Rear bite interference element

Abstract

This disclosure discusses techniques for making bite interfering elements within a polymeric dental appliance. The techniques disclose at least one polymeric housing including a plurality of cavities shaped to fit on a patient's teeth. The polymeric housing includes an occlusal appliance surface shaped to fit on an occlusal tooth surface of the patient. One or more occlusal interfering elements are formed within the occlusal appliance surface, and each occlusal interfering element includes a partial disc-shaped feature that extends radially away from the occlusal tooth surface when worn by the patient.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 456,085, filed on March 31, 2023, and entitled “Posterior Bite Interference Elements,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present technology relates to dental appliance manufacturing technology. More specifically, the technology relates to a technology for forming bite-interference elements on polymer dental appliances. Background Art

[0004] Orthodontic braces are appliances designed to make a series of discrete tooth position corrections, intended to properly align the teeth. Braces have many advantages over traditional brackets / wire brackets used for orthodontic treatment. For example, braces are typically clear or translucent, more comfortable than wire brackets, and removable for cleaning and eating. The manufacture of braces traditionally begins with generating a digital model of the patient's teeth by scanning the patient's teeth or by making a dental impression of the patient's teeth and then scanning the impression. Once a digital model of the patient's teeth is obtained, a physical tooth model can be made (e.g., using 3D printing technology) to provide a positive model of the teeth.

[0005] When a patient's teeth are scanned using an intraoral scanning device (IOS device), a three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) representation can be imported through custom software. The custom software allows an operator (such as a dental technician or dentist) to move individual teeth in specific and discrete movements and in multiple stages according to the treatment plan to achieve the final dental arch of aligned teeth.

[0006] For each stage of the patient's treatment plan, a 3D printed model of the dental arch is made, and a polymer sheet can be thermoformed on top of the 3D printed arch model to form the clear aligners.

[0007] The thermoformed part is then marked with a part identification. The marked and thermoformed part is then cut by one of several methods so that the aligner to be shipped to the customer can be separated from the excess aligner material.

[0008] The aligners are then polished to remove burrs and sharp edges, inspected, and packaged for shipment to the patient's orthodontist or directly to the patient. Summary of the invention

