Embedded features and methods of a dental appliance

Abstract

Traditional orthodontic treatment often involves the use of basic repositioning devices, such as braces, and the use of supplementary devices, components or accessories to achieve desired end results. Such components may be mounted on fixed, non-removable devices or they may be part of a removable appliance typically worn prior to the application of the fixed devices. As with traditional treatment, it may be desired to utilize similar components when repositioning teeth with removable elastic repositioning appliances. Due to the nature of elastic appliances, such components may take a variety of forms ranging from readily available traditional accessories to specially created devices. Thus, traditional components may be mounted on or embedded in an elastic appliance, or the appliance may be formed to provide similar components. Likewise, the appliance may be modified to provide additional features for specific orthodontic treatments.

1 . A removable elastic appliance comprising: 
 a thin polymeric shell which is shaped to be positioned over at least some teeth of a jaw and adapted to interact with an oral surface to expand the palate of the jaw.    
   
   
       2 . An appliance as in  claim 1 , wherein the appliance further comprises an orthodontic component mounted directly on the shell.  
   
   
       3 . An appliance as in  claim 1 , wherein the orthodontic component is formed by the shell.  
   
   
       4 . An appliance as in  claim 3 , wherein the component is configured to interact with the palate.  
   
   
       5 . A system comprising two or more removable elastic appliances as in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       6 . An appliance as in  claim 5 , wherein the system comprises three or more elastic appliances.  
   
   
       7 . A removable positioning appliance comprising: 
 a thin polymeric shell having cavities shaped to receive at least some of the teeth of a jaw and adapted to interact with an oral surface to expand the palate of the jaw.    
   
   
       8 . An appliance as in  claim 7 , wherein the thin polymeric shell includes a protrusion having an increased thickness of material in at least a portion of a posterior occlusal region.  
   
   
       9 . An appliance as in  claim 7 , wherein the thin polymeric shell includes a protrusion having an extension of at least a portion of an upper palatal region with added thickness.  
   
   
       10 . An appliance as in  claim 3 , wherein the component comprises a wire which spans an arch of the shell between the portions which are positioned over opposing upper molars.  
   
   
       11 . An appliance as in  claim 3 , wherein the component comprises a wire which is embedded in the polymeric shell.  
   
   
       12 . An appliance as in  claim 4 , wherein the component is a palatal bar.  
   
   
       13 . An appliance as in  claim 12 , wherein the palatal bar is corrugated.  
   
   
       14 . An appliance as in  claim 7 , further comprising a wire which spans an arch of the shell between the portions which are positioned over opposing upper molars.  
   
   
       15 . An appliance as in  claim 7 , further comprising a wire which is embedded in the polymeric shell.  
   
   
       16 . An appliance as in  claim 7 , further comprising a palatal bar formed as part of the shell and spanning an arch between portions of the shell positioned over opposing upper molars.  
   
   
       17 . An appliance as in  claim 16 , wherein the palatal bar is corrugated.  
   
   
       18 . A system comprising a series of removable thin shell appliances, including one or more intermediate appliances each of which has a geometry selected to progressively expand the palate and a final appliance having a geometry selected to expand the palate to a target desired breadth.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein each of the appliances comprises molar cavities adapted to fit over the patient's molars and a palatal component separating the two molar regions.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein each molar cavity fits over two posterior molars.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein there are at least two intermediate appliances.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein there are at least  10  intermediate appliances.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein there are at least  20  intermediate appliances.  
   
   
       24 . A method of expanding the palate of a patient using the system of  claim 18 , the method comprising positioning each appliance in the series of appliances to expand the palate of the patient, leaving the appliance in position for a period of time and replacing the appliance with the next in the series until the desired palatal expansion has occurred.  
   
   
       25 . A method of expanding the palate of a patient, the method comprising generating from an initial model of the patient's upper jaw a series of incremental appliances including a first appliance having a geometry selected to incrementally expand the palate; one or more intermediate appliances having geometries selected to progressively expand the palate; and a final appliance having a geometry selected to expand the palate to a target desired breadth; and sequentially positioning the appliances over the molars in the patient's upper jaw for a period of time effective to expand the palate to approximately the target desired breadth.