Materials and additively manufacturing articles with mechanical

Abstract

Materials and additively manufactured articles including mechanical interlocking elements are provided. In some embodiments, a dental appliance includes an appliance body at least partially made of a composite material. The composite material may include an interlocking structure having a plurality of interlocking elements. The interlock structure may have a first mechanical property. The composite material may also include a matrix surrounding at least a portion of the interlocking structure. The matrix may have a second mechanical property different from the first mechanical property.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 381,097, filed on October 26, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present technology relates generally to materials, and in particular, to materials and additively manufactured objects having mechanically interlocking elements. Background Art

[0004] Additive manufacturing includes a variety of techniques that involve building 3D objects from multiple layers of material. Typically, additively manufactured objects are made of a single material and have a uniform composition throughout the object. However, the mechanical properties of the object may not be suitable for certain applications. For example, conventional additive manufacturing techniques and materials may not be able to produce orthodontic appliances that have sufficient rigidity to apply repositioning forces to teeth and sufficient toughness to be used for extended periods of time. In addition, orthodontic appliances and other objects manufactured using conventional additive manufacturing processes may include integrally formed supports that may be difficult and labor-intensive to separate from the object during post-processing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Many aspects of the present disclosure may be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed on clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure.

[0006] Figure 1A is a perspective view of a dental appliance configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0007] Figure 1B is a graph showing a comparison between the stress-strain distribution of a composite material according to an embodiment of the present technology and the stress-strain distribution of a homogeneous material.

[0008] Figure 2A is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0009] Figure 2B is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material having different types of interlocking elements configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0010] Figure 2C is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material including an elongate member configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0011] Figure 2Dis a cross-sectional side view of another composite material including an elongated member configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0012] Figure 2E is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material including interlocking elements having complementary shapes configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology.

[0013] Figure 2F is a cross-sectional side view of another composite material including interlocking elements having complementary shapes configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology.

[0014] Figure 2G is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material including recessed portions having complementary shapes and interlocking elements configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0015] Figure 2H is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material including an elongated member configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0016] Fig.2I is a cross-sectional side view of another composite material including an elongated member configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0017] Figure 2J is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material including discrete interlocking elements configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0018] Figure 2K is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material including discrete interlocking elements and an elongated member configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0019] Figure 2L is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material including interwoven elongated members configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0020] Figure 2M is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material including entangled elongated members configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0021] Figure 3A is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a composite material according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0022] Figure 3B Shows Figure 3A The selection process of the method.

[0023] Figure 4A is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a composite material according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0024] Figure 4B Shows Figure 4A The selection process of the method.

[0025] Figure 5A is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a composite material according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0026] Figure 5B Shows Figure 5A The selection process of the method.

[0027] Fig. 6A is a front view of a portion of an accessory placement device configured according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0028] Figure 6B yes Fig. 6A A side cross-sectional view of the device.

[0029] Fig. 7A is a stereoscopic view of a patient's dentition with attachments according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0030] Figure 7B According to an embodiment of the present technology Fig. 7A Stereoscopic view of an accessory placement device on the dentition.

[0031] Figure 8 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a dental appliance according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0032] Fig.9A Representative examples of tooth repositioning appliances configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology are shown.

[0033] Fig. 9B A tooth repositioning system comprising multiple appliances in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0034] Fig. 9C A method of orthodontic treatment using multiple appliances according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0035] Fig.10 A method for designing an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0036] Fig.11 A method for digitally planning orthodontic treatment and / or design or manufacture of appliances according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The present technology relates to materials and additive manufacturing articles including mechanical interlocking elements. In some embodiments, for example, a dental appliance includes an appliance body made at least in part of a composite material. The composite material may include an interlocking structure having a plurality of interlocking elements. The interlocking structure may have a first mechanical property (e.g., a first modulus and / or stiffness). The composite material may also include a matrix surrounding at least a portion of the interlocking structure. The matrix may have a second mechanical property different from the first mechanical property (e.g., a second modulus and / or stiffness less than the first modulus and / or stiffness).

[0038] As another example, a method may include: manufacturing a first portion of a device including a first interlocking element via an additive manufacturing process; and manufacturing a second portion of the device including a second interlocking element via an additive manufacturing process. The second interlocking element may be manufactured in situ in an interlocking configuration with the first interlocking element. In some embodiments, the first portion may be separated from the second portion by disengaging the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element.

[0039] Compared with traditional materials and devices, the present technology can provide many advantages. For example, the composite materials described herein can provide favorable mechanical properties that are difficult to achieve in traditional materials (e.g., homogeneous materials), such as improved toughness. In some embodiments, the materials described herein are conducive to applying repositioning forces to teeth while maintaining sufficient flexibility to avoid brittle fracture during use. As another example, an article with interlocking elements as described herein allows different parts of the article to be separated from each other without breaking, plastically deforming, or otherwise damaging one or two parts of the article. For example, the technology can be beneficial when separating temporary components of the device (e.g., supports) from functional components of the device (e.g., components intended to be applied to the patient's teeth, such as accessories, appliance housings, etc.).

[0040] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements throughout the several drawings, and in which example embodiments are shown. However, the embodiments of the claims may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The examples set forth herein are non-limiting examples and are merely examples of other possible examples.

[0041] As used herein, the terms "vertical", "lateral", "upper" and "lower", "left", "right", etc. may refer to the relative direction or position of features of the embodiments disclosed herein in view of the orientation shown in the figures. For example, "upper" or "topmost" may refer to a feature that is positioned closer to the top of the page than another feature. However, these terms should be broadly interpreted to include embodiments with other orientations, such as inverted or tilted orientations, where top / bottom, above / below, above / below, up / down, and left / right may be interchanged depending on the orientation.

[0042] The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not interpret the scope or meaning of the technology claimed. The embodiments under any one heading can be used in combination with the embodiments under any other heading.

[0043] I. Composite materials with mechanically interlocking elements

[0044] In some embodiments, the present technology provides a composite material that includes a structure having multiple mechanically interlocking elements (also referred to as an "interlocking structure" or "interlocking architecture"). As used herein, "interlocked elements" or "interlocking elements" can refer to elements that are mechanically connected to at least one other element in a manner that constrains the movement of the elements relative to each other (e.g., constrained along one, two, or three translational degrees of freedom and / or constrained along one, two, or three rotational degrees of freedom). The interlocking elements can be discrete elements, that is, the interlocking elements (1) are not formed integrally with each other, and / or (2) are not adhered, bonded, fused, or connected to each other except through the interlocking connection and / or the matrix (described below). The following is combined with Figure 2A-2M Representative examples of interlocking elements are described in more detail.

[0045] In some embodiments, the composite material is used to form a macroscopic article (e.g., a dental appliance), and the interlocking elements have a characteristic size that is smaller than the size scale of the macroscopic article. For example, the interlocking elements can have a characteristic size in the following ranges: 0.1 μm to 10 mm, 0.1 μm to 1000 μm, 0.1 μm to 500 μm, 0.1 μm to 100 μm, 0.1 μm to 50 μm, 0.1 μm to 25 μm, 0.1 μm to 10 μm, 0.1 μm to 1 μm, 1 μm to 10 mm, 1 μm to 1000 μm, ... The characteristic size of the interlocking elements can be related to the spatial dimension of the interlocking elements (such as the height, length, width, depth, thickness, diameter, etc. of the interlocking elements). In some embodiments, the characteristic size of the interlocking elements is related to the maximum spatial dimension of the interlocking elements (for example, if the height of the interlocking elements is the maximum spatial dimension of the interlocking elements, then the height can be the characteristic size of the interlocking elements). Alternatively, the characteristic size of the interlocking elements may be related to the smallest spatial dimension of the interlocking elements (eg, if the thickness of the interlocking elements is the smallest spatial dimension, then the thickness may be the characteristic size of the interlocking elements).

