Dental appliance, system and method

Abstract

A dental appliance for a patient includes a body including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface defines a channel for receiving a plurality of teeth of the patient. The dental appliance also includes an arrangement of a plurality of features disposed on the first surface of the body. Each feature of the plurality of features includes a protrusion extending from the first surface opposite the second surface; a recess extending partially from the first surface toward the second surface; or a via extending from the first surface to the second surface. The arrangement of the plurality of features encodes feature data representing dental appliance information of the dental appliance or patient information of the patient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to dental appliances for patients, systems including at least one dental appliance and an imaging device for a corresponding patient, methods of forming a dental appliance, and methods of identifying a dental appliance. Background Art

[0002] Orthodontic treatment is performed by a dentist to move one or more teeth of a patient from a misaligned position to a desired position in the patient's mouth. In some cases, orthodontic appliances (e.g., orthodontic brackets and aligners) may be used in orthodontic treatment to move one or more teeth of a patient from a misaligned position to a desired position. Thus, orthodontic appliances are customized for a patient according to the orthodontic treatment phase of the orthodontic treatment.

[0003] Today, due to advancements in manufacturing technology, a large number of orthodontic appliances for different patients can be mass-produced in a manufacturing facility. In addition, each orthodontic appliance may have to be identified and tracked so that each orthodontic appliance is delivered to the correct patient. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a dental appliance for a patient. The dental appliance includes a body that includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface defines one or more cavities for receiving a plurality of teeth of the patient. The dental appliance further includes an arrangement of a plurality of features disposed on the first surface of the body. Each feature of the plurality of features includes a protrusion extending from the first surface opposite the second surface; a recess partially extending from the first surface toward the second surface; or a through-hole extending from the first surface to the second surface. The arrangement of the plurality of features encodes feature data representing dental appliance information of the dental appliance or patient information of the patient.

[0005] In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a system. The system includes at least one dental appliance for a corresponding patient. The at least one dental appliance includes a body that includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface defines a channel for receiving a plurality of teeth of the corresponding patient. The at least one dental appliance further includes an arrangement of a plurality of features disposed on the first surface of the body. Each feature of the plurality of features includes a protrusion extending from the first surface opposite the second surface; a recess partially extending from the first surface toward the second surface; or a through-hole extending from the first surface to the second surface. The arrangement of the plurality of features encodes data representing dental appliance information of the dental appliance or patient information of the patient. The system further includes an imaging device and a processor communicatively coupled to the imaging device.

[0006] In a third aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of forming a dental appliance for a patient. The method includes obtaining an initial digital model of the dental appliance. The method further includes encoding feature data into an arrangement of a plurality of feature portions. Each of the plurality of feature portions includes a protrusion, a recess, or a through-hole. The feature data represents dental appliance information of the dental appliance or patient information of the patient. The method further includes identifying one or more regions of the initial digital model for placement of the arrangement of the plurality of feature portions. The method further includes incorporating the arrangement of the plurality of feature portions in the one or more regions of the initial digital model to generate a digital model of the dental appliance. The method further includes forming the dental appliance based on the digital model of the dental appliance.

[0007] In a fourth aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of identifying a dental appliance for a patient. The method further includes receiving one or more images of at least one dental appliance. The method further includes identifying an arrangement of a plurality of feature portions of the at least one dental appliance based on the one or more images. Each of the plurality of feature portions includes a protrusion, a recess, or a through-hole. The method further includes decoding the arrangement of the plurality of feature portions using decoded data to determine the feature data encoded by the arrangement of the plurality of feature portions. The feature data represents dental appliance information of the dental appliance or patient information of the patient.

[0008] Details of one or more examples of the present disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other features, objects, and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein may be more fully understood in view of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale. The same numbers used in the drawings refer to like components. However, it should be understood that the use of a number to refer to a component in a given drawing is not intended to limit the component labeled with the same number in another drawing.

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic top view of an exemplary dental arch of a patient undergoing orthodontic treatment;

[0011] Figure 2A shows a schematic bottom perspective view of a dental appliance for a patient according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 2B shows a schematic top view of a dental appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 2C shows an enlarged schematic top view of a portion of a dental appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 3Shows a schematic top view of the arrangement of a plurality of features provided on a dental appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 4A Shows a schematic top view of a dental appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 4B Shows according to an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 4A An enlarged schematic top view of a portion of the dental appliance of;

[0017] Figure 4C Shows a schematic top view of a dental appliance according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 4D Shows according to an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 4C An enlarged schematic top view of a portion of the dental appliance of;

[0019] Figure 5 Shows an enlarged portion of a photograph of a dental appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 6 Shows a schematic block diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 7 Shows a schematic top view of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 8 Shows a flowchart of a method of forming a dental appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figures 9A to 9E Shows a schematic diagram of the respective steps of forming a dental appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0024] Figure 10 Shows a flowchart illustrating a method of identifying a dental appliance for a patient according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which various embodiments are shown by way of illustration. It is to be understood that other embodiments are contemplated and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the following detailed description should not be taken in a limiting sense.

[0026] In the following disclosure, the following definitions are employed.

[0027] As used herein, all numbers should be considered to be modified by the term "about". As used herein, the terms "a", "an", "the", "at least one", and "one or more" are used interchangeably.

[0028] 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 recognizable by one of ordinary skill in the art but does not require absolute precision or perfect match (e.g., within + / - 20% for a quantifiable property).

