Transfer apparatus for orthodontic appliances and associated manufacturing method

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a transfer device includes providing a physical physical model having a shape corresponding to a positive shape of a patient's dental arch and one or more stent assemblies each including a lifting mechanism body releasably connectable to an orthodontic appliance. A transfer device may be formed over the physical entity model, wherein a transfer denture represents a negative replica of at least a portion of the entity model. The transfer device may be used to place the appliance on a patient's dental arch, after which the appliance may be detached from the lifting mechanism body and bonded to the associated tooth.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Orthodontic appliances are used in orthodontic treatment to move one or more teeth from an initial position (sometimes referred to as misalignment or malocclusion) to a desired position in the patient's dentition. For example, the patient's teeth may be moved so that their labial sides are aligned with each other to achieve or maximize an aesthetically pleasing appearance of the overall dentition. In addition, in some cases, one or more teeth may be moved to correct a malocclusion. In conventional orthodontic braces, movement of the teeth is typically achieved by a pre-biased archwire, which is attached to the teeth via brackets and applies a force toward the desired position to the teeth over a longer period of time. The ends of the orthodontic archwires are typically connected to small appliances called buccal tubes, which in turn are fixed to the patient's molars. In many cases, a set of brackets, buccal tubes, and archwires are provided for each of the upper and lower dental arches.

[0002] Orthodontic treatment may also involve the use of an orthodontic tray, such as a clear or translucent polymer-based tooth positioning tray, commonly referred to as a clear tray aligner (CTA). For example, orthodontic treatment using a CTA may include forming a tray having a shell that engages one or more teeth. Each shell may be deformed from an initial position of the tooth (e.g., a malocclusion position). The deformed position of the corresponding shell of the CTA may apply a force to the corresponding tooth toward a desired position of the tooth, which is an intermediate position between the initial position and the final position resulting from the orthodontic treatment.

[0003] In some examples, small attachments may be bonded to teeth to improve force application or achieve desired tooth movement. In many types of orthodontic techniques, the precise position of the appliance (whether an attachment or a bracket) on the teeth is an important factor that helps ensure that the teeth move to their intended final position. The proper placement of the attachment ensures the proper engagement and interaction of the attachment with one or more CTAs. The design of the attachment can provide the desired physical leverage, which produces the desired force on the teeth to produce specific movement of the teeth during treatment. Attachments are typically made of different materials, shapes, and sizes, and can be bonded to the labial or lingual surfaces of the teeth to interact with the CTA and removable appliances in a variety of different ways. Attachments can be applied to the patient's teeth before being treated with an orthodontic appliance. Attachments can also be manufactured before being attached to the tooth surface. Attachments (e.g., molded composites, etc.) can also be roughly assembled in the orthodontist's office before being positioned on the patient's teeth or in conjunction with being positioned on the patient's teeth.

[0004] Generally speaking, bondable orthodontic appliances can be attached to teeth by direct bonding procedures or indirect bonding procedures. In the direct bonding procedure, the appliance is usually grasped by a pair of tweezers or other manual instruments, and is placed in the desired position on the tooth surface by the physician, using a certain amount of adhesive to fix the appliance to the tooth. In the indirect bonding procedure, the transfer tray is constructed with wall sections having a shape that matches the configuration of at least a portion of the patient's dental arch, and appliances such as orthodontic attachments are releasably connected to the tray at certain predetermined positions. After the adhesive is applied to the base of each appliance, the tray is placed on the patient's teeth and maintained in place until the adhesive hardens. The tray is then detached from the teeth and the appliance so that the appliance previously connected to the tray is bonded to the corresponding tooth at its intended predetermined position.

[0005] Indirect bonding techniques offer several advantages over direct bonding techniques. For example, multiple appliances may be bonded simultaneously to a patient's dental arch utilizing indirect bonding techniques, thereby avoiding the need to bond each appliance individually. Additionally or alternatively, a transfer tray may improve the accuracy of attachment placement. The increased placement accuracy of appliances typically provided by indirect bonding procedures helps ensure that the patient's teeth are moved to their proper intended positions at the conclusion of treatment. Attachments may be difficult to manipulate for placement in a transfer tray due to their smaller size and shape. Summary of the invention

[0006] Existing methods of bonding attachments to teeth typically rely on placing a preformed attachment in an indirect bonding tray or creating the attachment directly on the tooth surface. Both methods introduce various errors in the bonding process, appliance fidelity, and processing effectiveness. Due to their relatively small size, attachments are often difficult to handle when preformed, resulting in difficulty in placing in a tray or directly on the tooth. Failure to properly place can result in misleading forces and suboptimal engagement with the associated CTA. Attempts to create transfer devices and attachments result in difficult geometries for additive manufacturing and challenges of over-customization, which can slow down commercial operations. Forming an appliance on the surface of a tooth is fraught with its own challenges, typically centered on the difficulty of ensuring adequate bonding to the tooth surface and sufficient material strength in the formed attachment body. The inventors of the present case attempt to solve these and other problems by providing a preformed appliance that can be formed with a transfer device.

[0007] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a physical solid model for creating a transfer device. The solid model includes: a representation of at least a portion of a dental arch, the dental arch including a plurality of teeth, each tooth including an occlusal surface, a lingual surface, and a labial surface; wherein one or more teeth include an alignment pin protruding upward from the occlusal surface. A bracket assembly can be received on each alignment pin to help position the appliance on the tooth surface. The bracket may include: a lifting mechanism (crane), the lifting mechanism including a lifting mechanism body having a surface facing the tooth, the facing surface being configured not to contact the occlusal surface of the tooth when the transfer body is mounted on the dental arch; an orthodontic appliance, the appliance including a base for bonding the appliance to the tooth and a body including a periphery; one or more connecting arms, the one or more connecting arms being configured to connect the lifting mechanism to the appliance, wherein the connecting arm is breakable between the lifting mechanism and the appliance.

[0008] In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for creating a transfer tray for one or more orthodontic appliances. The method includes providing a physical solid model, the physical solid model including: a representation of at least a portion of a dental arch, the dental arch including a plurality of teeth, each tooth including an occlusal surface, a lingual surface, and a labial surface; wherein one or more teeth include an alignment pin protruding upward from the occlusal surface. For each tooth including an alignment pin, the method continues by mounting an appliance bracket on the alignment pin. The bracket includes: a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism including a lifting mechanism body having a surface facing the tooth, the facing surface being configured not to contact the occlusal surface of the tooth when the transfer body is mounted on the dental arch; an orthodontic appliance, the appliance including a base for bonding the appliance to the tooth and a body including a periphery; one or more connecting arms, the one or more connecting arms being configured to connect the lifting mechanism to the appliance, wherein the connecting arm is breakable between the lifting mechanism and the appliance. Once the bracket assembly is positioned, the method continues by forming a tray over the solid model and the bracket.

[0009] On the other hand, the present disclosure provides a system for indirect bonding of orthodontic appliances. The system includes: a transfer body, the transfer body defining a shell, the shell is configured to receive the outer surface of the teeth of the dental arch, and includes an inner surface that substantially conforms to the contour of at least one tooth of the dental arch, wherein the transfer body defines at least one recess in the shell; and an orthodontic appliance bracket, the orthodontic appliance bracket is arranged relative to the occlusal surface of the tooth. The bracket includes: a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism includes a lifting mechanism body having a surface facing the tooth, the facing surface is configured not to contact the occlusal surface of the tooth when the transfer body is mounted on the dental arch; an orthodontic appliance, the appliance including a base for bonding the appliance to the tooth and a body including a periphery; one or more connecting arms, the one or more connecting arms are configured to connect the lifting mechanism to the appliance, wherein the connecting arm is breakable between the lifting mechanism and the appliance.

[0010] In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a bracket for use in bonding an orthodontic appliance to a patient's teeth. The bracket includes: a lift mechanism including a lift mechanism body having a tooth-facing surface, the facing surface being configured not to contact an occlusal surface of the tooth when the lift mechanism is mounted on a dental arch; an orthodontic appliance including a base for bonding the appliance to the tooth and a body including a periphery; and one or more coupling arms configured to connect the lift mechanism to the appliance, wherein the coupling arms are breakable between the lift mechanism and the appliance.

[0011] For the purposes of this specification, the term "virtual" refers to a three-dimensional computer representation of an object, preferably based on a mathematical representation of a three-dimensional shape in the form of data and processable by a computer. Such virtual objects in the form of data including visualizations thereof (e.g., wireframes or digital renderings) are well known in the field of computer-aided design (CAD).

[0012] For the purposes of this specification, the term "a set" means "a plurality".

[0013] As used herein, "orthodontic appliances" include orthodontic brackets, orthodontic attachments, buccal tubes, orthodontic bands, buttons, and cleats, particularly orthodontic brackets and orthodontic attachments.

[0014] As used herein, "hardenable" describes a material or composition that can be cured (e.g., polymerized or crosslinked) or at least partially solidified, for example, by removing a solvent (e.g., by evaporation and / or heating); heating to induce polymerization and / or crosslinking; irradiation to induce polymerization and / or crosslinking; and / or by mixing one or more components to induce polymerization and / or crosslinking. As used herein, "hardened" means that a material or composition has been cured (e.g., polymerized or crosslinked) or solidified.

[0015] As used herein as a modifier of a property or attribute, unless otherwise specifically defined, the term "substantially" means that the property or attribute will be readily recognized by a person of ordinary skill but does not require absolute precision or a perfect match (e.g., within + / - 20% for quantifiable properties). Unless otherwise specifically defined, the terms "substantially" and "substantially" mean a high degree of approximation (e.g., within + / - 10% for quantifiable properties), but again do not require absolute precision or a perfect match. Terms such as identical, equal, consistent, constant, exact, etc. are understood to be within the usual tolerances or measurement errors applicable to the particular situation, without requiring absolute precision or a perfect match.

[0016] As used herein, "anterior teeth" include central incisors, lateral incisors, canines, and first bicuspids.

[0017] As used herein, "posterior teeth" include the second bicuspids, first molars, second molars, and third molars (if the patient still has wisdom teeth).

[0018] The above summary of the present disclosure is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment or each specific implementation of the present disclosure. The following description more specifically illustrates exemplary embodiments. In several places throughout the application, guidance is provided by example lists, which can be used in various combinations. In each case, the narrated list is used only as a representative group and should not be interpreted as an exclusive list.

[0019] "Mesial" refers to a direction toward the center of a patient's curved dental arch.

[0020] "Distal" refers to a direction away from the center of a patient's curved dental arch.

[0021] "Occlusal" refers to the direction toward the outer tips of the patient's teeth and includes the "incisal edges."

[0022] "Gingival" refers to a direction toward a patient's gums or gingivae.

[0023] "Facial" refers to the direction toward the patient's cheeks or lips.

[0024] "Lingual" refers to the direction toward the patient's tongue.

[0025] In several places throughout the application, guidance is provided through lists of examples, which examples can be used in various combinations. In each case, the list serves only as a representative group and should not be interpreted as an exhaustive list. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a physical mock-up having a set of bracket assemblies for an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of a physical mock-up of the dental arch, the physical mock-up being enlarged to depict half of the dental arch;

[0028] Figure 3A is a perspective view of an orthodontic appliance in the form of an attachment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 3B is a perspective view of another orthodontic appliance in the form of an attachment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 4is a perspective view of a jig model including a mold body and alignment pins according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Occlusal view of the fixture model;

[0032] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 and Figure 5 An enlarged perspective view of the fixture model;

[0033] Figure 7 is Figure 1 and Figure 2 A perspective view of a bracket assembly received on an alignment pin in a solid model of the;

[0034] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A schematic cross-sectional view of a bracket assembly and alignment pins;

[0035] Fig. 9 is Figure 1 and Figure 2 A perspective view of a second bracket assembly received on an alignment pin in a solid model of the;

[0036] Fig.10 is a perspective view of a bracket assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] Fig.11 yes Fig.10 A perspective view of a bracket assembly;

[0038] Fig.12 is a perspective view of a bracket assembly according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Fig.13 It is used to create virtual solid models to help create Figure 1 and Figure 2 Workflow for physical entity models;

[0040] Fig.14 is a perspective view of a virtual orthodontic appliance in the form of an attachment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] Fig.15 is a perspective view of a virtual physical model including an appliance placed on virtual teeth according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0042] Fig.16 is a perspective view of a virtual lift mechanism assembly including a lift mechanism body and alignment pins according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0043] Fig.17 The invention comprises a lifting mechanism assembly arranged relative to the bonding tooth. Fig.15a perspective view of the virtual entity model; and

[0044] Fig.18 It is arranged in Fig.17 an enlarged perspective view of an elevator mechanism assembly above an appliance on a bonded tooth in a virtual solid model;

[0045] Fig.19 yes Fig.18 An occlusal view of the lifting mechanism assembly and the appliance;

[0046] Fig. 20 yes Fig.18 and Fig.19 A schematic cross-sectional view of a lifting mechanism assembly and apparatus;

[0047] Fig.21 is a perspective view of a virtual solid model having a set of bracket assemblies for an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0048] Fig. 22 is a perspective view of a virtual fixture model including a combined dental arch, a model body, and alignment pins;

[0049] Fig.23 is a workflow for assembling a physical mock-up of a stent assembly including the present disclosure;

[0050] Fig.24 is a perspective view of a transfer tray created from a physical mock-up of the present disclosure;

[0051] Fig.25 yes Fig.24 A cross-sectional view of a transfer tray;

[0052] Fig.26A is a perspective view of a bracket assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0053] Fig.26B is a perspective view of a bracket assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0054] Fig.26C is a perspective view of a bracket assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0055] Fig. 27 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a bracket assembly received on alignment pins on a tooth in a physical model of the present disclosure;

[0056] Fig.28 yes Fig. 27 A schematic cross-sectional view of a bracket assembly and alignment pins;

[0057] Fig.29 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of an alignment pin and bracket assembly according to the present disclosure;

[0058] Fig.30 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a bracket assembly and associated alignment pins on a tooth in a physical model of the present disclosure; and

[0059] Fig.31 yes Fig.30 Schematic cross-sectional view of a bracket assembly and alignment pins.

[0060] Although the above-mentioned drawings have been described several embodiments of the present disclosure, other embodiments are also contemplated as indicated in the description. In all cases, the present disclosure presents the present invention in an exemplary and non-restrictive manner. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can design many other modifications and embodiments that fall within the scope and spirit of the principles of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] Figure 1 and Figure 2 A physical mock-up 10 is shown, which represents the positive shape of a patient's dental arch 12 including a plurality of teeth 13 and gums 14. The physical mock-up 10 can be used to physically shape a transfer device ( Figure 1 or Figure 2 The transfer device forms a negative replica of at least a portion of the physical model 10. Such a transfer device (see, e.g., Fig.24 ) may be obtained, for example, by taking an impression from the physical solid model 10, by overmolding the physical solid model 10, or by any other technique in which the positive physical model 10 is used to (preferably directly) mold a negative replica.

[0062] The transfer device thus created from the physical model of the present disclosure can be used to bond an orthodontic appliance to a specified position and orientation on the patient's dental arch. As used herein, "position" refers to the positioning of the appliance at a specific point on the surface of the tooth, and "orientation" is the position of the appliance relative to the axis or plane of the physical model or dental arch. The appliance can have an orientation change that does not change its position on the surface of the tooth. For example, the appliance can be positioned at a specific point on the surface of the tooth and then can be oriented by, for example, rotating the appliance around an axis perpendicular to the surface of the tooth.

