Appliance demolding method and system

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of appliance demolding method and system, belong to medical instrument manufacturing technical field.The appliance demolding method includes: at a plurality of predetermined drilling position, by the first plane of dental model, along the first direction, drill medium placement hole, the medium placement hole just penetrates dental model;In the medium placement hole, fill centrifugal medium, the centrifugal medium at least when centrifugal motion occurs, it can move in the medium placement hole along the first direction, and can pass through the medium placement hole;The medium placement hole is closed, and the centrifugal medium can be kept in the medium placement hole;Centrifugal operation is carried out to dental model component, and centrifugal medium is under the action of centrifugal force along the first direction through medium placement hole and acts on appliance, so that appliance is separated from dental model.The demolding system is constructed according to the demolding method.The application can realize the demolding of appliance under the condition of smaller damage to appliance, and improve the demolding quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of medical device manufacturing technology, specifically relating to a method and system for demolding orthodontic appliances, used for demolding during the manufacturing process of shell-shaped invisible orthodontic appliances. Background Technology

[0002] Shell-shaped orthodontic appliances made of polymer materials are now widely used in the field of orthodontics. The manufacturing process of shell-shaped appliances includes obtaining a digital model of the patient's teeth, 3D printing a jaw model, cleaning and curing, hot-pressing the diaphragm, edge cutting, appliance separation, cleaning, inspection, and packaging. Among these steps, the appliance separation process has a significant impact on product quality and efficiency.

[0003] The following are the main techniques for demolding shell-shaped orthodontic appliances:

[0004] (1) Manual demolding. This method involves manually breaking the cut orthodontic appliance directly off the dental model. This is currently the most common method in orthodontic appliance manufacturing. Alternatively, manual demolding can be performed using tools. In this method, the operator uses small tools, such as small pry bars, to leverage the lever principle and pry the appliance off the dental model. Furthermore, patent application CN105686888A, entitled "Demolding Method for Clear Aligner Orthodontic Appliances," discloses a demolding method where demolding holes are set in pairs on the dental model (dental model). Then, the two jaws of a special demolding hook pliers are inserted into each pair of demolding holes, hooking the appliance membrane and pulling it away from the dental model to detach it from the model.

[0005] (2) Patent application CN109808157A, entitled "Demolding Device, Demolding Method, and One-Stop Braces Production System," discloses an automated demolding device and a method for demolding using this device. The device includes a control unit, an automatic transfer device, a transfer tray located at the free end of the automatic transfer device, and a demolding module. The demolding module is equipped with a prying component, each with a prying end. The transfer tray can hold a dental model with braces (orthodontic appliances) ready for demolding. The control unit controls the movement of the automatic transfer device so that the open end of the braces on it contacts the prying end. The control unit controls the relative movement of the automatic transfer device and the prying component to generate a prying force that pries the braces off the dental model, thus achieving automatic separation of the braces from the dental model. The technical solution in this patent uses a principle similar to that of manual prying, but is designed as an automated device based on this principle to achieve automated demolding.

[0006] (3) Patent document CN212979226U, entitled "Demolding Device for Hot Press Film Molding Process of Shell-shaped Dental Instruments," discloses a demolding device that can be used for automation. This device includes a base and four demolding components. The demolding components are mounted on the base and are distributed in pairs on the lingual and buccal sides of the posterior tooth region on both sides of the positioned tooth model. The demolding components are hook-shaped, with their hook-shaped ends facing the tooth model. The demolding components are rotatably mounted on the base. The demolding device also includes a first spring corresponding to each demolding component, which pushes the corresponding demolding component towards the tooth model, causing its hook-shaped ends to abut against the tooth model. The technical solution disclosed in this patent is similar in principle to the technical solution disclosed in CN105686888A above, both using a pulling method to pull the orthodontic appliance off the dental model.

[0007] (4) Patent application CN113440284A, entitled "Demolding Method and Tooth Model of Hot Press Molding Manufacturing Process for Shell-shaped Dental Instruments," discloses a demolding method involving a tooth model (dental jaw model). The tooth model has a weak area formed on it, which, when broken, forms a through hole, allowing a push rod to pass through the through hole to push the negative model, which is being molded on the tooth model, away from the tooth model. During demolding, the weak area on the tooth model is broken to form a through hole allowing the push rod to pass through; and through the through hole, the push rod pushes the negative model, which is being molded on the tooth model, away from the tooth model.