[0046] The size scale of the macro-object can be at least 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 orders of magnitude larger than the characteristic size of the interlocking element. In some embodiments, the length, width and / or height of the macro-object is in the range of 1 cm to 50 cm, 1 cm to 20 cm, 1 cm to 10 cm, 1 cm to 5 cm, 5 cm to 10 cm, 5 cm to 25 cm, or 10 cm to 20 cm. The thickness of the macro-object can be in the range of 0.1 mm to 10 mm, 0.1 mm to 5 mm, 0.5 mm to 10 mm, 0.5 mm to 5 mm, or 5 mm to 10 mm.

[0047] The interlocking elements can be mechanically coupled to each other in various ways, including but not limited to connecting rods, joints, complementary and / or mating interfaces, weaving, interweaving, entanglement, or suitable combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the interlocking elements are in direct contact with each other when coupled and when the composite material is in a stationary and / or unloaded state (e.g., when force is not applied to the composite material). In other embodiments, the interlocking elements are not in direct contact with each other when coupled and when the composite material is in a stationary and / or unloaded state. In such embodiments, adjacent surfaces of the interlocking elements may be spaced apart by a gap from each other. The size of the gap (e.g., minimum, maximum and / or average size) can be in the range of 0.1μm to 1000μm, 0.1μm to 500μm, 0.1μm to 100μm, 0.1μm to 50μm, 0.1μm to 25μm, 0.1μm to 10μm, 0.1μm to 1μm, 1μm to 500μm, 1μm to 100μm, 1μm to 50μm, 1μm to 25μm, 1μm to 10μm, 10μm to 100μm, 10μm to 50μm, 10μm to 25μm, 25μm to 50μm, or 50μm to 100μm. The presence of gaps between interlocking elements can impart a degree of "looseness" to the interlocking structure, e.g., the interlocking elements can move relative to each other in a relatively unconstrained manner within a predetermined range of motion before the interlocking elements contact each other and resist further movement. This configuration can produce a corresponding nonlinear force-strain distribution of the composite material, e.g., the composite material exhibits relatively little or no force for an initial strain below a certain strain threshold, and exhibits a greater force once the strain threshold is exceeded. The strain threshold can be related to the size of the gap between the interlocking elements.

[0048] Each interlocking element in the interlocking structure can be connected to any suitable number of other interlocking elements, such as one, two, three, four, five or more other interlocking elements. Interlocking elements can interact with each other to constrain the movement along at least one first direction while allowing movement along at least one different second direction. For example, interlocking elements can show limited translational movement or no translational movement, but can remain unconstrained for rotational movement. Optionally, the interaction between interlocking elements can constrain the movement along (one or more) first direction and (one or more) second direction, but compared with the movement along (one or more) second direction, a greater constraint can be applied to the movement along (one or more) first direction. For example, interlocking elements can show relatively limited translational movement, but have a greater degree of freedom for rotational movement. Therefore, the interlocking structure (and therefore, the entire composite material) can show a higher modulus and / or stiffness along (one or more) first (constraint) direction, and therefore can maintain and / or apply a greater amount of force along (one or more) first direction. The interlocking structures (and therefore, the entire composite material) can exhibit lower modulus and / or stiffness along the second (unconstrained or less constrained) direction(s), and therefore can exhibit greater flexibility along the second direction(s). For example, the interlocking structures and composite materials can exhibit high stiffness and / or modulus under tension while also exhibiting high bending flexibility.

[0049] In some embodiments, the (one or more) first directions include a first translation direction, and the (one or more) second directions include a second translation direction; the (one or more) first directions include a first translation direction and a second translation direction, and the (one or more) second directions include a third translation direction; the (one or more) first directions include a first translation direction, and the (one or more) second directions include a second translation direction and a third translation direction; the (one or more) first directions include a first rotation direction, and the (one or more) second directions include a second rotation direction; the (one or more) first directions include a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction, and the (one or more) second directions include a third rotation direction; the (one or more) first directions include a first rotation direction, and the (one or more) second directions include a second rotation direction and a third rotation direction; the (one or more) first directions include at least one translation direction, and the (one or more) second directions include at least one rotation direction; the (one or more) first directions include at least one rotation direction, and the (one or more) second directions include at least one translation direction; or a suitable combination thereof.

[0050] In some embodiments, the composite material includes a plurality of different types of interlocking structures, such as two, three, four, five or more different types of interlocking structures. For example, the composite material may include: a first region including a first type of interlocking structure; a second region including a second type of interlocking structure; a third region including a third type of interlocking structure; etc. Different types of interlocking structures may differ from each other in terms of geometry, size, type of interlocking elements present, density of interlocking elements, material composition, material properties, or a suitable combination thereof. The type of interlocking structure used at a particular region of the composite material may depend on the mechanical properties and / or behavior desired for that region. For example, an interlocking structure exhibiting a higher modulus and / or stiffness may be used in a region of a dental appliance intended to apply a repositioning force to a tooth, while an interlocking structure exhibiting greater flexibility may be used in a region that is expected to undergo greater deformation when worn on a patient's teeth.

[0051] Optionally, the composite material may include a combination of interlocking elements and non-interlocking elements. Non-interlocking elements may include elements that are integrally formed, adhered, bonded and / or fused to each other so that the elements cannot move relative to each other without deforming the elements (e.g., elastic and / or plastic deformation) and / or rupturing. For example, non-interlocking elements may be or include a honeycomb network consisting of a plurality of unit cells, for example, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0262101, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Non-interlocking elements may also include elements that are spatially separated from each other and are not mechanically coupled to each other, for example, a plurality of discrete particles, fibers, fillers, etc. In some embodiments, the composite material includes: a first region, including an interlocking structure with a plurality of interlocking elements; and a second region, without an interlocking structure and / or including non-interlocking elements.

[0052] In some embodiments, the composite material includes a matrix coupled to the interlocking structure. For example, the interlocking structure can be partially or completely embedded in the matrix so that the matrix surrounds at least a portion or all of the interlocking structure. The matrix can penetrate and fill the space in the interlocking structure, including the space between the interlocking elements. Optionally, the matrix can only be positioned in certain areas of the interlocking structure, such as an outer area (e.g., on or near the outer surface), an inner area (e.g., an area away from the outer surface), at or near the interlocking element, an area away from the interlocking element, or a suitable combination thereof. In some embodiments, the entire composite material includes both the interlocking structure and the matrix. In other embodiments, the composite material includes: a first area, including both the interlocking structure and the matrix; and a second area, including the interlocking structure without the matrix. Alternatively or in combination, the composite material may include: a first area, including both the interlocking structure and the matrix; and a second area, including the matrix without the interlocking structure.

