Dental instrument, shell-shaped corrector and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of oral orthodontic technology, and discloses a dental instrument, a shell-shaped corrector, and a manufacturing method thereof suitable for the combined use of fixed correction and invisible correction. The dental instrument of the present invention includes an orthodontic fixture and a shell-shaped corrector to achieve combined correction. The structure of the shell-shaped corrector is set to include a sub-shell and a connecting portion for connecting the sub-shells on the adjacent sides of the teeth installed with the orthodontic fixture. The connecting portion is only for achieving a connection function and does not come into contact with the orthodontic fixture. It does not generate force on the teeth in the corresponding position, so that the teeth in this part are corrected only by orthodontic brackets and archwires. The correction force is single, which reduces the design difficulty of the correction plan and improves the correction accuracy, ensuring that the correction effect is consistent with the correction plan. In addition, the shell-shaped corrector also has the characteristics of being easy to remove, easy to manufacture, and having a long service life.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of oral orthodontics, and in particular to a dental appliance for combined use of fixed correction and invisible correction, a shell-shaped corrector suitable for combined use of fixed correction and invisible correction, and a manufacturing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Orthodontics generally involves repositioning a patient's teeth to a desired alignment to correct uneven teeth and / or malocclusion, ensuring the physiological function of the teeth while improving their aesthetics. Traditional orthodontic methods involve installing braces on all of a patient's teeth. Braces primarily consist of brackets and archwires. During treatment, adhesives are used to connect the base of the brackets to the tooth surface, and the archwires are installed within the grooves of the brackets. Corrective force is provided by the elastic force generated by the deformation of the archwires, which exerts a continuous corrective force on the teeth and gradually moves them toward the desired tooth position. After a series of clinical examinations and adjustments to the braces over a period of time, the braces are removed once the teeth reach their final position.

[0003] In addition to traditional braces correction (also called fixed correction), invisible orthodontic technology using shell-shaped braces has gradually developed in recent years. Compared with traditional orthodontic methods using braces (brackets, archwires), invisible orthodontics are more beautiful and comfortable. However, in some cases, such as when the teeth are severely crowded, the teeth are twisted, or the extraction space is closed, the shell-shaped braces provide less force, so the correction of complex cases may require a longer correction cycle to achieve the correction effect. Since the archwire used in fixed correction can provide a sufficiently large correction force, the introduction of fixed correction on the basis of invisible correction can make up for the shortcomings of invisible correction in complex cases and expand the scope of application of invisible correction.

[0004] In the existing technology, when invisible braces are used in conjunction with traditional braces, the shell-shaped braces wrap around the teeth with brackets installed, so that the teeth are simultaneously subjected to the correction force provided by the brackets and the shell-shaped braces. The superposition of these two correction forces greatly increases the complexity of the force applied to the teeth, and the correction effect brought about is difficult to control. On the one hand, it will increase the difficulty of designing the correction plan, and on the other hand, the correction accuracy cannot be guaranteed. As the correction progresses, each step in the correction plan may deviate. The continuous accumulation of deviations will eventually cause the correction plan to be unable to continue and to be restarted. In severe cases, it may even lead to correction failure. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a dental instrument, a shell-shaped corrector and a manufacturing method thereof based on the technical problems existing in the prior art, so as to avoid the joint application of corrective force on the teeth by invisible correction and fixed correction, thereby reducing the design difficulty of the correction plan and ensuring that the correction effect is consistent with the correction plan.

[0006] The technical solutions provided by the present invention are as follows:

[0007] The present invention provides a dental apparatus comprising:

[0008] An orthodontic fixture for repositioning teeth to which the orthodontic fixture is mounted, comprising two or more brackets fixed to different teeth and fasteners mounted on the brackets;

[0009] A shell-shaped brace, comprising a shell, the shell comprising at least two sub-shells and a connecting portion connecting the sub-shells; each of the sub-shells comprising one or more cavities capable of accommodating teeth, at least a portion of the cavities being designed to reposition teeth accommodated therein that are not fitted with orthodontic fixtures;

[0010] In which, the orthodontic fixture is installed on at least part of the teeth between the adjacent sub-shells, and the connecting part connects the adjacent sub-shells; during and after the shell-shaped corrector is worn on the jaw, the connecting part does not contact the orthodontic fixture; during the use of the dental instrument, the connecting part does not generate force on the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells.

[0011] Preferably, the dental instrument is configured such that, during use of the dental instrument, the connecting portion does not contact the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells.

[0012] Preferably, the dental instrument is in use, wherein the connecting portion contacts the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells but does not generate any force.

[0013] Preferably, the dental instrument is such that the connecting portion and the orthodontic fixture are arranged on the same side or different sides of the tooth in the buccal-lingual direction or the labial-lingual direction.

[0014] Preferably, in the dental instrument, when the connecting portion and the orthodontic fixture are arranged on the same side of the teeth, the connecting portion is not provided with any physical structure below the orthodontic fixture.

[0015] Preferably, the dental apparatus has the bracket mounted on the labial side of the teeth in the anterior region, and the connecting portion includes a lingual side portion and does not include a labial side portion.

[0016] Preferably, the dental apparatus has the bracket mounted on the buccal side of the teeth in the posterior region, and the connecting portion includes a lingual side portion and / or an occlusal side portion, but does not include a buccal side portion.

[0017] Preferably, the dental apparatus has the bracket mounted on the lingual side of the teeth in the anterior region, and the connecting portion includes a labial side portion and does not include a lingual side portion.

[0018] Preferably, the dental apparatus has the bracket mounted on the lingual side of the teeth in the posterior region, and the connecting portion includes a buccal side portion and / or an occlusal surface, but does not include a lingual side portion.

[0019] Preferably, the dental instrument comprises a labial / buccal side portion and a lingual side portion, wherein the connecting portion is provided only above the orthodontic fixture on a side on which the orthodontic fixture is mounted.