[0008] (5) A demolding method is disclosed in the patent application document with publication number "CN107081897A" and invention title "Method and System for Demolding Orthodontic Appliance". The method includes obtaining a product to be demolded; wherein the product to be demolded includes an orthodontic appliance mold and an orthodontic appliance template; clamping the orthodontic appliance mold and clamping the orthodontic appliance template; assembling and connecting a power device with the orthodontic appliance mold and driving the power device to operate, so that the power device drives the orthodontic appliance mold to move away from the orthodontic appliance template.

[0009] Based on the above analysis, the demolding tools are all in rigid contact with the orthodontic appliance. Current demolding methods easily damage the appliance, resulting in a large number of defective products. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new demolding method for orthodontic appliances. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Based on the main defects of the above-mentioned orthodontic appliance demolding methods, the present invention provides a shell-shaped orthodontic appliance demolding method and system to reduce damage during the demolding process and improve the demolding quality of the orthodontic appliance.

[0011] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for removing an orthodontic appliance from a dental model, wherein the appliance and the dental model constitute a dental model assembly. The method includes: drilling media placement holes along a first direction at predetermined drilling locations along a first plane of the dental model, the media placement holes penetrating the dental model; filling the media placement holes with centrifugal media, the centrifugal media being able to move along the first direction within the media placement holes and pass through the media placement holes at least during centrifugal motion; sealing the media placement holes, the centrifugal media being retained within the media placement holes; and centrifuging the dental model assembly, the centrifugal media acting on the appliance along the first direction through the media placement holes under centrifugal force, thereby removing the appliance from the dental model. By drilling holes in the dental model, filling it with centrifugal media, and centrifuging, the centrifugal media acts on the interior of the appliance, thereby reducing damage to the appliance during removal and improving the removal quality.

[0012] In some embodiments, the predetermined drilling locations are at least located where tooth deformation exceeds a deformation threshold, and the standard model is a dental model after orthodontic treatment. By using the deformation threshold, locations where demolding is more difficult are predetermined, and holes are drilled at these locations to facilitate demolding.

[0013] In some embodiments, the method further includes pre-determining a plurality of borehole locations, wherein determining the plurality of borehole locations includes:

[0014] The process involves identifying dental model information, which is associated with a corresponding digital model in a database. A deviation analysis is performed between the digital model of the dental model and a standard digital model. If the deviation value exceeds a deformation threshold, the location is identified as the drilling location. By comparing the digital model corresponding to the dental model with the standard digital model and determining the deviation, the drilling location is accurately obtained.

[0015] In some embodiments, the drilling locations are also located at the molar locations, and the number of drilling locations at the molar locations is determined according to the number of teeth. By also setting drilling locations at the molar locations, the orthodontic appliance is subjected to uniform force during demolding, making it easier to detach from the dental model.

[0016] In some embodiments, the drilling depth is determined based on a digital model corresponding to the dental model. Precise drilling can be achieved based on the coordinates of points on the digital model.

[0017] In some embodiments, the centrifugal medium is water, fine sand, or metal balls.

[0018] In some embodiments, during centrifugation, the centrifugation speed is greater than 4000 RPM to ensure that the centrifugal medium exerts a sufficiently large force on the orthodontic appliance, thereby enabling the appliance to be detached from the dental model.

[0019] Secondly, based on the same concept, the present invention provides an orthodontic appliance removal system for detaching orthodontic appliances from a dental model, wherein the orthodontic appliance and the dental model constitute a dental model assembly, and the system includes:

[0020] A drilling device is used to drill medium placement holes along a first direction from a first plane of a dental model at a predetermined number of drilling positions, wherein the medium placement holes pass through the dental model exactly.

[0021] An injection device for filling the medium placement hole with centrifugal medium, the centrifugal medium being able to move in the medium placement hole in a first direction at least during centrifugal motion, and being able to pass through the medium placement hole;

[0022] A sealing device is used to seal the medium placement hole, so that the centrifugal medium can be retained in the medium placement hole;

[0023] A centrifuge device is used to centrifuge the dental model assembly. Under the action of centrifugal force, the centrifugal medium acts on the orthodontic appliance through the medium placement hole in the first direction, causing the orthodontic appliance to detach from the dental model.