[0063] Although the physical models of the present disclosure can be used to create transfer devices for a variety of orthodontic appliances (brackets, anchors, buttons, etc.), Figure 1 The appliance 30 depicted in has the form and function of an orthodontic attachment for a CTA. Figure 3A and Figure 3BAs depicted in more detail in , the appliance 30 includes a body 31 of the appliance ("body 31") that is configured to be bonded to a tooth to improve the forces applied by the CTA in order to achieve the desired tooth movement. Body 31 may have any suitable shape, such as a custom shape unique to a particular application, patient, tooth, and / or tooth region. The size of body 31 may be designed so that body 31 is difficult to manipulate, for example, using a tool such as tweezers. For example, body 31 may have a maximum dimension of 30 millimeters (mm) or less and a minimum dimension of 0.25 mm or more. For a typical orthodontic attachment, body 31 may have a maximum dimension of 15 mm or less.

[0064] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As depicted in , the body 31 has a generally rectangular shape and includes opposing long edges 32, 33. The long edges 32, 33 are joined by short edges 34, 35. Any of the edges 32, 33, 34, 35 may be concave, convex, linear, or a combination thereof. Each of the long edges 32, 33 may optionally include a concave middle section having a generally linear section proximate the short edges 34, 35. The short edges 34, 35 themselves are typically linear, although this is not required.

[0065] The bonding surface 38 of the body 31 may be shaped to correspond to the contour of a portion of the patient's teeth. In one or more embodiments, the bonding surface 38 of one or more appliances 30 may include a surface of any suitable shape that does not have to be customized to fit a specific surface of a tooth, i.e., a "universal" base. The bonding surface 38 may include a compound curvature corresponding to the desired or average convex curvature of a specific tooth of a dental arch. The contour corresponding to the tooth can improve the strength of the adhesive bond between the body 31 and the tooth, reduce the amount of adhesive required for bonding, or both. For example, the bonding surface 38 may be shaped to bond at the clinical crown face axis ("FACC") of a specific tooth of a specific dental arch. The FACC is defined as the curve formed by the intersection of the midsagittal plane and the facial surface of a given tooth. In some examples, the bonding surface 38 may include an etched pattern, a sandblasted pattern, and / or an embossed pattern intended to promote a stronger bond.

[0066] The bonding surface 38 may have a tooth-facing surface profile that is customized to fit any suitable surface of the tooth. For example, in one or more embodiments, the bonding surface 38 has a tooth-facing surface profile that is customized to fit the labial surface of a given tooth. Having a customized bonding surface 38 allows the appliance 30 to be constructed with a lower profile for patient comfort. Any suitable technique or combination of techniques may be used to form a customized bondable surface, such as the techniques described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,136,965 (Wiechmann et al.) and U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2005 / 0277084 (Cinader, Jr. et al.), and including, for example, Boolean subtraction of virtual teeth from a virtual appliance bonding surface in CAD or other software.

[0067] The body 31 may include any suitable shape configured to transfer forces from the CTA to the teeth, to hold the CTA on the teeth, or both. For example, one or more portions of the body 31 may be hemispherical, linear, curved, or irregularly shaped. In some examples, any surface of the body 31 may include one or more surface features, including but not limited to one or more tapers, undercuts, overhangs, recesses, negative drafts, or other features configured to engage or otherwise interact with a CTA or transfer tray. Figure 3B As shown, the body 31 can define an inclined buccal / / lingual facing surface 39. In some examples, the beveled body 31 can improve the release of the body 31 from the transfer tray after bonding to the tooth, and / or improve force transfer from the CTA to the tooth by concentrating contact of the CTA with the body 31 at the apex of the bevel, or provide a lead-in for engagement with a positional mismatch between the CTA and the tooth.

[0068] The appliance 30 includes a major axis 40 (i.e., a longitudinal axis), and a central axis 42 that is perpendicular to the major axis 40 and extends through both the bonding surface 38 and the facing surface 39. The axes 40, 42 extend through the approximate center of the appliance, which may be the mesial-distal and occlusal-gingival center, although the exact identity will depend on the orientation of the appliance 30 on the bonding surface. The major axis 40 extends between the minor edges 34, 35. In certain embodiments, both the major axis 40 and the central axis 42 can be used to position the appliance 30 in a desired position and orientation on the tooth, as well as determine certain aspects of the physical model 10, as further explored below.

[0069] return Figure 1 and Figure 2, the physical model 10 includes a support body (i.e., a mold body) 15 that extends below the gums 14 to provide stability, thereby improving the ease of physical model creation and subsequent transfer device manufacturing. The bottom of the mold body is typically substantially planar, thereby creating a reference plane "B". The physical model also includes a vertical axis "V" perpendicular to the occlusal plane of the dental arch, which can be determined using techniques known in the art and further described below. In some locations along the dental arch 12, the vertical axis V may be perpendicular to the reference plane B, but this is not typical or necessary.

[0070] In the physical mock-up 10, the patient's teeth 13 are shown in a malocclusion at the beginning of treatment or at a new stage of treatment. The exemplary mock-up 10 shown in the drawings represents the patient's upper dental arch, but it should be understood that the methods and systems of the present disclosure are equally applicable to the patient's lower dental arch. The entire upper dental arch 12 is in Figure 1 For clarity, half of the dental arch is shown in Figure 2 Depicted in. Reference Figure 2 The teeth 13 of the physical model 10 include an upper central incisor 13a, an upper outer incisor 13b, an upper canine 13c, an upper first bicuspid 13d, an upper second canine 13e, an upper first molar 13f and an upper second molar 13g. Alternatively, the physical model may include the entire dental arch ( Figure 1 ) or a smaller portion thereof (e.g., a dental arch quarter or a single tooth, not shown), depending on the number of appliances intended to be bonded to the teeth during a given bonding procedure.

[0071] The orthodontic appliance bracket assembly 100 is positioned adjacent to the occlusal surface 16 of each tooth 13 to which the orthodontic appliance 30 is to be bonded. Each bracket 100 is configured to position the associated appliance 30 close to the solid model tooth surface (here, the labial tooth surface 17) at a prescribed or otherwise intended bonding position and orientation. Each bracket 100 is connected to the associated appliance 30 via one or more coupling arms 120 that protrude from the lifting mechanism body 102 of the bracket 100 in a generally gingival direction. Also as depicted, each tooth 13 of the dental arch 12 receives an appliance 30 that is bonded to all teeth 13 in the dental arch 12 except the second molars, the upper central incisors, and the upper teeth, or may be attached only to certain selected teeth as may be desired by a physician or as otherwise specified according to an orthodontic treatment plan. Each appliance 30 on the physical mock-up 10 has been properly positioned on the appliance bonding surface 17 of the tooth 13 and is oriented so that when combined with another dental appliance (e.g., a CTA) or appliance component (e.g., an archwire or polymer band), the appliance can provide the desired force to the patient's teeth.

[0072] Unless otherwise specified, the physical model 10 of this embodiment and the appliances of other embodiments are described herein using a reference system of the labial surface of the teeth attached to the upper jaw. Therefore, the terms used to describe the physical model 10, the bracket assembly 100 and the appliance 30, such as labial, lingual, mesial, distal, occlusal surface and gingival are relative to the selected reference system. However, the embodiment is not limited to the selected reference system and descriptive terms, because the appliance 30 can be used on other tooth surfaces and other orientations in the oral cavity. For example, the bracket assembly can be configured to position the appliance close to the lingual surface of the tooth, or to position the appliance on the lingual tooth surface and the labial tooth surface. A person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the descriptive terms used herein may not be directly applicable when the reference system changes. However, the embodiment is intended to be independent of the absolute position and orientation in the oral cavity, and the relative terms used to describe the embodiment only provide a clear description of the embodiment in the drawings. For the rest of this application, the appliance bonding surface includes the labial surface, the lingual surface and the occlusal surface (e.g., the bite stop surface), but is depicted as the labial surface.

[0073] In the currently preferred embodiment, the lift mechanism body 102 does not contact or include a surface having the contour of the associated occlusal tooth surface 16. Instead, each bracket assembly 100 is releasably engaged with an alignment pin 200 (visible on the upper canine 13c and located at the Figures 4 to 6 100 and alignment pins 200 (described in more detail in the accompanying drawings), the alignment pins include geometric shapes and / or mating features to help prevent travel of the lift mechanism body 102 prior to contact of the occlusal surface 16. In this way and by eliminating the need for close occlusal contact, when the disclosed solid model is used to create a transfer device (e.g., a dental tray), various aspects of the bracket assembly 100 and alignment pins 200 (explored further below) can be standardized to improve manufacturing efficiency and bonding accuracy.

[0074] Figures 4 to 6The solid model 10 is depicted without an associated bracket assembly 100. The combination of the dental arch 12, the mold body 15, and the alignment pins 200 may be referred to as a fixture model hereinafter. The alignment pins 200 protrude upward from the occlusal surface 16 of each tooth 13 (hereinafter referred to as the bonded tooth) to which the orthodontic appliance 30 is bonded. In a currently preferred embodiment, each alignment pin 200 protrudes vertically outward from the associated occlusal surface 16, which is aligned with its vertical axis 201 perpendicular to the reference plane B of the mold body 15. Alternatively, one or more alignment pins 200 may include a vertical axis 201 aligned with the vertical axis V. Either orientation may advantageously enable the bracket assembly 100 to be easily placed on the alignment pins 200, and enable the subsequently formed transfer device to be more easily detached from the solid model 10. However, in the currently preferred case, the axis 201 is aligned substantially perpendicular to the reference plane B, and each vertical axis 201 of each alignment pin in the solid model 10 is substantially parallel to all other vertical axes 201.

[0075] The alignment pin 200 includes a body 202, a head portion 210, and a shoulder 220 located at the base 212 of the head 210, closer to the occlusal surface 16. The head portion 210 may be generally conical, frustoconical, pyramidal, frusto-pyramidal, or any other suitable shape that limits rotation about a vertical axis. The rotation-limiting shape may include one or more facets (e.g., half-moon, clover-leaf, etc.) that inhibit rotation, either alone or in combination. In some embodiments, the head 210 includes a taper that gradually decreases in cross-sectional dimension between the base 212 and the vertex 214 of the head 210. For example, the head may include one or more side surfaces having a negative draft angle of at least 5 degrees and no more than 15 degrees, thereby providing one or more inclined surfaces 216. The presence of the inclined surfaces on the head may help arrange the bracket assembly on the alignment pin 200, as well as remove the transfer device from the physical model 10. In other embodiments, the head has a substantially continuous cross-sectional dimension.

[0076] Different degrees of inclination of the surface on the head 210 can produce a head axis 211 that is not aligned with the vertical axis V or the body 202. In an alternative embodiment, as Fig.29 As shown, the vertical axis 211 of the head portion 210 of one or more alignment pins 200 may be tilted relative to the vertical axis V and / or the vertical axis 201 . Fig.29 The head portion 210 in the embodiment includes a substantially vertical head surface 216b with an opposing inclined surface 216a, which is at a greater angle than those inclined surfaces 216 in the other depicted embodiments. In some cases, providing a substantially vertical surface can enhance the retention of the bracket assembly 100 on the model 10.

[0077] The body 202 has a generally rectangular cross-section that is consistent with the cross-sectional shape of the head 210. The body 202 at the shoulder 220 has a larger cross-sectional dimension than the head portion 210, thereby providing an occlusal stop surface adjacent to the base 212. The shoulder 220 is disposed at a predetermined height from the occlusal surface 16 of the bonding tooth 13. The height is determined so that the shoulder rests comfortably above the occlusal tooth surface 16 in the z direction. In this way, the shoulder 220 blocks the vertical travel of the bracket assembly 100, and the lifting mechanism body 102 does not contact the occlusal surface 16. When vertical travel along the axis 201 is blocked, the appliance 30 is generally located at a prescribed bonding position and orientation on the bonding tooth surface. In certain embodiments, the occlusal stop surface / shoulder 220 has a height of at least about 0.2 mm, and in some embodiments, has a height of at least about 0.3 mm. In some cases, a shorter height may promote undesirable occlusal contact, while a taller height may require a longer coupling arm 120 and a larger transfer device, resulting in unintentional fracture or patient discomfort.

[0078] In a currently preferred implementation, the alignment pins 200 are located proximate to the fixture bonding surface so that when the associated fixture 30 is located on the mockup 10, the vertical axis 201 is aligned substantially perpendicular to the central axis 42 of the fixture 30. In such implementations, the edges of the body 202 are oriented substantially parallel to the long axis 40 of the fixture and / or substantially perpendicular to the central axis 42 (see Figure 5 ). The vertical axis 201 of the alignment pin is spaced apart from the fixture bonding surface by a distance sufficient to allow the fixture 30 and the bracket assembly 100 to be reliably removed from the physical model 10. For example, the distance between the plane tangent to the bonding surface and the vertical axis is about 1.8 mm.

[0079] The shape and cross-sectional dimensions of the alignment pin 200 can be the same for each bonding tooth, thereby allowing for improved standardization of manufacturing and assembly. In other embodiments, at least one of the vertical axis, shape, and cross-sectional dimensions can be modified to allow for correspondence between a given bracket assembly and a specific bonding tooth. For example, a conical head 210 can indicate a correspondence with a bracket assembly for anterior teeth, while a truncated pyramidal assembly indicates a correspondence with a bracket assembly for posterior teeth. Alternatively or in addition, the alignment pin or surrounding tooth surface can include a marking identifying the associated bracket assembly. The marking can include text, symbols, colors, lines, etc.

[0080] Another indicator for placement of the appliance / bracket assembly can be found on Figure 6The intended placement location of the appliance 30 may include a recessed portion 50 that is shaped to receive the appliance at a specified position and orientation. The recessed portion 50 has a boundary 52 that substantially matches the shape of the bonding surface 38 of the associated appliance 30. The recessed portion 50 is recessed from the surrounding bonding surface of the tooth 13. In an exemplary embodiment, the recessed portion 50 is recessed from the surrounding bonding surface by about 100 microns. The recessed portion 50 helps position the appliance 30 on the physical model 10, and reduces or eliminates excess gaps between the appliance and the teeth when the appliance is placed in the patient's mouth, thereby improving bonding with the tooth surface. The recessed portion 50 can also provide improved registration with the bonding surface 38, and indicate the proper orientation of the appliance to the person assembling the physical model. The recessed portion 50 can also help position the bonding surface 38 closer to the tooth than the wall surface of the transfer device, thereby ensuring that the transfer device does not interfere with the appliance bonding at the bonding site. In the same or other embodiments, recessed portion 50 may provide space to receive a compressible material prior to deployment of an associated stent assembly so that the compressible material may subsequently be secured to bonding surface 38 .

[0081] Steering Figure 7 and Figure 8 , depicting the bracket assembly 100 and alignment pin 200 on the upper canine 13c in more detail. The bracket assembly 100 includes an elevator body 102 having a generally polygonal cross-sectional shape taken in a direction along the occlusal plane. The elevator body 102 is received on the head 210 of the alignment pin 200. The body 102 includes a first inclined surface 103 and a second inclined surface 104 that converge at an apex 105. A tooth-facing surface 106 is positioned opposite the apex 105, with opposite side surfaces 107, 108 extending between the facing surface 106 and the apex 105. As depicted, the tooth-facing surface 106 is generally planar, but the facing surface 106 can be concave, convex, or include a compound curvature. The transition between any two adjacent surfaces (e.g., the first inclined surface 103 and the side surface 107) is typically an arc with a defined curvature so that the elevator body 102 does not contain sharp edges. Depending on the overall size of lift body 102, the transition may be of various radius sizes.

[0082] The first inclined surface 103 and portions of the facing surface 106 protrude outwardly from the occlusal surface 16c and labial surface 17c of the tooth 13c in a facial direction. The rear edge or lingual edge of the body 109 remains disposed above the occlusal surface 16c, while the front edge or labial edge 110 is generally not coplanar with any labial surface 17c of the tooth 13c. The first coupling arm 120a and the second coupling arm 120b protrude from a coupling region 111 of the facing surface 106 proximal to the labial edge 110 in a gingival direction toward the appliance 30. In other embodiments not depicted, the coupling arms may protrude from another surface of the body generally proximal to the most labial edge.