[0029] Unless otherwise specifically defined, the term "essentially" means highly approximate (e.g., within + / - 10% for a quantifiable property), but also does not require absolute precision or perfect match.

[0030] Unless otherwise specifically defined, the term "about" means highly approximate (e.g., within + / - 5% for a quantifiable property), but also does not require absolute precision or perfect match.

[0031] Terms such as same, equal, consistent, constant, exact, etc. are understood to be within the normal tolerances or measurement errors applicable to a particular situation and do not require absolute precision or perfect match.

[0032] As used herein, the terms "first" and "second" are used as identifiers. Thus, such terms should not be construed as limitations on the present disclosure. The terms "first" and "second" may be interchanged in embodiments of the present disclosure when used in conjunction with features or elements.

[0033] As used herein, "at least one of A and B" should be understood to mean "only A, only B, or both A and B".

[0034] As used herein, when a first material is said to be "similar" to a second material, at least 90 weight % of the first material and the second material is the same, and any variation between the first material and the second material includes less than about 10 weight % of each of the first material and the second material.

[0035] As used herein, the term "processor" refers to a computing device that is coupled to one or more other devices / circuits (e.g., switching circuits, etc.) and can be configured to communicate with such devices / circuits (e.g., control such devices / circuits). A processor can include any device that performs logical operations. A processor can include a general - purpose processor, a central processing unit, an application - specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor, a field - programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital circuit, an analog circuit, a microcontroller, any other type of controller, or any combination thereof.

[0036] As used herein, the term "communicatively coupled" refers to a direct coupling between components and / or an indirect coupling between components via one or more intermediate components. Such components and intermediate components can include, but are not limited to, junctions, communication paths, components, circuit elements, circuits, functional blocks, and / or devices. As an example of an indirect coupling, a signal transmitted from a first component to a second component can be modified by one or more intermediate components by modifying the form, nature, or format of the information in the signal, while one or more elements of the information in the signal are still transmitted in a manner that can be recognized by the second component.

[0037] As used herein, the term "three-dimensional representation" refers to any three-dimensional surface map of an object, such as a point cloud of surface data, a set of two-dimensional polygons, or any other data representing all or some of the surfaces of the object, as may be obtained by the capture and / or processing of three-dimensional scan data, unless a different meaning is explicitly provided or otherwise clear from the context. A "three-dimensional representation" can include volume representations and other representations, unless a different meaning is explicitly provided or otherwise clear from the context.

[0038] Orthodontic treatment is performed by a dentist to move one or more teeth of a patient from a misaligned position to a desired position in the patient's mouth. Orthodontic treatment can improve the patient's facial appearance. In some cases, orthodontic treatment can also improve the function of one or more teeth by providing an improved bite during chewing. In some cases, an orthodontic appliance (e.g., a clear tray aligner (CTA)) can be used in orthodontic treatment to move one or more teeth of a patient from a misaligned position to a desired position. Thus, the orthodontic appliance is customized for the patient according to the orthodontic treatment stage.

[0039] Although CTAs can be produced in a physician's office or a dental laboratory, most CTAs are mass-produced in a remote manufacturing facility. Given the case volume and the customized nature of the treatment, each orthodontic appliance must be identified and tracked such that each orthodontic appliance is ultimately delivered to the correct physician or patient.

[0040] Some conventional techniques for identifying and tracking orthodontic appliances use a unique QR code imprinted on an excess area of each orthodontic appliance or a unique laser mark on each orthodontic appliance. However, imprinting a unique QR code or generating a unique laser mark on an orthodontic appliance can increase the cost and / or complexity of the manufacturing technique. This can also increase the manufacturing time of each orthodontic appliance.

[0041] Therefore, a suitable solution may be needed that can reduce the additional cost and / or complexity associated with conventional techniques for identifying and tracking each orthodontic appliance.

[0042] The present disclosure relates to a dental appliance for a patient, a system including at least one dental appliance and an imaging device for a corresponding patient, a method of forming a dental appliance, and a method of identifying a dental appliance.

[0043] The dental appliance includes a body that includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface defines a channel for receiving a plurality of teeth of the patient. The dental appliance further includes an arrangement of a plurality of features disposed on the first surface of the body. Each feature of the plurality of features includes a protrusion extending from the first surface opposite the second surface; a recess partially extending from the first surface toward the second surface; or a through-hole extending from the first surface to the second surface. The arrangement of the plurality of features encodes feature data representative of dental appliance information of the dental appliance or patient information of the patient.

[0044] The arrangement of the plurality of features encoding the feature data can be easily decoded to determine the feature data encoded by the arrangement of the plurality of features. In another embodiment, the plurality of features can encode a unique identifier suitable for database lookup of appliance and patient information. The features are spaced apart from each other to encode the feature data. Thus, the arrangement of the plurality of features can be used to identify and track each dental appliance without the need to add any support structures. This can reduce the materials required to manufacture the dental appliance and can further reduce the manufacturing cost of the dental appliance. This can further reduce waste as support structures typically need to be removed and discarded. Thus, manufacturing the dental appliance can also be environmentally sustainable. Additionally, since the arrangement of the plurality of features is incorporated into the design of the dental appliance, the manufacturing complexity of the dental appliance can be reduced and thus no separate marking or labeling step is required.