[0009] The present technology relates to techniques for forming bite interference elements on orthodontic appliances such as transparent or translucent aligners, dental splints, retainers, etc. In some embodiments, these orthodontic appliances can be made of polymer materials and can be manufactured using thermoforming or direct manufacturing (3D printing or other additive manufacturing) processes. Some advantages of the present disclosure include the ability to integrally form bite interference elements or bite blocks on the occlusal surface of an orthodontic appliance to prevent the patient's bite from fully closing.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a dental appliance is disclosed, which includes a polymer shell having a plurality of cavities, which are shaped to fit on the patient's teeth. The polymer shell includes a bite appliance surface shaped to fit on the occlusal tooth surface. The appliance also includes an occlusal interference element formed in the occlusal appliance surface, wherein each occlusal interference element includes a partial disc-shaped feature structure extending radially away from the occlusal tooth surface when worn by the patient. In some embodiments, the occlusal interference element provides displacement between the upper and lower teeth when worn by the patient. In some embodiments, the occlusal interference element includes three partial disc-shaped feature structures positioned in the occlusal appliance surface corresponding to a single molar or premolar. In some embodiments, each occlusal interference element is spaced between about 1.0 mm and 3.0 mm. In some embodiments, each occlusal interference element has a vertex located in a single plane. In some embodiments, the partial disc-shaped feature structure of each occlusal interference element has a diameter between about 3.5 mm and 4.5 mm. In some embodiments, the disk-shaped feature of each bite interference element has a width between about 0.3 mm and 0.7 mm.In some embodiments, the bite interference element comprises a plurality of bite interference elements formed in bite appliance surfaces of adjacent teeth.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for forming a dental appliance is disclosed. The method includes positioning a virtual occlusal interference element on the occlusal surface of one or more teeth within a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model of a patient's dentition. Each virtual occlusal interference element includes a disc-shaped feature structure that partially extends radially away from the occlusal surface. The method also includes making a physical model of the patient's dentition based on the virtual 3D model. The physical model includes one or more model occlusal interference elements corresponding to the one or more virtual occlusal interference elements. The method also includes thermoforming a thermoplastic material on the physical model of the patient's dentition to form a dental appliance having one or more occlusal interference elements corresponding to the model occlusal interference elements. In some embodiments, making the physical model of the patient's dentition includes 3D printing the physical model of the patient's dentition. In some embodiments, the occlusal interference element provides displacement between upper and lower teeth when worn by the patient. In some embodiments, the occlusal interference element includes three partial disc-shaped feature structures positioned in the surface of the occlusal appliance corresponding to a single molar or premolar. In some embodiments, each virtual occlusal interference element is spaced between about 1.0 mm and 3.0 mm. In some embodiments, each virtual occlusal interference element has a vertex located in a single plane. In some embodiments, each virtual occlusal interference element has a diameter between about 3.5 mm and 4.5 mm. In some embodiments, each virtual occlusal interference element has a width between about 0.3 mm and 0.7 mm. In some embodiments, positioning the virtual occlusal interference elements includes positioning a plurality of virtual occlusal interference elements in the occlusal surfaces of a plurality of adjacent teeth within the virtual 3D model. In some embodiments, positioning the virtual occlusal interference elements includes positioning a first group of virtual occlusal interference elements in the occlusal surface of a second molar and positioning a second group of virtual occlusal interference elements in the occlusal surface of a first molar or a premolar, wherein the second group of virtual occlusal interference elements extends beyond the occlusal surface of the first molar or premolar to a greater extent than the second group of virtual occlusal interference elements extend beyond the occlusal surface of the second molar.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system is disclosed, which includes a dental appliance manufacturing system for making dental appliances. The system also includes a computing system that communicates with the dental appliance manufacturing system. The computing system receives three-dimensional (3D) scanning data representing a patient's dentition, and generates a virtual 3D model of the patient's dentition. The computing system also positions virtual occlusal interference elements on the occlusal surfaces of teeth within the virtual 3D model of the patient's dentition. Each virtual occlusal interference element includes a disc-shaped feature structure that partially extends radially away from the occlusal surface. The system also provides instructions to the dental appliance manufacturing system to make a dental appliance including a model occlusal interference element corresponding to the virtual occlusal interference element. In some embodiments, the dental appliance manufacturing system includes a three-dimensional (3D) printing system to make a physical tooth model of the virtual 3D tooth model, and a thermoforming system to thermoform thermoplastics on the physical tooth model to form a dental appliance having an occlusal interference element corresponding to the model occlusal interference element. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The present technology will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014] Figure 1 An example digital model of a set of occlusal interference elements extended from a digital model of a patient's dentition is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 2 An example digital model of a set of occlusal interference elements positioned on posterior teeth according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0016] Figure 3 Shown are example dimensions for a set of bite-interference elements according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 4 An example of a thermoformed dental appliance including a set of integrated posterior occlusal interference elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0018] Figure 5 An example of a thermoformed dental appliance including multiple sets of bite-interfering elements on various teeth is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 6 An example user interface of treatment planning software for determining the size and position of occlusal interference elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0020] Fig. 7A An example digital model of a patient's dentition including multiple sets of occlusal interference elements is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 7BAnother example digital model of a set of bite-interference elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 7C An example digital model of a tooth with a set of three occlusal interference elements is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 8 , Fig. 9 , Fig.10 , Fig.11 , Fig.12 , Fig.13 , Fig.14 , Fig.15 , Fig.16 , Fig.17 , Fig.18 and Fig.19 Each shows an exemplary digital model of various bite-interference element geometries according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Fig. 20 An example thermoformed dental appliance having a bite-interference element subjected to stress testing is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Fig.21 Graph showing deformation of different bite-interference element geometries at different force levels according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] Fig. 22 A flow chart of a method for making an integrated posterior occlusal interference element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is depicted.

[0027] Fig.23 A schematic block diagram of a computer system suitable for implementing a computing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a dental appliance that includes an occlusal interference element or bite block incorporated as an integral part of the appliance. In some cases, a specific malocclusion (e.g., anterior malocclusion, posterior malocclusion, and open bite malocclusion) may require modification of the occlusal structure or features on the appliance at certain steps during the treatment plan. In some treatment plans, a bite pad or bite block is attached to the patient's teeth in order to maintain a specific distance between the upper and lower dental arches and sometimes prevent the patient from fully closing their teeth. However, a bite pad attached to the patient's teeth requires an attachment and removal process and results in the object being temporarily fixed to the patient's teeth. In addition, it is challenging to design an appliance that properly fits on such a bite pad fixed to the patient's teeth. In order to overcome these challenges, the present technology provides a dental appliance with an integrated occlusal interference element.

[0029] In one embodiment, the integrated bite interference element disclosed herein is located on the posterior teeth and corrects the patient's bite when worn. In this way, the dental appliance can correct the patient's teeth according to the stage of the patient's specific treatment plan, while also preventing the patient from completely closing their teeth in certain positions. The bite interference element disclosed herein includes a specific geometric structure that is thermoformed on the occlusal surface of one or both appliances, which can provide a set jaw spacing while also maintaining structural integrity and resisting deformation in response to the user's bite force.

[0030] The dental appliances disclosed herein can be made of a polymeric material, such as a thin thermoformable material. In some cases, the dental appliance is thermoformed around a dental model of a patient's teeth. The thickness of the polymeric material is not particularly limited, but should be of sufficient thickness to be thermoformed around the dental model. Preferably, the polymeric material has a thickness of less than 5 mm. More preferably, the polymeric material may be about 0.05 mm to about 5 mm thick.