[0083] For each bracket assembly 100 positioned on the physical model 10, the geometry (i.e., size and shape) of the elevator body 102 can be substantially similar. The elevator body 102 has an overall length from the rear edge 109 to the front edge 110, which is sufficient to position the connection area 111 away from the surface of the tooth. According to the technology explored in further detail below, in some cases, the use of a standard elevator body 102 geometry can improve both the design and manufacturability of the bracket assembly. In alternative embodiments, the geometry of the elevator body 102 can vary based on the intended bonding surface. For example, an elevator body with a wider mesial-distal dimension can indicate the bonding position of the appliance on the posterior teeth or position multiple appliances on one or more surfaces.

[0084] The side surfaces 107, 108 include a retaining hole 118 extending therebetween. The retaining hole 118 helps retain the bracket assembly 100 within the transfer device and can improve the manufacturability of the assembly 100, particularly with respect to the exemplary additive manufacturing techniques explored below. As an alternative or in addition to the retaining hole 118, any of the surfaces of the body 102 may include a protruding retaining feature (pin, etc.) or a roughened surface. The surface roughness may be created directly for the design of the lift body 102 or added in a post-processing step. Any surface of the lift body 102 may include markings identifying an associated tooth or treatment stage associated with the appliance 30. The markings may include text, symbols, colors, etc.

[0085] The gripping element 150 extends upward from the apex 105. The gripping element 150 includes a body 151 having a generally triangular cross-sectional shape and a frangible section 152 including a generally rectangular gate 153 proximate the apex 105. The shapes of the gripping element body 151 and the frangible gate 153 are not critical. The gripping element 150 can be used to position the bracket assembly on the physical model 10 via a hand tool, a robot, or any other feasible technology. The gripping element 150 allows for individual placement of the bracket assembly, although it can be joined together to place two or more bracket assemblies simultaneously on a portion of the dental arch 12. The frangible section 152 allows the gripping element 150 to be separated from the lifting mechanism body 102 prior to creating the transfer device, as further described below.

[0086] Although depicted as being generally aligned with the lift mechanism body 102, with the frangible sections 152 being parallel to the long axis 40 of the attachment 30 and the front surface 110, the position and / or orientation of the gripping elements 150 can be adjusted to facilitate their eventual removal. For example, a set of gripping elements 150 can be rotated so that when all of the stent assemblies are received on the physical model 10, the frangible sections 152 of each stent assembly 100 are arranged generally parallel to the frangible sections 152 of one or more adjacent stent assemblies 100. In other embodiments, a set of gripping elements 150 can be rotated so that when all of the stent assemblies are received on the physical model 10, the frangible sections 152 of each stent assembly 100 are arranged generally co-linear with the frangible sections 152 of one or more adjacent stent assemblies 100. By arranging the gripping elements 150 in this manner, the portion of the stent assembly 100 that snaps into the apex 105 can be more easily removed en bloc prior to creating a transfer device, as described in further detail below.

[0087] The body 102 also includes a recessed portion 130 (see Figure 8 ), the recess has an opening 132 on the facing surface 106 for receiving the alignment pin 200. The recess 130 is disposed near the posterior / lingual edge 109 of the body 102 opposite the coupling region. As depicted, the recess 130 is closed at one end and terminates at an interior surface 134 through at least a portion of the height of the lifter body 102 before reaching the apex 105. In other embodiments, the lifter body may have a recess extending the entire height of the body 102 from the facing surface to the apex, with openings at both ends. The center of the opening 132 is located in a plane "E" extending through the height of the lifter body 102 (and is generally co-linear with the vertical axis 201 of the alignment pin 200). The appliance 30 is located at a position below the facing surface 106 so that the bonding surface 38 is not coincident or co-planar with the plane E, thereby ensuring that the lifter body 102 can be placed on the pin 200 without interference from the tooth surface 13c.

[0088] The size of the recess 130 is designed to releasably receive the alignment pin 200 and inhibit the rotation of the bracket assembly 100 about the vertical axis 201 of the pin, while also helping to align the tool with the vertical axis 201 so that the tool reaches the specified bonding position. The central axis of the recess is substantially aligned with the head axis 211, which can result in a parallel relationship with the vertical axis V or the vertical axis itself is tilted, such as Fig.29 For example, Figure 4 , Fig.28 and Fig.29 As depicted in , the recess 130 may have a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to the occlusal plane. The cross-sectional shape of the recess (e.g., triangular, rectangular, elliptical, etc.) may be uniform along the length of the body, or in other specific implementations, the shape may vary. The opening 132 may be triangular, rectangular (including square), circular, oval, or polygonal. The recess 130 as a whole may be conical, truncated conical, pyramidal, truncated pyramidal, or any other suitable shape. In some embodiments, the recess 130 includes a taper that gradually decreases in a cross-sectional dimension measured parallel to the opening as it approaches the vertex 105. In other embodiments, the recess 130 has a substantially continuous cross-sectional dimension.

[0089] The orientation, shape, and cross-sectional dimensions of the recess 130 may be the same for each bracket assembly 100, thereby allowing for improved standardization of manufacturing and assembly. In other embodiments, at least one of the orientation, shape, and cross-sectional dimensions may be modified to allow for correspondence between a given bracket assembly and a particular type of bonding tooth. For example, a circular shape may indicate correspondence with a bracket assembly for anterior teeth, while a rectangular shape indicates correspondence with a bracket assembly for posterior teeth.

[0090] When the opening of the recess 130 is similar (if not substantially identical) to the cross-sectional shape of the head 210 taken perpendicular to the vertical axis 201 and / or the head axis, the inhibition or prohibition of rotation about the vertical axis 201 and / or the head axis 211 is generally achieved. Such a correspondence is not strictly necessary, because, for example, a reversible friction fit between the conical head 210 and the conical recess 130 can still sufficiently inhibit the rotation of the bracket assembly 100. Alternatively, the recess 130 can have a conical shape, but the conical shape does not generally rotate around a rectangular or other polygonal head, where each shape provides a small face to inhibit rotation. As depicted, the recess 130 and the head 210 each include a truncated pyramidal shape with a rectangular opening 132 on the facing surface 106. The negative profile in the recess 130 generally corresponds to the positive profile of the upper portion of the dowel pin, with the pin having a small dimensional offset (eg, 0.05 mm) to ensure that the opening 132 reaches the shoulder 220 .

[0091] The head portion 210 and the recess 130 may also include retention features to mate with corresponding features on the bracket assembly. Fig. 27 and Fig.28 As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the head portion 210 may include one or more cavities 217 that intrude into the inclined surface 216. The cavity 217 is sized to mate with a nub 133 that protrudes from the interior wall within the recess 130. As should be appreciated, the nub may alternatively be formed on the inclined surface with a corresponding cavity within the recess. The addition of a retaining feature may help securely hold the bracket assembly on the alignment pin, particularly during assembly of multiple bracket assemblies on a physical mock-up, or during handling of the physical mock-up in manufacturing after the bracket is assembled to the mock-up.

[0092] When arranged on the alignment pin 200, the coupling region 111 is positioned a sufficient distance from a plane tangent to the apex of the tooth surface 17c so that the coupling arm 120 does not contact the tooth surface 17c above the height of the contour and travels at least partially in a direction posterior to the tooth 13c from the elevator body 102 to the appliance 30. In some cases, reducing the contact between the coupling arm 120 and the tooth 13c tends to (a) improve the release of the bracket assembly 100 from the physical mock-up, and (b) aid in the separation of the appliance 30 from the elevator body 102 because any adhesive used to bond the appliance to the tooth is less likely to reach the coupling arm 120. As in Figure 8 As best seen in the figure, the rear surfaces of the coupling arms 120a, 120b form an acute angle "F" with the facing surface 106. In some embodiments, the angle F is at least about 30 degrees, at least about 35 degrees, at least about 40 degrees, at least about 45 degrees. In currently preferred embodiments, the angle "F" is no greater than about 85 degrees, no greater than about 80 degrees, no greater than about 75 degrees.

[0093] Although in Figure 7 and Figure 8exemplified as including two coupling arms 120a and 120b, but in some examples, the bracket assembly 100 may include one coupling arm or more than two coupling arms. In certain embodiments, the number of coupling arms may be determined by at least one of: (a) the orientation of the major axis 40 relative to an axis perpendicular to a reference plane B; (b) the orientation of the major axis 40 relative to a vertical axis V; and (c) the size of the appliance 30. Generally, but not exclusively, an appliance 30 having a major axis 40 oriented within no greater than 35 degrees parallel to the vertical axis V (or an axis perpendicular to the reference plane B) may be positioned using a single coupling arm 120, while an appliance 30 having a major axis 40 oriented within greater than 35 degrees to 90 degrees parallel to the vertical axis V (or an axis perpendicular to the reference plane B) may be positioned using two or more coupling arms 120. For example, a bracket assembly 100 for an upper central incisor 13a (in Fig. 9 120) has a single coupling arm to place an instrument 30 having a major axis 40 oriented substantially parallel to a vertical axis V of the physical solid model 10. Instruments having a length along the major axis 40 greater than about 4 mm typically, but not exclusively, include at least three coupling arms 120.

[0094] The coupling arm 120 may be joined to the appliance 30 at various connection points (collectively referred to as connectors 126) on the body 31. In a currently preferred embodiment, the connectors 126 are spaced from the edge of the bonding surface 38 in the direction of the facing surface 39, thereby providing the coupling arm 120 with sufficient clearance from the bonding tooth surface. For a bracket assembly having two coupling arms 120, the connection points 126 are typically arranged on one of the long edges 32, 33 of the body 31 at opposite corners. For a bracket assembly having a single coupling arm, the connector 126 is typically arranged on one of the short edges 34, 35 at the most occlusal point on the body 31 (i.e., the edge closest to the facing surface 106). For a bracket assembly including a generally rectangular appliance having a long edge dimension greater than about 4 mm, a third coupling arm may be connected to the center of the appliance at a third connector on the body of the appliance. The third connector on the body may coincide with the central axis of the appliance or be in a plane parallel to the central axis of the appliance. For instruments that benefit from two or more coupling arms, the connectors 126 typically include at least one connector 126 located on each of the proximal and distal ends of the instrument 30 (e.g., Figure 7 ).

[0095] Figure 7 and Figure 8The connecting arms 120a and 120b of the utensil diverge along a path from the facing surface 106 to the connection point 126 on the body 31 of the utensil. The angle "G" between the arms 120a, 120b generally depends on the size of the utensil 30. In some embodiments, the angle "G" is at least about 30 degrees, at least about 25 degrees, at least about 20 degrees, at least about 15 degrees. In currently preferred embodiments, the angle "G" is no greater than about 1 degree, no greater than about 12 degrees, no greater than about 13 degrees, no greater than about 14 degrees, no greater than about 15 degrees.

[0096] In some examples, it may be desirable to use more than two connecting arms for larger attachment bodies and / or to increase the robustness of the article during manufacturing and handling to prevent premature breakage of the frangible section, so more than two connection points may be incorporated into any of the above articles if desired. For example, Figure 7 The two bifurcated connecting arms 120a and 120b may alternatively be in the form of a single fin with multiple connection points on the body 31.

[0097] When bending, twisting, compressive or tensile forces are applied to the coupling arm 120 or the bracket assembly 100, such as, for example, by a handling tool, the coupling arm 120 is easily broken. In some examples, the size and / or shape of the coupling arm 120 can be selected to have sufficient structural integrity to allow handling of the bracket assembly 100 while also being easily broken when needed. Since the coupling arm 120 has a reduced cross-sectional area at or near the connector 126, and the area at the surface 39 of the body 31 at the same location suddenly increases, stress is concentrated. The coupling arm 120 can be broken by using a tool to bend or twist one of the lifting mechanism body 102 or the coupling arm 120 or by pushing or pulling the coupling arm 120 to shear. In the same or other specific implementations, the coupling arm 120 may include stress concentration features, such as perforations, notches, notches or other weakened areas to help the arm 120 separate from the device 30. In the same or other specific implementations, the coupling arm 120 may be made of a relatively rigid material that can be broken at or near the connector 126.

[0098] The cross-sectional shape of the connecting arm 120 (e.g., triangular, rectangular, elliptical, circular, oval, etc.) can be uniform along the length of the body, or in other embodiments, the shape can vary. The connecting member 126 can be triangular, rectangular (including square), circular, oval, or polygonal. The connecting arm 120 as a whole can be conical, truncated conical, pyramidal, truncated pyramidal, or any other suitable shape. To aid separation, each connecting arm 120 typically has a diameter of between about 0.05 mm. 2 With 0.75mm 2The area between the two arms, although the size of the connection area may vary based on one or more of the body of the device and the geometry of the connecting arm.

[0099] In some embodiments, one or more coupling arms include a taper that gradually decreases in cross-sectional size as the appliance 30 is approached. Force can then be applied to the coupling arm 120, and the thicker portion adjacent to the lift body 102 can resist the possibility of the support breaking during placement of the appliance. In addition, the tapered coupling arm can eliminate the need for a cutting tool, and the separation of the appliance 30 from the coupling arm 120 can only require the user to apply a compressive or tensile force on the thinner support end to initiate the break. In addition, when the lift body 102 and the appliance 30 are separated, the volume of the coupling arm 120 still attached to the appliance 30 can be reduced. In a currently preferred embodiment, the coupling arm 120 includes a square, oval, or circular cross-sectional shape with a gradually decreasing taper.

[0100] In certain currently preferred embodiments, each link arm has Figure 28 to Figure 31 The first segment 121 extends from the connection point to the pivot point 122 at an angle perpendicular to the body 31 of the appliance, with a generally gradually increasing taper. The second segment 123 extends from the pivot point 122 to the coupling region 111 of the lifting mechanism body 102 in a direction generally back toward the tooth surface. Figure 28 to Figure 31 The multi-segmented coupling arm illustrated in the figure can help separate the bracket assembly from the attachment and ensure that the coupling arm 120 does not contact or interfere with the tooth surface of the physical model or the patient's mouth. The gap between the coupling arm 120 and the tooth surface can also provide space for inserting tools to help separate the appliance 30 from the bracket assembly 100. The segmented coupling arm can also provide a more predictable and desired separation force when disconnecting the attachment from the bracket assembly. The segmented coupling arm with a controlled connection that is intentionally perpendicular to the body of the appliance can be used with any embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0101] In some examples, after disconnecting the coupling arm 120, a mark or a small piece may be left on or within the body 31 at the connector 126. In some examples, any type of automated cutting and / or polishing tool may be used to remove the mark or small piece. In other examples, the mark or small piece may be removed using pressure and friction generated by the operation of a manual tool (e.g., a dental probe). In other examples, if the mark or small piece does not interfere with appliance engagement or patient comfort, it may remain. If the above-described segmented coupling arm is used, the size of the mark or small piece may be reduced compared to other coupling arms of the present disclosure.

[0102] Thus far, the mating relationship between the bracket assembly and the head portion of the alignment pin has been illustrated by aspects of the alignment pin being received in the bracket assembly. Figure 30 to Figure 31, another relationship is depicted in which the bracket assembly 1300 has a protuberance 1310 on the facing surface 1306, and the alignment pin 1400 includes a recess 1430 formed near and below the shoulder 1404 for receiving the protuberance 1310. The protuberance 1310 can be conical, frustoconical, pyramidal, frusto-pyramidal, or any other suitable shape, as in the case of the head portion 210. The recess 1430 is sized to releasably receive the protuberance 1310 and inhibit rotation of the bracket assembly 1300 about the vertical axis 1320 of the protuberance 1310, while also helping to align the device 30 so that the device 30 reaches the specified bonding position. Considerations for other structures not mentioned in the bracket assembly 1300 are the same as the corresponding features in the bracket assembly 100 and need not be repeated here. Fig.30 and Fig.31 The mating relationship between the alignment pin 1400 and the bracket assembly 1300 may be used in any other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0103] Fig.10 and Fig.11 100, the bracket assembly 300 includes a lift mechanism body 302 having coupling arms 312, 314 projecting from a coupling region 311 toward the implement 30. The lift mechanism body 302 includes a generally L-shaped cross-section, wherein the coupling region 311 provides a base of the L-shape in the form of a third coupling arm 315 proximate the front edge 310 of the body 302. A recess 320 for receiving an alignment pin is provided proximate the rear edge 309 of the body 302. The side surfaces 307, 308 have opposite openings for retaining holes 318. Considerations for the implement 30, coupling arms 312, 314, recess 330, opening 332, and retaining holes 318 are the same as the corresponding features in the bracket assembly 100 and need not be repeated here.