[0053] Matrix can play various roles in composite material.For example, matrix can show mechanical properties different from interlocking structure, so as to regulate the overall properties of composite material, as further described below.As another example, matrix can be filler, and it occupies most or all of free space in interlocking structure, so composite material is solid (solid, solid) continuous material.In another example, matrix can cover at least outer area of ​​interlocking structure, so that the outer surface (for example, the surface that will contact with patient's body) of composite material is smooth and continuous.But, in other embodiments, matrix is ​​optional and can be omitted.

[0054] The interlocking structures can have different material properties than the matrix. For example, the interlocking structures can differ from the matrix in one or more of the following material properties: modulus (e.g., flexural modulus, elastic modulus), glass transition temperature, elongation at break, elongation at yield, strength, hardness, scratch resistance, roughness, degradation, color, refractive index, transparency, porosity, morphology, chemical composition, degree of polymerization, crosslink density, phase, crystallinity, morphology, permeability, hydrophobicity, oleophobicity, and / or swellability.

[0055] In some embodiments, the interlocking structures have a higher modulus than the matrix. For example, the modulus of the interlocking structures can be at least 200 MPa, 500 MPa, 1 GPa, 2 GPa, 3 GPa, 4 GPa, 5 GPa, 10 GPa, 20 GPa, 30 GPa, 40 GPa, 50 GPa, 75 GPa, 100 GPa, 125 GPa, or 150 GPa; and / or the modulus of the matrix can be no greater than 10 GPa, 5 GPa, 4 GPa, 3 GPa, 2 GPa, 1 GPa, 500 MPa, 400 MPa, 300 MPa, 200 MPa, or 100 MPa. Alternatively, the matrix can have a higher modulus than the interlocking structures, such that the modulus ranges provided above can be reversed. The difference between the modulus of the interlocking structure and the modulus of the matrix can be at least 500 MPa, 1 GPa, 5 GPa, 10 GPa, 50 GPa, 100 GPa or 150 GPa; and / or less than 500 MPa, 250 MPa or 100 MPa; and / or in the range of 250 MPa to 500 MPa, or 500 MPa to 5 GPa, or 1 GPa to 150 GPa.

[0056] As another example, the interlocking structure can have a higher glass transition temperature (T g ). For example, the interlocking structure of T g can be at least 50°C, 75°C, 80°C, 100°C, 125°C, 150°C, 175°C or 200°C; and the T of the matrix gIt may be no greater than 175°C, 150°C, 125°C, 100°C, 80°C or 75°C. Alternatively, the matrix may have a higher T than the interlocking structure. g , so that the T provided above g The range can be reversed. Interlocking structure T g T g The difference between T and t can be at least 5°C, 10°C, 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C, 40°C, 45°C, or 50°C. In other embodiments, the interlocking structure and / or the matrix can be partially or completely composed of a material that does not have T. g The invention is made of a material that does not undergo a glass transition and decomposes or melts.

[0057] In another example, the interlocking structures can exhibit hydrophilicity and / or swellability different from the matrix. In some embodiments, the interlocking structures are more hydrophilic and / or swellable than the matrix, while in other embodiments, the interlocking structures are less hydrophilic and / or swellable than the matrix. When exposed to fluid (e.g., water), the interlocking structures and the matrix can each independently exhibit at least 5wt%, 10wt%, 25wt%, 50wt% or 100wt% fluid absorption. When exposed to the intraoral environment (or other environments in which fluid is present), the ability of the interlocking structures and / or the matrix to absorb water can be used to adjust the properties of these components over time.

[0058] In some embodiments, the interlocking structure is made of at least one first material and the matrix is ​​made of at least one different second material. The first material can have different properties from the second material, such as differences in one or more of the following: modulus (e.g., flexural modulus, elastic modulus), glass transition temperature, elongation at break, elongation at yield, strength, hardness, scratch resistance, roughness, degradation, color, refractive index, transparency, porosity, morphology, chemical composition, degree of polymerization, crosslink density, phase, crystallinity, morphology, permeability, hydrophobicity, oleophobicity, and / or swellability. For example, the first material can have a higher modulus than the second material, and vice versa. As described above, the moduli of the first material and the second material can correspond to the moduli of the interlocking structure and the matrix, respectively. As another example, the first material can have a higher T than the second material. g , or vice versa. As described above, the T of the first material and the second material g The values ​​can correspond to the T of the interlocking structure and the matrix, respectively. g value.

[0059] Optionally, the first material and the second material can be selected so that the resulting composite material is translucent or transparent. Translucency and transparency can be negatively correlated with the amount of scattering within the material, and scattering can depend on both the refractive index and size of the features (e.g., interlocking elements) within the material. For composite materials including a feature size (e.g., the largest spatial dimension) less than 1 μm, scattering can be reduced as the feature size is further reduced to less than 1 μm. For composite materials with a feature size greater than 5 μm, scattering can be reduced as the feature size is further increased due to the fewer interfaces between the first material and the second material. In embodiments where transparency is desired, the first material and the second material can be selected to have the same or closely matched refractive index (e.g., the difference in refractive index is in the range of 0.1 to 0.3, and / or the refractive index contrast is not greater than 0.05, 0.01 or 0.005). In some embodiments, the composite material herein can include a larger feature size (e.g., a larger interlocking element) and can be made of a material with a more closely matched refractive index to provide fewer interfaces that can cause diffraction, refraction and / or scattering.

[0060] Alternatively, the interlocking structure and the matrix can be made of the same material (e.g., a single material or a single set of materials). In such embodiments, different properties of the interlocking structure and the matrix can be produced by changing the local properties of the material, such as crosslink density, degree of cure (e.g., degree of polymerization, double bond conversion), phase, crystallinity, morphology and / or composition (e.g., constituent ratio). For example, the interlocking structure can correspond to a first region of the material, and the matrix can correspond to a different second region of the material. The first region can have a higher modulus than the second region, or vice versa. As described above, the moduli of the first region and the second region can correspond to the moduli of the interlocking structure and the matrix, respectively. As another example, the first region can have a higher T than the second region. g , or vice versa. As mentioned above, the T of the first region and the second region g The values ​​can correspond to the T of the interlocking structure and the matrix, respectively. g value.

[0061] In some embodiments, there is a sharp transition of material and / or property at the boundary between the interlocking structure and the substrate, with little or no mixing of material and / or property at the interface. In other embodiments, there may be an interface region between the interlocking structure and the substrate, which provides a gradual transition between the material and / or property of the interlocking structure and the substrate. For example, the interlocking structure may be made of a first material, the substrate may be made of a second material, and the interface region may be made of a combination of the first material and the second material. As another example, the interlocking structure may have a first set of properties (e.g., a first modulus), the substrate may have a second set of properties (e.g., a second modulus), and the interface region may have a third set of properties (e.g., a third modulus between the first modulus and the second modulus) between the first set of properties and the second set of properties.

[0062] In some embodiments, the interlocking structures are made of one or more of the following materials: ceramic, glass, metal, alloy, polystyrene, polyester terephthalate, copolyester, polyamide, or a suitable combination thereof. Optionally, the interlocking structures can be partially or completely made of a material suitable for use in an additive manufacturing process, such as a resin including one or more polymerizable components (e.g., monomers, oligomers, reactive polymers).