[0031] Examples of thermoforming materials include, but are not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and other biocompatible polymers having suitable elasticity and plasticity for thermoforming.

[0032] The polymer material may include, for example, multilayer polymer materials such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,549,511, U.S. Pat. No. 10,870,263, U.S. Pat. No. 10,987,907, U.S. Pat. No. 11,325,358, U.S. Pat. No. 10,946,630, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022 / 0118747, PCT Application No. PCT / US2020 / 065928, PCT Application No. PCT / US2022 / 025306, and Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 354,998; all of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0033] A set of appliances may include two shells that can be worn over a patient's teeth. Due to the mechanical properties of the polymer material used to make the shells, material forces can be applied to one or more teeth, and these forces can be designed to gradually move the patient's teeth from an initial position to a desired position according to a treatment plan. Each set of appliances may correspond to a step within the treatment plan, which may correspond to a specific amount of time that the patient intends to wear that particular set of appliances. Each set of appliances may be slightly different from the previous set in order to gradually move the teeth along the intended treatment plan path. The appliances may be described as having multiple cavities, where each cavity corresponds to a specific tooth within the patient's dental arch.

[0034] In some embodiments, within one or more steps of a treatment plan, or in other types of dental appliances (such as retainers), it may be desirable to prevent a patient's teeth from fully closing. According to the technology disclosed herein, this can be achieved by including an occlusal interference element or bite block on the lower and / or upper dental appliance. In some embodiments, a posterior occlusal interference element describes an occlusal interference element positioned on a molar or posterior tooth. In some cases, such posterior occlusal interference elements can also be used to increase molar intrusion performance.

[0035] Figure 1 An example digital model of a set of bite interference elements 101 extending radially from a digital model of a patient's dentition 103 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In this embodiment, the digital model of the bite interference elements includes three disc-shaped or coin-shaped protrusions extending radially from the occlusal surface of one of the molars. Figure 1 In the digital model shown, only the arched portion of the bite interference element extending radially from the occlusal surface is visible. In some embodiments, the size and position of the bite interference element can be configured to fit substantially in the central portion of the occlusal surface of each tooth, while in other cases, the size and position of the bite interference element can be adjusted to optimally interact with the opposing tooth or with the bite interference element located on the opposing orthotic device or appliance. The number of bite interference elements and the size of the bite interference elements can also be customized for each specific application or situation, or to accommodate different tooth sizes. Once the size, size, number and positioning of the bite interference elements are determined, a physical model of the patient's dentition can be manufactured (e.g., using a 3D printing process), as well as the model bite interference elements protruding from the occlusal surface portion of the model, and the model can be used to thermoform a dental appliance including an integrated bite interference element. As used herein, the term "virtual bite interference element" is used to describe bite interference elements within a digital software model, the term "model bite interference element" is used to describe bite interference elements within a physical model of a patient's dentition used as a thermoforming model, and the term "bite interference element" is used to describe bite interference elements within a dental appliance (made using thermoforming technology, additive manufacturing technology, or any other suitable manufacturing method).

[0036] Figure 2 An example digital model of a set of virtual bite interference elements 201 positioned on posterior teeth within a digital model of a patient's dentition 203 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In this embodiment, the digital model of the virtual bite interference elements shows a set of three disc-shaped virtual bite interference elements embedded within the patient's dentition model. Figure 2In the digital model shown, the entire disk of the virtual occlusal interference element is visible, wherein a portion of the virtual occlusal interference element extends radially above the occlusal surface of the tooth model. Depending on the diameter of the disk and the depth of the center of the disk relative to the occlusal surface of the tooth, more or less of the virtual occlusal interference element will extend beyond the occlusal surface.

[0037] Figure 3 A set of example dimensions of virtual bite interference elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown. In this particular embodiment, each disk has a diameter of about 4.00 mm, a thickness of about 0.5 mm, and each disk is spaced about 2.5 mm from the next disk. Thus, for three disk-shaped virtual bite interference elements, the distance between the outer virtual bite interference elements is about 5.5 mm. In various embodiments, each of the virtual bite interference elements may be spaced about 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, or 3.0 mm apart. In various embodiments, each virtual bite interference element may have a diameter between about 3.5 mm and 4.5 mm and a width between about 0.3 mm and 0.7 mm.

[0038] Figure 4 An example of a thermoformed dental appliance 403 including a set of integrated rear bite interference elements 401 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In this example, the polymer dental appliance 403 is shown after it has been thermoformed on a physical dental model and then removed from the dental model. As described above, the dental model can be 3D printed based on a digital model of the patient's dentition, which digital model can also include physical representations of the bite interference elements 401 (referred to as "model bite interference elements"). Therefore, once the polymer material is thermoformed on the physical dental model, the bite interference elements 401 are formed within the polymer shell that will constitute the dental appliance. Figure 4 In the example shown, one of the molars of the dental appliance includes three disc-shaped bite-interference elements.