[0024] A control device is connected to the drilling device, injection device, sealing device, and centrifugation device, and is used to control each device to perform corresponding operations.

[0025] The above-described demolding system allows for automated demolding of orthodontic appliances by following the provided methods and steps, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0026] In some embodiments, the demolding system further includes:

[0027] A recognition device for recognizing dental model information, which is associated with a corresponding digital tooth model in a database;

[0028] A database containing digital models of teeth at each stage of the orthodontic process;

[0029] In some embodiments, the control device retrieves the corresponding digital tooth model from the database based on the dental model information; performs deviation analysis between the digital model of the dental model and the standard digital model; if the deviation value is greater than the deformation threshold, the position is determined to be the drilling position.

[0030] This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing demolding techniques by proposing a novel demolding method. This involves drilling holes at predetermined locations on the dental model, placing a centrifugal medium in the air, and then centrifuging the model. The centrifugal motion of the medium is utilized...

[0031] The force applied inside the orthodontic appliance removes it from the dental model. Compared to existing technologies, the release force applied to the appliance is more flexible, thus reducing damage to the orthodontic system and improving the quality of appliance removal. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram (front view) of the dental model assembly in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram (reverse side) of the dental model assembly in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a method for removing an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a dental model with a centrifugal medium in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the separation state of the centrifugal medium acting on the orthodontic appliance in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a jaw model used to determine the drilling location in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 7 This is a block diagram of an orthodontic appliance removal system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the main components of the orthodontic appliance removal system in one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0041] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," and "length" are used interchangeably.

[0042] Width, Thickness, Top, Bottom, Front, Back, Left, Right, Vertical, Horizontal, Top, Bottom, Inner, Outer, Clockwise, Counterclockwise, Axial, Radial

[0043] The orientation or positional relationship indicated by terms such as "circumference" is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the attached drawings, and is only for the purpose of facilitating description.

[0044] The invention is described in a simplified manner, and not as indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention.

[0045] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0046] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0047] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0048] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0049] Figure 1 and Figure 2An embodiment is shown, comprising an orthodontic appliance 101 and a dental model 102, forming a dental model assembly 100. A polymer film is formed on the dental model 102 using a hot-pressing process, and then cut along a dividing line 103. The portion attached to the teeth of the dental model constitutes the orthodontic appliance 101. Due to the complex structure of the teeth, a suitable method is needed to detach the orthodontic appliance 101 from the dental model 102. The technical solution provided by this invention is to achieve this separation process.

[0050] like Figure 3 A flowchart of a method for removing an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, in conjunction with... Figure 3 The method includes:

[0051] Step S1: At a number of predetermined drilling locations, a medium placement hole 104 is drilled along the first direction from the first plane 102a of the dental model 102, wherein the medium placement hole 104 passes through the dental model 102.

[0052] The purpose of this step is to form several through holes in the dental model 102, these through holes being called media placement holes 104 (see...). Figure 4 This allows for the placement of centrifugal media 105 in the media placement hole 104 in subsequent steps (see...). Figure 4 Because the orthodontic appliance 101 is attached to the teeth of the dental model 102, drilling must begin from the bottom of the dental model 102, with the first plane 102a being the bottom surface of the dental model 102. Starting from the first plane 102a, holes are drilled along a first direction, where the first direction refers to the direction from the bottom of the dental model to the top of the teeth. Figure 4 The Y direction is shown. It should be noted that because drilling locations may occur at different tooth positions, and tooth shapes are not entirely the same (according to the classification in oral medicine, teeth are divided into incisors, canines, molars, etc.), it can be expected that the first direction will not be completely consistent in different locations.

[0053] The shape of the media placement hole 102 is not strictly limited and can be round, oblong, rectangular, etc. However, these holes must just penetrate the dental model 102 and ensure that there is sufficient internal space to accommodate a sufficient amount of centrifugal media. In some embodiments, these media placement holes may span two or more tooth locations.

[0054] Step S2: Fill the medium placement hole 104 with centrifugal medium 105, wherein the centrifugal medium 105 is able to move in the medium placement hole 104 in the first direction at least when centrifugal motion occurs, and is able to pass through the medium placement hole 104.