[0063] In some embodiments, the matrix is ​​made of one or more of the following materials: rubber, elastomer, biopolymer, degradable polymer, water-absorbent polymer, polydimethylsiloxane derivative, polybutadiene derivative, polyurethane, or a suitable combination thereof. Optionally, the matrix can be partially or completely made of a material suitable for use in an additive manufacturing process, such as a resin including one or more polymerizable components (e.g., monomers, oligomers, reactive polymers).

[0064] The composite materials described herein can exhibit advantageous mechanical properties that are difficult to achieve in other types of materials, such as homogeneous materials (e.g., materials having uniform composition and / or structure). For example, the composite materials described herein can exhibit a greater degree of toughness than homogeneous materials. Toughness can be related to the ability of a material to withstand a force without breaking, and can be quantified as the area under the tensile stress-strain curve of the material. Homogeneous materials may lack sufficient toughness for orthodontic purposes. For example, a homogeneous material with a sufficiently high modulus for applying a repositioning force to a tooth is also typically brittle and / or lacks flexibility, thereby leading to durability issues.

[0065] On the contrary, the composite material of the present technology can show high enough modulus and / or rigidity for repositioning teeth, and high enough flexibility to reduce the possibility of fracture during processing, storage and / or use. For example, the composite material described herein can have a total modulus (e.g., elastic modulus and / or flexural modulus) of at least 500MPa, 600MPa, 700MPa, 800MPa, 900MPa, 1000MPa, 1100MPa, 1200MPa, 1300MPa, 1400MPa, 1500MPa, 2GPa, 3GPa, 4GPa, 5GPa, 10GPa, 50GPa, 75GPa, 100GPa, 125GPa or 150GPa. In some embodiments, the composite material described herein can show increased toughness, because the parts of higher modulus (e.g., interlocking structure) can be broken, but the parts of lower modulus (e.g., matrix) can continue to keep the whole material together. Optionally, the higher modulus component can be designed to break intentionally to add additional freedom of movement to the material. The lower modulus component can be used as a safety feature to prevent the broken part from being swallowed or otherwise causing injury.

[0066] In addition, composite materials described herein can show complex behaviors that are difficult to achieve with other types of materials. For example, composite materials can allow a certain amount of bending before generating resistance. Similarly, composite materials can allow a certain amount of strain (for example, under tension and / or compression) before resisting further strain. In certain embodiments, before high modulus parts (for example, interlocking structures) form engagement to provide resistance to further movement, low modulus parts (for example, matrix) of composite materials allow relatively unconstrained movement of a predetermined amount with very little force in composite materials, thereby producing nonlinear stress-strain distribution, as described in more detail below. The complex behavior of composite materials described herein can provide advantages that traditional materials cannot achieve. For example, traditional materials with high modulus are usually brittle, with very low elongation at break, and composite materials herein can extend elongation to any desired value before high modulus parts form engagement, thereby increasing the elongation at break of composite materials. As another example, composite materials described herein can show an initial high modulus response, which drops to a low modulus response after reaching a certain strain.

[0067] Optionally, the composite materials described herein can provide other functions as an alternative to or in combination with applying a force. Examples of such functions include, but are not limited to: release agents (e.g., therapeutic substances, fragrances, odor eliminators, compliance indicators), aesthetics, use as part of an auxiliary device, use as a circuit (e.g., interlocking structures can be made of conductive materials), and / or fluid containment (e.g., for sensing, pneumatic applications).

[0068] Figure 1A 1 is a perspective view of a dental appliance ("apparatus 100") configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. Apparatus 100 includes an appliance body 102 made partially or completely of a composite material 104 including an interlocking structure 106 and a matrix 108. Although composite material 104, interlocking structure 106, and matrix 108 are shown similar to those described below, Figure 2A , but this is not intended to be limiting, and composite material 104, interlocking structure 106, and matrix 108 may be any other embodiment described herein.

[0069] The appliance body 102 may be or include a shell that includes a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities configured to be worn on the patient's teeth. In some embodiments, the entire appliance body 102 is made of the composite material 104. In other embodiments, only certain portions of the appliance body 102 are made of the composite material 104, while the remainder of the appliance body 102 is made of a different type of material (e.g., a homogeneous material, such as a matrix 108 without an interlocking structure 106). For example, the composite material 104 may be located in one or more of the following portions of the appliance body 102: a portion adjacent to or near one or more teeth (e.g., one or more teeth to be repositioned by the appliance 100), a portion spaced apart from one or more teeth (e.g., away from one or more teeth to be repositioned by the appliance 100), a portion adjacent to or near the palate, a portion adjacent to or near an adnexa, an exterior portion (e.g., away from the exterior surface of the received teeth), an interior portion (e.g., near the interior surface of the received teeth), a distal portion, a mesial portion, an occlusal portion, a gingival portion, an interproximal portion, a buccal portion, a lingual portion, and / or a suitable combination thereof.

[0070] In some embodiments, the device body 102 includes a plurality of device parts, and some or all of the device parts are made of different types of composite materials 104. For example, the device body 102 may include two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, or more device parts made of different types of composite materials 104. The device parts may differ from each other in one or more of the following: the geometry of the interlocking structure 106 (e.g., the size, shape, type of interlocking elements, the density of interlocking elements), the material(s) used to form the interlocking structure 106, the properties of the interlocking structure 106, the material(s) used to form the matrix 108, the properties of the matrix 108, the presence or absence of the matrix 108, the overall properties of the composite material 104, and / or suitable combinations thereof. Each appliance portion can be independently selected from one or more of the following: a portion adjacent to or near one or more teeth (e.g., one or more teeth to be repositioned by appliance 100), a portion spaced apart from one or more teeth (e.g., away from one or more teeth to be repositioned by appliance 100), a portion adjacent to or near the palate, a portion adjacent to or near an adnexa, an exterior portion (e.g., away from the outer surface of the accommodated tooth), an interior portion (e.g., close to the inner surface of the accommodated tooth), a distal portion, a mesial portion, an occlusal portion, a gingival portion, an interproximal portion, a buccal portion, a lingual portion, and / or suitable combinations thereof.

[0071] The portion of the device body 102 including the composite material 104 having the interlocking structure 106 may exhibit a stress-strain distribution that is different from the stress-strain distribution of a conventional homogeneous material. For example, Figure 1B is a graph showing a comparison between a stress-strain distribution 150 of a composite material and a stress-strain distribution 152 of a homogeneous material according to an embodiment of the present technology. Figure 1B As shown, conventional homogeneous materials lacking interlocking structures can exhibit a linear stress-strain distribution 152, e.g., the amount of stress and / or force in the material increases linearly with increasing strain. In contrast, the composite materials described herein (e.g., Figure 1A The composite material 104) can exhibit a nonlinear stress-strain distribution 150, wherein little or no stress and / or force is generated for a first strain range, and then a larger stress and / or force is generated for a second strain range that exceeds the first strain range. In some embodiments, the first strain range corresponds to relatively unconstrained movement of interlocking elements within the interlocking structure 106, and the second strain range corresponds to constrained movement of interlocking elements within the interlocking structure 106, as described herein.

[0072] Reference again Figure 1A, although the appliance 100 is depicted as an orthodontic housing appliance (e.g., an appliance), in other embodiments, the appliance 100 can be any dental device or article configured to be worn on a patient's teeth, such as a palatal expander, a retainer, a mouth guard (e.g., a sports mouth guard, a night guard), an accessory placement device, or an accessory. For example, in the context of appliances and retainers, the composite materials described herein can provide complementary forces (e.g., tension and / or compression) to help teeth rotate, tilt, and / or otherwise move. The composite materials described herein can also form part or all of a functional component that may or may not provide a repositioning force. Such functional components include, but are not limited to, hooks, buttons, components that interact with other devices (e.g., the composite material can be used as a capacitive element of a sensor or electronic compliance indicator), and the like.