[0104] The third connecting arm 315 is a composite structure that includes an occlusal-gingival extension surface 316 and a center gate 317 disposed generally perpendicular to the surface 316. The center gate 317 has a frusto-conical shape and has a gradually decreasing taper as it approaches the appliance 30. In other embodiments, the center gate 317 may have other shapes and sizes similar to the connecting arms 312, 314. The center gate 317 is disposed along the central axis 42 of the appliance 30 and is designed to be separated from or close to the central connection point 319 on the facial surface 39. To aid in separation, the connection point 319 typically has a distance between about 0.05 mm and about 0.1 mm. 2 With 0.075mm 2The area between, although the size of the connection area can be changed based on one or more of the main body and the connecting arm geometry of the device. In an alternative embodiment, only the third connecting arm 315 is mainly used to connect the device and the lifting mechanism body, without the need for one or two connecting arms in the connecting arms 312, 314.

[0105] The lift body 302 includes a generally planar facing surface 306 and a top surface 305, each extending in a plane generally parallel to the opposite surface. The side surfaces 307, 308 may be similarly generally planar. One or both of the side surfaces 307, 308 may be inclined at an acute draft angle relative to a plane tangential to the edge of the facing surface. In the currently preferred case, the angle is between about 3 degrees and about 10 degrees. The draft angles of each side surface 307, 308 may be the same or different. Therefore, the depicted configuration of the lift body 302 may allow the top surface 305 to be arranged in a plane parallel to the build platform of the additive manufacturing machine.

[0106] Fig.12 The bracket assembly 300 depicted in FIG. 1 is similar in almost all respects to the bracket assembly 300 depicted in FIG. Fig.10 and Fig.11 , except that when the assembly 300 is placed on the physical model 10, the appliance 30 is oriented so that the major axis 40 is generally parallel to the occlusal-gingival extension surface 316 and the vertical axis V. Therefore, Fig.12 The bracket assembly 300 has a single connecting arm 320 extending from a facing surface 306 connected to the short edge 34 of the main body 31.

[0107] The above depictions and discussions have primarily focused on the bonding of a single appliance to a single tooth surface. It is contemplated that more than one appliance may be bonded to a tooth surface in accordance with the concepts of the present disclosure. FIG. 26A to FIG. 26C Various alternatives for bonding multiple appliances 30a, 30b to the tooth surface 17 are depicted. Fig.26A As depicted in , each such device 30a, 30b may be bonded to a discrete stent assembly 100a, 100b. Alternatively, and as Fig.26B , each appliance 30a, 30b may be arranged relative to a single bracket assembly 100 and attached to a single associated coupling arm 120a, 120b. As another alternative, the appliance 30b located more gingivally in engagement with the appliance 30a may be coupled to the body 31a via additional, breakable coupling arms 124a, 124b. The appliance 30a remains directly connected to the lift mechanism body 102 of the bracket assembly 100 via the coupling arms 120a, 120b. Other combinations and modifications are possible and within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0108] The physical model 10 can be manufactured in discrete, integrally formed component parts. The two discrete components are typically a) a dental arch 12, including a mold body 15 and alignment pins 200 (collectively referred to as a fixture model); and b) a bracket assembly (100, 300). In other specific implementations, for example, the dental arch can be constructed with holes for receiving pre-formed alignment pins. As another alternative, the dental arch 12, mold body 15, alignment pins 200, lifting mechanism body (102, 302) and connecting arm (120, 320) can be integrally formed as a single piece, wherein the appliance is then fixed relative to the connecting arm and the appliance bonding surface.

[0109] Any component of the physical solid model 10 may be manufactured by additive manufacturing. Thus, the position of the bracket assembly and alignment pins relative to the dental arch 12 may be determined by computer aid, and manual assembly tolerances may be avoided. Examples of suitable additive manufacturing processes include solid freeform manufacturing (such as 3D printing processes), stereolithography-type technology methods, fused deposition modeling, laminated object manufacturing, laser engineered net shaping, selective laser sintering, shape deposition manufacturing, selective laser melting, and solid milling consolidation.

[0110] The physical entity model 10 and any or all of its components can be made of a full range of 3D printing materials, molded polymer materials, or CAD / CAM molded polymer materials with certain desired strength, flexibility, translucency, or color. For example, the material can be a polymer material that can be transparent, translucent, or opaque. In some embodiments, a transparent or substantially transparent polymer material can include, for example, one or more of an amorphous thermoplastic polymer, a semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer, a transparent thermoplastic polymer, and a thermosetting polymer. Thermoplastic plastics can be selected from polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyurethane, acrylic acid, polysulfone, polypropylene, polypropylene / ethylene copolymer, cycloolefin polymer / copolymer, poly-4-methyl-1-pentene or polyester / polycarbonate copolymer, styrene polymer material, polyamide, polymethylpentene, polyetheretherketone, and combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the main body material can be selected from transparent or substantially transparent semi-crystalline thermoplastics, crystalline thermoplastics and composites, such as polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyester / polycarbonate copolymer, polyolefin, cycloolefin polymer, styrene copolymer, polyetherimide, polyetheretherketone, polyethersulfone, polytrimethylene terephthalate and their mixtures and combinations. In some embodiments, the main body material is a polymer material selected from polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, polycyclohexane terephthalate glycol and their mixtures and combinations. In additional embodiments, thermosetting polymers include acrylics, polyurethanes, esters, silicones, thiols, epoxies, olefin metathesis and their combinations.

[0111] In certain currently preferred cases, the stent assembly is integrally formed as a single component as part of an additive manufacturing process or an injection molding process. The stent assembly of the present disclosure may be made of metals (such as stainless steel alloys or other metal materials), ceramic materials (including single crystal and polycrystalline light-transmitting ceramics), and polymer materials (such as fiber-reinforced polycarbonate). Suitable ceramic materials are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 6,648,638 (Castro et al.). Suitable materials for use in additive manufacturing may include, but are not limited to, materials described in International Publications WO 2020 / 104873 (Chakraborty et al.), WO 2019 / 048963 (Parkar et al.), WO 2018 / 231583 (Herrmann et al.), WO 2016 / 191534 (Mayr et al.), WO 2016 / 191162 (Mayr et al.), and WO 2014 / 078537 (Sun et al.). Other material iterations and combinations are also possible.

[0112] In the present advantageous circumstances, the support components (including appliances) can be formed from a curable composition, the main feature of which is to create certain crowns. The curable composition includes a resin matrix, which includes: a polymerizable (meth)acrylate without a polyurethane portion, a polymerizable polyurethane (meth)acrylate, a filler including nanoclusters, and an initiator system. Such a composition includes a viscosity of less than 150 Pa*s at 23°C and a viscosity of 1s -1 The shear rate of the composition is 0.01 wt % to 3 wt % of the amount of the photoinitiator, and the amount of the organic dye of 0.001 wt % to 0.5 wt % of the amount of the photoinitiator.

[0113] Such curable compositions may be characterized by a combination of specific properties, such as high mechanical strength, high fracture resistance, and high aesthetics (including stain resistance). The cured articles typically have the following properties, alone or in combination: 1) flexural strength of 50 MPa to 200 MPa or 80 MPa to 150 MPa, measured according to ISO 4049:2009 using a test bar having dimensions of 6*4*25 mm, wherein 6 mm is the width of the test bar; 2) E modulus of 1,000 MPa to 4,000 MPa, measured using the flexural strength method according to DIN EN 843-2:2007, with the calculation of the modulus being carried out within the range of 20% to 50% of the maximum force of the sample; and 3) impact strength: 5 kJ / m2 to 15 kJ / m2, measured according to DIN 53453:175-05. Further details on these compositions may be found in European Patent No. 3638189 (Herrmann et al.). Other suitable compositions for additive manufacturing include, for example, a composition comprising: a (meth)acrylate without a polyurethane moiety, a polyurethane (meth)acrylate, a photoinitiator, an additive, discrete filler particles having an average particle size in the range of 10 nm to 40 nm and having been surface treated with a silane surface treatment agent, the silane surface treatment agent being selected from a silane surface treatment agent including a (meth)acrylate moiety, a silane surface treatment agent without a (meth)acrylate moiety, and a mixture of the two, the discrete filler particles being present in an amount of 20 wt % or more, the curable composition excluding the following components, each in an amount of 2 wt % or more, alone or in combination: aggregates of nanosized particles, agglomerates of nanosized particles, fumed silica, wt. % relative to the overall composition. The cured article generally has the following properties, alone or in combination: 1) flexural strength: 50 MPa to 200 MPa, measured according to ISO 4049 (2019); 2) E modulus: 1 GPa to 4 GPa, measured according to DIN EN 843-2: 2007. Further details about such compositions can be found, for example, in the commonly owned application attorney docket number 84557EP002, filed on July 21, 2022, entitled "Curable Composition for Producing Orthodontic Attaches".

[0114] Commercially available resins suitable for use in the device also include those listed in Table 1 below:

[0115] The device, the lifting mechanism body, and the coupling arm may be formed of the same material, or may be formed of different materials through one or more manufacturing processes. For example, the photopolymerizable material used to form the support assembly may optionally include a first composition and a second composition, and manufacturing the support assembly accordingly includes selectively curing the first composition to form the device 30 and selectively curing the second composition to form the coupling arm and / or the lifting mechanism body. In some examples, the device may be formed of a material having a higher ultimate strength than the material forming the coupling arm.

[0116] In some examples, the methods of the present disclosure may include a three-dimensional (3D) printing step in the creation of the model dental arch 12, the alignment pin 200, the bracket assembly (100, 300), the appliance 30, or any combination thereof. Three-dimensional printing may include, for example, forming an article from multiple layers of photopolymerizable material described herein by selectively curing the photopolymerizable material in a layer-by-layer manner. In some examples, the additively manufactured article may include multiple materials bonded to each other. The photopolymerizable material layer may be deposited according to an image of the three-dimensional article in a computer-readable format. For example, the photopolymerizable material may be deposited according to preselected CAD parameters (e.g., a data file). In some examples, the photopolymerizable material is cured using actinic radiation (such as UV radiation, electron beam radiation, visible light radiation, or a combination thereof).

[0117] The foregoing techniques may be repeated a selected number of times to provide a 3D article. For example, in some cases, the process may be repeated "n" times. In addition, it should be understood that one or more steps of the methods described herein, such as the step of selectively applying energy to the photopolymerizable composition layer, may be performed based on an image of the 3D article in a computer-readable format. Suitable printers include: VIPER, from 3D Systems; D30II or D90, purchased from Rapid Shape (RapidShape, Heimsheim, Germany); and MOONRAY, purchased from SprintRay, Los Angeles, California, USA.

[0118] Other techniques for three-dimensional manufacturing may be appropriately adapted to the techniques described herein. More generally, three-dimensional manufacturing techniques continue to become available and may be adapted for use with the photopolymerizable compositions described herein, provided that they provide compatible manufacturing viscosities and resolutions for the specified article properties, such as continuous additive manufacturing, in which the build plate is (substantially) continuously moved through a barrel of photopolymerizable material. In some examples, equipment suitable for use in a continuous mode may be employed, such as equipment commercially available from Carbon 3D (Redwood City, CA, USA), such as described in U.S. Patent Applications Nos. 9,205,601 and 9,360,757 (both to DeSimone et al.). For example, in any of the above methods, the selective curing of the photopolymerizable material includes continuous photopolymerization of at least one of the first portion of the article or the second portion of the article. Further details of the method for additive manufacturing may be found in International Publication No. 2021 / 130624 (Cinader et al.), entitled Preformed Orthodontic Attaches. Design physical mock-up and bracket assembly

[0119] The fabrication of the physical solid model is typically based on a virtual solid model prepared in a computer system. Such a virtual solid model preferably corresponds to a mathematical representation of a three-dimensional shape, which can be processed by a computer, such as by a CAD system. Furthermore, the virtual solid model is preferably available in the form of computer data that can be used to control an additive manufacturing machine for fabricating the physical solid model as defined by the virtual solid model. The virtual solid model can be designed or generated by superimposing or merging a patient's virtual dental arch with a set of virtual appliances, a lifting mechanism body, and alignment pins, as further described below.

[0120] In one embodiment, the functions or algorithms described herein may be implemented in software. Software may include computer executable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium or a computer-readable storage device (such as one or more non-transitory memories or other types of local or networked storage devices based on hardware). In addition, such functions correspond to modules that may be software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. Multiple functions may be performed in one or more modules as needed, and the embodiments described are merely examples. Software may be executed on a digital signal processor, an ASIC, a microprocessor, or other types of processors operating on a computer system (such as a personal computer, a server, or other computer system), thereby turning such a computer system into a specially programmed machine. The term "processor" as used herein may refer to any of the aforementioned structures or any other structures suitable for implementing the technology described herein. In addition, in some aspects, the functionality described herein may be provided in a dedicated software module or hardware module configured to perform the technology disclosed herein. Even if implemented in software, these technologies may use hardware such as a processor to execute software, and use memory to store software. In any such case, the computer described herein may define a specific machine capable of performing the specific functions described herein. Also, these techniques may be fully implemented in one or more circuits or logic elements, which may also be considered to be a processor.

[0121] Typically, a computer-readable medium is provided as part of a computing device. The computing device may have one or more processors, volatile memory (RAM), a device for reading machine-readable media, and input / output devices, such as a display, keyboard, and pointing device. In addition, the computing device may also include other software, firmware, or a combination thereof, such as an operating system and other application software. The computing device may be, for example, a workstation, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a server, a mainframe, or any other general or special computing device. The computing device may read executable software instructions from a computer-readable medium (such as a hard drive, a CD-ROM, or a computer memory), or may receive instructions from another source (such as another networked computer) that is logically connected to the computer. Data may be transmitted directly to an application on, for example, a mobile device and / or directly to a cloud platform system via a cellular connection, a Wi-Fi router, or a hub.

[0122] Generally speaking, and if Fig.13As depicted in , the process 400 for designing a solid model begins by obtaining a virtual model of a patient's dental arch (step 410). The virtual dental arch model may be modified to create a solid virtual mold body (step 420). A treatment plan may be accessed or generated based at least in part on the virtual model of the patient's dental arch (step 430). Virtual appliances are obtained according to the treatment plan and arranged on the teeth at treatment-related positions (step 440). Then, alignment pins and an elevator body are placed on the dental arch relative to the position of each appliance (step 450). Then, one or more connecting arms are extruded between the body of the appliance and the elevator body (step 460). Optionally, the extrusion may occur at a draft angle relative to the body. The mold body and alignment pins are combined to create a virtual fixture model (step 480), while the elevator body, connecting arms, and appliances are combined to form a bracket assembly (step 470). The fixture model and the bracket assembly are maintained as separate objects for manufacturing (step 490). Various aspects of the process are discussed in further detail below.

[0123] The treatment planning step 430 typically includes receiving information about the patient's orthodontic condition and / or the physician's preferences for treatment, and then generating an original treatment plan for repositioning the patient's teeth. The original treatment plan may represent the beginning of orthodontic treatment, or may represent a new treatment phase that begins after the patient has undergone some orthodontic or dental treatment. A treatment plan typically includes one or more treatment phases, depending on the desired form of treatment; in the case of using CTA, the treatment plan will include multiple treatment phases, each corresponding to a tooth arrangement. For traditional braces, the treatment plan may include a single phase with a single target arrangement. The treatment plan is typically presented to the physician for modification and / or approval, although this is not strictly required. Appliances may be generated or selected based on the approved treatment plan, which will be provided to the physician and ultimately applied to the patient.