[0020] Preferably, the dental instrument comprises a labial / buccal side portion, an occlusal side portion and a lingual side portion, wherein the connecting portion is only provided above and / or on both sides of the orthodontic fixture on a side on which the orthodontic fixture is mounted.

[0021] Preferably, in the dental instrument, the connecting portion comprises one or more connecting bodies, and the connecting bodies connect the adjacent sub-shells.

[0022] Preferably, the connecting portion of the dental instrument includes a plurality of connectors, at least two of which are located on the same surface or different surfaces among the labial / buccal surface, the lingual surface, and the occlusal surface.

[0023] Preferably, the connector is located on the labial / buccal side or the lingual side of the dental instrument, and the width of the connector corresponding to the orthodontic fixture in the gingival-maxillary direction is less than or equal to the crown height of the corresponding tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed.

[0024] Preferably, the dental apparatus has the connector located on the labial / buccal side, and the minimum distance between the connector and the outer surface of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is mounted is greater than or equal to 0.

[0025] Preferably, the dental instrument has the connector located on the lingual side, and the minimum distance between the connector and the inner surface of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed is greater than or equal to 0.

[0026] Preferably, the connector is located on the occlusal surface of the dental instrument, and the width of the portion of the connector corresponding to the orthodontic fixture in the buccal-lingual direction is less than or equal to the width of the occlusal surface of the corresponding tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed.

[0027] Preferably, the shape of the connector is substantially consistent with the occlusal surface of the corresponding tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed.

[0028] Preferably, the dental apparatus has a minimum distance between the connector and the highest point of the crown of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed that is greater than or equal to 0.

[0029] The present invention also provides a shell-shaped orthodontic appliance for use with the dental apparatus described above, the shell-shaped orthodontic appliance comprising a shell, the shell comprising at least two sub-shells and a connecting portion connecting the sub-shells; each of the sub-shells comprising one or more cavities capable of accommodating teeth, at least some of the cavities being designed to reposition teeth accommodated therein that are not fitted with orthodontic fixtures;

[0030] The connecting portion connects the adjacent sub-shells; during and after the shell-shaped dental brace is worn on the jaw, the connecting portion does not contact the orthodontic fixture; during the use of the shell-shaped brace, the connecting portion does not generate force on the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells.

[0031] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the above-mentioned shell-shaped corrector, wherein the method adopts a hot pressing film forming process to manufacture the shell-shaped corrector, and comprises the following steps:

[0032] S1. Acquisition of the initial jaw model: Obtain a digital jaw model of any treatment step in the treatment plan as the initial jaw model;

[0033] Any correction step in the correction plan is implemented using an orthodontic fixture in conjunction with the shell-shaped appliance, the orthodontic fixture being used to reposition the teeth on which the orthodontic fixture is mounted, comprising two or more brackets fixed on different teeth and fasteners mounted on the brackets;

[0034] S2. Design of a digital dental model: According to the design of the connection portion in the shell-shaped appliance, a preset connection portion model is designed on the teeth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed in the initial dental model to obtain a digital dental model including the preset connection portion model;

[0035] S3. Production of a physical dental model: Based on the digital dental model including the preset connection portion model, a physical dental model including the preset connection portion is produced using an additive manufacturing process;

[0036] S4 hot pressing film: hot pressing film on the physical dental model to obtain a shell-shaped appliance including a preset connection portion;

[0037] S5. Cutting: Cutting away excess parts along the gum line or adjacent to the gum line on the shell-shaped corrector including the preset connecting portion, and cutting away parts corresponding to the teeth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed, wherein the shell-shaped corrector after cutting comprises at least two sub-shells, and the preset connecting portion is formed into a connecting portion through cutting, so that the connecting portion connects the adjacent sub-shells; during and after the shell-shaped dental corrector is worn on the jaw, the connecting portion does not contact the orthodontic fixture; during the use of the shell-shaped corrector, the connecting portion does not generate force on the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells.

[0038] In the preferred method for manufacturing the shell-shaped corrector, step S5 is performed by laser cutting or mechanical cutting.

[0039] The dental instrument, shell-shaped orthodontic appliance, and manufacturing method thereof provided by the present invention can bring at least one of the following beneficial effects:

[0040] 1. The shell-shaped braces are provided with connecting parts at the positions of the teeth corresponding to the installation brackets. The connecting parts are mainly used to realize the connection function and will not generate force on the teeth at the corresponding positions, so that these teeth can be corrected only by orthodontic brackets and archwires. The correction force is single, which reduces the difficulty of designing the correction plan. At the same time, invisible correction and fixed correction are carried out in coordination under the correction plan, which improves the correction accuracy and ensures that the correction effect is consistent with the correction plan.

[0041] 2. The position design of the connecting part also ensures that it does not come into contact with the bracket during wearing and removal, making it more convenient to wear and remove. In addition, the connecting part is not subjected to force during the wearing and removal process and is not easily damaged.

[0042] 3. The connection part is made by designing a preset connection part model on the dental model, and then using hot pressing film to obtain a shell-shaped corrector with a preset connection part. The preset connection part can be obtained after cutting. The production method is simple and easy, which greatly improves production efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The preferred implementation scheme will be described below in a clear and understandable manner with reference to the accompanying drawings to further illustrate the above characteristics, technical features, advantages and their implementation methods.

[0044] Figure 1a Schematic diagram 1 of a dental device provided by the present invention being installed and worn on teeth; Figure 1b for Figure 1a A schematic diagram of the structure of a shell-shaped orthodontic appliance in a provided dental instrument; Figure 1c 、 1d This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a shell-shaped corrector with the connection part located on the side of the tongue.

[0045] Figure 2a Schematic diagram 2 of another dental device provided by the present invention being installed and worn on teeth; Figure 2b for Figure 2a A schematic diagram of the structure of a shell-shaped orthodontic appliance in a provided dental instrument; Figure 2c This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a shell-shaped corrector with the connection parts located on the occlusal surface and the lingual surface.