[0045] Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 a schematic top view of an exemplary dental arch 20 of a patient 10 undergoing orthodontic treatment is shown. It can be noted that, Figure 1 the dental arch 20 shown is the lower dental arch of the patient 10. In some other embodiments, the dental arch 20 can include the upper dental arch of the patient 10. The dental arch 20 includes a plurality of teeth 50. In some cases, at least one tooth 50 of the plurality of teeth 50 of the patient 10 may be malpositioned. Thus, the patient 10 may need to undergo orthodontic treatment to correct the malposition of the at least one tooth 50. The at least one tooth 50 can be in the lower dental arch or the upper dental arch of the patient 10.

[0046] Figure 2A illustrates a schematic bottom perspective view of a dental appliance 100 for the Figure 1 patient 10 shown in. Figure 2B illustrates a schematic top view of the dental appliance 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.Figure 2C is a part 160 of a dental appliance 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 2B magnified schematic top view.

[0047] Referring Figures 2A to 2C , in some embodiments, the dental appliance 100 is at least one of an aligner, a retainer, or a bonding tray. In the Figures 2A to 2C illustrated embodiment, the dental appliance 100 is an aligner. In some other embodiments, the dental appliance 100 can be a retainer. The dental appliance 100 can be configured to apply a force and / or a moment on at least one tooth 50 ( Figure 1 shown in) to move at least one tooth 50 from an initial arrangement (i.e., malposition) in the dentition of a patient 10 ( Figure 1 shown in) to a target arrangement (i.e., desired position). Depending on the orthodontic treatment stage of the patient 10, the dental appliance 100 can apply a force and / or a moment on at least one tooth 50. Thus, the dental appliance 100 is typically customized for the patient 10 and is unique to the patient 10.

[0048] The dental appliance 100 includes a body 110. The body 110 includes a first surface 112 and a second surface 114 opposite the first surface 112. The second surface 114 includes one or more cavities defining a channel 116 for receiving a plurality of teeth 50 of the patient 10 ( Figure 1 shown in). Depending on the orthodontic treatment stage, the channel 116 receives and can elastically reposition the plurality of teeth 50.

[0049] The first surface 112 has a profile 113. The profile 113 represents a plurality of teeth 50 of the patient 10. Specifically, the profile 113 can represent the outer profile of a plurality of teeth 50 of the patient 10. In other words, the profile 113 can substantially conform to the outer surface of a plurality of teeth 50 of the patient 10.

[0050] In some embodiments, the body 110 of the dental appliance 100 may comprise a biocompatible material such as polyester, copolyester, polycarbonate, polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene copolymer, acrylic, cyclic block copolymer, polyetheretherketone, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyetherimide, polysulfone, polytrimethylene terephthalate, styrene block copolymer (SBC), silicone rubber, elastomer alloy, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) elastomer, polyurethane elastomer, block copolymer elastomer, polyolefin blend elastomer, thermoplastic copolyester elastomer, thermoplastic polyamide elastomer, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the material used to fabricate the body 110 may be provided in an uncured form (e.g., as a liquid, resin, powder, etc.) and may be cured (e.g., by photopolymerization, photocuring, gas curing, laser curing, crosslinking, etc.). The properties of the material before curing may be different from the properties of the material after curing. In some embodiments, the material may be a substantially transparent material.

[0051] The dental appliance 100 further includes an arrangement 120 of a plurality of features 130 disposed on a first surface 112 of the body 110 (shown separately in Figure 3 ). The features 130 are spaced apart from each other. In some embodiments, the first surface 112 includes the occlusal surface 112A or the incisal surface 112B of the dental appliance 100. In some embodiments, the first surface 112 may include the lingual surface 112C or the facial surface 112D of the dental appliance 100. The facial surface 112D of the dental appliance 100 may include the labial surface or the buccal surface.

[0052] Each of the plurality of features 130 includes a protrusion 132 extending from the first surface 112 opposite the second surface 114 (shown in Figure 2A ), a recess 134 extending partially from the first surface 112 toward the second surface 114, or a through-hole 136 extending from the first surface 112 to the second surface 114.

[0053] In some embodiments, each of the plurality of features 130 that includes a through-hole 136 and is disposed at the occlusal surface 112A or the incisal surface 112B of the dental appliance 100 may provide improved performance, particularly in terms of comfort and hygiene.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first surface 112 includes a plurality of regions (e.g., quadrants) 150 corresponding to and aligned with a plurality of teeth 50 of the patient 10 as shown in Figure 1 . In some embodiments, the features 130 are disposed in at least two of the plurality of regions 150.

[0055] Figure 3 is a schematic top view of an arrangement 120 of a plurality of features 130 disposed on a first surface 112 ( Figures 2A to 2C shown in) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Referring Figures 1 to 3 , the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 encodes feature data 140 ( Figure 6 shown in) representing dental appliance information 142 of the dental appliance 100 ( Figure 6 shown in) or patient information 144 of the patient 10 ( Figure 6 shown in).

[0057] In some embodiments, the dental appliance information 142 includes at least one of production batch information of the dental appliance 100, material information of the dental appliance 100, and manufacturing timestamp information of the dental appliance 100. For example, the dental appliance information 142 may include a part number of the dental appliance 100, a manufacturing date of the dental appliance 100, a production time of the dental appliance 100, a resin batch identifier of the dental appliance 100, a name / identifier of a clinician (e.g., a physician or a technician) of the dental appliance 100, a processing equipment identifier of the dental appliance 100, etc.

[0058] Thus, the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 that encodes the feature data 140 can allow each dental appliance 100 to be tracked throughout the manufacturing process and allow each dental appliance 100 to be bound to the equipment and operator associated with its manufacturing process. Thus, any manufacturing defect can be traced back to the material, process, and / or equipment.