[0073] In the context of a palatal expander, the composite materials described herein can provide a spring-like compression force to provide a lower insertion force while maintaining a high and / or constant force for opening the palatal suture. For example, the composite materials herein can include interlocking structures made of a high modulus material that is traditionally considered too brittle to use. The method allows such high modulus materials to become more flexible without compromising their ability to provide large forces.

[0074] In the context of a mouth guard, the composite materials described herein can be configured to absorb forces to reduce or prevent damage to a patient's teeth and / or gums. For example, the interlocking structures can be configured to redirect applied forces in different directions (e.g., perpendicular to the direction of application of the force) to dissipate energy, and / or to disperse the force over a larger area to reduce impact on a single tooth.

[0075] Additional examples and features of dental appliances suitable for use with the present technology are provided in Section III below.

[0076] Figure 2A 202a and 206a. The composite material 200a includes an interlocking structure 202a and a matrix 204. The interlocking structure 202a may include a plurality of discrete parts (e.g., tens, hundreds, or thousands of parts) connected to each other via a plurality of interlocking elements. The parts may be or include a plurality of layers (e.g., flat layers, curved layers), a plurality of elongated members (e.g., linear, curved, or curvilinear members), or any other suitable substructure of the interlocking structure 202a. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the interlocking structure 202a includes a first portion 206a, a second portion 206b, a third portion 206c, and a fourth portion 206d (collectively referred to as "portion 206"). Although portion 206 is shown as a parallel layer or elongated member, this is not intended to be limiting, and in other embodiments, portion 206 may have a different geometry.

[0077] Each portion 206 may include a corresponding set of interlocking elements, for example, the first portion 206a includes a set of first interlocking elements 208a, the second portion 206b includes a set of second interlocking elements 208b, the third portion 206c includes a set of third interlocking elements 208c, and the fourth portion 206d includes a set of fourth interlocking elements 208d (collectively referred to as "interlocking elements 208"). Figure 2A As shown, each interlocking element 208 of the portion 206 extends toward and is coupled to the corresponding interlocking element 208 of the adjacent portion 206. Thus, each portion 206 may be connected to the adjacent portion 206 via couplings between the corresponding interlocking elements 208. For example, the first portion 206a is coupled to the second portion 206b via the first interlocking element 208a and the second interlocking element 208b, the second portion 206b is coupled to the third portion 206c via the second interlocking element 208b and the third interlocking element 208c, and the third portion 206c is coupled to the fourth portion 206d via the third interlocking element 208c and the fourth interlocking element 208d.

[0078] In the illustrated embodiment, the interlocking elements 208 each include an annular member 210 (e.g., a ring, a loop) having an aperture 212. Thus, a pair of interlocking elements 208 can be interconnected with each other with a portion of the annular member 210 of each interlocking element 208 of the pair passing through the aperture 212 of the other interlocking element 208. Figure 2A Ring member 210 and hole 212 are depicted as having a circular shape, but in other embodiments, ring member 210 and hole 212 may each independently have any of the following shapes: oval, triangle, square, rectangle, diamond, trapezoid, polygon, curved, or a suitable combination thereof.

[0079] The dimensions of the portions 206 and the interlocking elements 208 may vary as desired. For example, each portion 206 may have a thickness T in the range of 1 μm to 500 μm, 1 μm to 100 μm, 1 μm to 50 μm, 1 μm to 25 μm, 1 μm to 10 μm, 10 μm to 100 μm, 10 μm to 50 μm, 10 μm to 25 μm, 25 μm to 50 μm, or 50 μm to 100 μm. 1 Each interlocking element 208 may have a height H in the range of 1 μm to 500 μm, 1 μm to 100 μm, 1 μm to 50 μm, 1 μm to 25 μm, 1 μm to 10 μm, 10 μm to 100 μm, 10 μm to 50 μm, 10 μm to 25 μm, 25 μm to 50 μm, or 50 μm to 100 μm. 1 .although Figure 2A The thickness T1 Depicted as less than height H 1 , but in other embodiments, the thickness T 1 Can be with height H 1 Same, or thickness T 1 Can be greater than height H 1 .

[0080] The matrix 204 can surround at least a portion or the entirety of the interlocking structure 202a. In the illustrated embodiment, the matrix 204 fills all spaces within the interlocking structure 202a, including the spaces between the portions 206 and the interlocking elements 208. In other embodiments, the composite material 200a can include one or more regions having the interlocking structure 202a but without the matrix 204, and / or one or more regions having only the matrix 204 but without the interlocking structure 202a. Optionally, the matrix 204 can be omitted entirely.

[0081] In some embodiments, Figure 2A The geometry and configuration of the interlocking structures 202a shown in the figure constrain certain types of movement of the portion 206 relative to each other while allowing other types of movement. For example, the interlocking structures 202a can constrain the translational movement of the portion 206 along the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis, as well as the rotational movement of the portion 206 around the y-axis and z-axis. However, the geometry and configuration of the interlocking structures 202a can allow rotational movement around the x-axis. Therefore, the composite material 200a can be relatively rigid for tensile and / or compressive forces applied along the x-direction, y-direction, and z-direction, as well as bending forces around the y-axis and z-axis; but can be relatively flexible for bending forces around the x-axis.

[0082] like Figure 2A As shown, when the composite material 200a is in a stationary and / or unloaded state, the coupled pairs of interlocking elements 208 can be in close proximity to each other but not in direct contact with each other. For example, the interconnected annular members 210 can be separated from each other by one or more gaps. As described elsewhere herein, the presence of gaps can affect the overall behavior of the composite material 200a, for example, the portions 206 can move relative to each other in a relatively unconstrained manner (e.g., along and / or around the x-axis, y-axis, and / or z-axis) until the interlocking elements 208 contact each other, at which point further movement can be constrained as described above. Thus, the composite material 200a can exhibit a nonlinear stress-strain distribution in which little or no stress and / or force is generated for an initial strain range, and then larger stresses and / or forces are generated for subsequent strain ranges that exceed the initial strain range (e.g., as previously described in conjunction with Figure 1BHowever, in other embodiments, the interlocking elements 208 can be configured to directly contact each other at one or more locations even when the composite material 200a is in a static and / or unloaded state, such that there is little or no gap between the coupled pairs of interlocking elements 208.

[0083] Figure 2B-2M Additional examples of composite materials having interlocking structures configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology are shown. Figure 2B-2M The features of the embodiments may be substantially similar to Figure 2A Therefore, Figure 2B-2M The following discussion will be limited to Figure 2A In addition, although Figure 2B-2M An interlocking structure having two parts coupled by an interlocking element is shown, but this is for simplification purposes only and Figure 2B-2M Embodiments may include any suitable number of portions.

