition, assignment, and adjustment can be repeated until the energy function converges. The weights can be adjusted to reduce the space and/or collision.

Adjustment of tooth position in a virtual dental model

Tooth scan model calibration

An orthodontic appliance may include an outer shell having a plurality of cavities shaped to receive the patient's teeth and generate one or more of a force or a torque in response to the appliance being worn on the patient's teeth. The orthodontic appliance may also include an inner structure having a stiffness different than a stiffness of the outer shell. The inner structure can be positioned on an inner surface of the outer shell in order to distribute the one or more of a force or a torque to at least one tooth received within the plurality of cavities.

Multi-material aligners

Growing community of inventors

Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Fuming Wu