[0059] In some embodiments, the patient information 144 includes at least one of identification information of the patient 10, address information of the patient 10, contact information of the patient 10, and treatment stage information of the patient 10. For example, the patient information 144 may include the patient name of the patient 10, the patient identifier of the patient 10, the case number of the patient 10, etc. Thus, the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 that encodes the feature data 140 can allow each dental appliance 100 to be uniquely mapped to a specific patient (e.g., the patient 10).

[0060] Figure 4A Illustrates a schematic top view of a dental appliance 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4B is according to an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 4A an enlarged schematic top view of a portion 170 of the dental appliance 100. Figure 4C Illustrates a top view of a dental appliance 100 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4Dis of a dental appliance 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 4C An enlarged schematic top view of a portion 180 of a dental appliance 100

[0061] Referring Figures 4A to 4D to, in some embodiments, at least one feature 130 of the plurality of features 130 has a different shape or different size from other features 130 of the plurality of features 130. For example, as is clearly visible from Figure 4B portion 170, some features 130 of the plurality of features 130 have different sizes from other features 130 of the plurality of features 130. In another example, as is clearly visible from Figure 4D portion 180, some features 130 of the plurality of features 130 have different shapes from other features 130 of the plurality of features 130. In some embodiments, at least one feature 130 of the plurality of features 130 is a through-hole 136 having a circular shape, an oval shape, a triangular shape, a rectangular shape, or a polygonal shape

[0062] Thus, different design parameters (e.g., shape, size, and location) of the features 130 can thus generate different and unique arrangements 120 to identify or track the dental appliance 100 without the need for any additional labels (e.g., QR codes and laser markings). Then, the system 200 (as Figure 6 shown) can identify the different arrangements 120

[0063] Figure 5 illustrates an enlarged portion of a photograph of a dental appliance 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure

[0064] In Figure 5 the embodiment shown, at least one feature 130 of the plurality of features 130 is a through-hole 136 having a circular shape. In such an embodiment, the maximum width 136A of the through-hole 136 is the diameter of the through-hole 136. Additionally, in some embodiments, the maximum width 136A of the through-hole 136 is less than or equal to 4 millimeters (mm). In some embodiments, the maximum width 136A of the through-hole 136 is less than or equal to about 3.5 mm, about 3.0 mm, about 2.5 mm, about 2.0 mm, about 1.5 mm, or about 1.0 mm. In some embodiments, the maximum width 136A of the through-hole 136 is less than or equal to about 0.5 mm, about 0.25 mm, or about 0.1 mm. Thus, the through-hole 136 can be invisible to the naked eye and still be recognized by the system 200 (as Figure 6 shown). Thus, compared with conventional marking methods, this can further reduce a considerable cost

[0065] Figure 6Schematic block diagram of a system 200 illustrating an embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the system 200 may be a machine vision-based recognition system.

[0066] The system 200 includes at least one dental appliance 100 for a corresponding patient 10. In Figure 6 the illustrated embodiment, the at least one dental appliance 100 includes a plurality of dental appliances 100A - 100N corresponding to a plurality of corresponding patients 10A - 10N. For example, dental appliance 100A corresponds to corresponding patient 10A, dental appliance 100B corresponds to corresponding patient 10B, dental appliance 100C corresponds to corresponding patient 10C, and so on. Depending on the desired application attributes, the at least one dental appliance 100 may include any number of dental appliances corresponding to any number of corresponding patients. In other embodiments, dental appliance 100A corresponds to a first stage of treatment of a patient, appliance 100B corresponds to a second stage of treatment of the same patient, appliance 100C corresponds to a third stage of treatment of the same patient, and so on. The appliances 100 of the system 200 may be a combination of multiple appliances for a single patient and appliances for different patients.

[0067] Referring Figures 1 to 6 , the at least one dental appliance 100 includes a body 110 that includes a first surface 112 and a second surface 114 opposite the first surface 112. The second surface 114 defines a channel 116 for receiving a plurality of teeth 50 of a corresponding patient 10. The at least one dental appliance 100 further includes an arrangement 120 of a plurality of features 130 disposed on the first surface 112 of the body 110.

[0068] As described above, each of the plurality of features 130 includes a protrusion 132 extending from the first surface 112 opposite the second surface 114, a recess 134 extending partially from the first surface 112 toward the second surface 114, or a through - hole 136 extending from the first surface 112 to the second surface 114. In some embodiments, the first surface 112 includes one or more regions 150 corresponding to and aligned with a plurality of teeth 50 of a corresponding patient 10. In some embodiments, the plurality of features 130 are disposed in at least two of the plurality of regions 150.

[0069] In addition, the arrangement 120 of the plurality of feature portions 130 encodes feature data 140 representative of dental appliance information 142 of at least one dental appliance 100 or patient information 144 of a corresponding patient 10. In some embodiments, the dental appliance information 142 includes at least one of production lot information of at least one dental appliance 100, material information of at least one dental appliance 100, and manufacturing timestamp information of at least one dental appliance 100. In some embodiments, the patient information 144 includes at least one of identification information of the corresponding patient 10, address information of the corresponding patient 10, contact information of the corresponding patient 10, and treatment stage information of the corresponding patient 10.

[0070] System 200 further includes an imaging device 210. Depending on the desired application attributes, the imaging device 210 can include any suitable lens and sensor assembly. In some embodiments, the imaging device 210 includes at least one of a red-green-blue (RGB) sensor, a black-and-white sensor, a near-infrared (NIR) sensor, an imaging array, and a depth sensor. The depth sensor can also enable the imaging device 210 to capture three-dimensional data (e.g., depth data) in addition to two-dimensional data.