[0046] Figure 3a Schematic diagram 3 of another dental appliance provided by the present invention being installed and worn on teeth; Figure 3b for Figure 3a A schematic diagram of the structure of a shell-shaped orthodontic appliance in a provided dental instrument; Figure 3c 、 3d This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a shell-shaped corrector with connecting parts located on the buccal and lingual sides.

[0047] Figure 4a Schematic diagram 4 of another dental appliance provided by the present invention being mounted and worn on teeth; Figure 4b for Figure 4a A schematic diagram of the structure of a shell-shaped corrector in a dental instrument is provided.

[0048] Figure 5a Schematic diagram 5 of another dental appliance provided by the present invention being installed and worn on teeth, wherein the orthodontic fixture is arranged on the lingual side of the teeth in the posterior region.

[0049] Figure 5b Schematic diagram of another dental appliance provided by the present invention being installed and worn on teeth Figure 6 , where the orthodontic fixed appliance is set on the labial side of the teeth in the anterior teeth area.

[0050] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of another dental appliance provided by the present invention being installed and worn on teeth Figure 7 , wherein two groups of orthodontic fixed appliances are provided.

[0051] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of the digital dental model designed in the method for manufacturing the shell-shaped corrector provided by the present invention.

[0052] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a shell-shaped corrector provided by the present invention, wherein the shape of the connecting portion is substantially consistent with the occlusal surface of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] The present invention provides a dental device that enables the coordinated use of an orthodontic fixture and a shell-shaped brace. This ensures that the forces exerted on the teeth by the shell-shaped brace and the orthodontic fixture do not affect each other, allowing for coordinated correction of the entire dentition under a predetermined treatment plan. Furthermore, the treatment process, treatment cycle, and treatment results are more consistent with the treatment plan. Furthermore, the device can be easily donned and removed, reducing the number of times the shell-shaped brace contacts the orthodontic fixture, thereby extending the lifespan of the shell-shaped brace.

[0054] The present invention also provides a shell-shaped corrector and a manufacturing method thereof. The shell-shaped corrector is suitable for use in conjunction with an orthodontic fixed appliance. Under a set corresponding correction plan, it can keep consistent with the correction progress of the orthodontic fixed appliance, is easy to wear, and has a simple manufacturing method.

[0055] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings and other embodiments can be obtained based on these drawings without inventive work.

[0056] The present invention provides a dental apparatus comprising:

[0057] An orthodontic fixture for repositioning teeth to which the orthodontic fixture is mounted, comprising two or more brackets fixed to different teeth and fasteners mounted on the brackets;

[0058] A shell-shaped brace, comprising a shell, the shell comprising at least two sub-shells and a connecting portion connecting the sub-shells; each of the sub-shells comprising one or more cavities capable of accommodating teeth, at least a portion of the cavities being designed to reposition teeth accommodated therein that are not fitted with orthodontic fixtures;

[0059] In which, the orthodontic fixture is installed on at least part of the teeth between the adjacent sub-shells, and the connecting part connects the adjacent sub-shells; during and after the shell-shaped corrector is worn on the jaw, the connecting part does not contact the orthodontic fixture; during the use of the dental instrument, the connecting part does not generate force on the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells.

[0060] Typically, dental orthodontic treatment requires a doctor to design a treatment plan for the patient. This involves moving the patient's teeth from their initial position to their final position in a clinically and biologically sound manner, in multiple treatment steps. The movement of individual teeth in each treatment step is designed to correspond to the planned movement amount, ensuring coordinated movement of all teeth within the treatment plan. The dental device provided by the present invention can be used in any treatment step in a treatment plan that utilizes both an orthodontic fixture and a shell-shaped brace. Because the connecting portion does not exert force on the teeth equipped with the orthodontic fixture, fixed orthodontics and invisible braces can be performed independently within the corresponding treatment plan, ensuring high treatment accuracy.

[0061] In the dental apparatus of the present invention, orthodontic fixtures may be provided in one or more groups, each group of orthodontic fixtures being used to correct a group of teeth. In the same group of orthodontic fixtures, multiple brackets (the multiple brackets may be two or more) are typically provided on adjacent teeth in the group. However, if some of the teeth are unsuitable for or do not require brackets, the multiple brackets may be provided on non-adjacent teeth in the group. The fasteners are typically archwires, which are embedded in the grooves of the multiple brackets (the multiple brackets may be two or more) of the orthodontic fixture, deforming and tending to return to their original position, thereby generating a corrective force. The corrective force is transmitted through the brackets to the teeth, thereby repositioning the teeth.

[0062] In the dental apparatus of the present invention, the shell of the shell-shaped corrector includes multiple sub-shells. The number of sub-shells depends on the number of orthodontic fixtures. If one set of orthodontic fixtures is provided, the shell requires one connecting portion and typically includes two sub-shells. If two sets of orthodontic fixtures are provided, the shell requires two connecting portions and the shell-shaped corrector includes three sub-shells, and so on. The present invention does not impose any particular limitation on the number of orthodontic fixtures and sub-shells, which can be provided according to actual correction needs.

[0063] In the above-mentioned dental apparatus of the present invention, the function of the connecting portion of the shell of the shell-shaped corrector is to connect multiple sub-shells into a whole, and its position corresponds to the teeth on which the orthodontic fixtures are installed. It can be said that a group of teeth on which the orthodontic fixtures are installed are located between the adjacent sub-shells on both sides thereof. The structural setting of the connecting portion needs to ensure that it does not exert force on the teeth on which the orthodontic fixtures are installed, and during and after the shell-shaped dental corrector is worn on the jaw, the connecting portion does not contact the orthodontic fixtures (usually brackets and arch wires).

[0064] In the dental apparatus of the present invention, each sub-shell of the shell of the shell-shaped orthodontic appliance has one or more cavities capable of accommodating teeth. Typically and preferably, each sub-shell has multiple cavities capable of accommodating teeth. Due to the different designs of different steps in the correction plan, a cavity at a certain location may only have a accommodating function in some correction steps, while having both a accommodating and repositioning function in another correction step. Therefore, in a certain correction step, all cavities or only a portion of the cavities may have the function of repositioning teeth. The teeth accommodated in the cavities are those without brackets installed, so the repositioning of these teeth is achieved through the repositioning function of the cavities.