[0084] Figure 2B 200b is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material 200b configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The composite material 200b includes interlocking structures 202b embedded in a matrix 204. The composite material 200b may be substantially similar to Figure 2A The composite material 200a of the present invention is different in that the interlocking structure 202b of the composite material 200b includes different types of interlocking elements. For example, the first part 206a includes a group of first interlocking elements 208a having a first geometric shape (e.g., a circular shape), and the second part 206b includes a group of second interlocking elements 208e having a different second geometric shape (e.g., a rectangular shape). The first interlocking element 208a and the second interlocking element 208e can each independently have any of the following shapes: an ellipse, a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a diamond, a trapezoid, a polygon, a curved shape, or a suitable combination thereof. Alternatively or in combination, the first interlocking element 208a and the second interlocking element 208e can have different sizes (e.g., height, width).

[0085] Figure 2Cis a cross-sectional side view of a composite material 200c configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The composite material 200c includes an interlocking structure 202c embedded in a matrix 204. The interlocking structure 202c has a first portion 206a having a set of first interlocking elements 208a having an annular (e.g., circular) shape. The second portion 206b of the interlocking structure 202c can be an elongated member (e.g., a strand, a rod, a filament, a fiber) having a plurality of peaks 214 that serve as interlocking elements. Specifically, each peak 214 can pass through a hole of a corresponding first interlocking element 208a of the first portion 206a, thereby coupling the first portion 206a to the second portion 206b. Figure 2A and Figure 2B This configuration can allow for more relative movement of the first portion 206a and the second portion 206b (e.g., along the x-direction and the y-direction) compared to the embodiments shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the second portion 206b has a curved shape (e.g., a wavy, sinusoidal, and / or serpentine shape) such that the plurality of peaks 214 are rounded and / or curved. In other embodiments, the second portion 206b can be shaped differently, for example, the second portion 206b can have a zig-zag shape with sharp peaks 214. Additionally, the peaks 214 may or may not be in direct contact with the first interlocking element 208a when the composite material 200c is in a stationary and / or unloaded state.

[0086] Figure 2D 200d is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material 200d configured according to an embodiment of the present technology. The composite material 200d includes an interlocking structure 202d embedded in a matrix 204. The interlocking structure 202d has a first portion 206a having a set of first interlocking elements 208a having an annular (e.g., circular) shape. The second portion 206b of the interlocking structure 202d can be an elongated member (e.g., strand, rod, filament, fiber) having a straightened linear shape. The entire second portion 206b can be used as an interlocking element and can pass through the hole of the first interlocking element 208a of the first portion 206a, thereby connecting the first portion 206a to the second portion 206b. This configuration can allow the first portion 206a and the second portion 206b to move freely along the x direction while constraining movement along the y direction and the z direction. Optionally, the second portion 206b may or may not be in direct contact with the first interlocking element 208a when the composite material 200d is in a static and / or unloaded state.

[0087] Figure 2E200e is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material 200e configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. Composite material 200e includes an interlocking structure 202e embedded in matrix 204. Interlocking structure 202e has: a first portion 206a having a set of first interlocking elements 208f; and a second portion 206b having a set of second interlocking elements 208g. The first interlocking elements 208f and the second interlocking elements 208g can have complementary shapes. For example, as Figure 2E As shown, each first interlocking element 208f is configured as a socket 216 having a concave inner surface, and each second interlocking element 208g includes a protrusion 218 having a convex inner surface, which is fitted into and cooperates with the corresponding socket 216. Although the inner surface of the socket 216 and the outer surface of the protrusion 218 are depicted as having complementary circular shapes, in other embodiments, the socket 216 and the protrusion 218 can have different shapes, such as elliptical, triangular, square, rectangular, diamond, trapezoidal, polygonal, curved, or a suitable combination thereof.

[0088] In the illustrated embodiment, the concavity of the socket 216 is greater than that of the protrusion 218, such that when the composite material 200e is in a static and / or unloaded state, the inner surface of the socket 216 does not directly contact the outer surface of the protrusion 218. Therefore, in a static and / or unloaded state, a gap 220 may exist between the inner surface of the socket 216 and the outer surface of the protrusion 218. However, in other embodiments, one or more portions of the inner surface of the socket 216 may contact one or more adjacent portions of the outer surface of the protrusion 218, or the entire inner surface of the socket 216 may contact the entire outer surface of the protrusion 218.

[0089] Figure 2F is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material 200f configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The composite material 200f includes an interlocking structure 202f embedded in a matrix 204. The interlocking structure 202f has: a first portion 206a having a set of first interlocking elements 208h; and a second portion 206b having a set of second interlocking elements 208i. The first interlocking elements 208h may include a plurality of first protrusions 222 spaced apart from one another by a plurality of first recesses 224. Similarly, the second interlocking element 208i may include a plurality of second protrusions 226 spaced apart from one another by a plurality of second recesses 228. The first protrusions 222 and the second recesses 228 may have complementary shapes such that each first protrusion 222 is received within a corresponding second recess 228; and the second protrusions 226 and the first recesses 224 may have complementary shapes such that each second protrusion 226 is received within a corresponding first recess 224. As shown Figure 2FAs shown, the first protrusion 222 and the second protrusion 226 may each have a narrower base connected to the corresponding parts 206a, 206b, and a wider free end located away from the corresponding parts 206a, 206b. Therefore, the movement of the first part 206a and the second part 206b along the y direction can be constrained by the wider ends of the first protrusion 222 and the second protrusion 226 blocking each other.

[0090] In the illustrated embodiment, the first protrusion 222, the first recess 224, the second protrusion 226, and the second recess 228 have complementary triangular shapes. However, in other embodiments, the first protrusion 222, the first recess 224, the second protrusion 226, and the second recess 228 may have different shapes, such as circular, oval, square, rectangular, diamond, trapezoidal, polygonal, curved, or a suitable combination thereof. In some embodiments, the first protrusion 222 is smaller than the second recess 228, and the second protrusion 226 is smaller than the first recess 224. Therefore, when the composite material 200f is in a stationary and / or unloaded state, the first protrusion 222 and the second protrusion 226 do not contact each other and are separated by a gap. In other embodiments, the first protrusion 222 and the second protrusion 226 may contact each other.

[0091] Figure 2G 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material 200g configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The composite material 200g includes an interlocking structure 202g embedded in a matrix 204. The interlocking structure 202g has: a first portion 206a having a set of first interlocking elements 208j; and a second portion 206b having a set of second interlocking elements 208k. The first interlocking elements 208j may include a plurality of first protrusions 230 spaced apart from each other by a plurality of first recesses 234. Similarly, the second interlocking element 208k may include a plurality of second protrusions 232 spaced apart from each other by a plurality of second recesses 236. The first protrusions 230 and the second recesses 236 may have complementary shapes such that each first protrusion 230 is received within a corresponding second recess 236; and the second protrusions 232 and the first recesses 234 may have complementary shapes such that each second protrusion 232 is received within a corresponding first recess 234.

[0092] The interlocking structure 202g may be substantially similar to Figure 2G The interlocking structure 202f is different from the interlocking structure 202f in that the orientation of the first protrusion 230 and the second protrusion 232 is reversed. Specifically, the first protrusion 230 and the second protrusion 232 can each have a wider base connected to the corresponding part 206a, 206b, and a narrower free end located away from the corresponding part 206a, 206b. Figure 2FCompared to the embodiment of the present invention, the movement of the first part 206a and the second part 206b along the y direction may be less constrained.