[0124] Process 400 can be used to generate a physical model at any stage of treatment. In one example, a physical model can be generated at the beginning of treatment for each stage of treatment (and the accompanying appliance placement). In other examples, the creation of a physical model can be staged to allow for a patient-confirmed treatment progression, such that a new or updated model of the patient's dentition is obtained before work on subsequent physical models is started. At various stages, the process for generating an initial treatment plan may include interaction with the treating physician responsible for the patient's treatment. Physician interaction can be implemented using a network platform and any connected participants.

[0125] As an initial step in creating a virtual model of the patient's dental arch, a mold or scan of the patient's teeth (and potentially oral tissue) is obtained (step 410). This typically involves creating a representation of the patient's teeth and gums, and may involve taking a wax bite, using impression materials, casting, direct contact scanning, x-ray imaging, tomographic imaging, ultrasonography imaging, and other techniques for obtaining information about the position and structure of the teeth, jaws, gums, and other orthodontically relevant tissues. A digital data set may be derived from this data representing the current arrangement of the patient's teeth and other tissues. A virtual model of the dentition may then be reconstructed based on this digital data.

[0126] An increasingly common technique for acquiring at least a portion of the initial arrangement (or any subsequent arrangement) is digital scanning. A virtual dental model representing the patient's dental structure can be captured using digital intraoral scanning or by digitally scanning an impression or other physical dental model. Scanning devices that allow the virtual dental arch to be provided in the form of digital data are intraoral scanners or intraoral contact probes, such as the True Definition Scanner from Midmark. ™ Scanners or TRIOS scanners available from 3Shape A / S. As another option, the digital data file can be obtained by scanning an impression of the patient's teeth. As yet another option, the digital data can be obtained by scanning a physical model of the patient's teeth. The model for scanning can be made by pouring a casting material (such as plaster of Paris or epoxy resin) into the impression of the patient's teeth and allowing the casting material to cure. The model can be scanned using any suitable scanning technology, such as X-ray, laser, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging.

[0127] The digital data can be "cleaned" by removing any data points that represent obvious errors. For example, STL processing software can repair an STL formatted file representing a tooth surface that includes data points that are significantly outside the normal expected geometric relationship of adjacent data points to remove erroneous data points. In addition, missing tooth data points can be added by the STL processing software to create a realistic, smoothly curved tooth shape. Alternatively or in addition, data cleaning can be performed on the data file before converting the data to an STL file. As an additional option, data of hidden features of the patient, such as the roots, proximal areas, and jaw structure of the patient's teeth, can also be obtained. For example, CT scanning technology can be used to obtain data representing the patient's entire tooth structure (including the roots). The data obtained by the CT scan can then be "combined" with other data obtained by scanning the crowns of the patient's teeth using another scanning technology to provide a more comprehensive virtual representation.

[0128] The tooth table surface can be segmented to generate one or more discrete removable 3D tooth object models representing individual teeth. The tooth model can also be separated from the gums into separate objects. Segmentation allows the user to characterize and manipulate the tooth arrangement as a set of separate objects. Advantageously, the computer can derive diagnostic information from these models, such as arch length, bite setting, space spacing between adjacent teeth, and American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) objective grading.

[0129] A tooth coordinate system defined by coordinate axes may be defined for each discrete tooth surface in a virtual dental arch. The coordinate system may include a mesio-distal axis, a buccal-lingual axis, and an occlusal-gingival axis for each tooth, wherein each axis is calculated to be perpendicular to the other two axes. The coordinate system may be defined using calculated or selected landmarks. Alternatively, the coordinate system may be created by defining a point on a virtual tooth; receiving axis input data defining a first axis and a second axis associated with the virtual tooth; calculating a general normal vector of a portion of the tooth surface around the point; and calculating the tooth coordinate system based on the axis input and the calculated vector. Such methods and other exemplary methods for creating a tooth coordinate system are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 9,622,835 (Raby et al.). The tooth coordinate system allows various modifications to one or more virtual teeth associated with the coordinate system. Aspects that may be adjusted or modified for each tooth include torque, tip, first-order rotation, mesio-distal movement (with or without interproximal deglaze (IPR)), occlusal-gingival translation, and buccal-lingual translation. Each of these aspects involves movement in one of the six degrees of freedom defined by the coordinate axes of the respective tooth surface.Such modifications also include positioning and / or attaching the virtual analog to the tooth.

[0130] One or both of the occlusal plane and the midsagittal plane of the dentition can be specified for the virtual model. The occlusal plane is an imaginary surface that passes through the occlusion of the teeth and is usually approximated by a plane. The midsagittal plane is an imaginary plane that passes longitudinally through the middle of the dental arch, dividing the dental arch into left and right halves. The initial approximation of the occlusal plane can be based on the shape or coordinate system of some or all of the tooth surfaces of a separate dental arch belonging to the dentition. For example, the occlusal plane can be defined by identifying three points that are tangentially in contact with the plane superimposed on the dentition. For a given dental arch, these three points typically include at least one contact point from the left molar, one contact point from the right molar, and one contact point from the central incisor or lateral incisor. In another embodiment, the occlusal plane is defined as the best fit plane to the point representing the origin of the tooth coordinate system, as previously defined. In fact, the plane represents the average of these origins, which are usually located at the incisal edge, a single cusp, or a buccal cusp of the tooth. The occlusal plane can also be used to calculate and define the vertical axis of the model. The vertical axis lies in a plane perpendicular to the occlusal plane and can be used to measure the orientation of the appliance on the teeth and to control the orientation of the elevator body and alignment pins.

[0131] Similarly, the mid-sagittal plane can be derived based on the shape of the dental arch form according to the coordinate system of the tooth surfaces of the dentition. Manual adjustment of the position and / or orientation of the occlusal plane and the mid-sagittal plane relative to the dentition surface can be performed as needed. The area below the teeth and / or gums can be extruded into a planar surface to create a virtual support body (step 420). Typically, as needed, before forming the support body, extrusion is performed along a path that is roughly perpendicular to the occlusal plane to a common plane that is spaced from about 2 mm to about 30 mm from the occlusal plane or the most gingival point on the model. The creation of the support body can be completed before or after the virtual appliance has been placed on the dental arch, but is preferably completed before adding the alignment pins or lifting mechanism body.

[0132] The method then continues with establishing a treatment plan for modifying the dental arch (step 430). The treatment plan will be used to specify the size, shape, identity, and position of appliances. The steps of the process for generating a treatment plan may be implemented as a computer program module for execution on one or more computer systems. The modeling software may provide a user interface that allows the digital representation of the teeth to be manipulated in 3D space relative to the digital representation of the patient's dental arch. The treating professional generates treatment information, such as by selecting the final position of the patient's individual teeth, the duration of the corresponding treatment phase or the number of treatment phases, the direction or magnitude of forces on the patient's teeth during the treatment phases, etc. Systems and methods for generating orthodontic treatment plans are found in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,435,083 (Chisti et al.), 7,134,874 (Chisti et al.), U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2009 / 0286196 (Wen et al.); 2010 / 0260405 (Cinader), U.S. Pat. No. 9259295 (Christoff et al.), and International Publication Nos. WO2021 / 245480 and WO2021 / 245484 (Cunliffe et al.). Further details on software and processes that can be used to derive a target tooth arrangement are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,870 (Lai et al.), U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,194,067; 7,291,011; 7,354,268; 7,869,983; and 7,726,968 (Raby et al.).

[0133] The treatment plan may be stored in the patient's dental health record (DHR) along with other patient information. The DHR may be filled in via information from the patient and / or from the treatment professionals involved in the patient's care. For example, the DHR may include, but is not limited to, items of patient medical information, including x-rays, 3D models of dental patient dentition, and / or pictures of the patient's smile. The DHR may also include other medical information, including current and past medication prescriptions, health history, genomic information, and the like. For patient identification information, the DHR may include the patient's name, address, contact information (e.g., telephone number, fax number, email address), date of birth, gender, and / or dental insurance, and the like. The DHR may also include the patient's personal treatment goals (e.g., space closure, restoration, whitening). At each stage of treatment, the DHR may be updated to reflect treatment progress and include a new 3D model of the patient's dentition at the time to aid in diagnosis and further treatment planning.

[0134] The desired final tooth positions, or tooth positions for the desired and / or anticipated final outcome of the orthodontic treatment, may be received, for example, from a treatment professional in the form of a descriptive prescription, may be calculated using a basic orthodontic prescription, or may be extrapolated from a clinical prescription. By specifying the desired final tooth positions and digital representations of the teeth themselves, the final position and surface geometry of each tooth may be specified to form a complete model of the teeth at the desired end of treatment or stage of treatment. The result of this step is a set of digital data structures representing the desired and / or orthodontically correct repositioning of the modeled teeth relative to assumed stable tissue. Both the teeth and the surrounding tissue may be represented as digital data.

[0135] With both a starting position and a final target position for each tooth, the process can then define a treatment path or tooth path for the movement of each tooth. This can include defining a plurality of planned sequential tooth arrangements for moving the teeth from the initial arrangement to a selected final arrangement along the treatment path. In one embodiment, the tooth path is optimized overall so that the teeth move in the most efficient and clinically acceptable manner to bring the teeth from their initial position to their desired final position. The movement path of each tooth between the starting position and the desired final position can be calculated based on a plurality of parameters, including the total distance the tooth moves, the difficulty of moving the tooth (e.g., based on surrounding structures, the type and position of the tooth being moved, etc.), and other patient-specific or physician-specific data that can be provided. Based on this information, a user or a computer program can generate an appropriate number of intermediate steps (corresponding to a plurality of treatment steps). In some variations, a user can specify a plurality of steps, and the software can map different appliance configurations accordingly.

[0136] If the movement path requires tooth movement beyond a predetermined amount (e.g., 0.3 mm or less in X or Y translation), the movement path can be divided into multiple steps, where each step corresponds to a separate target arrangement. The predetermined amount is typically the amount that an appliance or appliance configuration can move the teeth in a particular direction in the time required for each treatment step. Each appliance configuration corresponds to a planned continuous tooth arrangement and represents a step along the patient's treatment path. For example, the steps can be defined and calculated so that each discrete position can follow a straight line tooth movement or a simple rotation from the tooth position achieved by the previous discrete step, and so that the amount of repositioning required for each step involves an orthodontic optimal force on the patient's dentition. The treatment plan can include multiple stages (1 to n), where at time = 0, the initial treatment plan begins.

[0137] Several candidate treatment plans may be provided to the user / treating professional for selection as an initial treatment plan. Candidate treatment plans may include treatment simulations using only photographs supplied by the patient or based on more comprehensive dental imaging (e.g., x-rays, digital scans, etc.). Candidate treatment plans may be generated using rule-based methods, optimization-based methods, machine learning-based methods, or specific preferences (patient or physician) as outlined in WO2021 / 245484 (Cunliffe et al.).

[0138] If the user or other professional is not completely satisfied with the final predicted position of the teeth, a new final position of the virtual teeth may be calculated and displayed based on the revised position of the virtual appliances or virtual teeth. These steps may be repeated as many times as necessary until all parties are satisfied. Data representing the selected position of the teeth, as well as identification data for each appliance (such as appliance type and bonding location), tooth identification data (such as tooth type and location in the mouth), and patient data (such as name and date of birth, or patient identification number) may be recorded in the DHR for further processing.

[0139] The method of creating a physical model then proceeds to the step of obtaining a virtual appliance according to the desired treatment plan and positioning the virtual appliance relative to the virtual dental arch. Although the discussion is based on a virtual appliance as a virtual attachment or a virtual bracket, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that other virtual appliances (e.g., molar tubes, buttons, splints, sheaths, occlusal ramps, bite blocks, etc.) suitable for bonding to the surface of the teeth can be approached and connected to the virtual dental arch. In an exemplary embodiment, a virtual appliance is obtained based on a physical appliance that is standardized by a prescription and can be obtained "off the shelf". However, those skilled in the art should recognize that the method and system of the present invention can also be used in conjunction with an appliance customized for each tooth of each patient or a combination of customized and standard appliances. In one embodiment, a virtual appliance can be selected from a pre-existing appliance configuration library. For example, such a fully constructed appliance can be stored and accessed as a CAD or STL (standard tessellation language) file. The appliance can be stored as a display in an accessible library or generated after retrieval based on the expected position of the appliance on the dental arch. The virtual appliance may be placed on the virtual dental arch unmodified (ie, without undergoing any other shape adjustments), or may be modified after such placement.

[0140] The desired size, shape, and position of the appliance on the model may be determined in any of a variety of ways. Different considerations may affect the size, shape, and position of orthodontic attachments compared to orthodontic brackets. For example, the final position of the patient's individual teeth, the duration of the corresponding treatment phase, or the number of treatment phases may affect the direction or magnitude of the forces on the patient's teeth during each treatment phase. In some examples, orthodontic attachments may be used during at least one but less than all treatment phases. In some examples, the movement to be achieved, the force applied, and the engagement of each CTA on each tooth may be determined by selecting the size, shape, and position of the orthodontic attachment based on the treatment plan. This analysis may be completed once or multiple times for the treatment plan. For example, each stage may have different attachments, or may have more attachments, if desired. However, in many cases, the attachment type, position, and / or orientation may be changed several times during the treatment plan.

[0141] As another example, the attachment may be molded and positioned to reduce intrusion of the tongue and / or inner cheek, particularly when the CTA is not in the oral cavity covering the attachment. The attachment may also be molded and positioned to facilitate removal of the CTA from the teeth by enabling the CTA to be disengaged from the attachment in a specific direction, for example, without compromising the effectiveness of the treatment or retention of the CTA on the teeth. The attachment may also be molded and positioned to reduce the visibility of the attachment together with the corresponding housing or hole in the CTA when the CTA is worn by the patient. By using virtual modeling, attachments may be virtually tested, and the best attachment type, shape, position and / or orientation may be selected. Based on this analysis, different physical dental attachment placement devices may be created based on virtual dental attachment placement device data, which will be used to create attachments required for different stages.

[0142] In an embodiment where the appliance is an orthodontic bracket, the virtual bracket can be connected to the virtual archwire, and the final position of the teeth can be calculated based on the position of the bracket and the selected archwire. Assuming that the final position meets the approval, the virtual appliance can be placed at the position corresponding to the virtual bracket. As an alternative to moving the appliance, the user can instead define the desired position of the teeth as described above, and the computer can include programming instructions to determine the appropriate position to place the appliance so as to move the teeth to those desired positions. Examples of virtual orthodontic treatment performed in this manner are disclosed in published U.S. Patents 6,739,869 (Kopelman et al.) and 7,354,268 (Raby et al.).

[0143] Alternatively, orthodontic appliances may be placed on the virtual dental arch model based on standards or guidelines from orthodontic treatment philosophy, such as, for example, the standards or guidelines of Drs. MacLaughlin, Bennett, and Trevisi as taught in the textbook "Systemized Orthodontic Treatment Mechanics," first edition, by Richard P. McLaughlin BS DDS, John C. Bennett FDS RCS, and Hugo Trevisi DDS. These standards or guidelines for appliance placement may be specific to each tooth in the model and may call out the position of certain features (e.g., the occlusal-gingival height of the archwire slot) relative to the clinical crown of each tooth. Orthodontic appliances may also be placed according to specific instructions provided by the treating professional. Again, these suggested orthodontic appliance positions are optionally based on orthodontic treatment principles or other known standards or guidelines in the art. Examples of automated placement of virtual brackets on teeth are described in US Pat. Nos. 7,210,929 (Raby et al.), 8,517,727 (Raby et al.), and 7,940,258 (Stark et al.), all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0144] Whether a virtual appliance created by a user or accessed from a virtual library, it can be modified according to the treatment plan. In one embodiment, the modification step includes increasing the three-dimensional volume represented by the virtual appliance by selectively modifying only a portion of the appliance. For example, the modification step may include flattening or reducing the recess present in the shape of the appliance. The modification step may also include adding at least a virtual structure to the shape of the appliance, such as the connection point described below. Undercuts may be minimized or removed. In addition, the modification step may include optionally reducing the three-dimensional volume by selectively modifying another portion of the appliance. Those skilled in the art should recognize the various possibilities for modifying the shape, for example, by changing an existing shape, adding or removing a shape, virtually copying, cutting, extending, reducing or another suitable technique. Those skilled in the art can also create a set of virtual appliances according to the treatment plan in any suitable manner.