[0065] Among the dental instruments of the present invention, orthodontic fixtures are generally suitable for complex and difficult tooth correction, such as cases with severe dental crowding. If only shell-shaped braces are used, the forces at the crowded teeth are extremely complex. On the one hand, it is difficult to remove the shell-shaped braces, and on the other hand, the shell-shaped braces are prone to breakage. The same situation may also occur in cases of tooth torsion. For example, in the case of tooth extraction, a large gap will be left after the tooth extraction. The use of orthodontic fixtures can speed up the progress of closing the gap and shorten the correction period. Therefore, the combined use of shell-shaped braces and orthodontic fixtures can complement each other's strengths and weaknesses.

[0066] When considering the combined use of fixed bracket orthodontics and invisible braces, the first problem that needs to be solved is how to design the structure of the parts of the shell braces corresponding to the teeth where the brackets are set. Whether the brackets are accommodated in the cavity of the shell braces or the brackets are anchored to the shell braces, the shell braces will wrap part of the teeth, thereby exerting force on the teeth together with the brackets, resulting in complicated tooth force conditions. On the one hand, the design difficulty of the correction plan increases, and on the other hand, the correction effect is uncontrollable during the correction process, resulting in a large deviation from the correction plan, and the deviation will continue to accumulate as the correction plan progresses. In severe cases, the correction plan needs to be rebuilt, which will affect the correction cycle and even cause correction failure. In addition, the shell braces will reduce the convenience of wearing because of contact with the brackets during wearing and removal. Frequent contact may even cause the shell braces to deform, and the shell braces may be more likely to break.

[0067] In the structural design of the dental instrument of the present invention, only a connecting part with a connecting function is provided at the position of the teeth corrected by the orthodontic fixture, and the connecting part does not have the function of accommodating and wrapping the orthodontic fixture or the teeth, so that under the set corresponding correction plan, there is no interaction between the teeth installed with the orthodontic fixture and the shell-shaped corrector, and the teeth can move only under the force applied by the orthodontic fixture. The force and movement conditions are simple, which is convenient for force analysis and control, as well as the design of correction steps. At the same time, the sub-shell of the shell-shaped corrector still retains the correction force, can reposition the teeth without brackets, and cooperate with the orthodontic fixture to maintain coordinated correction of the entire dentition, so that the overall correction effect is closer to the correction plan and the correction progress is more controllable.

[0068] In the dental device of the present invention, the connecting portion does not contact the orthodontic fixture during and after the shell-shaped brace is worn. The state of the shell-shaped brace after wearing is the state in which the shell-shaped brace remains fixed on the teeth after being worn. By reducing the contact between the connecting portion and the orthodontic fixture, the present invention ensures the convenience of the patient in removing the shell-shaped brace, and on the other hand, avoids deformation or even breakage of the shell-shaped brace due to excessive contact, thereby extending the service life of the shell-shaped brace.

[0069] "During the use of the dental instrument, the connecting part and the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells do not generate any force" can be achieved in the following two ways. One is that during the use of the dental instrument, the connecting part does not contact the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells. By completely non-contacting, there is a lack of force application points between the connecting part and the teeth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed, thereby ensuring that no force is generated. The other is that during the use of the dental instrument, the connecting part contacts the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells but does not generate any force. In order to ensure that the connecting part does not cause discomfort to the wearer, the connecting part may be designed to be slightly closer to the teeth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed, so that contact is generated between the connecting part and the teeth during use. However, if the connecting part is designed to ensure that the contact does not cause deformation of the connecting part, it can be achieved that no force is generated.

[0070] The present invention does not have any special restrictions on the shape of the connecting portion, and the basic principle is that the design is simple and easy to manufacture. Specifically, based on the preferred design principle of the connecting portion, which is the above-mentioned "during the process of wearing the shell-shaped dental braces to the jaw and after wearing, the connecting portion and the orthodontic fixture are not in contact", and "during the use of the dental instrument, the connecting portion and the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells do not generate force", the structural design of the connecting portion is preferably: the connecting portion and the orthodontic fixture are arranged on the same side or different sides of the teeth in the buccal-lingual direction or the labial-lingual direction; when the connecting portion and the orthodontic fixture are arranged on the same side of the teeth, the connecting portion does not have any physical structure below the orthodontic fixture. The specific structural setting is, for example, that if the bracket is installed on the labial side of the tooth in the anterior region, the connecting portion includes the lingual side portion, but does not include the labial side portion; or, if the bracket is installed on the buccal side of the tooth in the posterior region, the connecting portion includes the lingual side portion and / or the occlusal side portion, but does not include the buccal side portion; or, if the bracket is installed on the lingual side of the tooth in the anterior region, the connecting portion includes the labial side portion, but does not include the lingual side portion; or, if the bracket is installed on the lingual side of the tooth in the posterior region, the connecting portion includes the buccal side portion and / or the occlusal side portion, but does not include the lingual side portion; or, the connecting portion includes the labial / buccal side portion and the lingual side portion, wherein the connecting portion is only arranged above the orthodontic fixture on the side where the orthodontic fixture is installed; or, the connecting portion includes the labial / buccal side portion, the occlusal side portion and the lingual side portion, wherein the connecting portion is only arranged above and / or on both sides of the orthodontic fixture on the side where the orthodontic fixture is installed.

[0071] The terms "anterior tooth area" and "posterior tooth area" used in the present invention are defined according to the classification of teeth in the 2nd edition of "Introduction to Stomatology" published by Peking University Medical Press. The "anterior tooth area" includes incisors, lateral incisors and canines, and the "posterior tooth area" includes premolars and molars; the term "labial / buccal side" means the labial side or the buccal side, that is, " / " represents the meaning of "or"; the terms "labial side part", "buccal side part", "lingual side part" and "occlusal side part" respectively represent the parts where the connecting parts are located on the labial side, buccal side, lingual side and occlusal side, which can correspond to the connectors shown on each surface in the following embodiments.