[0039] Figure 5 An example of a thermoformed dental appliance 503 including multiple sets of bite interference elements 501 on various teeth is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, a polymer dental appliance 503 is shown after it has been thermoformed on a physical tooth model of the upper teeth and then removed from the tooth model. The virtual tooth model in this example embodiment includes multiple sets of virtual bite interference elements positioned on eight different teeth, wherein three virtual bite interference elements are located on the occlusal surface of each tooth. A set of dental appliances may include two appliances or aligners, wherein one appliance is for the upper teeth (maxillary teeth) and the other appliance is for the lower teeth (mandibular teeth). Thus, a set of appliances may have additional bite interference elements on the appliances corresponding to the lower arch or mandibular arch as well as the maxillary arch.

[0040] exist Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the bite interference elements 501 each include a set of three interference elements shaped as discs that protrude from the occlusal surface of the dental appliance 503. In some cases, the bite interference elements may be included only on the first molars and / or the second molars, rather than on so many posterior teeth. Instructions may be provided in the treatment planning software to instruct the technician to avoid applying markings (such as laser markings or printed markings) on the bite interference elements whenever possible.

[0041] In order to determine the appropriate occlusal ramp geometry, an analysis of standard tooth sizes was performed to determine the largest and smallest teeth to which the occlusal interference element could be applied. A random sample of 40 patient dentitions from archive was selected and the molar and premolar widths and depths were measured. The results of this analysis are provided in Table 1 below.

[0042]

[0043]

[0044] Table 1

[0045] As can be seen in Table 1, the smallest premolar measures 6.25 mm (buccal / lingual) x 6.75 mm (mesial / distal), while the largest molar measures 13 mm (buccal / lingual) x 13 mm (mesial / distal). According to one embodiment, the geometry of the bite interference element should accommodate all premolar and molar sizes.

[0046] Figure 6 An example user interface of treatment planning software for determining the size and position of virtual occlusal interference elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In this embodiment, a digital model of the patient's dentition is presented on the left along with a set of parameters that can be used to determine the desired position of the jaws relative to each other in multiple axes. Figure 6 As shown, the Y axis can be adjusted to set the distance between the upper and lower dental arches to 1.5 mm. These parameters can be used to determine the maximum cusp interdigitation of the dental arches and, thereby, the size and positioning of the occlusal interference elements required to achieve the desired jaw position. Once the desired occlusal spacing has been determined, one or more virtual occlusal interference elements can be placed within the virtual 3D model as follows Fig. 7AAs described below, this or similar software user interfaces can be used in conjunction with computing devices and other treatment planning software to virtually design the geometry, position, depth, angle, or any other parameter of an occlusal interference element prior to fabrication. In some embodiments, this can be accomplished by adjusting the vertical and / or lateral spacing between the upper and lower dental arches, the angle of one dental arch relative to the other dental arch, and the like. These adjustments can be made, for example, using a touch screen or other input methods used by a treatment planning technician. In some embodiments, a 3D model of the patient's dentition can then be manufactured and used as a thermoforming model. In other embodiments, the design of virtual occlusal interference elements can be used to virtually design dental appliances that can be made in other ways, such as by direct 3D printing.

[0047] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a virtual occlusal interference element may be placed in a virtual dental model without adjusting the position and orientation of the upper dentition relative to the lower dentition. In such an embodiment, the virtual occlusal interference element may include an indicator mark, such as FIG. 7B to FIG. 7C as described, and can be positioned within the virtual dental model (upper or lower dentition) based on these indicator marks.

[0048] Fig. 7A An example digital model of a patient's dentition including multiple sets of virtual occlusal interference elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In this example embodiment, a set of three disc-shaped virtual occlusal interference elements are positioned on the lower dentition on the first molar and the second molar. Therefore, a total of twelve virtual occlusal interference elements are used in this example. In other examples, the virtual occlusal interference elements may be positioned on more or fewer teeth in the lower dentition (i.e., mandibular molars), or on the upper dentition (i.e., maxillary molars). If the virtual occlusal interference elements are positioned on both the upper and lower dentition, they may need to extend a smaller distance across the occlusal surface in order to achieve the desired occlusal spacing.