[0055] In this step, the centrifugal medium 105 filled in the medium placement hole 104 cannot adhere to the wall of the medium placement hole 104, but can move in the medium placement hole 104 in the first direction at least when centrifugal motion occurs. For the dental model assembly 100 fixed in a certain direction, when it is in a centrifugal environment, the centrifugal medium 105 in the medium placement hole 104 generates centrifugal motion, passes through the medium placement hole 104 along the first direction, and then acts on the inner wall of the orthodontic appliance 101.

[0056] Step S3: Seal the medium placement hole 104 so that the centrifugal medium 105 can be kept in the medium placement hole 104.

[0057] The purpose of sealing the media placement hole 104 is to prevent the centrifuged media 105 from escaping from the media placement hole 104. Initially, the appliance 101 covers the teeth of the dental model 102, and at this stage, the openings inside the appliance 101 housing are sealed. This step seals the opening located at the bottom of the dental model, specifically the opening on the first plane 102a. Through this operation, the centrifuged media 105 can be retained inside the media placement hole 104.

[0058] In some embodiments, the orifice may be completely or partially sealed depending on the form of the centrifugal medium 105. For example, if the centrifugal medium is a liquid, it must be completely sealed; while if the centrifugal medium consists of larger solid particles, it may be partially sealed, as long as the centrifugal medium 105 does not leak out. In a more preferred manner, the orifice is sealed as completely as possible. For example, in Figure 4 In (a), (b), and (c), water, fine sand, and steel balls were used as centrifugal media 105, respectively, and the centrifugal media 105 was sealed in the media placement hole 104 by sealant 106.

[0059] Step S4: Centrifuge the dental model assembly 100. Under the action of centrifugal force, the centrifugal medium 105 acts on the orthodontic appliance 101 through the medium placement hole 104 in the first direction, causing the orthodontic appliance 101 to detach from the dental model 102.

[0060] like Figure 5 As shown in (a), (b), and (c), when water, fine sand, and steel balls are used as centrifugal media 105, the centrifugal media 105 moves along the first direction during centrifugal motion, passes through the media placement hole 104, and acts on the inner wall surface of the orthodontic appliance 101, thereby detaching the orthodontic appliance 101 from the dental model 102.

[0061] The technical solution provided in this embodiment of the invention first involves drilling a medium placement hole 104 in the dental model 102, then placing a centrifugal medium 105 in the medium placement hole 104, and finally, through centrifugal action, causing the centrifugal medium 105 to undergo centrifugal motion under the action of centrifugal force, and acting on the inner wall surface of the orthodontic appliance 101, thereby impacting the orthodontic appliance 101 off the dental model 102, thus achieving demolding of the orthodontic appliance. Compared with the prior art, the centrifugal medium acts more flexibly inside the orthodontic appliance, without causing significant damage to the appliance, thus achieving high-quality demolding of the orthodontic appliance.

[0062] In some embodiments, a predetermined number of drilling locations are at least located where the tooth deformation exceeds a deformation threshold.

[0063] Locations with larger deformation values ​​indicate a greater degree of tooth deformity, making them more difficult to demold. In other words, these locations require more force during demolding than areas with smaller deformation. Drilling holes at these locations ensures that the force exerted by the centrifugal medium 105 on the orthodontic appliance 101 is primarily applied to the corresponding positions, facilitating the removal of the appliance from the dental model. Therefore, in this embodiment of the invention, a deformation threshold is used to measure tooth deformation in order to determine the drilling locations.

[0064] For example, if a patient has protruding teeth, the area will usually be more deformed than the standard state, which may be the location where drilling is needed. For example Figure 6 As shown, a schematic diagram of the selected predetermined drilling positions is illustrated in one embodiment, where positions 1, 2, and 3 are predetermined drilling positions selected through deformation thresholds.

[0065] In some embodiments, the method of the present invention further includes pre-determining a plurality of drilling locations, wherein determining the plurality of drilling locations includes the following steps:

[0066] Step S11: Identify the dental model information, which is associated with the corresponding digital model in the database.

[0067] The dental model 102 is equipped with identification codes such as RFID tags, barcodes, or QR codes. By scanning the identification code on the dental model 102, the corresponding digital model stored in the database can be retrieved.

[0068] Step S12: Perform a deviation analysis between the digital model of the dental model 102 and the standard digital model. If the deviation value is greater than the deformation threshold, then this location is the drilling location. For example... Figure 6 Positions 1, 2, and 3 are shown.