[0145] Connection points on the body of the virtual appliance for the final attachment arms may be created on the appliance before or after placement. In some implementations, the connection points are stored in a library with the virtual appliance. In other implementations, connection points may be added during modification of the appliance or after the appliance has been positioned and oriented according to the treatment plan. Fig.14A virtual appliance 530 is depicted having a connection point 526 defined along a long edge 532. The virtual appliance 530 is similar in all respects to the physical appliance 30. In a currently preferred implementation, the connection portion 526 is spaced apart from the edge of the bonding surface 538 in the direction facing the surface 539, thereby providing a connection arm ( Fig.11 526) to provide adequate clearance from the bonding tooth surface. The number and location of the connection points generally follow the same considerations as for the coupling arm, and may be determined by at least one of: (a) the orientation of the major axis of the appliance relative to an axis perpendicular to the reference plane B; (b) the orientation of the major axis relative to the vertical axis V; and (c) the size of the appliance 30, all according to the treatment plan. Generally, but not exclusively, an appliance 530 having a major axis 540 oriented within no greater than 35 degrees parallel to the vertical axis V (or an axis perpendicular to the reference plane B) will have a single connection point 526, while an appliance 530 having a major axis 540 oriented within greater than 35 degrees to 90 degrees parallel to the vertical axis V (or an axis perpendicular to the reference plane B) may include two or more connection points 526. The connection points 526 are typically arranged on one long edge 532, 533 of the body 531 at an opposing corner. For a bracket assembly having a single coupling arm, when positioned on a tooth according to the treatment plan, the connection is typically arranged on one of the short edges 534, 535 at the most occlusal point on the body 531. The connection point 526 has a cross-sectional shape (here rectangular) that generally matches the preferred cross-sectional shape of the final coupling arm; this allows the coupling arm to be extruded directly from the body 531, as discussed further below.

[0146] Steering Fig.15 , depicting a virtual phantom 500 in which a virtual appliance 530 (here having all the features of the attachment 30) is sized, shaped, and positioned on the labial tooth surface 517 of the associated tooth 513 according to the treatment plan. The central axis 542 of each appliance 530 is generally parallel to the reference plane B. The vertical plane P of each appliance 530 can be defined by the central axis 542, the reference plane B, and the occlusal plane of the associated tooth 513 that is directly occluded to the central axis. As described above, the reference plane B can be parallel to the occlusal plane, but this is not required. The vertical plane P of each appliance can be used to locate and place the remaining elements of the bracket assembly.

[0147] At any point in the process after the position of the appliance has been satisfactorily confirmed, the shape of the perimeter of the appliance can be used to create a recess in the bonding surface 517. For example, the virtual attachment model can be modified according to the above-mentioned techniques to have a uniform cross-sectional shape that matches the perimeter of the bonding surface (e.g., the base of the appliance). The virtual appliance analog can be extruded in a dimension parallel to the central axis with an additional offset height (e.g., 100 microns) equal to the desired depth of the recess. The analog can be merged with the dental arch model. The virtual analog can then be Boolean subtracted from the virtual tooth surface, leaving a recess with a shape that matches the perimeter shape of the appliance bonding surface and a depth that matches the selected offset height. Other methods for creating a recess with the shape of the appliance bonding surface will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0148] With at least one appliance placed at a planned position and orientation on the virtual dental arch, alignment pins and a lift mechanism body may be arranged relative to each such appliance. The lift mechanism body 602 and alignment pins 670 may be arranged as a combined virtual lift mechanism assembly 600, such as Fig.16 The lift mechanism body 602 and alignment pin 670 in the combined assembly 600 may include any and all individual features of the lift mechanism body 100, 300 and alignment pin 200, as described above. For example, similar to the virtual appliance 530, such an assembly 600 may be stored and accessed as a CAD or STL file.

[0149] The combined elevator assembly 600 is arranged according to a Cartesian coordinate system, wherein the facing surface 606 extends from the alignment pin 670 toward the front edge 610 in the Y direction, the alignment pin 670 and the gripping element 650 extend in the Z direction (parallel to the vertical axis 671 of the alignment pin), and the width of the elevator body 602 extends along the X direction. When arranged on the alignment pin 670, the facing surface 606 extends a sufficient distance from the front edge surface 678 of the alignment pin to allow the elevator body 602 to overhang the appliance 530 and the tooth surface 517. In an exemplary implementation, this overhang of the facing surface 606 relative to the alignment pin edge 678 is about 1.4 mm.

[0150] The combined lift mechanism assembly 600 can be accessed from a virtual library, or can be created by adding a separate virtual lift mechanism body object to an associated virtual alignment pin object. The combined lift mechanism assembly can be classified in the virtual library by, for example, appliance type, appliance geometry, expected bonding surface and / or corresponding bonding position on the dental arch (e.g., posterior to anterior). In some cases, storing the combined lift mechanism assembly in a virtual library can allow standardized lift mechanism assemblies with substantially similar geometries to be used for each tooth of the receiving appliance. Standardized lift mechanism assemblies can allow more repeatable and reliable manufacturing (e.g., 3D printing) of bracket assemblies, as well as more repeatable placement of attachments using transfer devices as embodied herein.

[0151] Either or both of the lifter body and alignment pins may be modified relative to the geometry of the components accessed from the virtual library. For example, any aspect of the combined assembly may be enlarged to account for larger appliances, larger teeth in the patient's dental arch, or particularly angled bonded teeth. In another example, any aspect of the virtual assembly may be contracted to accommodate younger patients and / or smaller teeth. In other specific implementations contemplated by the inventors of the present invention, the selected lifter body may be arranged on the dental arch independently of the alignment pins, and vice versa; the remaining discussion assumes that the combined lifter assembly 600 is used to initially position the two component elements.

[0152] For each tooth that includes an appliance 530, the lift mechanism assembly 600 can be positioned adjacent to the occlusal surface 516 of the tooth. Fig.17 , a virtual dental arch including an elevator assembly 600 and an appliance 530 arranged for each bonded tooth is depicted. Each elevator assembly is preferably, but not exclusively, arranged according to one or more standard placement expectations. Such expectations may include 1) the Y axis of the combined elevator assembly is aligned substantially parallel to the central axis 542 of the appliance; 2) the midpoint of the elevator body 602 along the X axis is aligned with the vertical appliance plane P; 3) the facing surface 606 is spaced a sufficient distance (e.g., 0.2 mm) from the occlusal surface 516 so that the head and shoulder of the alignment pin 670 fully protrude from the occlusal surface; 4) the Z axis (including the vertical axis 671 of the alignment pin) is arranged perpendicular to at least one of the reference plane B of the mold 500 or the occlusal plane of the dental arch 512; 6) the front edge 678 of the alignment pin 671 is set back from the apex of the bonded tooth surface 517; and 7) the front edge 678 is arranged substantially parallel to the long axis 540 of the appliance 530. Following one or more placement expectations for each combined lift mechanism assembly may allow for faster construction and easier user confirmation of proper placement.

[0153] Figures 18 to 20Depicted is a combined lift mechanism assembly 600 positioned on the occlusal surface 516 of a tooth 513 in accordance with the above described placement expectations. Fig.18 As shown, the midpoint of the lift mechanism body 602 along the X-axis is located at the center of the plane P. The facing surface 606 and the head 672 and the shoulder 674 (at Fig. 20 A portion of the alignment pin 670 (clearly shown in FIG. 6 ) protrudes vertically from the occlusal surface 516 so that the facing surface 606 does not contact the teeth. The Z axis of the assembly 600 is generally parallel to the plane P (if it is now located in the plane P) and perpendicular to the reference plane of the mold body (not shown). The lifting mechanism body 602 is positioned so that its Y axis is aligned with the central axis 542 of the appliance 530, and the front edge 678 of the alignment pin 670 is generally parallel to the long axis 540 (see FIG. Fig.19 ). The alignment of the Y-axis and the central axis 542 tends to place the elevator body 602 symmetrically at the mesial-distal center of the body 531 of the instrument.

[0154] The front edge 678 of the alignment pin 670 is set back from the bonding tooth surface 517, as shown in FIG. Fig. 20 6. The setback distance is sufficient to prevent the alignment pin 670 from intersecting the virtual tooth surface and to place the front edge 610 of the lift body 602 in the facial direction from the facial surface 639 of the appliance 630. Placing the front edge 610 facing (or lingually, if the bonding surface is the lingual surface) the facing surface 639 allows the coupling arm (not shown) to better avoid contacting the tooth surface 517. This arrangement allows the path of travel of the coupling arm to substantially return to the tooth surface 517. For example, a sufficient setback distance may be at least 0.6 mm and no more than 1.0 mm.

[0155] In addition, if Fig. 20 As shown, the head 672 and shoulder 674 of the alignment pin 670 are located at a sufficient height above the occlusal cusp 516 so that the facing surface 606 of the bracket will not contact or interfere with the occlusal surface 516 of the tooth. The height can be measured relative to at least one of the tooth surface 516, the reference plane, and the occlusal plane. For example, the lifting mechanism assembly 600 can be positioned so that the shoulder 674 is raised at least 0.2 mm above the occlusal surface 516. Additionally or alternatively, the combination assembly 600 can be arranged so that the facing surface 606 is raised at least 0.2 mm above the occlusal plane.

[0156] The process for positioning the lifter body and alignment pins as a combined lifter assembly 600 or otherwise is repeated for each tooth 513 receiving the appliance according to the treatment plan. Fig.17, wherein the lifter body 602 is arranged adjacent to the occlusal surface 516 of each tooth 513 receiving the appliance 530. The method of the present disclosure then proceeds to create one or more coupling arms connecting each appliance 530 and the lifter body 602. As described above, the number and position of the one or more coupling arms 620 are primarily determined by the type, size, and orientation of the associated appliance 530.

[0157] Each coupling arm may be extruded in a generally occlusal-gingival direction between a connection point 526 and a coupling region 611 (which may or may not be located on the facing surface 606). In a currently preferred embodiment, the coupling arms 620 are extruded in an occlusal-facial direction from the connection point 526 to the coupling region 611 on the facing surface 606. If used, the coupling arms 620 generally maintain the cross-sectional shape of the connection point 526 and may include a taper, each as described above. In addition, as described above, the coupling arms 620 may be linear, arcuate along a single radius of curvature, include a compound curvature, or include a combination thereof. Once each appliance 530 is attached to the associated lift mechanism body 602 via the necessary number of coupling arms 620, the complete virtual solid model 700 including the finished bracket assembly 800 may be used for further manufacturing (see Fig.21 ).

[0158] With the complete virtual solid model 700 in place, the method proceeds to create at least two separate object models that can be exported for subsequent manufacturing: a) a fixture model 900 including the combined alignment pins 670 and mold body 510 (see Fig. 22 ); and b) each bracket assembly 800 including the set of tools 630, the connecting arm 620 and the lifting mechanism body 602. These parts of the virtual solid model 700 will be output and manufactured separately, wherein the creation of the complete physical solid model 10 requires placing each bracket assembly on the fixture model.

[0159] The fixture model 900 and the bracket assembly 800 objects can each be provided by combining virtual component elements, such as merging or superimposing by computer assistance. The virtual fixture model 900 and the bracket assembly 800 can each be maintained in the form of a computer-processable three-dimensional data file, which can be transmitted to a manufacturing machine that manufactures its physical representation. Each bracket assembly 800 can be maintained as a discrete object, or can be joined at the gripping element 650. The gripping elements 650 of all bracket assemblies on the solid model can be joined, or the bracket assembly 800 can be joined into a single half dental arch, a quarter of a dental arch, or any other selected dental arch portion including two or more teeth. The joined bracket assembly can help provide a planar building plate for additive manufacturing or help assemble a physical solid model.

[0160] In some examples, manufacturing at least one of the fixture model and the associated bracket assembly from the virtual solid model may include a 3D printing process. In a currently preferred embodiment, both the fixture model and the bracket assembly are created by 3D printing, wherein the fixture model is created by a first material and the bracket assembly is created by a second material. Suitable materials for each are as described above.

[0161] Three-dimensional printing may include, for example, forming a support assembly or fixture model from multiple layers of photopolymerizable materials described herein by selectively curing the photopolymerizable materials in a layer-by-layer manner. In some examples, the additively manufactured article may include multiple materials bonded to each other. The photopolymerizable material layer may be deposited according to an image of the three-dimensional article in a computer-readable format. For example, the photopolymerizable material may be deposited according to preselected CAD parameters (e.g., a data file). In some examples, the photopolymerizable material is cured using actinic radiation (such as UV radiation, electron beam radiation, visible light radiation, or a combination thereof).

[0162] In addition, it should be understood that the methods of manufacturing 3D articles described herein may include stereolithography technology or barrel polymerization. For example, the methods of the present disclosure may include maintaining the photopolymerizable composition described herein in a fluid state in a container, and selectively applying energy to the photopolymerizable composition in the container to solidify at least a portion of the fluid layer of the photopolymerizable composition, thereby forming a hardened layer defining a cross-section of the 3D article. These methods may also include raising or lowering the hardened layer of the photopolymerizable composition to provide a new or second fluid layer of an unhardened photopolymerizable composition at the surface of the fluid in the container, and then selectively applying energy to the photopolymerizable composition in the container again to solidify at least a portion of the new or second fluid layer of the photopolymerizable composition to form a second solidified layer defining a second cross-section of the 3D article. In addition, by applying energy for solidifying the photopolymerizable composition, the first cross-section and the second cross-section of the 3D article may be bonded or adhered to each other in the z direction (or the construction direction corresponding to the above-mentioned raising or lowering direction). In addition, selectively applying energy to the photopolymerizable composition in the container may include applying actinic radiation having energy sufficient to cure the photopolymerizable composition, such as UV radiation, visible light radiation, or electron beam radiation. The method of creating a physical solid model may also include planarizing a new layer of a fluid photopolymerizable composition provided by raising or lowering a lift platform. Planarization may be performed, for example, by utilizing a wiper or roller or recoater. Planarization may correct the thickness of one or more layers by evenly dispensing the material to remove excess material prior to curing the material and creating a uniformly smooth exposed or flat upward facing surface on the support platform of the printer.

[0163] The foregoing techniques may be repeated a selected number of times to provide a 3D article. For example, in some cases, the process may be repeated "n" times. In addition, it should be understood that one or more steps of the methods described herein, such as the step of selectively applying energy to the photopolymerizable composition layer, may be performed based on an image of the 3D article in a computer-readable format. Suitable printers include: Viper Pro SLA, purchased from 3D Systems, Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA; Asiga PICO PLUS 39, purchased from Asiga USA, Anaheim Hills, California, USA; D30, purchased from Rapid Shape, Heimsheim, Germany; and Moonray, purchased from SprintRay, Los Angeles, California, USA.

[0164] A related technology, vat polymerization with digital light processing ("DLP"), also uses containers of curable polymers (e.g., photopolymerizable compositions). However, in DLP-based systems, a two-dimensional cross-section is projected onto the curable material to cure the desired section transverse to the entire plane of the projected light beam at one time. All such curable polymer systems that may be suitable for the photopolymerizable compositions described herein are intended to fall within the scope of the term "vat polymerization systems" as used herein.