[0049] Figure 7BAnother example digital model of a set of virtual occlusal interference elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In this example embodiment, the digital model of a disk-shaped virtual occlusal interference element includes a plurality of indicator marks 701, 703 located at different distances from its periphery. These indicator marks within the digital model of the virtual occlusal interference element can be used to appropriately place the virtual occlusal interference element relative to the occlusal surface of the tooth. For example, in one embodiment, the virtual occlusal interference element includes a first indicator mark 701 located 1.5 mm from the top surface of the virtual occlusal interference element (the upper edge of the disk along its periphery), and a second indicator mark 703 located 2.0 mm from the top surface of the virtual occlusal interference element. If it is determined that the virtual occlusal interference element corresponding to a certain tooth should extend 1.5 mm from the occlusal surface of the tooth, these elements can be placed at the appropriate depth within the digital model of the tooth until the first indicator mark 701 is at the deepest feature structure of the tooth. Similarly, if it is determined that the virtual occlusal interference elements corresponding to a particular tooth should extend 2.0 mm from the occlusal surface of the tooth, these elements can be placed at the appropriate depth within the digital model of the tooth until the second indicator mark 703 is at the deepest feature of the tooth. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that digital or virtual occlusal interference elements can be implemented with different indicator marks at different locations, and such indicator marks can be used with different occlusal interference element geometries. The straight indicator line shown is for exemplary and illustrative purposes only, and other marks or designs on the virtual occlusal interference elements can be used instead of straight lines to achieve the same purpose. For example, dotted lines, dot marks, curved lines, or other suitable marks can be used to mark the appropriate depth and location on the virtual occlusal interference elements, and the claims are not limited to any particular indicator mark geometry or shape.

[0050] Figure 7C An example digital model of a tooth with a set of three virtual occlusal interference elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In this particular embodiment, the occlusal spacing of the teeth shown requires that the virtual occlusal interference elements should extend 2.0 mm from the deepest occlusal surface of the teeth. Figure 7B , including indicator marks at 1.5 mm and 2.0 mm, are placed at appropriate depths within the tooth until a second indicator mark at 2.0 mm is at the deepest feature of the tooth. In this embodiment, since the peak of each of the virtual occlusal interference elements lies in a single plane and each tooth includes a pit and a ridge, each of the virtual occlusal interference elements can extend beyond the occlusal surface of the tooth to a different height.

[0051] In some embodiments, because the upper and lower dentitions move relative to each other based on the rotation of the mandible from the temporomandibular joint, more posterior molars may require less protruding occlusal interference elements than first molars and premolars. Therefore, in order to maintain the same occlusal spacing between the upper and lower dentitions, the height of the virtual occlusal interference element on the second molar may be less than the height of the virtual occlusal interference element on the first molars and premolars. For example, the virtual occlusal interference element on the second molar may be set to a height of 1.5 mm, while the virtual occlusal interference element on the first molar and premolar may be set to 2.0 mm. In various embodiments, virtual occlusal interference elements may be placed at one or more teeth, and when virtual occlusal interference elements are placed on several molars and / or premolars, the height of these elements may depend on the desired occlusal spacing and the position of the teeth in the mouth (e.g., whether the tooth is a first molar, a second molar, or a premolar).

[0052] Figures 8 to 19 Example digital models of various virtual bite-interference element geometries are shown according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 8 An embodiment with two disk-shaped or coin-shaped virtual occlusal interference elements positioned on the second molars of the lower dentition is shown. This example geometry can accommodate all tooth sizes and also minimizes the footprint of the occlusal interference elements.

[0053] Fig. 9 An embodiment is shown in which seven bubbles or spheres are arranged in a grid configuration on the second molar of the lower dentition to form a virtual occlusal interference element. To fit within the premolar, the size of this example geometry may need to be reduced. In some embodiments, each of the bubbles may be arranged flush with a single reference point so that the bubble does not follow the natural socket / cusp of the tooth.

[0054] Fig.10 An embodiment is shown in which two bubbles are arranged on the second molars of the lower dentition to form a virtual occlusal interference element. This example geometry can also accommodate all tooth sizes and also minimizes the footprint of the occlusal interference element.

[0055] Fig.11 An embodiment is shown in which four bubbles are arranged in a grid on the second molars of the lower dentition to form a virtual occlusal interference element. This geometry is designed to accommodate all tooth sizes. In some embodiments, each of the bubbles can be arranged flush with a single reference point so that the bubble does not follow the natural socket / cusp of the tooth.

[0056] Fig.12An embodiment is shown in which a hash mark virtual occlusal interference element is formed on the first and second molars of the lower dentition. This geometry is designed based on positive test results from a disc design and can be adjusted to fit any tooth size.

[0057] Figures 13 to 15 Various geometries are shown that are intended to mimic the shape of a composite bite block bonded to a patient's teeth with a conventional fixed appliance. These designs contain various ridges intended to increase structural strength, and their geometry can be adjusted to fit premolars or molars. Fig.13 An elliptical design with three waves or ridges is shown, Fig.14 A split oval design is shown, and Fig.15 An elliptical design with five waves or ridges is shown.