[0071] System 200 further includes a processor 220 communicatively coupled to the imaging device 210. In some embodiments, the processor 220 can include any suitable data processor for processing data. For example, the processor 220 can include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a computer, or other suitable device that controls the operation of a device and executes programs. Various other examples of the processor 220 include a central processing unit (“CPU”), a microcontroller, a programmable logic device, a field-programmable gate array, a digital signal processing (“DSP”) device, etc. The processor 220 can include any general type of device, such as a reduced instruction set computing (“RISC”) device, a complex instruction set computing (“CISC”) device, or a specially designed processing device, such as an application specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”) device. The processor 220 can execute computer-executable instructions or computer code embodied in a memory 230. In some embodiments, the computer-executable instructions or computer code are stored in the memory 230. When the computer-executable instructions or computer code are executed by the processor 220, the computer-executable instructions or computer code cause the processor 220 to perform one or more of the actions, operations, methods, or functions described herein.

[0072] In some embodiments, system 200 further includes a memory 230. The memory 230 is communicatively coupled to the processor 220. The memory 230 may include any volatile or non-volatile storage element, such as random access memory (RAM) (such as synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM)), read only memory (ROM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), and flash memory. In some embodiments, the memory 230 may include an external storage device, such as a hard disk, magnetic tape, magnetic or optical data storage media, such as compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD), Blu-ray disk, holographic data storage media, etc.

[0073] In some embodiments, system 200 may include a computing device (not shown) that includes the processor 220 and the memory 230. In other words, in some embodiments, the computing device includes a processor 220 communicatively coupled to the imaging device 210 and a memory 230 communicatively coupled to the processor 220. The computing device may include, for example, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a smart phone, etc.

[0074] The memory 230 stores decoding data 240 for decoding an arrangement 120 of a plurality of features 130 of at least one dental appliance 100. The decoding data may be used as an algorithm for identifying feature data, or may enable a database lookup to match the encoded feature data with appliance or patient information. For example, the feature data may include a universal identification number corresponding to an identifier stored in a processor-accessible database. The decoding process may involve matching the universal ID encoded in the feature data with an identifier in the database that itself corresponds to patient and / or appliance information. In some embodiments, the memory 230 also stores at least one digital model 270A-270N (collectively and individually, digital model 270) corresponding to at least one dental appliance 100. For example, the memory 230 may store a digital model 270A corresponding to the dental appliance 100A, a digital model 270B corresponding to the dental appliance 100B, a digital model 270C corresponding to the dental appliance 100C, etc.

[0075] In some embodiments, the processor 220 is configured to control the imaging device 210 to capture one or more images 212 of at least one dental appliance 100. The processor 220 may control the imaging device 210 via a wired connection and / or a wireless connection.

[0076] In some embodiments, the processor 220 is further configured to receive one or more images 212 of at least one dental appliance 100 from the imaging device 210. The processor 220 may receive the one or more images 212 from the imaging device 210 via a wired connection and / or a wireless connection.

[0077] In some embodiments, the processor 220 is further configured to identify an arrangement 120 of a plurality of features 130 of at least one dental appliance 100 based on the one or more images 212.

[0078] In some embodiments, the processor 220 is configured to execute a machine learning model 250 that is trained to receive one or more images 212 of at least one dental appliance 100 from the imaging device 210 and to identify an arrangement 120 of a plurality of features 130 of at least one dental appliance 100 based on the one or more images 212. In some embodiments, the machine learning model 250 is further trained to use decoded data or an algorithm 240 to decode the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 to determine feature data 140. In some embodiments, the machine learning model 250 may include a convolutional neural network model. In some embodiments, the processor 220 may be configured to execute a prediction model to identify an arrangement 120 of a plurality of features 130 of at least one dental appliance 100 based on the one or more images 212.

[0079] In some embodiments, the processor 220 is further configured to decode the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 using the decoded data 240 to determine feature data 140 encoded by the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130. In some cases, the decoded feature data 140 may be uploaded to an online portal. This may enable the corresponding patient 10 to track their dental appliance 100 in real time. In some cases, the corresponding patient 10 may even upload images (e.g., one or more images 212) to the online portal to verify the feature data 140 (i.e., dental appliance information 142 and patient information 144).

[0080] In some embodiments, the processor 220 is configured to decode the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 using the decoded data 240 to determine treatment stage information for the corresponding patient 10. In some embodiments, the processor 220 is configured to determine a contour 113 of at least a portion of a first surface 112 of at least one dental appliance 100 based on the one or more images 212. In some embodiments, the processor 220 is configured to compare the contour 113 of at least a portion of the first surface 112 with at least one digital model 270 and to determine identification information (e.g., patient identifier, patient name, etc.) for the corresponding patient 10 based on the comparison.

[0081] In some embodiments, the processor 220 is further configured to group the plurality of dental appliances 100 based on the feature data 140 after decoding the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 of each of the plurality of dental appliances 100. For example, the plurality of dental appliances 100 may be grouped according to production batch information, material information, etc. This can facilitate quality control. In some cases, the plurality of dental appliances 100 may be grouped according to address information. This can facilitate the packaging and delivery of the dental appliances 100. In some cases, the plurality of dental appliances 100 may be grouped for post-processing or sorting processes.