[0069] In orthodontic treatment, various tooth alignment methods are used to arrange the patient's teeth to achieve the desired post-orthodontic state. The resulting tooth model corresponds to the standard model. The orthodontic process is conducted in multiple stages, gradually correcting the misaligned teeth to a normal state. Furthermore, the manufacturing of the appliances for each stage involves first creating a corresponding jaw model, which is then used to fabricate the appliance for that stage. It's known that the initial state of the patient's teeth, compared to the standard state, exhibits the greatest deformation, while in subsequent stages, the deformation gradually decreases compared to the standard model. Therefore, the selection of the deformation threshold is continuously adjusted according to the situation at each stage.

[0070] The digital model corresponding to the dental model 102 is essentially a model composed of countless points defined by coordinates. Therefore, the deviation of each point can be calculated using coordinate data, and then the deviation values ​​of each point can be compared to determine which positions can be used as drilling locations. In reality, several points that meet the requirements may cluster together, so when drilling the corresponding dental model, these points can form only one hole.

[0071] Regarding the deformation threshold, different values ​​can be selected for different orthodontic stages. Specifically, the deformation thresholds for different stages can be preset in the program. When reading the dental model information, the deformation threshold value for the corresponding stage can be directly matched. In addition, since the degree of dental malocclusion is different for each patient, in some embodiments, if orthodontic appliances are manufactured for multiple patients simultaneously, the deformation thresholds for each stage corresponding to each patient can be preset in advance, which is more conducive to improving efficiency.

[0072] In some embodiments, the drilling location may also include the molars, which are the main teeth commonly referred to as molars. Normally, molars have minor deformities. Deformations mainly occur in the incisors and canines. Therefore, according to the aforementioned embodiments, if the drilling location is determined by calculating a deformation threshold, most drilling will occur in these locations. This results in uneven force distribution on the orthodontic appliance during demolding, making it difficult for the appliance to detach from the dental model.

[0073] Humans typically have 28-32 teeth, or 14-16 upper and 16 lower teeth. Generally speaking, the force required to remove an orthodontic appliance from a model with 16 teeth is greater than that from a model with 14 teeth. Therefore, the number of holes drilled in the molars can be determined based on the number of teeth. For example, with a model of 14 teeth, one placement hole can be drilled in each molar area; with a model of 16 teeth, two placement holes can be drilled in each molar area. Figure 6As shown, the model has 16 teeth, so two drilling positions can be set on each side of the molars: positions 4 and 6 on the left and positions 5 and 7 on the right. Of course, the specific number of holes to drill at the molars can be determined according to the actual situation to avoid unnecessary waste and affecting efficiency.

[0074] In some embodiments, the method of the present invention further includes determining the drilling depth based on the digital model corresponding to the dental model. Since the digital model corresponding to the dental model is a model composed of several points defined by coordinates, the drilling depth can be calculated based on the coordinate values ​​of these points. Specifically, the drilling depth can be calculated by measuring the distance from a point on the upper surface of the tooth to the bottom of the model, thus enabling precise drilling without damaging the orthodontic appliance.

[0075] In some embodiments, see Figure 4 (a) Figure 5 (a) The selected centrifugal medium is water. When using water as the centrifugal medium, the water is directly injected into the medium placement hole and then sealed. The advantage of using water is that it is low in cost, and when water acts on the orthodontic appliance, there is no hard contact between the water and the appliance, which can effectively avoid damage to the appliance.

[0076] In some embodiments, see Figure 4 (b) Figure 5 (b) The centrifugal medium selected can be fine sand. Fine sand has a certain fluidity and a relatively high density, which can not only exert a large force on the orthodontic appliance, but also will not cause great damage to the orthodontic appliance.

[0077] In some embodiments, see Figure 4 (c) Figure 5 (c) The centrifugation medium used is a metal ball, such as a steel ball. When using a metal ball, the diameter of the metal ball needs to be controlled. The advantage of using a metal ball is that the metal ball has a relatively high density, which generates a greater force when it acts on the orthodontic appliance, making it easier to remove the appliance from the dental model. In addition, the metal ball is relatively round and will not damage the appliance when it comes into contact with it.