[0165] One or both of the support assembly and the fixture model may be created on a building platform of any suitable shape, although this may be more typical for the support assembly. For example, the building platform may include a substantially planar plate, one or more elongated runners, etc. The building platform may also include a frangible gate that supports a solid model component manufactured on the building platform. For example, the gate may extend from the building platform to a gripping element of the support assembly. In other examples, the gate may extend from the building platform to the lifting mechanism body. Like the connecting arm, the gate is constructed to break in response to bending, torsion, compression, or tension. The building platform may include markings identifying the physical solid model components thereon. The markings may include text, symbols, colors, etc. For example, the building platform may be formed by the additive manufacturing techniques described herein to include text imprinted on the surface of the building platform to indicate a patient or treatment stage.

[0166] Other techniques for three-dimensional manufacturing, including but not limited to fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, and inkjet printing, may be suitably adapted to the methods described herein. More generally, three-dimensional manufacturing techniques continue to become available and may be adapted for use with the photopolymerizable compositions described herein, provided that they provide compatible manufacturing viscosities and resolutions for specified article properties, such as continuous additive manufacturing, in which a build plate is (substantially) continuously moved through a vat of photopolymerizable material. In some examples, equipment suitable for use in a continuous mode may be employed, such as equipment commercially available from Carbon 3D, Inc. (Redwood City, CA, USA), such as described in U.S. Patent Applications Nos. 9,205,601 and 9,360,757 (both to DeSimone et al.). For example, in any of the above methods, the selective curing of the photopolymerizable material includes continuous photopolymerization of at least one of the first portion of the article or the second portion of the article.

[0167] After forming the three-dimensional article, it is usually taken out from the additive manufacturing equipment. At this stage, the three-dimensional article usually has enough green strength for processing in any remaining steps of the method. The surface of the article and the batch article itself usually still retain uncured material, indicating that further curing is required. When the article is subsequently post-cured, it is particularly useful to remove the residual uncured photopolymerizable material to minimize the uncured residual material from being directly cured onto the article. The "cured" article may include a photopolymerizable material that has been at least partially polymerized and / or cross-linked. For example, in some cases, the at least partially polymerized article is at least about 10% polymerized or cross-linked or at least about 30% polymerized or cross-linked. In some cases, the at least partially polymerized article is at least about 50%, at least about 70%, at least about 80% or at least about 90% polymerized or cross-linked, for example, about 10% to about 99% polymerized or cross-linked.

[0168] In some examples, the removal of excess uncured photopolymerizable composition on the additively manufactured article is at least partially performed by washing with at least one solvent. Suitable solvents include, but are not limited to, propylene glycol carbonate, isopropanol, methanol, di(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether, tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, a blend of dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether and [2-(2-methoxymethylethoxy)methylethoxy] propanol, and combinations thereof. In some examples, removal is performed at least in part by moving the additively manufactured article and thereby generating a mass inertia force in the uncured photopolymerizable composition on the article, wherein a centrifuge, shaker, or mixer that spins along one or more axes is used to generate the mass inertia force. For example, a suitable method for generating a mass inertia force is described in International Publication No. 2020 / 157598 (Chakraborty et al.), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. For example, a mass inertia force source can be generated using a centrifuge, shaker, or mixer that spins along one or more axes. In some examples, the movement of the object is a rotation or spin of the object. Therefore, the mass inertia force can be generated by centrifugal force. A suitable mixer that spins along more than one axis is a dual asymmetric centrifugal mixer, such as the DAC 400 FVZ purchased from Flacktek, Landrum, SC. ​​The dual asymmetric centrifugal mixer provides simultaneous dual-axis spinning, which automatically reorients the article during spinning, which tends to pull the uncured composition out of the concave features of the article in a short period of time (e.g., 20 seconds, 15 seconds, or 10 seconds or less). Suitable cleaning solutions are also described in International Publication WO 2018 / 222395 (Jahns et al.).

[0169] The method of the present disclosure may also include subjecting the additively manufactured article to actinic radiation, heat, or both to photopolymerize the uncured photopolymerizable composition. Optionally, the article may then be soaked in another solvent (e.g., diethylene glycol ethyl ether or ethanol). Exposure to actinic radiation can be accomplished using any convenient radiation source, typically UV radiation, visible light radiation, and / or electron beam radiation, for a time ranging from about 10 seconds to more than 60 minutes. Heating is typically performed in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of about 35°C to about 80°C for a time ranging from about 10 minutes to more than 60 minutes. In some examples, a post-curing oven combining UV radiation and thermal energy can be used for a post-curing process. In some examples, post-curing can improve the mechanical properties and stability of the three-dimensional article relative to the same three-dimensional article that has not been post-cured.

[0170] In some examples, the photopolymerizable material includes a ceramic material (eg, ceramic particles and / or ceramic fibers), and the method further includes firing the polymerized material and sintering the additively manufactured article to form a ceramic article.

[0171] With respect to any of the above methods, the steps may also optionally include polishing the additively manufactured article so that at least a portion of the surface of the additively manufactured article is smoother than before polishing. In addition, the method may also include treating the bonding surface 38 of one or more appliances 30 to improve surface roughness and mechanical retention. Such treatments may include etching, organosilane treatment, sandblasting, or any other known mechanical or chemical modification to enhance the adhesive bond between the base 38 and the bonded tooth. For sandblasting, the treatment includes sandblasting the bonding surface using a silica-coated aluminum oxide sandblasting medium. A silane solution (e.g., a solution of silane in ethanol) may then be applied to the treated surface and allowed to dry at room temperature for at least 5 minutes. In the same or other specific implementations, the base may be bonded to a compressible material to help fill the gap between the base and the tooth structure. Suitable compressible materials are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,480,540 (Cinader). Create transfer equipment from assembled physical solid models

[0172] Fig.23 A method for creating a transfer device (1000) is outlined in . Once the parts are manufactured and post-processed as desired, the method proceeds with the joining of the fixture model and the bracket assembly to create a physical solid model 10 (step 1010). This step may optionally include depositing a release agent on the fixture model. Suitable release agents include silicone fluids, PVA, sprays, and wax emulsions. Once the physical solid model is created, any gripping elements or engaging elements that snap into the apex of the lifting mechanism body are removed from the bracket assembly (step 1020). Then, with the gripping elements removed and the bracket assembly discrete, a transfer device can be formed over at least a portion of the solid model (step 1030). Once the device has been formed (e.g., hardened), the transfer device and each bracket assembly are removed from the fixture model (step 1040). Advantageously, the removal can occur in a vertical direction, thereby facilitating separation of the transfer device from the fixture model.

[0173] Each bracket assembly (100, 300, 1300) is placed on the alignment pin (200, 1400) so that the receiver (130, 330, 1430) engages the protrusion (210, 1310). The assembly (100, 300, 1300) is forced in the gingival direction until the facing surface engages the shoulder before contacting the occlusal surface of the bonding tooth. The bracket assemblies can be arranged one by one, or engaged and arranged in one or more groups. The bracket assemblies can be placed manually by a technician using, for example, markings on the bracket assembly and / or the fixture, or according to guidelines that specify the location of a given bracket assembly based on, for example, the geometry of the appliance or the geometry of the lifting mechanism body. For example, the clinician or technician can use a tool such as forceps, retaining ring pliers, or other suitable tools to engage the lifting mechanism body to arrange the bracket assembly on the fixture model. As an alternative to manually placing the bracket assembly, a computer-controlled robotic arm (e.g., a pick and place robot) can be used to grasp each appliance in turn and place it on the associated tooth. For example, information regarding the placement of the combined lift mechanism assembly may be used in a set of instructions to control the movement of the robotic arm so that the support assembly is placed at a corresponding selected position of the fixture model.

[0174] Once any or all of the bracket components are satisfactorily placed, any elements of the bracket components that snap into the apex of the lift mechanism body are removed and optionally discarded (step 1020). Elements such as gripping elements may be removed, for example, at the frangible section. Removal of these elements allows the device to be formed with a reduced height above the tooth surface, thereby potentially improving patient comfort and reducing the amount of material necessary to form the device. With each bracket component placed on the associated alignment pin, each appliance can be predictably positioned at its intended bonding location and orientation on the bonding tooth surface.

[0175] If the physical solid model (i.e., the joined bracket assembly and fixture model) is satisfactorily generated, a transfer device can be created on top of the solid model (step 1030). This can include sending instructions to a pressure forming or thermoforming machine to pressure form or thermoform one or more sheets of material on top of the physical solid model to form a negative replica or shell. The sheet can be, for example, a sheet of a deformable plastic (e.g., an elastic thermoplastic). The sheet of material can be heated to a temperature at which the sheet becomes pliable. Pressure can be applied to the sheet simultaneously to form the sheet around the solid model. Once the sheet cools, it will have a shape consistent with the solid model. The internal shape of the plastic shell generally conforms to the patient's current dental arch. A stripping agent can be applied to the solid model before forming the plastic shell to facilitate the removal of the mold from the plastic shell later. The shell can be trimmed by laser or mechanical grinding techniques to remove excess or unwanted material.

[0176] An exemplary method of making a transfer device in the form of a dental tray includes using a variety of sheets as described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,368,961 (Paehl et al.). The method includes placing an elastic sheet on top of the occlusal side of a tooth represented by a physical solid model, wherein a plastic sheet is arranged on top of the elastic sheet. The elastic sheet and the plastic sheet are deformed in a direction toward the physical solid model. This can be achieved by a vacuum generated under the elastic sheet and the plastic sheet or pressure above the elastic sheet and the plastic sheet. At least the plastic sheet can be heated before and / or during deformation. The plastic sheet is usually allowed to solidify by cooling, thereby providing it with sufficient rigidity for handling.

[0177] In other embodiments, the method may optionally include placing an elastomeric spacer on the physical mockup and thermoforming a hard layer of a transfer device (such as, for example, PETG) onto the mockup. The spacer material may be any of a variety of materials, including dental bone powder, thermosets, thermoplastics (including nylon), thermoplastic elastomers, and composite materials (e.g., glass-filled nylon). Further details on spacers may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,762,815 (Cinader et al.).

[0178] Optionally, as also described in U.S. Patent No. 7,762,815, the transfer device can be created with a bite stop member. The bite stop member typically includes a flat top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface having a shape such as a recessed portion that matches the shape of the occlusal tip of the patient's dental arch. In some specific embodiments, the bite stop member has one or more recessed portions corresponding to only some of the teeth in the dental arch, but a bite stop member having one or more recessed portions corresponding to each tooth of the dental arch can also be constructed. Other variations are also possible. For example, the bite stop member may extend along only a portion of the dental arch, rather than along the entire dental arch. Multiple stop members may be provided, which may be spaced apart from each other and optionally connected. The bite stop member may be chemically or mechanically bonded to the plastic sheet and / or hardenable material.

[0179] It should be understood that the transfer tray may be formed of only one or more layers of deformable plastic sheet material, without an accompanying elastic sheet or soft positioning layer. In such specific implementations, the plastic sheet material may be arranged to directly approach the occlusal surface of the physical entity model, without the spacing provided by the elastic sheet material. Therefore, the plastic sheet material directly surrounds the teeth and bracket components of the physical entity model when deformed, thereby directly creating a receiver for removably retaining the bracket components for subsequent bonding. In such streamlined transfer device embodiments, the physical entity model may be coated with a release agent to assist in removing the transfer tray from the entity model. According to a typical method for creating a transfer device, the resulting tray represents a negative replica of at least a portion of the physical entity model.

[0180] Suitable materials for creating thermoformed transfer devices are well known in the art, and therefore the choice of material is not critical. In an exemplary implementation, the transfer device is formed from COPYPLAST low-density polyethylene purchased from Scheu Dental Group, Iserlohn, Germany. The use of transparent materials for the component layers can facilitate confirmation of proper placement of the transfer device and associated appliances on the teeth.

[0181] Alternatively, the transfer device may include a dental impression material or a bite registration material. Dental impression materials may be based on different chemical substances and cross-linked by various chemical reactions (including addition-curing and condensation-curing materials). Dental impression materials may be classified according to their curing mechanism (e.g., addition-curing or condensation-curing). Dental impression materials may also be classified according to their consistency. In addition to low-viscosity dental impression materials, there are also high-viscosity, so-called bone-meal-like dental impression materials. Examples of dental impression materials include materials based on alginate, hydrocolloids, polysulfates, polyether technology, addition-curable silicone materials (e.g., VPS materials) and condensation-curable silicone materials. Dental impression materials are typically provided as two-component systems that consist of a base paste and a catalyst paste and are mixed before their application. The mixed paste is typically applied by means of a syringe-type device.

[0182] Dental impression materials are typically characterized by at least one, several or all of the following characteristics: consistency (according to ISO 4823): comparable low viscosity behavior (consistency 3), medium viscosity (consistency 1 or 2) or bone meal-like high viscosity behavior (consistency 0); setting time: within about 15 minutes after mixing under ambient conditions (e.g., 23° C.); Shore A hardness (according to ISO 4823; 24 h): at least about 20 or at least about 40; tensile strength (according to DIN 53504): at least about 0.2 MPa or at least about 3.0 MPa; elongation at break (according to DIN 53504): at least about 30% or at least about 150% or at least about 200%; recovery from deformation (according to ISO 4823): at least about 90% or at least about 95% or at least about 98%. Suitable dental impression materials are also described in EP2072029 (Bissinger et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,677,393 (Zech et al.), EP1512724 (Zech et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,449 (Lechner et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 8,007,579 (Klettke et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,691 (Guggenberger et al.). Suitable dental impression materials are commercially available, for example, from 3M ESPE under the trademarks IMPREGUM or IMPRINT and from numerous other suppliers and trademarks.

[0183] After the transfer device has cured or otherwise solidified, the device is removed from the fixture model (step 1040). The bracket assembly is retained in the device by at least intimate contact between the transfer device material and the lift mechanism body. As described above, such contact may be enhanced by retaining features on the surface of the lift mechanism body. Due to the orientation of the alignment pins on the fixture model, the transfer device may be separated in a generally vertical direction, potentially along the vertical axis V of the fixture model. The housing may be trimmed by laser or mechanical grinding techniques to remove excess or unwanted material before or after removal.

[0184] Figure 24 to Figure 25A finished transfer device 1100 is depicted. The transfer device 1100 (here a U-shaped dental tray) is formed to substantially match the teeth of the physical mock-up. The device includes a series of recesses including occlusal receivers (represented by receivers 1120) that generally correspond to the exterior surface of the lift mechanism body 1202 and channels (represented by channels 1130) that generally correspond to the exterior surfaces of the coupling arms 1220 and the appliance 1230 (which may reflect any of the bracket assemblies 100, 300, 1300). The occlusal receivers and channels may be in fluid communication within the recesses, but this is not strictly necessary. The inner wall segments will typically have a profile that matches the profile of the individual teeth of the patient, and an overall configuration that matches the orientation of each tooth relative to other teeth in the same dental arch. When placed on the dental arch, the inner wall segments will contact the labial, occlusal, and lingual surfaces of the teeth, although other configurations may omit surfaces that do not include receivers and / or channels 1120, 1130.

[0185] The body of the transfer device 1100 defines a plurality of housings 1150 (housings 1150). Each respective housing of the housings 1150 is configured to receive an outer surface of a respective tooth. In this manner, the transfer tray is configured to align with the patient's dentition. Each housing of the housings 1150 that is aligned with the bonding teeth is configured to include a respective bite receiver 1120 and channel 1130 within the housing 1150, which are collectively molded to enclose at least a portion of the respective bracket assembly 1200.

[0186] The channels 1130 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape or combination of shapes (e.g., trapezoidal, dome-shaped, etc.). Each channel 1130 in the transfer device may each have the same or different cross-sectional shapes. In other embodiments, certain groups of channels 1130 may include the same cross-sectional shapes as one another within the group and have cross-sectional shapes that are different from the cross-sectional shapes of groups located in different quadrants or locations on the transfer device 1100. In a currently preferred case, the device lacks any internal surfaces in the channels 1130 disposed between one or more coupling arms 1220 on the associated bracket assembly 1200 and the bonding tooth surface; such a configuration may help the appliance 1230 be separated from the transfer tray 1100.

