Methods of forming shape engineered orthodontic appliances

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to shape engineered orthodontic appliances and methods for fabricating the same. Methods of the present disclosure may comprise modifying a first representation of a patient's teeth, wherein the modified representation compensates for a non-elastic deformation resulting from use or wear of the orthodontic appliance. Methods may further comprise defining teeth receiving cavities on the orthodontic appliance, wherein the teeth receiving cavities are shaped to receive and apply a resilient positioning force to the patient's teeth. Methods may also comprise defining exterior portions on the orthodontic appliance using the modified representation of the patient's teeth.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:
 receiving a first representation of a patient's teeth in a first arrangement;   modifying one or more areas of the first representation to create a modified representation of the patient's teeth, wherein the modified representation compensates for a non-elastic deformation due to use of an orthodontic positioning appliance for the patient's teeth;   defining first cavities of the orthodontic positioning appliance using the modified representation of the patient's teeth, wherein the first cavities correspond to the one or more areas of the first representation and wherein the first cavities are part of a plurality of tooth receiving cavities of the orthodontic positioning appliance configured to move the patient's teeth from the first arrangement toward a second arrangement;   defining exterior portions of the orthodontic positioning appliance using the modified representation of the patient's teeth; and   providing instructions to fabricate the orthodontic positioning appliance based on the first cavities and the exterior portions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising fabricating the orthodontic positioning appliance using the instructions to fabricate the orthodontic positioning appliance. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the instructions to form a mold of the patient's teeth. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 using the instructions to form a mold of the patient's teeth; and   forming a sheet of polymeric material over the mold to fabricate the orthodontic positioning appliance.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising directly fabricating the orthodontic positioning appliance using the instructions to fabricate the orthodontic positioning appliance. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selectively hardening a polymeric material used to form the orthodontic positioning appliance using the instructions to fabricate the orthodontic positioning appliance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-elastic deformation comprises a deformation between zero and thirty percent of an initial appliance dimension. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first cavities is a molar tooth receiving cavity configured to receive a molar of the patient's teeth. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one of the first cavities is a molar tooth receiving cavity configured to receive a molar of the patient's teeth;   the molar has a first width near the gingival margin of the molar and a second width away from the gingival margin of the molar; and   the second width is greater than the first width.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-elastic deformation is due to internal strain due to installation, removal, or some combination thereof, of the orthodontic positioning appliance. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-elastic deformation is associated with material creep, stress relaxation, or some combination thereof, of a polymeric material used to form the orthodontic positioning appliance. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying one or more areas of the first representation to create the modified representation of the patient's teeth comprises decreasing a width of an internal cavity of the orthodontic positioning appliance near an opening of the internal cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modified representation of the patient's teeth corresponds to a complement of the non-elastic deformation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of tooth receiving cavities comprises an upper portion shaped to match a contour of an occlusal surface of the patient's tooth. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of tooth receiving cavities comprises:
 an upper portion shaped to match a contour of an occlusal surface of the patient's tooth; and   a lower portion having a proximal end beginning at the upper portion and a distal end terminating near the patient's gingival margin when the orthodontic positioning appliance is worn by the patient.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of tooth receiving cavities comprises:
 an upper portion shaped to match a contour of an occlusal surface of a patient's tooth;   a lower portion having a proximal end beginning at the upper portion and a distal end terminating near the patient's gingival margin when the orthodontic positioning appliance is worn by the patient; and   wherein the lower portion of the at least one of the plurality of tooth receiving cavities is shaped to apply a desired force or torque to the patient's tooth.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first arrangement comprises a current arrangement of the patient's teeth. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising scanning the patient's teeth to obtain a current arrangement of the patient's teeth. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 scanning the patient's teeth to obtain a current arrangement of the patient's teeth; and   identifying a plurality of stages of a treatment plan to move the patient's teeth from the current arrangement toward a target arrangement, wherein the plurality of stages define a plurality of intermediate arrangements between the current arrangement and the target arrangement; and   wherein the first arrangement is the current arrangement or one of the plurality of intermediate arrangements.   
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the memory is configured to store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to implement a computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a first representation of a patient's teeth in a first arrangement; 
 modifying one or more areas of the first representation to create a modified representation of the patient's teeth, wherein the modified representation compensates for a non-elastic deformation due to use of an orthodontic positioning appliance for the patient's teeth; 
 defining first cavities of the orthodontic positioning appliance using the modified representation of the patient's teeth, wherein the first cavities correspond to the one or more areas of the first representation and wherein the first cavities are part of a plurality of tooth receiving cavities of the orthodontic positioning appliance configured to move the patient's teeth from the first arrangement toward a second arrangement; 
 defining exterior portions of the orthodontic positioning appliance using the modified representation of the patient's teeth; and 
 providing instructions to fabricate the orthodontic positioning appliance based on the first cavities and the exterior portions.