[0078] In some embodiments, the centrifuge speed is required to be greater than 4000 RPM during centrifugation. The purpose is to ensure that the centrifugal medium 105 has a sufficiently large force when acting on the orthodontic appliance 101, so as to detach the orthodontic appliance 101 from the dental model 102.

[0079] Based on the same inventive concept, the present invention provides an orthodontic appliance removal system 200, such as... Figure 7A block diagram of an orthodontic appliance demolding system 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The orthodontic appliance demolding system 200 includes a drilling device 201, an injection device 202, a sealing device 203, a centrifugation device 204, and a control device 205. The drilling device 201 is used to drill media placement holes 104 along a first direction from a first plane 102a of the dental model at several predetermined drilling positions, wherein the media placement holes 104 pass through the dental model 102. The injection device 202 is used to fill the media placement holes 104 with centrifugal media 105, wherein the centrifugal media 105 can move along the first direction within the media placement holes 104 at least during centrifugal motion and can pass through the media placement holes 105. The sealing device 203 is used to seal the media placement holes. The medium placement hole 104 allows the centrifugal medium 105 to be held in the medium placement hole 104; the centrifugal device 204 is used to centrifuge the dental model assembly 100, and the centrifugal medium 105 acts on the orthodontic appliance 101 through the medium placement hole 104 in the first direction under the action of centrifugal force, causing the orthodontic appliance 101 to detach from the dental model 102; the control device 205 is connected to the drilling device 201, the injection device 202, the sealing device 203 and the centrifugal device 204, and is used to control each device to perform corresponding actions.

[0080] In one embodiment, the drilling device 201 can be a drilling machine. Currently, the diameter of industrial drill bits can be as small as a fraction of a millimeter. In a specific implementation, a 1mm drill bit is sufficient to meet the drilling requirements. The drilling device 201 can be driven by a robot or robotic arm, etc. The drilling device 201 is located at the moving end of the robot, and the control device 205 controls the drilling device 201 through the robot to drill the required medium placement holes 104 at various drilling positions.

[0081] In one embodiment, the injection device 202 may be a device having a conical (or needle-shaped) tip and capable of internally conveying the centrifugal medium 105. The injection device 202 is connected to an external supply device to output the centrifugal medium 105 through the tip and inject it into the medium placement hole 104. The injection device 202 may also be located at the moving end of a robot, and the control device 205 controls the injection device 202 through the robot to inject the centrifugal medium 105 into the medium placement hole 104.

[0082] In one embodiment, the sealing device 203 can directly use a dispensing machine to apply sealant 106 directly to the inlet of the medium placement hole 104, sealing the centrifugal medium 105 in the medium placement hole 104. In some embodiments, a sealing strip can also be used to seal the medium placement hole 104, in which case the sealing device 204 can directly use a tape cutter.

[0083] In one embodiment, the centrifugation device 204 can be a centrifuge. A model holder can be provided in the centrifuge to fix the dental model assembly 100, securing only the dental model. It is noted that when the dental model assembly 100 is placed in the centrifuge, the orthodontic appliance 101 is away from the centrifuge axis, with its first direction coinciding with or close to the radial direction of the centrifuge. This allows the centrifugal medium to possess a greater centrifugal force, resulting in a greater force exerted by the centrifugal medium on the inner wall surface of the orthodontic appliance. A cushioning device can be provided at the bottom of the centrifuge to prevent the orthodontic appliance from falling and making hard contact with the bottom of the centrifuge, thus preventing damage to the appliance.

[0084] In one embodiment, the control device 205 can be a computer, which communicates with each actuator via a communication protocol such as Modbus to control the actions of each actuator; alternatively, the computer can act as the host computer, and a PLC or similar device can act as the slave computer to control the actions of each actuator. This type of control system is also possible. The aforementioned devices can utilize one set of control devices or multiple sets of control devices.

[0085] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the main components of an orthodontic appliance removal system 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Part or all of the drilling device 201, injection device 202, and sealing device 203 (depending on the configuration of each device) can be located at the moving end of the first robot 209. The control device 205 controls the first robot 209 to perform the corresponding drilling, injection, and sealing actions. After completing the above operations, the sealed dental mold assembly 100 is transferred to a centrifuge using a second robot 210.