[0082] In addition, grouping the plurality of dental appliances 100 according to the feature data 140 can reduce the amount of time to perform quality control, thereby reducing the lead time of the dental appliances 100. Reducing the lead time of the dental appliances 100 can further ensure that the dental appliances 100 are delivered to the corresponding patients 10 as scheduled.

[0083] Figure 7 FIG. shows a schematic top view of a system 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the imaging device 210 is configured to capture one or more images 212 in a single projection plane 214 ( Figure 6 shown). Specifically, in the case where each of the plurality of features 130 is disposed at the occlusal surface 112A ( Figure 2B shown) of the dental appliance 100 or the sectional plane 112B (shown in FIG. 2b) of the dental appliance 100, the imaging device 210 can capture one or more images 212 in a single projection plane 214 and may not need to capture one or more images 212 from several projections. Therefore, the imaging device 210 may have a fixed setting. This can eliminate the need for adjustable positioning for obtaining one or more images 212 from different angles or projections.

[0084] Figure 8 FIG. shows a flowchart of a method 300 for forming a dental appliance 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figures 9A to 9E FIG. shows a schematic view of the respective steps of forming a dental appliance 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Reference will be made to Figure 1 and Figures 9A to 9E to describe the method 300. The method 300 includes the following steps:

[0085] Figure 9A FIG. shows Figure 2B a schematic top view of an initial digital model 260 of the dental appliance 100 shown. In step 302, the method 300 includes obtaining an initial digital model 260 of the dental appliance 100. In some embodiments, the method 300 includes, by the processor 220 (Figure 6 An initial digital model 260 of the dental appliance 100 is obtained (shown in Figure 6 ). In some embodiments, the initial digital model 260 may be a three-dimensional representation of the dental appliance 100. In some embodiments, the initial digital model 260 of the dental appliance 100 may be represented in a computer-aided drafting (CAD) file or a 3D printable file (such as a stereolithography (STL) file).

[0086] In some embodiments, the initial digital model 260 may be based on scan data representing the outer contours of multiple teeth 50 ( Figure 1 shown in Figure 1 ). In some embodiments, a dentist may optically scan multiple teeth 50 or an arch of a patient 10 undergoing orthodontic treatment to generate scan data representing the outer contours of the multiple teeth 50. Thus, in some embodiments, obtaining the initial digital model 260 of the dental appliance 100 may include optically scanning the multiple teeth 50. In some embodiments, optically scanning the multiple teeth 50 may include performing an intraoral scan. In some embodiments, optically scanning the multiple teeth 50 may include performing digital data capture of the patient 10's oral cavity, computed tomography (CT), or computer-aided tomography (CAT). In some other embodiments, optically scanning the multiple teeth 50 may include indirectly performing digital data capture of the patient 10's oral cavity by performing digital data capture of a plaster model of the patient 10's oral cavity or a dental impression of the patient 10's oral cavity, rather than directly capturing the three-dimensional structure of the patient 10's oral cavity. In the case of using a dental impression, the digital data capture may be inverted from a negative volume to a positive volume. In some embodiments, the scan data representing the outer contours of the multiple teeth 50 is processed to generate the initial digital model 260 of the dental appliance 100.

[0087] In some embodiments, the initial digital model 260 may be based on digital data from a database. Thus, in some embodiments, obtaining the initial digital model 260 of the dental appliance 100 may include retrieving digital data from a database. In some embodiments, the digital data may be suitable for generating the initial digital model 260 of the dental appliance 100. In some embodiments, the digital data may be provided by the patient 10's file history or from a previous digital data capture of the patient 10's oral cavity. Exemplary methods for directly printing clear aligner orthodontic appliances and other elastic orthodontic devices are set forth in the following patent documents: U.S. Patent No. 11,225,535 (Klun et al.), PCT Publication WO2016 / 109660 (Raby et al.), WO2016 / 148960 (Cinader et al.), and WO2016 / 149007 (Oda et al.) and U.S. Publication US2011 / 0091832 (Kim et al.), US2013 / 0095446 (Kitching).

[0088] In step 304, method 300 includes encoding feature data 140 into an arrangement 120 of a plurality of feature portions 130 as shown. As described above, each of the plurality of feature portions 130 may include a protrusion 132, a recess 134, or a through hole 136. Feature data 140 represents dental appliance information 142 of dental appliance 100 or patient information 144 of patient 10. Figure 9B One or more regions 262 of an initial digital model 260 suitable for placement of an arrangement 120 of a plurality of feature portions 130 are shown. In step 306, method 300 includes identifying one or more regions 262 of the initial digital model 260 for placement of the arrangement 120 of the plurality of feature portions 130. In some embodiments, identifying one or more regions 262 further includes identifying one or more regions 262 on an occlusal surface 262A of the initial digital model 260 or on a sectional surface 262B of the initial digital model 260. In some embodiments, identifying one or more regions 262 further includes identifying one or more regions 262 on a lingual surface 262C of the initial digital model 260 or on a facial surface 262D of the initial digital model 260.

[0089] Figure 9C In some embodiments, the initial digital model 260 includes a plurality of tooth regions 150 corresponding to and aligned with multiple teeth 50 of patient 10. In some embodiments, identifying one or more regions 262 further includes identifying at least two of the plurality of tooth regions 150 for placement of the plurality of feature portions 130 (as shown).

[0090] In some embodiments, identifying one or more regions 262 further includes identifying at least two of the plurality of tooth regions 150 for placement of the plurality of feature portions 130 (as shown). Figure 9B shown).

