Fabrication of an orthodontic aligner from a negative mold designed by a computational device

Abstract

Provided is a method in which a computational device generates a design of a negative mold of teeth. The negative mold of the teeth is fabricated from the design of the negative mold. An aligner is formed using the fabricated negative mold. Provided also is a negative mold of teeth for fabricating a positive model of the teeth for an aligner. The negative mold comprises a tooth surface, and an identity tracking entity coupled to the tooth surface to provide identification.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A negative mold of a patient's teeth from which an aligner is configured to be fabricated comprising:
 a tooth surface that defines at least a portion of a hollow cavity in a shape of the patient's teeth, the hollow cavity having an opening to receive liquid material into the hollow cavity; and   an identity tracking entity that provides identification information associated with the patient, the identification information is at least usable in manufacturing or being transferable to an aligner manufactured from the negative mold.   
     
     
         2 . The negative mold of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an identity tracking surface within the hollow cavity and being exposed to the liquid material and including the identity tracking entity.   
     
     
         3 . The negative mold of  claim 2 , wherein the identity tracking entity is at least one of a positive model and a negative mold. 
     
     
         4 . The negative mold of  claim 3 , wherein the identity tracking entity is alphanumeric text. 
     
     
         5 . The negative mold of  claim 3 , wherein the identity tracking entity is a 3-dimensional barcode. 
     
     
         6 . The negative mold of  claim 3 , wherein the identity tracking entity is a data matrix. 
     
     
         7 . The negative mold of  claim 2 , wherein the identity tracking surface includes a structurally weakened region that surrounds the identity tracking entity and is configured to separate the identity tracking entity from the negative mold during removal of a positive model from the negative mold, the identity tracking entity being configured to be transferred to the positive model. 
     
     
         8 . The negative mold of  claim 1 , further including an elongated link extending outwardly from the tooth surface and in a direction away from the hollow cavity, wherein the identity tracking entity is at least one of a negative mold and a positive model and is coupled to the elongated link. 
     
     
         9 . The negative mold of  claim 8 , wherein a portion of the elongated link extends into the hollow cavity and is configured to be transferred to a positive model made from the negative mold via the portion. 
     
     
         10 . The negative mold of  claim 1 , wherein the identity tracking entity is a radiofrequency identification tag. 
     
     
         11 . The negative mold of  claim 1 , wherein the identity tracking entity includes information regarding a location of a gingival margin of the patient. 
     
     
         12 . The negative mold of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rim surface that surrounds the tooth surface and defines a portion of the hollow cavity, an intersection of the rim surface and the tooth surface defining a gingival margin.   
     
     
         13 . The negative mold of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a base boundary surface intersecting the rim surface and defining a portion of the hollow cavity including an upper-most edge of the negative mold, wherein the rim surface includes a spillway configured to allow excess liquid material to escape the negative mold at a predetermined location.   
     
     
         14 . The negative mold of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a mold sitting feature configured to maintain the negative mold in a level orientation during filling.   
     
     
         15 . The negative mold of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a positioning post extending toward the opening in the hollow cavity and being positioned to be exposed to the liquid material, a location of the positioning post being transferable to a positive model formed from the negative mold.   
     
     
         16 . The negative mold of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 at least two accuracy markers on an outer surface of the hollow cavity and extending outwardly from the tooth surface, wherein a dimension between the at least two accuracy markers is predetermined according to a design dimension of the negative mold and is measurable to determine a quality of the negative mold.   
     
     
         17 . The negative mold of  claim 1 , wherein the tooth surface is made of resin and includes striations. 
     
     
         18 . A set of negative molds of a patient's teeth, each mold being of the patient's teeth in a different position and from which an aligner is configured to be fabricated, each negative mold comprising:
 a tooth surface that defines at least a portion of a hollow cavity in a shape of the patient's teeth, the hollow cavity having an opening to receive liquid material into the hollow cavity; and   an identity tracking entity that provides identification information associated with the patient, the identification information is at least usable in manufacturing or transferable to an aligner manufactured from the negative mold,   wherein the identification information for each mold differs in at least a stage number associated with the position of the patient's teeth during an orthodontic treatment plan for the patient.   
     
     
         19 . The set of negative molds of  claim 18 , wherein each tooth surface defines a U-shaped body. 
     
     
         20 . The set of negative molds of  claim 19 , wherein each U-shaped body lacks a center piece.