[0058] Fig.16 An embodiment is shown in which a plurality of bubbles are positioned in a grid structure on the second molar of the lower dentition to form a virtual occlusal interference element. In this embodiment, the deformation is found to be significantly greater than several other geometries. Therefore, this design is not particularly preferred compared to other geometries (including disc-shaped geometries).

[0059] Fig.17 An embodiment is shown in which a rectangular virtual occlusal interference element (i.e., a rod) is formed on the first and second molars of the lower dentition. This geometry can utilize or mimic the shape of a rectangular orthodontic adapter or attachment that is typically located on the buccal surface of the appliance.

[0060] Fig.18 An embodiment with four disk-shaped or coin-shaped virtual bite interference elements positioned on the first and second molars of the lower dentition is shown. In this embodiment, the apex or peak of each of the virtual bite interference elements lies in a single plane, which means that the virtual bite interference elements do not follow the cusps and sockets of a single tooth.

[0061] Fig.19 An embodiment with three disk-shaped or coin-shaped virtual bite interference elements positioned on the first and second molars of the lower dentition is shown. In this embodiment, the apex or peak of each of the virtual bite interference elements within a single tooth lies within a single plane, which means that the virtual bite interference elements do not follow the cusps and sockets of the single teeth.

[0062] Fig. 20 Example thermoformed dental appliances with bite-interference elements subjected to stress testing according to embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. For these stress tests, bite-interference elements of various geometries discussed above were placed on a standard model of a dental arch. Fig.21 Discussion The stress test parameters and results are further described.

[0063] Fig.21 A diagram showing the deformation of different occlusal interference element geometries at different force levels according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For this bench test, various geometries were tested with an extrusion amount of 2 mm, which means that each occlusal ramp feature is designed to extend 2 mm beyond the occlusal surface of the tooth from the deepest part of the molar. Using ClearQuartz material from BayMaterials, LLC, the test device was thermoformed using a Biostar compression molding machine under standard settings. Prior to testing, the dental device was aged in water at 37°C for 24 hours to simulate the conditions in the patient's mouth. The test probe was equipped with a molar cap and applied pressure to the occlusal interference element. All appliances were tested under increasing force-controlled cyclic loads (20N, 40N, 60N, ..., 380N, 400N). For each force level, the force was maintained for a period of 0-10 seconds. The displacement values ​​at each force level were evaluated. Based on this evaluation, designs with smaller displacements are considered to be more robust.

[0064] The deformation values ​​for various geometries are plotted in Fig.21 , where the total deformation without bite interference elements is shown at the bottom to be between 0.0 mm and 0.6 mm of deformation. Of the appliances tested with bite interference elements, the smallest deformation at each force level was found to be in the appliance with three coin-shaped bite interference elements per tooth, as shown above in Figure 1 to Figure 2 discussed and shown in .

[0065] Fig. 22 A flow chart of a method for making an integrated posterior occlusal interference element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is depicted. Although specific functional blocks are disclosed, such blocks are examples, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that additional or fewer steps may be implemented in various embodiments, and unless otherwise specified, the order of the functional blocks may also be adjusted within the scope of the present invention. Thus, the blocks may be executed in a different order than presented, and not all blocks must be executed.

[0066] At block 2201, the occlusion or maximum intercuspation is set. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the treatment planning technician can use the user interface and treatment planning software to adjust the orientation and spacing of the upper and lower dental arches relative to each other, such as, for example, the upper Figure 6 Described in.

[0067] At box 2203, the upper and / or lower dentition in the 3D model of the patient's dentition is raised / lowered to achieve the desired bite spacing. In some embodiments, this can also be done using the user interface and treatment planning software discussed herein.

[0068] At box 2205, a virtual occlusal interference element is added to the lower and / or upper dentition within the 3D model. As discussed above, a variety of different geometries, shapes, sizes, orientations, etc. can be used for the virtual occlusal interference elements, depending on the individual circumstances and sizes of the patient's teeth. The positioning of the virtual occlusal interference elements relative to the occlusal surface of the 3D model can also take into account the thickness of the specific thermoplastic used in order to achieve the desired occlusal spacing. For example, when a thinner thermoplastic is used to make the dental appliance, the virtual occlusal interference element may extend further beyond the occlusal surface within the 3D model in order to achieve a specific spacing between the occlusal surfaces of the opposing molars in the patient's upper and lower dentition compared to a treatment plan using a thicker thermoplastic.

[0069] In some embodiments, blocks 2201 and 2203 are optional, and it is not necessary to make an integrated posterior occlusal interference element. In an embodiment where blocks 2201 and 2203 are not performed, the method may begin by adding a virtual occlusal interference element to the lower and / or upper dentition within the 3D model at block 2205. In one such embodiment, the virtual occlusal interference element may include indicator marks, as discussed above, and these indicator marks may be used to achieve proper placement of the occlusal interference element relative to the occlusal surfaces of the teeth. In some embodiments, the distance that the virtual occlusal interference element extends beyond the occlusal surfaces of the teeth may vary depending on the teeth in order to achieve a desired occlusal spacing. For example, a virtual occlusal interference element associated with a second molar may extend less beyond the occlusal surface of the second molar than a virtual occlusal interference element associated with a first molar or premolar.