[0091] Figure 9D A schematic top view of a digital model 270 of a dental appliance 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In step 308, method 300 includes incorporating the arrangement 120 of the plurality of feature portions 130 into one or more regions 262 of the initial digital model 260 to generate a digital model 270 of the dental appliance 100. In some embodiments, the digital model 270 of the dental appliance 100 may be represented in a CAD file or a 3D printable file (such as an STL file).

[0092] In some embodiments, incorporating the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 into one or more regions 262 of the initial digital model 260 includes integrating the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 into one or more regions 262 of the initial digital model 260. In some embodiments, incorporating the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 into one or more regions 262 of the initial digital model 260 may include superimposing the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 onto one or more regions 262 of the initial digital model 260. In some embodiments, incorporating the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 into one or more regions 262 of the initial digital model 260 may include aligning or orienting the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 with one or more regions 262 of the initial digital model 260. In some embodiments, the digital model 270 of the dental appliance 100 may be sent to a third party (e.g., a clinician's office, a laboratory, a manufacturing facility, or other entity) to fabricate the dental appliance 100.

[0093] Figure 9E An exemplary additive manufacturing apparatus 280 for forming a dental appliance 100 based on the Figure 9D digital model 270 shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. At step 310, the method 300 includes forming the dental appliance 100 based on the digital model 270 of the dental appliance 100.

[0094] In some embodiments, forming the dental appliance 100 further includes forming the dental appliance 100 in an additive manner. In some embodiments, additive manufacturing techniques such as stereolithography (SLA) may be used to form the dental appliance 100 in an additive manner, where successive layers of material are laid down by an additive manufacturing apparatus 280 under the control of a computer (not shown). In some embodiments, the computer may include a display and one or more user input devices such as a mouse or a keyboard. In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing apparatus 280 may also include an input device or an output device such as a control input (e.g., buttons, touchpad, thumbwheel, etc.) or a display (e.g., an LCD or LED display) to provide status information. Some other examples of additive manufacturing techniques include fused filament fabrication (FFF), powder bed fusion (PBF), etc. Thus, the material used to form the body 110 of the dental appliance 100 can be readily varied to accommodate applications with varying color, shape, and hardness requirements.

[0095] In addition, forming the dental appliance 100 in an additive manner can reduce or eliminate the need for support structures that would otherwise be required to form the dental appliance 100 using conventional manufacturing techniques. This can reduce complexity and the time required to form the dental appliance 100. Additionally, it can also reduce the material requirements for forming the dental appliance 100. This can reduce the cost of forming the dental appliance 100. Further, this can reduce waste generation because support structures are typically removed after the dental appliance 100 is formed. Thus, forming the dental appliance 100 in an additive manner can reduce the complexity of manufacturing the dental appliance 100 and is also environmentally sustainable.

[0096] In addition, the dental appliance 100 formed in an additive manner can be precise and have a smooth finish. Additionally, it can be simpler for a dentist to design the dental appliance 100 by modifying the digital model 270. Further, forming the dental appliance 100 based on the digital model 270 can be more convenient and rapid than other manufacturing techniques.

[0097] In some other embodiments, forming the dental appliance 100 further includes forming the dental appliance 100 in a subtractive manner. In some embodiments, the dental appliance 100 can be formed by milling. In some embodiments, the dental appliance 100 can be formed from a blank (not shown). A blank generally refers to a solid block of material from which the dental appliance 100 can be machined. Typically, the blank is attached to a support, stub, or arbor that is fitted into a milling machine (not shown). In some embodiments, the blank can have a rough shape of the contour 113 of the dental appliance 100.

[0098] In some embodiments, forming the dental appliance 100 can include forming the dental appliance 100 in both additive and subtractive manners. For example, an initial dental appliance (not shown) can be formed in an additive manner based on an initial digital model 260, and the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 can be formed in a subtractive manner to form the dental appliance 100. For example, after the initial dental appliance has been formed, the dental appliance 100 can be formed by forming the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 using a CNC or robotic machine (such as an end mill or a laser cutter).

[0099] Figure 10 A flowchart illustrating a method 400 for identifying a dental appliance 100 for a patient 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0100] Reference will be made to Figures 1 to 8 describe the method 400. The method 400 includes the following steps:

[0101] In step 402, the method 400 includes capturing one or more images 212 of at least one dental appliance 100.

[0102] At step 404, method 400 includes receiving one or more images 212 of at least one dental appliance 100.

[0103] At step 406, method 400 includes identifying an arrangement 120 of a plurality of features 130 of at least one dental appliance 100 based on the one or more images 212.

[0104] At step 408, method 400 includes decoding the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 using the decoded data to determine feature data 140 encoded by the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130.

[0105] As described above, in some embodiments, the at least one dental appliance 100 includes a plurality of dental appliances 100 corresponding to a plurality of corresponding patients 10. In some embodiments, after decoding the arrangement 120 of the plurality of features 130 of each of the plurality of dental appliances 100, method 400 further includes grouping the plurality of dental appliances 100 according to the feature data 140.

[0106] Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing feature sizes, amounts, and physical properties used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified by the term "about." Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the foregoing specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by those skilled in the art utilizing the teachings disclosed herein.