[0072] The following is a more detailed explanation of the technical solutions of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings here follow a numbering convention where the first digit corresponds to the drawing number and the remaining digits represent the elements or components in the drawing. Similar elements or components between different drawings can be identified by using similar numerals. For example, 102 in Figure 1a In the case of a shell-shaped orthotic, Figure 3a The middle shell aligner may be referred to as 302 .

[0073] See Figure 1a , which shows a schematic diagram of a dental appliance 100 according to a specific embodiment of the present invention being worn on a patient's teeth 900. The dental appliance 100 includes an orthodontic fixture 101 and a shell-shaped corrector 102. The orthodontic fixture 101 includes three brackets 101a respectively fixed on different teeth in the patient's posterior region and an archwire 101b connected to the three brackets 101a. Each bracket 101a is mounted on the buccal surface of the tooth. Please refer to Figure 1b , which shows Figure 1a The specific implementation structure of the shell-shaped brace 102, the shell-shaped brace 102 includes a shell, the shell includes a first sub-shell 103 and a second sub-shell 104, the first sub-shell 103 includes a plurality of cavities, each of which is designed to accommodate teeth, and all or part of the cavities are designed to reposition teeth, the second sub-shell 104 includes a cavity. Figure 1b In the embodiment, the first sub-shell 103 and the second sub-shell 104 are connected by a connecting portion, which includes a connector 105 located on the lingual side. The width of the connector 105 corresponding to the orthodontic fixture in the gingival-maxillary direction is less than the crown height of the corresponding tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed, and the minimum distance between the connector 105 and the inner surface of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed is greater than or equal to 0. The gingival-maxillary direction in the present invention refers to the vertical direction from the gum line to the occlusal surface.

[0074] Figure 1c 、 Figure 1d Other specific implementation structures of the shell-shaped corrector with the connection part located on the tongue side are shown. Figure 1c The connecting portion includes a connector 106 located on the lingual side close to the gum line, the width of the connector 106 corresponding to the orthodontic fixture in the gingival-maxillary direction is less than the crown height of the corresponding tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed, and the minimum distance between the connector 106 and the inner surface of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed is greater than or equal to 0. Figure 1d The connecting portion includes a connector 107 located on the lingual side close to the occlusal surface, the width of the connector 107 corresponding to the orthodontic fixture in the gingival-maxillary direction is less than the crown height of the corresponding tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed, and the minimum distance between the connector 107 and the inner surface of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed is greater than or equal to 0.

[0075] Figure 1b 、 Figure 1c 、 Figure 1dIn the embodiment shown, the connecting portion only includes one connector, and the connector and the bracket are located on different sides. Specifically, the above example sets the connecting portion on the lingual side opposite to the bracket mounting surface (the buccal surface of the posterior teeth), so that the shell-shaped braces will not touch the bracket or archwire during wearing or removal, ensuring the convenience of wearing and the integrity of the shell-shaped braces, and the correction progress of the entire dentition remains consistent under the corresponding correction plan, thereby regulating the patient's correction cycle and correction effect. It can be known to those skilled in the art that, based on the above example, if the bracket is installed on the lingual surface of the posterior teeth, the position of the connecting portion can be correspondingly transferred to the relative buccal position, or if the bracket is installed on the labial surface or lingual surface of the anterior teeth, the position of the connecting portion is set on the opposite side of the bracket to ensure that the patient avoids contact between the shell-shaped braces and the orthodontic fixed appliance when wearing and removing the shell-shaped braces, and when the braces are already worn, ensuring the convenience of wearing, and the connecting portion does not generate force on the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells.

[0076] In some embodiments, the connecting portion comprises an occlusal surface portion, such as Figure 2a shown. Figure 2b Shown Figure 2a A possible design of the connection portion of the middle shell-shaped brace 202 includes a connector 205 located on the occlusal surface. The width of the connector 205 corresponding to the orthodontic fixture in the buccal and lingual directions is less than or equal to the occlusal width of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed. The minimum distance between the connector 205 and the highest point of the crown of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed is greater than or equal to 0. Figure 2b In the implementation structure shown in , since only one connector is provided on the occlusal surface, no matter whether the bracket is installed on the buccal surface or the lingual surface of the teeth in the posterior region, the connecting portion will not come into contact with the orthodontic fixed appliance during the use of the shell-shaped corrector; in addition, the design difficulty of the connector located on the occlusal surface is lower, and the main consideration is the distance between its height position and the teeth, which is easier to implement in the production of the corresponding shell-shaped corrector.

[0077] Figure 2c Another possible design of a connecting portion including an occlusal surface portion is shown, wherein the connecting portion includes a connector 206 located on the lingual side and a connector 207 located on the occlusal surface, wherein the shape and position of the connector 206 are the same as or similar to the above-mentioned connector 105, and the shape and position of the connector 207 are the same as or similar to the above-mentioned connector 205. Figure 2c The design is considered from the perspective of ensuring that the shell-shaped corrector acts as a whole. The larger the connection area between the connecting part and the adjacent sub-shell, the more stable the connection is. At the same time, the strength of the connecting part itself is also improved, making the shell-shaped corrector less susceptible to damage. Figure 2cIn the illustrated embodiment, the bracket is positioned on the buccal surface of a posterior tooth, and the connecting portion includes a lingual portion and an occlusal portion, but does not include a buccal portion. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, based on the above example, when the bracket is positioned on the lingual surface of a posterior tooth, the connecting portion is correspondingly designed to include a buccal portion and an occlusal portion, but does not include a lingual portion.

[0078] When the connecting portion includes multiple connectors, in addition to the two embodiments in which the connectors are located on the lingual side and the occlusal side and the buccal side and the occlusal side, for the dental device of the present invention, the connecting portion may also include a labial / buccal side portion and a lingual side portion, wherein the connecting portion is only located above the orthodontic fixture on the side where the orthodontic fixture is located. Such an example can be seen in Figure 3a-3d .