[0093] Although the first protrusion 230, the first recess 234, the second protrusion 232, and the second recess 236 are depicted as having complementary triangular shapes, in other embodiments, these components may have different shapes, such as circular, oval, square, rectangular, diamond, trapezoid, polygonal, curved, or a suitable combination thereof. Figure 2G The first protrusion 230 and the second protrusion 232 are shown as being separated by a gap, but in other embodiments, the first protrusion 230 and the second protrusion 232 may contact each other.

[0094] Figure 2H is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material 200h configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The composite material 200h includes an interlocking structure 202h embedded in a matrix 204. The interlocking structure 202h has: a first portion 206a having a set of first interlocking elements 208l; and a second portion 206b having a set of second interlocking elements 208m. The first interlocking elements 208l and the second interlocking elements 208m can be elongated members (e.g., strands, filaments, fibers) that are intertwined, intertwined, coiled, entangled, and / or otherwise entangled with each other. The elongated members can have any suitable shape (e.g., curved, linear, curvilinear, spiral, convoluted) and can be made of any suitable combination of straight and / or curved sections. Although Figure 2H The first interlocking element 2081 and the second interlocking element 208m are depicted as being in close proximity but not in contact with each other, but in other embodiments, the first interlocking element 2081 and the second interlocking element 208m may be in contact with each other.

[0095] Fig.2Iis a cross-sectional side view of a composite material 200i configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The composite material 200i includes an interlocking structure 202i embedded in a matrix 204. The interlocking structure 202i has: a first portion 206a having a set of first interlocking elements 208n; and a second portion 206b having a set of second interlocking elements 208o. The first interlocking elements 208n and the second interlocking elements 208o can be elongated members (e.g., strands, filaments, fibers) having any suitable shape (e.g., curved, linear, curvilinear, spiral, spiral) and made of any suitable combination of straight and / or curved sections. When the composite material 200i is in a static and / or unloaded state, the first interlocking elements 208n and the second interlocking elements 208o can be positioned in close proximity to each other, but not initially in contact with each other. However, when the composite material 200i is loaded (e.g., along the x-direction), the first interlocking element 208n and the second interlocking element 208o can begin to contact each other to resist further loading. In other embodiments, the first interlocking element 208n and the second interlocking element 208o can contact each other even when the composite material 200i is in a static and / or unloaded state.

[0096] Figure 2J 200j is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material 200j configured according to an embodiment of the present technology. The composite material 200j includes an interlocking structure 202j embedded in a matrix 204. The interlocking structure 202j includes: a plurality of discrete first interlocking elements 208p, which are coupled to each other to form a first portion 206a; and a plurality of discrete second interlocking elements 208q, which are coupled to each other to form a second portion 206b. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the first interlocking element 208p and the second interlocking element 208q are annular members (e.g., rings, loops) that are interconnected to form the interlocking structure 202j. Although the first interlocking element 208p and the second interlocking element 208q are depicted as circular, in other embodiments, the first interlocking element 208p and the second interlocking element 208q can each independently be any of the following shapes: an ellipse, a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a rhombus, a trapezoid, a polygon, a curved shape, or a suitable combination thereof. Additionally, when composite material 200j is in a static and / or unloaded state, first interlocking elements 208p and second interlocking elements 208q may or may not be separated from one another by a gap.

[0097] Figure 2K 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material 200k configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The composite material 200k includes an interlocking structure 202k embedded in a matrix 204. The interlocking structure 202k includes a first portion 206a composed of a plurality of first interlocking elements 208r (e.g., annular members such as rings or loops). Figure 2KAs shown, the first interlocking elements 208r can be discrete components that are not coupled to each other. However, in other embodiments, the first interlocking elements 208r can be interconnected or otherwise coupled to each other (e.g., similar to Figure 2J Although the first interlocking element 208r is depicted as a circle, in other embodiments, the first interlocking element 208r can be any of the following shapes: oval, triangle, square, rectangle, diamond, trapezoid, polygon, curved, or a suitable combination thereof.

[0098] The second portion 206b of the interlocking structure 202k can be an elongated member (e.g., a strand, a rod, a filament, a fiber) having a plurality of peaks 238 that serve as interlocking elements. Specifically, each peak 238 can pass through a hole of a corresponding first interlocking element 208r to couple the first portion 206a to the second portion 206b. In the illustrated embodiment, the second portion 206b has a curved shape (e.g., a wavy, sinusoidal, and / or serpentine shape) such that the plurality of peaks 238 are rounded and / or curved. In other embodiments, the second portion 206b can be shaped differently, for example, the second portion 206b can have a zigzag shape having sharp peaks 238. In addition, when the composite material 200k is in a stationary and / or unloaded state, the peaks 238 may or may not be in direct contact with the first interlocking element 208r.

[0099] Figure 2L 2001 is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material 2001 configured according to an embodiment of the present technology. The composite material 2001 includes an interlocking structure 2021 embedded in a matrix 204. The interlocking structure 2021 includes a first portion 206a and a second portion 206b, which are elongated members (e.g., strands, filaments, fibers) that are wound, interwoven, or otherwise wound around each other, thereby serving as interlocking elements. Although the first portion 206a and the second portion 206b are depicted as having a spiral and / or spiral shape, the first portion 206a and the second portion 206b can have any suitable shape (e.g., curved, linear, curvilinear) and be made of any suitable combination of straight and / or curved sections. When the composite material 2001 is in a stationary and / or unloaded state, the first portion 206a and the second portion 206b may or may not be in contact with each other.

[0100] Figure 2M 200m is a cross-sectional side view of a composite material 200m configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. Composite material 200k includes an interlocking structure 202m embedded in matrix 204. Interlocking structure 202m includes a first portion 206a and a second portion 206b, which are elongated members (e.g., strands, filaments, fibers) that are entangled with each other, thereby acting as interlocking elements. Although Figure 2M Only a portion of the first portion 206a and the second portion 206b are shown entangled with each other, but in other embodiments, the entirety of the first portion 206a and the second portion 206b may be entangled with each other. When the composite material 2001 is in a static and / or unloaded state, the first portion 206a and the second portion 206b may or may not be in contact with each other.

[0101] Combined with the above Figure 2A-2M Any feature described in any embodiment may be combined with Figure 2A-2M Any combination or substitution of any other features of any other embodiment Figure 2A-2M any features of any other embodiment of the present invention. In addition, although Figure 2A-2M The interlocking structures are shown as having a single type of interlocking connection, but in other embodiments, the interlocking structures can include multiple types of interlocking connections. For example, a single portion (e.g., a layer) of the interlocking structure can include multiple types of interlocking elements (e.g., two, three, four, five or more different types of interlocking elements), which can each be independently selected from any of the embodiments described herein. In addition, although Figure 2A-2M The composite materials are all depicted as including a matrix, but in other embodiments, the matrix may be omitted.