[0107] Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various alternative and / or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to be limited only by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A dental appliance for a patient, the dental appliance comprising: a body including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface defining a channel for receiving a plurality of teeth of the patient; and an arrangement of a plurality of features disposed on the first surface of the body, each feature of the plurality of features including: a protrusion extending from the first surface opposite the second surface; a recess partially extending from the first surface toward the second surface; or a through-hole extending from the first surface to the second surface; wherein the arrangement of the plurality of features encodes feature data representing dental appliance information of the dental appliance or patient information of the patient.

2. The dental appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first surface includes an occlusal surface or an incisal surface of the dental appliance.

3. The dental appliance according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of features has a different shape or a different size from other features of the plurality of features.

4. The dental appliance according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of features is in a circular shape, an oval shape, a triangular shape, a rectangular shape or a polygonal shape.

5. The dental appliance according to claim 4, wherein a maximum width of the feature is less than or equal to 4 millimeters.

6. The dental appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first surface includes a plurality of tooth regions corresponding to and aligned with the plurality of teeth of the patient, and wherein the plurality of features are arranged in at least two of the plurality of tooth regions.

7. The dental appliance according to claim 1, wherein the dental appliance information includes at least one of production batch information of the dental appliance, material information of the dental appliance, a universal identification number, and manufacturing timestamp information of the dental appliance.

8. The dental appliance according to claim 1, wherein the patient information includes at least one of identification information of the patient, address information of the patient, contact information of the patient, and treatment stage information of the patient.

9. A system, the system comprising: at least one dental appliance for a corresponding patient, the at least one dental appliance including: a body including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface defining a channel for receiving a plurality of teeth of the corresponding patient; and an arrangement of a plurality of features disposed on the first surface of the body, each feature of the plurality of features including: a protrusion extending from the first surface opposite the second surface; a recess partially extending from the first surface toward the second surface; or a through-hole extending from the first surface to the second surface; wherein the arrangement of the plurality of features encodes feature data representing dental appliance information of the at least one dental appliance or patient information of the corresponding patient. An imaging device; and A processor communicatively coupled to the imaging device.

10. The system according to claim 9, the system further comprising a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing an algorithm for decoding the arrangement of the plurality of features of the at least one dental appliance, wherein the processor is configured to:[[]] Control the imaging device to capture one or more images of the at least one dental appliance; Receive the one or more images of the at least one dental appliance from the imaging device; Identify the arrangement of the plurality of features of the at least one dental appliance based on the one or more images; And Use the decoded data to decode the arrangement of the plurality of features to determine the feature data encoded by the arrangement of the plurality of features.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one dental appliance includes a plurality of dental appliances corresponding to a plurality of corresponding patients, and wherein the processor is further configured to group the plurality of dental appliances according to the feature data when decoding the arrangement of the plurality of features of each of the plurality of dental appliances.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to execute a machine learning model, the machine learning model being trained to receive the one or more images of the at least one dental appliance from the imaging device and identify the arrangement of the plurality of features of the at least one dental appliance based on the one or more images.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the machine learning model is further trained to use the decoded data to decode the arrangement of the plurality of features to determine the feature data.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first surface includes the occlusal surface of the at least one dental appliance or the incisal surface of the at least one dental appliance.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of features has a different shape or a different size from other features of the plurality of features.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of features has a circular shape, an oval shape, a triangular shape, a rectangular shape, or a polygonal shape.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the imaging device is configured to capture the one or more images in a single projection plane.

18. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first surface includes a plurality of tooth regions corresponding to and aligned with the plurality of teeth of the corresponding patient, and wherein the plurality of features are arranged in at least two of the plurality of tooth regions.

19. The system according to claim 9, wherein the dental appliance information includes at least one of production batch information of the at least one dental appliance, material information of the at least one dental appliance, and manufacturing timestamp information of the at least one dental appliance.

20. The system according to claim 10, wherein the patient information includes at least one of identification information of the corresponding patient, address information of the corresponding patient, contact information of the corresponding patient, and treatment stage information of the corresponding patient.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the memory further stores at least one digital model corresponding to the at least one dental appliance, and wherein the processor is configured to: decode the arrangement of the plurality of feature portions using the decoded data to determine the treatment stage information of the corresponding patient; determine a contour of at least a portion of the first surface of the at least one dental appliance based on the one or more images; compare the contour of at least a portion of the first surface with the at least one digital model; and determine the identification information of the corresponding patient based on the comparison.

22. A method of forming a dental appliance for a patient, the method comprising: obtaining an initial digital model of the dental appliance; encoding feature data into an arrangement of a plurality of feature portions, each of the plurality of feature portions including a protrusion, a recess, or a through hole, wherein the feature data represents dental appliance information of the dental appliance or patient information of the patient; identifying one or more regions of the initial digital model for placement of the arrangement of the plurality of feature portions; incorporating the arrangement of the plurality of feature portions in the one or more regions of the initial digital model to generate a digital model of the dental appliance; and forming the dental appliance based on the digital model of the dental appliance.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein identifying the one or more regions further comprises identifying the one or more regions on an occlusal surface of the initial digital model or on a cutting surface of the initial digital model.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the initial digital model includes a plurality of tooth regions corresponding to and aligned with the plurality of teeth of the patient, and wherein identifying the one or more regions further comprises identifying at least two of the plurality of tooth regions for placement of the plurality of feature portions.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein at least one of the plurality of feature portions has a different shape or different dimensions from other feature portions of the plurality of feature portions.

26. The method according to claim 22, wherein at least one of the plurality of feature portions is a circular shape, an oval shape, a triangular shape, a rectangular shape, or a polygonal shape.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein forming the dental appliance further comprises forming the dental appliance in an additive manner.

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