[0079] Figure 3a Another exemplary structure of the dental appliance of the present invention worn on a patient's tooth 900 is shown. Figure 3b Shown Figure 3a The implementation structure of the shell-shaped corrector 302, wherein the connecting portion of the shell-shaped corrector 302 includes a connector 305 arranged on the lingual side and a connector 306 arranged on the buccal side close to the occlusal surface; the shape and position of the connector 305 are the same as or similar to the above-mentioned connector 105; the width of the portion of the connector 306 corresponding to the orthodontic fixture in the gingival-maxillary direction is less than the crown height of the corresponding tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed, and the minimum distance between the connector 306 and the outer surface of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed is greater than or equal to 0.

[0080] Figure 3c 、 Figure 3d Two further possible designs of the connection portion comprising a buccal portion and a lingual portion are shown. Figure 3c The connecting portion shown in the figure includes a connector 307 arranged on the lingual side near the gum line and a connector 308 arranged on the buccal side near the occlusal surface; the shape and position of the connector 207 are the same or similar to the above-mentioned connector 106; the shape and position of the connector 308 are the same or similar to the above-mentioned connector 306. Figure 3d The connecting portion shown in the figure includes a connector 309 arranged on the lingual side near the occlusal surface and a connector 310 arranged on the buccal side near the occlusal surface; the shape and position of the connector 309 are the same as or similar to the above-mentioned connector 107; the shape and position of the connector 310 are the same as or similar to the above-mentioned connector 306.

[0081] The above example Figures 3b-3dThe connecting portion is designed as a combination of two connectors, which further strengthens the connection between the first sub-shell and the second sub-shell of the shell-shaped braces without contacting the orthodontic fixed appliance, so that the correction progress of the entire dentition remains consistent under the corresponding correction plan, thereby regulating the correction cycle and correction effect of the teeth. It can be known to those skilled in the art that, based on the above example, if the bracket is installed on the lingual surface of the tooth, the connector on the lingual side needs to be correspondingly arranged above the bracket to ensure that the shell-shaped braces avoids contact with the orthodontic fixed appliance when the patient is wearing and removing the shell-shaped braces, and when the braces are already worn.

[0082] In addition to the above-mentioned two connectors, more connectors can be set based on the above examples. Multiple connectors can be located on the same side or different sides of the teeth. The design preference principle is the above-mentioned "during the process of wearing the shell-shaped dental braces to the jaw and after wearing, the connecting part does not contact the orthodontic fixture", and at the same time "during the use of the dental instrument, the connecting part does not generate force with the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells".

[0083] In the above embodiment, the connecting portion includes one or two of the labial / buccal side portion, the lingual side portion, and the occlusal side portion, and the portion of the connecting portion located on the same side as the bracket is located above the bracket. As an alternative embodiment, the connecting portion can also be designed to include the labial / buccal side portion, the occlusal side portion, and the lingual side portion, wherein the connecting portion is only located above and / or on both sides of the orthodontic fixture on the side where the orthodontic fixture is provided. Figure 4a and Figure 4b An example is shown. Figure 4a The structure of the middle shell corrector 402 is Figure 4b It is shown in detail in the figure, wherein the connecting portion 405 includes a buccal side portion, an occlusal side portion and a lingual side portion, and the distances between the above three portions and the outer surface, occlusal surface and inner surface of the corresponding positions on the teeth are greater than or equal to 0, and the buccal side portion includes the portions located above and on both sides of the orthodontic fixture, but does not include the portion located below the orthodontic fixture.

[0084] The above example can completely avoid orthodontic fixed appliances installed on the surface of the teeth, has high wearing convenience, and can better exert the corrective force of fixed orthodontics during the correction process. In addition, the connection part also ensures the overall firmness of the shell-shaped corrector, so that the dental instrument can be better applied to the corresponding correction plan, and the correction progress of the entire dentition remains consistent under controllable conditions.

[0085] As all the examples mentioned above are about installing the bracket on the buccal surface of the posterior teeth, those skilled in the art will know that, based on the above examples, if the bracket is installed on the lingual surface of the posterior teeth, the connecting portion on the lingual side can be moved to the opposite buccal position accordingly, such as Figure 5a As shown, the connecting portion 503 is located on the buccal side to ensure that the shell-shaped braces are prevented from contacting with the orthodontic fixed appliance when the patient is wearing and removing the shell-shaped braces, and when the braces are already worn.

[0086] As all the examples mentioned above are about installing the brackets on the teeth in the posterior teeth area, those skilled in the art will know that, based on the above examples, if the brackets are installed on the teeth in the anterior teeth area, since the occlusal surface of the teeth in the anterior teeth area is narrower, the connection portion usually does not include the occlusal surface part, such as Figure 5b As shown, the connecting portion 504 is located on the lingual side of the front teeth to ensure that the shell-shaped braces are prevented from contacting with the orthodontic fixed appliance when the patient is wearing and removing the shell-shaped braces, and when the braces are already worn.

[0087] In addition, the above embodiments are all about setting a set of orthodontic fixed appliances. Figure 6 The example in Figure 2 shows the situation of setting up two sets of orthodontic fixed appliances. Figure 6 As shown, two groups of orthodontic fixtures are arranged on the patient's teeth, one group of orthodontic fixtures 601 is located on the patient's three left teeth, and the other group of orthodontic fixtures 602 is located on the patient's three right teeth. At this time, the shell-shaped corrector includes three sub-shells 603, 604, and 605, and the sub-shells 603 and 604 are connected by a first connecting part 606, and the sub-shells 603 and 605 are connected by a second connecting part 607. Figure 6 The first connecting portion 606 and the second connecting portion 607 shown in the figure both include a connecting body located on the tongue side. In an alternative embodiment, the first connecting portion 606 and the second connecting portion 607 can also be arranged with reference to the aforementioned embodiment or be deformed on the basis of the aforementioned embodiment.