[0070] At block 2207, a 3D model of the patient's dentition is made, including the model occlusal interference elements. The model can then be used to thermoform the appliance material to make the housing of the dental appliance at block 2209. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that additional processing steps including cutting, marking, packaging, etc. will be performed after block 2209 to make the final dental appliance suitable for delivery to the patient.

[0071] refer to Fig.23 , shows a schematic structural diagram of a computer system 2300 suitable for implementing a computing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The computing system described below can be designed to implement the method disclosed herein.

[0072] like Fig.23As shown, the computer system 2300 may include a central processing unit (CPU) 2301, which may perform various actions and processes in response to the execution of programs stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 2302 or loaded from a storage portion 2308 into a random access memory (RAM) 2303. RAM 2303 may also store various programs and data required for the operation of the system 2300. In some embodiments, CPU 2301, ROM 2302, and RAM 2303 may be connected to each other via a bus 2304. An input / output (I / O) interface 2305 (e.g., a touch screen, a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone with voice recognition capabilities, etc.) may also be connected to the bus 2304. Bus 2304 may include one or more buses connected to each other through various bridges, controllers, and / or adapters known in the art. CPU 2301 may communicate with a dental appliance manufacturing system 2314, which may include, in some embodiments, a 3D printer 2313, a thermoforming system 2315, or any other necessary components required for downstream manufacturing and processing of dental appliances discussed herein. In other embodiments, the appliance fabrication system 2314 may include a direct 3D printing system that can directly fabricate a dental appliance having a bite-interference element disclosed herein.

[0073] In some embodiments, an input portion 2306 (e.g., a keyboard, a touch screen, a mouse, etc.), an output portion 2307 (e.g., a speaker, a screen, etc.), a storage portion 2308 (e.g., a hard disk, a flash drive, etc.), and a communication portion 2309 (e.g., a network interface card, etc.) are all connected to the I / O interface 2305. The communication portion 2309 can perform communication processing via a network such as the Internet. A drive 2310 can also be connected to the I / O interface 2305 as needed. Removable media 2311, such as a disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a flash drive, etc., can be placed on the drive 2310 so that a computer program can be retrieved from the removable media 2311 and installed on the storage portion 2308 as needed.

[0074] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the above reference Fig. 22 The described processes may be implemented in a computer software program. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure include a computer program product that includes a computer program tangibly embedded in a machine-readable medium. The computer program includes a computer program for executing Fig. 22 In such an embodiment, the computer program may be downloaded and installed from a network via the communication portion 2309 and / or may be installed from a removable medium 2311.

[0075] It should be appreciated that the present invention may utilize non-volatile memory that is remote from the system, such as a network storage device coupled to the data processing system through a network interface, such as a modem, Ethernet interface, or wireless network.

[0076] The part described above can be realized by a processing core such as a dedicated logic circuit or a microcontroller or other forms of executing program code instructions. Therefore, the process taught by the above discussion can be executed by program code, such as a machine executable instruction that makes the machine that executes these instructions perform certain functions. In this context, a "machine" can be a machine that converts an intermediate form (or "abstract") instruction into a processor-specific instruction (for example, an abstract execution environment such as a "virtual machine" (for example, a Java virtual machine), an interpreter, a common language runtime, a high-level language virtual machine, etc.), and / or an electronic circuit (for example, a "logic circuit" implemented with a transistor) designed to execute instructions arranged on a semiconductor chip, such as a general-purpose processor and / or a special-purpose processor. The process taught by the above discussion can also be performed by an electronic circuit (as a substitute for a machine or in combination with a machine), which is designed to perform these processes (or a part thereof) without executing program code.

[0077] The present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the operations described herein. The apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium such as, but not limited to, any type of disk, including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs and magneto-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus.

[0078] A machine-readable medium includes any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, machine-readable media include read-only memory ("ROM"); random access memory ("RAM"); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory devices; and the like.

[0079] Articles of manufacture may be used to store program code. Articles of manufacture storing program code may be embodied in, but not limited to, one or more memories (e.g., one or more flash memories, random access memories (static, dynamic, or other)), optical disks, CD-ROMs, DVD ROMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or other types of machine-readable media suitable for storing electronic instructions. Program code may also be downloaded from a remote computer (e.g., a server) to a requesting computer (e.g., a client) by way of a data signal embodied in a propagation medium (e.g., via a communication link (e.g., a network connection)).

