Devices and systems for creation of attachments for use with dental appliances and changeable shaped attachments

Abstract

The present disclosure provides methods, devices, and systems for the creation of attachments for use with dental appliances and changeable shaped attachments. For instance, an attachment template tray for creating and placing attachments used in moving teeth of a patient can include an attachment template tray body having a first surface shaped to conform to the contours of exterior surfaces of teeth of a patient and including a portion of the first surface that provides a cavity to form the exterior surfaces of an attachment that is to be attached to the exterior surface of one of the teeth and an integrated light source, power source, and actuation mechanism on the body of the attachment template tray, wherein the power source provides power to the light source when the actuation mechanism is actuated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An attachment template tray comprising:
 a template body having an interior surface with one or more tooth-receiving cavities, the one or more tooth-receiving cavities configured to receive one or more teeth of a dentition of a patient, at least one tooth-receiving cavity of the tooth-receiving cavities further configured to place at least a portion of an orthodontic attachment, comprising uncured attachment material, on at least one tooth of the one or more teeth, the orthodontic attachment being configured to implement, in conjunction with one or more orthodontic aligners, orthodontic forces on the one or more teeth;   an actuation system coupled to the template body, the actuation system configured to provide an actuation signal when the one or more tooth-receiving cavities are in contact with the one or more teeth for a predetermined amount of time; and   a bonding system coupled to the actuation system, the bonding system configured to facilitate bonding the orthodontic attachment to the at least one tooth and to cure the uncured attachment material, in response to the actuating signal, further wherein the bonding system is configured to provide an indication, the indication indicating bonding has substantially completed.   
     
     
         2 . The attachment template tray of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tooth-receiving cavity comprises a release material used to place the at least the portion of the orthodontic attachment. 
     
     
         3 . The attachment template tray of  claim 1 , wherein the orthodontic attachment comprises a pre-fabricated orthodontic attachment. 
     
     
         4 . The attachment template tray of  claim 3 , wherein bonding the orthodontic attachment comprises bonding the pre-fabricated orthodontic attachment to the at least one tooth. 
     
     
         5 . The attachment template tray of  claim 3 , wherein the pre-fabricated attachment is pre-coated with a light curable material. 
     
     
         6 . The attachment template tray of  claim 1 , wherein the indication corresponds to a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         7 . The attachment template tray of  claim 1 , wherein the bonding system comprises at least one light source configured to be activated in response to the actuation signal. 
     
     
         8 . The attachment template tray of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one light source comprises a plurality of light sources configured to provide light to the orthodontic attachment from a plurality of perspectives. 
     
     
         9 . The attachment template tray of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation system and the bonding system are formed integrally with the template body. 
     
     
         10 . The attachment template tray of  claim 9 , wherein the bonding system comprises a power source formed integrally with the template body. 
     
     
         11 . The attachment template tray of  claim 1 , wherein the bonding system is located proximate to the at least one tooth receiving cavity. 
     
     
         12 . The attachment template tray of  claim 1 , wherein the template body is formed from a light transmissive material, the light transmissive material configured to allow curing radiation from the bonding system to cure the orthodontic attachment. 
     
     
         13 . The attachment template tray of  claim 12 , wherein the curing radiation comprises nonvisible light and the light transmissive material allows transmission of the nonvisible light. 
     
     
         14 . The attachment template tray of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation system is coupled to a sensor configured to sense the contact with the one or more teeth. 
     
     
         15 . An attachment template tray comprising:
 a template body having an interior surface with one or more tooth-receiving cavities, the one or more tooth-receiving cavities configured to receive one or more teeth of a dentition of a patient, at least one tooth-receiving cavity of the tooth-receiving cavities further configured to place at least a portion of an orthodontic attachment on at least one tooth of the one or more teeth, the orthodontic attachment being configured to implement, in conjunction with one or more orthodontic aligners, orthodontic forces on the one or more teeth;   an actuation system coupled to the template body, the actuation system configured to provide an actuation signal when the one or more tooth-receiving cavities are in contact with the one or more teeth for a predetermined amount of time; and   a bonding system coupled to the actuation system, the bonding system configured to facilitate bonding the orthodontic attachment to the at least one tooth in response to the actuating signal, wherein the actuation system is coupled to an electrical circuit configured to close in response to the contact with the one or more teeth.   
     
     
         16 . The attachment template tray of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one tooth-receiving cavity comprises a release material used to place the at least the portion of the orthodontic attachment. 
     
     
         17 . The attachment template tray of  claim 15 , wherein the orthodontic attachment comprises a pre-fabricated orthodontic attachment. 
     
     
         18 . The attachment template tray of  claim 17 , wherein bonding the orthodontic attachment comprises bonding the pre-fabricated orthodontic attachment to the at least one tooth. 
     
     
         19 . The attachment template tray of  claim 18 , wherein the pre-fabricated attachment is pre-coated with a light curable material. 
     
     
         20 . The attachment template tray of  claim 15 , wherein the at least the portion of the orthodontic attachment comprises uncured attachment material. 
     
     
         21 . The attachment template tray of  claim 20 , wherein the bonding system is configured to cure the uncured attachment material in response to the actuation signal. 
     
     
         22 . The attachment template tray of  claim 21 , wherein the bonding system is configured to provide an indication, the indication indicating bonding has substantially completed. 
     
     
         23 . The attachment template tray of  claim 22 , wherein the indication corresponds to a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         24 . The attachment template tray of  claim 15 , wherein the bonding system comprises at least one light source configured to be activated in response to the actuation signal. 
     
     
         25 . The attachment template tray of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one light source comprises a plurality of light sources configured to provide light to the orthodontic attachment from a plurality of perspectives. 
     
     
         26 . The attachment template tray of  claim 15 , wherein the actuation system and the bonding system are formed integrally with the template body. 
     
     
         27 . The attachment template tray of  claim 26 , wherein the bonding system comprises a power source formed integrally with the template body. 
     
     
         28 . The attachment template tray of  claim 15 , wherein the bonding system is located proximate to the at least one tooth receiving cavity. 
     
     
         29 . The attachment template tray of  claim 15 , wherein the template body is formed from a light transmissive material, the light transmissive material configured to allow curing radiation from the bonding system to cure the orthodontic attachment. 
     
     
         30 . An attachment template tray comprising:
 a template body having an interior surface with one or more tooth-receiving cavities, the one or more tooth-receiving cavities configured to receive one or more teeth of a dentition of a patient, at least one tooth-receiving cavity of the tooth-receiving cavities further configured to place at least a portion of an orthodontic attachment on at least one tooth of the one or more teeth, the orthodontic attachment being configured to implement, in conjunction with one or more orthodontic aligners, orthodontic forces on the one or more teeth;   means for providing an actuation signal when the one or more tooth-receiving cavities are in contact with the one or more teeth for a predetermined amount of time; and means for facilitating bonding the orthodontic attachment to the at least one tooth in response to the actuating signal.