Systems and methods for marking orthodontic devices

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to marking orthodontic devices. In some embodiments, a carrier for orthodontic appliances comprises a base that is additively manufactured and comprising a plurality of wells configured to house orthodontic appliances and a marking integral to the base, wherein the marking identifies one or more of the orthodontic appliances and locations for the orthodontic appliances. In some embodiments, an orthodontic appliances comprises a body including features and a bonding surface, wherein the orthodontic appliance is additively manufactured and includes a marking integral to the orthodontic appliance, wherein the marking is located on one or more of the body and the bonding surface.

1 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A system for additively manufacturing orthodontic appliances, the system comprising:
 a database, wherein the database is configured to store data files, wherein each of the data files is associated with an orthodontic appliance, wherein each of the data files includes data necessary to additively manufacture one of the orthodontic appliances including a marking that is integral to the one of the orthodontic appliances; and   a control circuit, wherein the control system is configured to:
 generate the data files; 
 transmit, to the database for storage, the data files. 
   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a user device configured to:
 receive, via a user input device of the user device, an indication of a selected orthodontic appliance; and 
 transmit, to the control circuit, the indication of the selected orthodontic appliance; 
   wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 receive, from the user device via a communications network, the indication of the selected orthodontic appliance; and 
 retrieve, from the database, one of the data files, wherein the one of the data files corresponds to the indication of the selected orthodontic appliance. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a manufacturing device, wherein the manufacturing device is configured to:
 receive, via a communications network, one of the data files; and 
 additively manufacture, based on the one of the data files, an orthodontic appliance associated with the one of the data files. 
   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the manufacturing device additively manufactures the orthodontic appliance associated with the one of the data files to include a marking by one or more of applying additional material to create a raised marking and failing to apply material to create an indented marking. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the marking includes one or more of letters, numbers, and symbols. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the marking is integral to each of the orthodontic appliance in that data necessary to manufacture each of the orthodontic appliances includes instructions to one or more of apply additional material and fail to apply material to create the marking. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein each of the orthodontic appliances includes a body and a bonding surface, and wherein the marking is located on the body of each of the orthodontic appliances. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the body of each of the orthodontic appliances includes tiewings, and wherein the marking is located on at least one of the tiewings of each of the orthodontic appliances. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the marking indicates a location of the one of the orthodontic appliances in a patient's mouth. 
     
     
         29 . A system for additively manufacturing orthodontic appliances, the system comprising:
 a database, wherein the database is configured to store data files, wherein each of the data files is associated with an orthodontic appliance, wherein each of the data files includes data necessary to additively manufacture one of the orthodontic appliances including a marking that is integral to the one of the orthodontic appliances;   a control circuit, wherein the control system is configured to:
 generate the data files; 
 transmit, to the database for storage via a communications network, the data files; and 
 retrieve, from the database based on an indication of a selected orthodontic appliance, one of the data files associated with the selected orthodontic appliance; and 
   a manufacturing device, wherein the manufacturing device is configured to:
 receive, via the communications network, the one of the data file associated with the selected orthodontic appliance; and 
 additively manufacture, based on the one of the data files associated with the selected orthodontic appliance, the selected orthodontic appliance. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 a user device configured to:
 receive, via a user input device of the user device, the indication of the selected orthodontic appliance; and 
 transmit, to the control circuit via the communications network, the indication of the selected orthodontic appliance. 
   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the manufacturing device additively manufactures the selected orthodontic appliance to include the marking by one or more of applying additional material to create a raised marking and failing to apply material to create an indented marking. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the marking includes one or more of letters, numbers, and symbols. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the marking is integral to each of the orthodontic appliance in that data necessary to manufacture each of the orthodontic appliances includes instructions to one or more of apply additional material and fail to apply material to create the marking. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein each of the orthodontic appliances includes a body and a bonding surface, and wherein the marking is located on the body of each of the orthodontic appliances. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the body of each of the orthodontic appliances includes tiewings, and wherein the marking is located on at least one of the tiewings of each of the orthodontic appliances. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the marking indicates a location of one of the orthodontic appliances in a patient's mouth. 
     
     
         37 . A method for additively manufacturing orthodontic appliances, the method comprising:
 storing, in a database, data files, wherein each of the data files is associated with an orthodontic appliance, wherein each of the data files includes data necessary to additively manufacture one of the orthodontic appliances including a marking that is integral to the one of the orthodontic appliances;   generating, by a control circuit, the data files;   retrieving, by the control circuit based on an indication of a selected orthodontic appliance, one of the data files associated with the selected orthodontic appliance;   receiving, by a manufacturing device via a communications network, the one of the data files associated with the selected orthodontic appliance; and   additively manufacturing, by the manufacturing device based on the one of the data files associated with the selected orthodontic appliance, the selected orthodontic appliance.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the manufacturing device additively manufactures the selected orthodontic appliance to include the marking by one or more of applying additional material to create a raised marking and failing to apply material to create an indented marking. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the marking is integral to each of the orthodontic appliance in that data necessary to manufacture each of the orthodontic appliances includes instructions to one or more of apply additional material and fail to apply material to create the marking.