Systems and methods for fabricating a dental template

Abstract

A dental template to position an object on a patient's tooth includes digitizing the patient's tooth; adding virtual objects to predetermined locations on the digitized tooth; and fabricating the dental template to locate the object on the patient's tooth. The template can be used for etching or for positioning brackets on teeth.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a template for etching on a patient's teeth, comprising:
 forming a template adapted for placement over the patient's teeth so as to fit on and span a plurality of the patient's teeth, the template comprising an inner surface positioned adjacent to the patient's teeth and an outer surface displaced away from the inner surface and also including a plurality of teeth receiving cavities, each shaped to receive a corresponding tooth of the patient; and   forming one or more openings extending from the inner surface to the outer surface of the template and configured to provide access to one or more predetermined locations on the teeth surfaces to be etched, wherein the one or more openings correspond to the respective placement locations and orientations of one or more orthodontic objects on the patient's teeth.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more openings each comprise a cut-out to the gingival edge of the template. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more openings comprise a window. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the template includes a variable physical property material such that the template has a first state for retention of the template on the patient's teeth and a second state for facilitating removal of the template from the patient's teeth. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the variable physical property material are physical property switches. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the physical property switches are temperature responsive, pH responsive, moisture responsive, or a multilayer system wherein the layers have varying physical properties. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the template is unified. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the template is articulated, having a plurality of movable template components linked together by sheet material. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the orthodontic objects is a bracket. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more predetermined locations on the teeth surfaces are locations where brackets will be placed. 
     
     
         11 . A template for etching on a patient's teeth, comprising:
 a template adapted for placement over the patient's teeth so as to fit on and span a plurality of the patient's teeth, the template comprising an inner surface positioned adjacent to the patient's teeth and an outer surface displaced away from the inner surface and also including a plurality of teeth receiving cavities, each shaped to receive a corresponding tooth of the patient; and   one or more openings extending from the inner surface to the outer surface of the template and configured to provide access to one or more predetermined locations on the teeth surfaces to be etched,   wherein the one or more openings correspond to the respective placement locations and orientations of one or more orthodontic objects on the patient's teeth.   
     
     
         12 . The template of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more openings each comprise a cut-out to the gingival edge of the template. 
     
     
         13 . The template of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more openings comprise a window. 
     
     
         14 . The template of  claim 11 , wherein the template includes a variable physical property material such that the template has a first state for retention of the template on the patient's teeth and a second state for facilitating removal of the template from the patient's teeth. 
     
     
         15 . The template of  claim 14 , wherein the variable physical property material are physical property switches. 
     
     
         16 . The template of  claim 15 , wherein the physical property switches are temperature responsive, pH responsive, moisture responsive, or a multilayer system wherein the layers have varying physical properties. 
     
     
         17 . The template of  claim 11 , wherein the template is unified. 
     
     
         18 . The template of  claim 11 , wherein the template is articulated, having a plurality of movable template components linked together by sheet material. 
     
     
         19 . The template of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the orthodontic objects is a bracket. 
     
     
         20 . The template of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more predetermined locations on the teeth surfaces are locations where brackets will be placed.