[0088] Based on the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art can easily conceive of shapes and structures of dental instruments including more groups of orthodontic fixtures, which will not be elaborated herein.

[0089] Based on the same inventive concept, the present invention also provides a shell-shaped orthodontic appliance for use in conjunction with an orthodontic fixed appliance, comprising a shell, the shell comprising at least two sub-shells and a connecting portion connecting the sub-shells; each of the sub-shells comprising one or more cavities capable of accommodating teeth, at least a portion of the cavities being designed to reposition teeth accommodated therein that are not fitted with an orthodontic fixed appliance;

[0090] The connecting portion connects the adjacent sub-shells; during and after the shell-shaped dental brace is worn on the jaw, the connecting portion does not contact the orthodontic fixture; during the use of the shell-shaped brace, the connecting portion does not generate force on the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells.

[0091] The design principles, design ideas and structural design of the shell-shaped orthodontic appliance described herein may refer to the design of the shell-shaped orthodontic appliance in the aforementioned dental instrument.

[0092] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the shell-shaped orthotic device, wherein the method adopts a hot pressing film forming process to manufacture the shell-shaped orthotic device, and comprises the following steps:

[0093] S1. Acquisition of the initial jaw model: Obtain a digital jaw model of any treatment step in the treatment plan as the initial jaw model;

[0094] Any correction step in the correction plan is implemented using an orthodontic fixture in conjunction with the shell-shaped appliance, the orthodontic fixture being used to reposition the teeth on which the orthodontic fixture is mounted, comprising two or more brackets fixed on different teeth and fasteners mounted on the brackets;

[0095] S2. Design of a digital dental model: According to the design of the connection portion in the shell-shaped appliance, a preset connection portion model is designed on the teeth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed in the initial dental model to obtain a digital dental model including the preset connection portion model;

[0096] S3. Production of a physical dental model: Based on the digital dental model including the preset connection portion model, a physical dental model including the preset connection portion is produced using an additive manufacturing process;

[0097] S4 hot pressing film: hot pressing film on the physical dental model to obtain a shell-shaped appliance including a preset connection portion;

[0098] S5. Cutting: Cutting away excess parts along the gum line or adjacent to the gum line on the shell-shaped corrector including the preset connecting portion, and cutting away parts corresponding to the teeth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed, wherein the shell-shaped corrector after cutting comprises at least two sub-shells, and the preset connecting portion is formed into a connecting portion through cutting, so that the connecting portion connects the adjacent sub-shells; during and after the shell-shaped dental corrector is worn on the jaw, the connecting portion does not contact the orthodontic fixture; during the use of the shell-shaped corrector, the connecting portion does not generate force on the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells.

[0099] In the above manufacturing method, step S5 adopts laser cutting or mechanical cutting.

[0100] With the above Figure 2b Taking the shell-shaped brace shown in the figure as an example, the method for manufacturing the shell-shaped brace using a hot pressing film forming process includes the following steps:

[0101] S1. Obtaining a digital jaw model of any treatment step in the treatment plan as an initial jaw model, wherein any treatment step in the treatment plan is implemented using a set of orthodontic fixtures in conjunction with the shell-shaped appliance;

[0102] S2. Figure 7 As shown, according to the design of the required connection portion in the shell-shaped corrector, a preset connection portion model 702 is designed on the tooth 701 on which the orthodontic fixture is installed in the initial dental model, and a digital dental model 700 including the preset connection portion model is obtained; wherein the preset connection portion model 702 is a convex model, which includes a convex surface located on the occlusal surface, and the width of the portion of the convex surface corresponding to the orthodontic fixture in the buccal and lingual directions is less than or equal to the width of the occlusal surface of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed, and the distance between the convex surface and the highest point of the crown of the tooth 701 on which the orthodontic fixture is installed is greater than or equal to 0;

[0103] S3. Production of a physical dental model: Based on the digital dental model including the preset connection portion model, a physical dental model including the preset connection portion is produced using an additive manufacturing process;

[0104] S4 hot pressing film: hot pressing film on the physical dental model to obtain a shell-shaped appliance including a preset connection portion;

[0105] S5. Cutting: Cut and remove excess parts along the gum line or adjacent to the gum line on the shell-shaped corrector including the preset connecting part, and cut and remove the part of the shell-shaped corrector including the preset connecting part corresponding to the teeth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed. After cutting, the shell-shaped corrector includes two sub-shells, and the preset connecting part is formed into a connecting part through cutting; the connecting part connects the adjacent sub-shells.

[0106] In other embodiments, the preset connection part model can be designed according to the tooth surface. In the above step S2, the distance between each point on the convex surface and the point on the occlusal surface of the tooth at the corresponding position is designed to be a preset value greater than 0, so that a convex surface with a shape substantially consistent with the occlusal surface can be obtained, and then the following can be produced. Figure 8 The shape of the connecting portion 804 shown is substantially consistent with the occlusal surface of the corresponding tooth to which the orthodontic fixture is mounted.

[0107] In the manufacturing method of the shell-shaped corrector described in the present invention, the design principle of the preset connection part model is: to ensure that the connection part formed after cutting does not contact the orthodontic fixture during the process of wearing the shell-shaped dental corrector to the jaw and after wearing, and at the same time, during the use of the dental instrument, the connection part does not generate force on the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells. The specific shape of the connection part can refer to the design of the connection part on the shell-shaped corrector in the aforementioned dental instrument, or be deformed on its basis.