[0187] The transfer device does not have to extend above the surface of the coupling arm or the appliance. For example, the recess may include an occlusal receiver covering the lifting mechanism body 1202 and a channel 1130 having a reduced length extending above a limited portion of the coupling arm 1220. The connector 1226 and the appliance 1230 remain exposed. Alternatively or in addition, the recess may include only an occlusal receiver, wherein the coupling arm and the appliance 1230 are exposed. In addition, the occlusal receiver does not need to surround or enclose all surfaces of the lifting mechanism body 1202. The device may include a combination of such exposed appliances, partially exposed appliances, and appliances received in the channel. In some specific implementations, when the appliance 1230 is fully bonded to the bonding tooth, exposing the appliance 1230 at least partially can make it easy to separate the appliance 1230 from the lifting mechanism body 1202.

[0188] In addition, the transfer device can be used to bond only a single appliance to a patient's tooth. For example, a portion of the transfer device described above can be used to bond a single appliance to a single tooth after other appliances have been bonded, such as in a situation where access to the tooth is initially obstructed by other teeth. As another example, a portion of the transfer device described above can be used to re-bond one or more appliances that have been inadvertently detached from a tooth, or to bond a new appliance to a tooth to replace the original appliance.

[0189] The adhesive may be applied to the bonding surface of the appliance 1230 before being placed on the dental arch of the patient. In some examples, the dental adhesive used may include a light-cured adhesive, a chemically cured adhesive, a dual-cured adhesive, 3MRELYX Final Adhesive Resin Cement, SCOTCHBOND Universal Adhesive, TRANSBOND XT Primer, TRANSBOND MIP Primer, or APC FLASH-FREE Adhesive, all of which are available from 3M Company (St. Paul, Minnesota), etc. The adhesive may be selected to be compatible with the material used to make the appliance to securely bond the attachment to the teeth. After the adhesive is applied to the bonding surface, the transfer device 1100 may be positioned on the patient's teeth.

[0190] The clinician or any other treating professional may first position the transfer device 1100 on the dentition. Then, in examples where the dental adhesive comprises a light-curing adhesive, the clinician may direct radiation of a selected wavelength (e.g., actinic radiation) to one or more of the appliances 1230 to cure the light-activated resin, thereby bonding the appliances 1230 to the bonding tooth surfaces. In other examples, the clinician may use an activator or other device to initiate curing of the adhesive immediately prior to positioning the transfer device 1100 on the dental arch or while the transfer device 1100 is positioned on the dental arch. The teeth may optionally be etched or primed before the transfer tray is placed on the dental arch.

[0191] Once the adhesive has cured appropriately, each appliance 1230 can be separated from the associated lift mechanism body 1202, preferably proximate the connection point on the body of the appliance. The device is removed from the dental arch and the patient's mouth. The treating professional can then remove any undesirable remnants of the coupling arm.

[0192] Kits and assemblies of appliances are also contemplated herein. For example, one or more of the attachments described herein may be pre-coated with a suitable orthodontic adhesive and packaged in a container or series of containers, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,978,007 (Jacobs et al.); 5,015,180 (Randklev); 5,429,229 (Chester et al.); and 6,183,249 (Brennan et al.), and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008 / 0286710 (Cinader et al.).

[0193] The various techniques of the present disclosure may be implemented in a variety of computer devices, such as servers (including clouds), laptop computers, desktop computers, notebook computers, tablet computers, handheld computers, smart phones, etc. Any component, module, or unit has been described to emphasize functional aspects and does not necessarily need to be implemented by different hardware units. The techniques described herein may also be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. Any features described as modules, units, or components may be implemented together in an integrated logic device or separately as discrete but interoperable logic devices. In some cases, various features may be implemented as integrated circuit devices, such as integrated circuit chips or chipsets.

[0194] If implemented in software, these techniques may be implemented at least in part by a non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed in a processor, perform one or more of the methods described above. A computer-readable medium may include a tangible computer-readable storage medium and may form part of a computer program product, which may include packaging materials. A computer-readable storage medium may include a random access memory (RAM), such as a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a flash memory, a magnetic or optical data storage medium, etc. The computer-readable storage medium may also include a non-volatile storage device, such as a hard disk, a magnetic tape, a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a Blu-ray disc, a holographic data storage medium, or other non-volatile storage devices. The term "processor" as used herein may refer to any of the aforementioned structures or any other structures suitable for implementing the techniques described herein. In addition, in some aspects, the functionality described herein may be provided in a dedicated software module or hardware module configured to perform the techniques disclosed herein. Even if implemented in software, these techniques may use hardware, such as a processor, to execute the software and memory to store the software. In any such case, a computer as described herein may define a specific machine capable of performing the specific functions described herein. Furthermore, these techniques may be fully implemented in one or more circuits or logic elements, which may also be considered a processor.

[0195] The patents, patent documents, and patent applications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety, as if each were incorporated by reference individually. Although specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described herein, it should be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrations of many possible specific arrangements that can be designed in the application of the principles of the present disclosure. Without departing from the essence and scope of the present disclosure, a person of ordinary skill in the art can design many and varied other arrangements based on these principles. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited to the structures described in the present application, but only to the structures described in the language of the claims and the equivalents of those structures.

Claims

1. A system for indirect bonding of orthodontic appliances, the system comprising: a transfer body defining a housing configured to receive an outer surface of a tooth of a dental arch and including an interior surface that generally conforms to a contour of at least one tooth of the dental arch, wherein the transfer body defines at least one recess within the housing; as well as An orthodontic appliance bracket, the orthodontic appliance bracket is arranged relative to the occlusal surface of the tooth, and the bracket comprises: a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism comprising a lifting mechanism body having a surface facing the teeth, the facing surface being configured not to contact the occlusal surface of the teeth when the transfer body is mounted on the dental arch, the orthodontic appliance, the appliance comprising a base for bonding the appliance to the tooth and a body including a perimeter; as well as One or more coupling arms configured to connect the lift mechanism body to the implement, wherein the coupling arms are breakable between the lift mechanism and the implement.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the transfer body defines a plurality of shells, each respective shell of the plurality of shells being configured to receive a respective tooth of a plurality of teeth, wherein the main body defines a respective recess within at least two respective shells.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each recessed portion comprises at least the lifting mechanism body.

4. The system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lift mechanism body has a polygonal cross-sectional shape.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the lift mechanism body further comprises opposing side surfaces and at least one inclined surface opposite the tooth-facing surface. 6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein an inner surface of the recessed portion is in contact with at least the inclined surface of the lifting mechanism body. 7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the inner surface of the recessed portion contacts at least one of the inclined surface and the side surface.

8. A system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the facing surface includes a coupling area, the coupling arm protrudes from the coupling area, and wherein when the transfer body is placed on the dental arch, the coupling area is positioned in the labial or lingual direction from the tooth.

9. The system of claim 8, and further comprising a channel surrounding the one or more coupling arms and at least a portion of the implement.

10. The system of claim 8 or 9, wherein the one or more coupling arms project from the facing surface in a direction rearwardly toward a tooth surface when the transfer body is positioned on the dental arch.

11. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the one or more coupling arms comprises at least one stress concentration region between the facing surface and the implement.

12. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body of the appliance comprises three or more edges, and wherein each coupling arm is connected to the body along the same edge.

13. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein the body of the appliance has the shape of an orthodontic attachment configured to transfer forces from a clear tray aligner to the teeth.

14. The system of any one of the preceding claims 1 to 13, wherein the appliance is an orthodontic bracket.

15. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lifting mechanism, one or more link arms and implement are integrally formed by additive manufacturing.

16. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein the transfer body comprises a thermoformed material.

17. The system of any of the preceding claims 1 to 15, wherein the transfer body comprises an impression material.

18. A system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the facing surface includes a coupling region, the coupling arm protrudes from the coupling region, wherein the coupling region protrudes outwardly in a labial direction, and wherein the appliance is constructed for bonding to the labial surface of the tooth.

19. A system according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 18, wherein the facing surface includes a connection area, the connection arm protrudes from the connection area, wherein the connection area protrudes outward in a generally lingual direction, and wherein the device is constructed for bonding to the lingual surface of the tooth.

20. A bracket for use in bonding an orthodontic appliance to a patient's teeth, the bracket comprising: a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism comprising a lifting mechanism body having a surface facing the teeth, the facing surface being configured not to contact the occlusal surface of the teeth when the lifting mechanism is mounted on a dental arch, the orthodontic appliance, the appliance comprising a base for bonding the appliance to the tooth and a body including a perimeter; as well as One or more coupling arms configured to connect the lift mechanism body to the implement, wherein the coupling arms are breakable between the lift mechanism and the implement.

21. The bracket of claim 20, wherein the body has a shape of an orthodontic attachment configured to transfer forces from a clear tray aligner to the tooth.

22. The bracket of claim 20, wherein the orthodontic appliance is a first appliance, and wherein the bracket includes a second appliance connected to the lifting mechanism via a coupling arm.

23. A support according to claim 20 or claim 21, wherein the facing surface includes a recessed portion having an opening and a depth extending through a portion of the height of the lift body, as measured between the facing surface and an apex of the lift body.

24. The stent of claim 23, wherein the recess has a shape that includes at least one rotation inhibiting surface or surface feature.

25. The stent of any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the recess comprises a taper that gradually decreases in cross-sectional dimension from the opening to the apex.

26. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein each arm comprises at least one stress concentration area located at the facing surface or the body of the device.

27. The stent of any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one link arm or the one or more link arms comprise an elliptical or circular cross-sectional shape.

28. A stand according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the one or more link arms comprises a taper that gradually decreases in cross-sectional dimension from the lifting mechanism to the implement.

29. A stent according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the one or more coupling arms protrudes from the facing surface.

30. The stent of claim 29, wherein each link arm projects along an axis oriented at an acute angle relative to a facing surface area from which the arm projects.

31. The stand of claim 28, wherein the one or more link arms include a first link arm and a second link arm, and wherein the first link arm diverges from the second link arm as the arm travels between the lifting mechanism and the implement.

32. A stand as claimed in any preceding claim 20 to 27, wherein each link arm follows a curved path between the lifting mechanism and the implement.

33. A bracket according to any one of claims 30 to 32, wherein the facing surface includes a recessed portion having an opening and a depth extending through a portion of the height of the lifting mechanism body, wherein the facing surface includes a connection area spaced apart from the opening, the connection arms protrude from the connection area, and wherein each connection arm protrudes from the connection area in a direction rearward toward the rear edge of the lifting mechanism body.

34. A stand as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lifting mechanism comprises side surfaces extending substantially perpendicular to the planar surface.

35. A bracket according to claim 34, and wherein at least one side surface includes at least one retaining feature, the retaining feature comprising a protrusion or a recess.

36. A stand according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the periphery of the body of the device includes three or more edges, and wherein each connecting arm is connected to the body of the device along the same edge, and wherein the edges to which the one or more connecting arms are connected are oriented in a plane substantially parallel to the facing surface of the lifting mechanism.

37. A bracket according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body periphery includes three or more edges, and wherein each connecting arm is connected to the body along the same edge, and wherein the edges to which the one or more connecting arms are connected are oriented in a plane oriented at an inclined angle relative to the facing surface of the lifting mechanism.

38. A stand according to any preceding claim, wherein the lifting mechanism, coupling portion and apparatus are integrally formed by additive manufacturing.

39. The bracket of claim 38, wherein the apparatus comprises a first additively manufactured material, the lifting mechanism and one or more link arms comprise a second additively manufactured material, and wherein the first material is different from the second material.

40. A bracket according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the bracket comprises a material having the following properties: a flexural strength of 50 MPa to 200 MPa or 80 MPa to 150 MPa measured according to ISO 4049:2009 using a test bar having dimensions of 6*4*25 mm, wherein 6 mm is the width of the test bar; and an E modulus of 1,000 MPa to 4,000 MPa measured using a flexural strength method according to DIN EN 843-2:2007, wherein the calculation of the modulus is performed within a range of 20% to 50% of the maximum force of the sample.

41. The scaffold of claim 40, wherein the scaffold comprises a resin cured from a polymerizable composition comprising a polymerizable (meth)acrylate free of polyurethane moieties in an amount of 40 to 85 wt%, a polymerizable polyurethane (meth)acrylate in an amount of 1 to 35 wt%, nanoclusters in an amount of 5 to 40 wt%, fumed silica in an amount of 0.5 to 5 wt%, a photoinitiator in an amount of 0.01 to 3 wt%, and an organic dye in an amount of 0.001 to 0.5 wt%, all based on the total weight of the composition.

42. A method for creating a physical entity model of a transfer device, the entity model comprising: a representation of at least a portion of a dental arch, the dental arch comprising a plurality of teeth, each tooth comprising an occlusal surface, a lingual surface, and a labial surface; One or more of the teeth include an alignment pin projecting upwardly from the occlusal surface.

43. The mockup of claim 42, wherein the mockup comprises first and second alignment pins, each alignment pin comprising a head having a shape, and wherein the size of the cross-sectional shape is substantially the same for each of the alignment pins.

44. The mock-up of claim 42, wherein each alignment pin includes a head having a shape, wherein a shape or size of a first alignment pin head is different than a shape or size of a second alignment pin head.

45. A solid model according to claim 43 or 44, wherein the shape is a polygon or a cone.

46. ​​A solid model according to claim 45, wherein the shape is a frustoconical shape, a pyramidal shape or a frustopyramidal shape.

47. A physical model according to claims 42 to 26, wherein the lingual or labial surface of at least one tooth comprises a recessed portion dimensioned to receive a base of an orthodontic appliance.

48. The physical model of claim 47, wherein the recessed portion comprises a shape complementary to a shape of the orthodontic appliance, and wherein the recessed portion is recessed relative to the surrounding tooth surface.

49. The physical model of any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one alignment pin comprises a shoulder adjacent the occlusal surface of the tooth, the shoulder creating a substantially planar occlusal surface at the base of the alignment pin.

50. A physical model according to any one of the preceding claims and further comprising one or more registration features extending from the occlusal surface adjacent the base of the alignment pin.

51. The physical model of claim 42, and further comprising an instrument holder located on each of the one or more alignment pins, the instrument holder comprising: a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism comprising a lifting mechanism body having a surface facing the teeth, the facing surface being configured not to contact the occlusal surface of the teeth when the transfer body is mounted on the dental arch, the orthodontic appliance, the appliance comprising a base for bonding the appliance to the tooth and a body including a perimeter; as well as One or more coupling arms configured to connect the lifting mechanism to the implement, wherein the coupling arms are breakable between the lifting mechanism and the implement.

52. The physical model of claim 50, wherein a proximal region of the stent includes a recess configured to receive the alignment pin, the recess including a shape complementary to the alignment pin and inhibiting rotation of the stent about a major axis of the pin.

53. The physical model of claim 52, wherein the tooth-facing surface does not contact the occlusal surface of the tooth.

54. A method for creating a transfer tray for one or more orthodontic appliances, the method comprising: Providing a physical mockup, the physical mockup comprising: a representation of at least a portion of a dental arch, the dental arch comprising a plurality of teeth, each tooth comprising an occlusal surface, a lingual surface, and a labial surface; wherein one or more teeth comprises an alignment pin projecting upwardly from the occlusal surface; For each tooth including an alignment pin, an appliance bracket is mounted on the alignment pin, the bracket comprising: a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism comprising a lifting mechanism body having a surface facing the teeth, the facing surface being configured not to contact the occlusal surface of the teeth when the transfer body is mounted on the dental arch, the orthodontic appliance, the appliance comprising a base for bonding the appliance to the tooth and a body including a perimeter; one or more coupling arms configured to connect the lifting mechanism to the implement, wherein the coupling arms are breakable between the lifting mechanism and the implement; and A dental tray is formed over the solid model and the bracket.

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