[0080] The above is only a description of the preferred embodiments of the present application and the technical principles applied. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the invention of the present application is not limited to the technical solution formed by the specific combination of the above technical features. The scope of the present invention should also cover other technical solutions formed by any combination of the above technical features or their equivalent features without departing from the concept of the present invention, for example, a technical solution formed by replacing the features disclosed in the present application with (but not limited to) technical features having similar functions.

Claims

1. A dental appliance, comprising: at least one polymeric shell having a plurality of cavities shaped to fit over the patient's teeth, the polymeric shell including an occlusal appliance surface shaped to fit over occlusal tooth surfaces; and One or more bite interference elements, each bite interference element is formed in the bite appliance surface and includes a partially disc-shaped feature structure that extends radially away from the bite tooth surface when worn by the patient.

2. The dental appliance of claim 1, wherein the one or more bite-interference elements provide displacement between upper and lower teeth when worn by the patient.

3. The dental appliance of any one of claims 1-2, wherein the one or more bite-interference elements comprise three partial disk-shaped features positioned in the bite appliance surface corresponding to a single molar or premolar.

4. The dental appliance of claim 3, wherein each bite interference element positioned in the bite appliance surface corresponding to a single molar or premolar is spaced between about 1.0 mm and 3.0 mm apart.

5. The dental appliance of claim 3, wherein each occlusal interference element positioned in the occlusal appliance surface corresponding to a single molar or premolar has an apex lying in a single plane.

6. The dental appliance of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the partial disk-shaped feature of each of the one or more bite-interference elements has a diameter between about 3.5 mm and 4.5 mm.

7. The dental appliance of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the disk-shaped feature of each of the one or more bite-interference elements has a width between about 0.3 mm and 0.7 mm.

8. The dental appliance of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the one or more bite interference elements comprise a plurality of bite interference elements formed in bite appliance surfaces of a plurality of adjacent teeth.

9. A method of forming a dental appliance, the method comprising: positioning one or more virtual bite interference elements on an occlusal surface of one or more teeth within a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model of the patient's dentition, each virtual bite interference element comprising a disk-shaped feature extending partially radially away from the occlusal surface; making a physical model of the patient's dentition based on the virtual 3D model, the physical model comprising one or more model occlusal interference elements corresponding to the one or more virtual occlusal interference elements; as well as A thermoplastic material is thermoformed over the physical model of the patient's dentition to form a dental appliance having one or more bite interference elements corresponding to the model bite interference elements.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein making the physical model of the patient's dentition comprises 3D printing the physical model of the patient's dentition.

11. The method of any one of claims 9-10, wherein the one or more bite interference elements provide displacement between upper and lower teeth when worn by the patient.

12. The method of any one of claims 9-11, wherein the one or more bite interference elements comprise three partial disk-shaped features positioned in the surface of the bite appliance corresponding to a single molar or premolar.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each virtual bite interference element is spaced between about 1.0 mm and 3.0 mm apart.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein each virtual bite interference element has a vertex that lies in a single plane.

15. The method of any one of claims 9-14, wherein each virtual bite interference element has a diameter between about 3.5 mm and 4.5 mm.

16. The method of any one of claims 9-15, wherein each virtual bite interference element has a width between about 0.3 mm and 0.7 mm.

17. The method of any one of claims 9-16, wherein positioning the one or more virtual occlusal interference elements comprises positioning a plurality of virtual occlusal interference elements in occlusal surfaces of a plurality of adjacent teeth within the virtual 3D model.

18. The method of any one of claims 9-17, wherein positioning the one or more virtual occlusal interference elements comprises positioning a first group of virtual occlusal interference elements in the occlusal surface of a second molar and positioning a second group of virtual occlusal interference elements in the occlusal surface of a first molar or premolar, wherein the second group of virtual occlusal interference elements extends beyond the occlusal surface of the first molar or premolar to a greater extent than the second group of virtual occlusal interference elements extends beyond the occlusal surface of the second molar.

19. A system, comprising: a dental appliance making system configured to make a dental appliance; and a computing system in communication with the dental appliance fabrication system, the computing system being configured to: receiving three-dimensional (3D) scan data representing a patient's dentition; generating a virtual 3D model of the patient's dentition; positioning one or more virtual bite interference elements on an occlusal surface of one or more teeth within the virtual 3D model of the patient's dentition, each virtual bite interference element comprising a disk-shaped feature extending partially radially away from the occlusal surface; Instructions are provided to the dental appliance fabrication system to fabricate a dental appliance including one or more model bite interference elements corresponding to the one or more virtual bite interference elements.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the dental appliance fabrication system comprises: a three-dimensional (3D) printing system configured to make a physical tooth model of the virtual 3D tooth model; and A thermoforming system is configured to thermoform a thermoplastic material onto the physical tooth model to form a dental appliance having one or more bite interference elements corresponding to the one or more model bite interference elements.

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