[0086] In one embodiment, the demolding system 200 further includes an identification device 205 and a database 208. The identification device 205 is used to identify dental model information, which is associated with the corresponding digital tooth model in the database. The database 208 stores digital tooth models for each stage of the orthodontic process. The identification device 205 can be configured according to the type of identification code. For example, if the identification code is an RFID tag, the identification device 205 can be an RFID reader; if it is a QR code, barcode, etc., it can be a camera. The identification device 205 identifies the dental model and sends the identified information to the control device 205. After receiving the identified dental model information, the control device 205 performs a deviation analysis between the digital model of the dental model and the standard digital model. If the deviation value is greater than the deformation threshold, the location is the drilling location, and the drilling location and corresponding drilling depth are sent to the drilling device 201 to perform drilling.

[0087] In one embodiment, the demolding system 200 further includes a fixing device 206 for securing the dental mold assembly, ensuring that the dental mold assembly 100 is fixed in the appropriate position during drilling, injection, and sealing processes. In one embodiment, the diaphragm portion of the dental mold assembly, excluding the orthodontic appliance, can be directly fixed to secure the dental mold assembly. The fixing device 206 may have an adjustment element and can simultaneously identify the position information of the dental mold assembly using a recognition device, then send it to the control device 205, and then adjust the dental mold assembly 100 to the accurate position through a preset computer program.

[0088] Furthermore, it should be noted that in the above description of the demolding system 200, the control device 205 can also control the corresponding device to implement other method steps mentioned in the demolding method.

[0089] The orthodontic appliance demolding system 200 provided by the present invention can automatically demold the orthodontic appliance according to the provided demolding method, thereby improving demolding efficiency.

[0090] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0091] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for removing an orthodontic appliance from a dental model, wherein the appliance and the dental model constitute a dental model assembly, characterized in that, include: Medium placement holes are drilled along a first direction from the first plane of the dental model at several predetermined drilling locations, and the medium placement holes just penetrate the dental model. The medium placement hole is filled with a centrifugal medium, which is water, fine sand or metal balls. The centrifugal medium is able to move in the medium placement hole in a first direction at least when centrifugal motion occurs, and can pass through the medium placement hole. By sealing the medium placement hole, the centrifugal medium can be retained in the medium placement hole; The dental model assembly is centrifuged. Under the action of centrifugal force, the centrifugal medium acts flexibly on the appliance through the medium placement hole in the first direction, causing the appliance to detach from the dental model.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The predetermined drilling locations are at least located where the tooth deformation exceeds a deformation threshold.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes pre-determining several drilling locations, wherein determining the several drilling locations includes: Identify dental model information, which is associated with a corresponding digital model in the database; Based on the deviation analysis between the digital model of the dental model and the standard digital model, if the deviation value is greater than the deformation threshold, then the location is the drilling location.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drilling location is also located at the molar position, and the number of drilling holes at the molar position is determined according to the number of teeth.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes determining the drilling depth based on the digital model corresponding to the dental model.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, When performing centrifugation, the centrifugation speed should be greater than 4000 RPM.

7. A dental appliance removal system for detaching a dental appliance from a dental model, wherein the dental appliance and the dental model constitute a dental model assembly, characterized in that, include: A drilling device is used to drill medium placement holes along a first direction from a first plane of a dental model at a predetermined number of drilling positions, wherein the medium placement holes pass through the dental model exactly. An injection device for filling the medium placement hole with a centrifugal medium, which is water, fine sand, or metal balls, wherein the centrifugal medium is capable of moving in a first direction within the medium placement hole at least during centrifugal motion and is capable of passing through the medium placement hole; A sealing device is used to seal the medium placement hole, so that the centrifugal medium can be retained in the medium placement hole; Centrifuge device is used to centrifuge the dental model assembly. Under the action of centrifugal force, the centrifugal medium acts flexibly on the orthodontic appliance through the medium placement hole in the first direction, causing the orthodontic appliance to detach from the dental model. A control device is connected to the drilling device, injection device, sealing device, and centrifugation device, and is used to control each device to perform corresponding operations.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: A recognition device for recognizing dental model information, which is associated with a corresponding digital tooth model in a database; A database containing digital models of teeth at each stage of the orthodontic process.

9. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The control device retrieves the corresponding digital tooth model from the database based on the dental model information; it performs a deviation analysis between the digital model of the dental model and the standard digital model, and if the deviation value is greater than the deformation threshold, it determines that the position is the drilling position.

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