[0108] It should be noted that the above embodiments can be freely combined as needed. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that those skilled in the art can make several improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of the present invention, and such improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A dental instrument, characterized in that: include: An orthodontic fixture for repositioning teeth to which the orthodontic fixture is mounted, comprising two or more brackets fixed to different teeth and fasteners mounted on the brackets; A shell-shaped brace, comprising a shell, the shell comprising at least two sub-shells and a connecting portion connecting the sub-shells; each of the sub-shells comprising one or more cavities capable of accommodating teeth, at least a portion of the cavities being designed to reposition teeth accommodated therein that are not fitted with orthodontic fixtures; In which, the orthodontic fixture is installed on at least part of the teeth between the adjacent sub-shells, and the connecting part connects the adjacent sub-shells; during and after the shell-shaped corrector is worn on the jaw, the connecting part does not contact the orthodontic fixture; during the use of the dental instrument, the connecting part does not generate force on the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells.

2. The dental apparatus according to claim 1, wherein When the dental instrument is in use, the connecting portion does not contact the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells.

3. The dental apparatus according to claim 1, wherein When the dental instrument is in use, the connecting portion contacts the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells but does not generate any force.

4. The dental apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The connecting portion and the orthodontic fixture are arranged on the same side or different sides of the tooth in the buccal-lingual direction or the labial-lingual direction.

5. The dental apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: When the connecting portion and the orthodontic fixture are arranged on the same side of the teeth, the connecting portion is not provided with any physical structure below the orthodontic fixture.

6. The dental apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The bracket is installed on the labial side of the teeth in the front teeth area, and the connecting portion includes a lingual side portion and does not include a labial side portion.

7. The dental apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The bracket is installed on the buccal side of the teeth in the posterior region, and the connecting portion includes a lingual side portion and / or an occlusal side portion, but does not include a buccal side portion.

8. The dental apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The bracket is installed on the lingual side of the teeth in the front teeth area, and the connecting portion includes a labial side portion and does not include a lingual side portion.

9. The dental apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The bracket is installed on the lingual side of the teeth in the posterior area, and the connecting portion includes a buccal side portion and / or an occlusal surface, but does not include a lingual side portion.

10. The dental apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The connecting portion includes a labial / buccal side portion and a lingual side portion, wherein the connecting portion is only arranged above the orthodontic fixture on a side where the orthodontic fixture is installed.

11. The dental apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The connecting portion includes a labial / buccal side portion, an occlusal side portion and a lingual side portion, wherein the connecting portion is only arranged above and / or on both sides of the orthodontic fixture on the side where the orthodontic fixture is installed.

12. The dental apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The connecting portion includes one or more connecting bodies, and the connecting bodies connect the adjacent sub-shells.

13. The dental apparatus according to claim 12, wherein: The connecting portion includes a plurality of connectors, and at least two of the connectors are located on the same surface or different surfaces among the labial / buccal surface, the lingual surface, and the occlusal surface.

14. The dental device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein: The connector is located on the labial / buccal side or the lingual side, and the width of the portion of the connector corresponding to the orthodontic fixture in the gingival-maxillary direction is less than or equal to the crown height of the corresponding tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed.

15. The dental apparatus according to claim 14, wherein The connector is located on the lip / buccal side, and the minimum distance between the connector and the outer surface of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed is greater than or equal to 0.

16. The dental apparatus according to claim 14, wherein The connector is located on the lingual side, and the minimum distance between the connector and the inner surface of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed is greater than or equal to 0.

17. The dental apparatus according to claim 12 or 13, wherein: The connector is located on the occlusal surface, and the width of the portion of the connector corresponding to the orthodontic fixture in the buccal-lingual direction is less than or equal to the width of the occlusal surface of the corresponding tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed.

18. The dental apparatus according to claim 17, wherein The shape of the connector is substantially consistent with the occlusal surface of the corresponding tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed.

19. The dental apparatus according to claim 17, wherein: The minimum distance between the connector and the highest point of the crown of the tooth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed is greater than or equal to 0.

20. A shell-shaped corrector for use with the dental apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that: The invention comprises a housing, wherein the housing comprises at least two sub-housings and a connecting portion connecting the sub-housings; each of the sub-housings comprises one or more cavities capable of accommodating teeth, and at least a portion of the cavities is designed to reposition teeth accommodated therein and not equipped with orthodontic fixtures; The connecting portion connects the adjacent sub-shells; during and after the shell-shaped corrector is worn on the jaw, the connecting portion does not contact the orthodontic fixture; during the use of the shell-shaped corrector, the connecting portion does not generate force on the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells.

21. A method for manufacturing a shell-shaped orthotic appliance according to claim 20, characterized in that: The shell-shaped corrector is manufactured by a hot pressing film forming process, which includes the following steps: S1. Acquisition of the initial jaw model: Obtain a digital jaw model of any treatment step in the treatment plan as the initial jaw model; Any correction step in the correction plan is implemented using an orthodontic fixture in conjunction with the shell-shaped appliance, the orthodontic fixture being used to reposition the teeth on which the orthodontic fixture is mounted, comprising two or more brackets fixed on different teeth and fasteners mounted on the brackets; S2. Design of a digital dental model: According to the design of the connection portion in the shell-shaped appliance, a preset connection portion model is designed on the teeth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed in the initial dental model to obtain a digital dental model including the preset connection portion model; S3. Production of a physical dental model: Based on the digital dental model including the preset connection portion model, a physical dental model including the preset connection portion is produced using an additive manufacturing process; S4 hot pressing film: hot pressing film on the physical dental model to obtain a shell-shaped appliance including a preset connection portion; S5. Cutting: Cutting away excess parts along the gum line or adjacent to the gum line on the shell-shaped corrector including the preset connecting portion, and cutting away parts corresponding to the teeth on which the orthodontic fixture is installed, wherein the shell-shaped corrector after cutting comprises at least two sub-shells, and the preset connecting portion is formed into a connecting portion through cutting, so that the connecting portion connects the adjacent sub-shells; during and after the shell-shaped dental corrector is worn on the jaw, the connecting portion does not contact the orthodontic fixture; during the use of the shell-shaped corrector, the connecting portion does not generate force on the teeth located between the adjacent sub-shells.

22. The method for manufacturing a shell-shaped orthotic appliance according to claim 21, wherein: The step S5 adopts laser cutting or mechanical cutting.

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