[0102] The composite materials described herein, selected components thereof (e.g., interlocking structures and / or matrices), and / or devices made from the composite materials described herein (collectively, "articles") can be manufactured using a variety of additive manufacturing techniques. Examples of additive manufacturing techniques include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) vat photopolymerization, in which articles are constructed from vats of liquid photopolymer resin or other bulk sources of liquid photopolymer resin, including techniques such as stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), continuous liquid interface production (CLIP), two-photon initiated photopolymerization (TPIP), and volumetric additive manufacturing; (2) material jetting, in which materials are sprayed onto a build platform using a continuous or drop-on-demand (DOD) process; (3) binder jetting, in which alternating layers of build material (e.g., powder-based material) and binder material (e.g., liquid binder) are deposited by a print head; (4) Material extrusion, in which material is drawn through a nozzle, heated, and deposited layer by layer, such as fused deposition modeling (FDM) and direct ink writing (DIW); (5) powder bed fusion, including technologies such as direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), electron beam melting (EBM), selective heat sintering (SHS), selective laser melting (SLM), and selective laser sintering (SLS); (6) sheet lamination, including technologies such as layered object manufacturing (LOM) and ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM); and (7) directed energy deposition, including technologies such as laser engineered mesh forming, directed light manufacturing, direct metal deposition, and 3D laser cladding. Optionally, the additive manufacturing process can use a combination of two or more additive manufacturing technologies.

[0103] For example, articles described herein may be made using a vat photopolymerization process, in which light is used to selectively cure a vat of curable material (e.g., a polymer resin) or other bulk source of curable material. Each layer of curable material may be selectively exposed to light in a single exposure (e.g., DLP) or by scanning a beam across layers (e.g., SLA). Depending on the relative positions of the material source, light source, and build platform, vat polymerization may be performed in a "top-down" or "bottom-up" approach.

[0104] As another example, high temperature lithography (also referred to as "thermal lithography") can be used to manufacture the articles described herein. High temperature lithography can include any photopolymerization process involving heating a photopolymerizable material (e.g., a polymer resin). For example, high temperature lithography can involve heating the material to a temperature of at least 30°C, 40°C, 50°C, 60°C, 70°C, 80°C, 90°C, 100°C, 110°C, or 120°C. In some embodiments, the material is heated to a temperature in the range of 50°C to 120°C, 90°C to 120°C, 100°C to 120°C, 105°C to 115°C, or 105°C to 110°C. Heating can reduce the viscosity of the photopolymerizable material before and / or during curing, and / or increase the reactivity of the photopolymerizable material. Therefore, high temperature lithography can be used to manufacture articles from highly viscous and / or poorly flowable materials that can exhibit improved mechanical properties (e.g., stiffness, strength, stability) when cured compared to other types of materials. For example, high temperature lithography can be used to make articles from materials having a viscosity of at least 5 Pa-s, 10 Pa-s, 15 Pa-s, 20 Pa-s, 30 Pa-s, 40 Pa-s, or 50 Pa-s at 20° C. Representative examples of high temperature lithography processes that can be incorporated into the methods herein are described in International Publication Nos. WO2015 / 075094, WO2016 / 078838, WO2018 / 032022, WO2020 / 070639, WO2021 / 130657, and WO2021 / 130661, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0105] In some embodiments, the articles described herein are made using continuous liquid interphase production (also referred to as "continuous liquid interphase printing"), wherein the article is continuously built from a reservoir of photopolymerizable resin by forming a gradient of partially cured resin between the build surface of the article and a "dead zone" that inhibits polymerization. In some embodiments, a semipermeable membrane is used to control the delivery of a photopolymerization inhibitor (e.g., oxygen) into the dead zone so as to form a polymerization gradient. Representative examples of continuous liquid interphase production processes that can be incorporated into the methods herein are described in the following documents: U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2015 / 0097315, 2015 / 0097316, and 2015 / 0102532, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0106] As another example, during the irradiation phase, by continuously moving the building platform (e.g., along the vertical direction or Z direction), the hardening depth of the irradiated photopolymer is controlled by the moving speed, and the continuous additive manufacturing method can achieve the continuous construction of the geometry of the article. Therefore, the continuous polymerization of the material on the building surface can be achieved. Such methods are described in U.S. Patent No. 7,892,474, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In another example, the continuous additive manufacturing method can involve extruding a composite material composed of a curable liquid material around a solid strand. Composite materials can be extruded along a continuous three-dimensional path to form an article. Such methods are described in U.S. Patent No. 10,162,264 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0061974, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In yet another example, the continuous additive manufacturing method can utilize a "helical lithography" method, in which focused radiation is utilized to solidify the liquid photopolymer while the building platform is continuously rotated and raised. Thus, the article geometry may be continuously built along the spiral build path. Such methods are described in US Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0265034, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0107] In another example, the articles described herein may be manufactured using a volumetric additive manufacturing (VAM) process, in which the entire article is produced from a 3D volume of resin in a single printing step without the need for layer-by-layer construction. During the VAM process, the entire build volume is irradiated with energy, but the projection pattern is configured so that only certain voxels (three-dimensional pixels) will accumulate sufficient energy dose to be cured. Representative examples of VAM processes that can be incorporated into the present technology include tomographic volume printing, holographic volume printing, multiphoton volume printing, and xolography. For example, a tomographic VAM process can be performed by projecting a 2D optical pattern into a rotating volume of photosensitive material at vertical and / or angled incidence to produce a cured 3D structure. A holographic VAM process can be performed by projecting overlapping light patterns into a stationary reservoir of photosensitive material. The x-crossing process can use a photo-switchable photoinitiator to induce local polymerization within a volume of photosensitive material when linearly excited by crossing light beams of different wavelengths. Additional details of VAM processes suitable for use in conjunction with the present technology are described in the following documents: U.S. Patent No. 11,370,173, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021 / 0146619, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022 / 0227051, International Publication No. WO2017 / 115076, International Publication No. WO2020 / 245456, International Publication No. WO2022 / 011456 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 181,645, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0108] In yet another example, the articles described herein may be manufactured using a powder bed fusion process (e.g., selective laser sintering), which involves selectively melting layers of powdered material using a laser beam according to a desired cross-sectional shape to build the article geometry. As another example, the articles described herein may be manufactured using a material extrusion process (e.g., fused deposition modeling), which involves selectively depositing filaments of a material (e.g., a thermoplastic polymer) in a layer-by-layer manner to form the article. In yet another example, the articles described herein may be manufactured using a material jetting process, which involves jetting or extruding one or more materials onto a build surface to form successive layers of the article geometry.

[0109] The articles described herein may be made of any suitable material or combination of materials. In some embodiments, the articles described herein are made partially or completely of polymer materials (such as curable polymer resins). The resin may consist of one or more monomer components that are initially in a liquid state. The resin may be in a liquid state at room temperature (e.g., 20°C) or at an elevated temperature (e.g., a temperature in the range of 50°C to 120°C). When exposed to energy (e.g., light), the monomer components may undergo a polymerization reaction so that the resin is cured into the desired article geometry. Representative examples of curable polymer resins and other materials suitable for use in conjunction with the additive manufacturing techniques of this article are described in the following documents: International Publication Nos. WO2019 / 006409, WO2020 / 070639, and WO2021 / 087061, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0110] Optionally, the articles described herein can be made of a variety of different materials (e.g., at least two, three, four, five or more different materials). These materials can be different from each other in terms of composition, curing conditions (e.g., curing energy wavelength), material properties before curing (e.g., viscosity), material properties after curing (e.g., stiffness, strength, transparency), etc. In some embodiments, additive manufacturing articles are formed by a variety of materials in a single manufacturing step. For example, a multi-tip extrusion device can be used to selectively distribute multiple types of materials from different material supply sources so as to manufacture articles from a variety of different materials. Examples of such methods are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,749,414 and 11,318,667, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Alternatively or in combination, the articles described herein can be formed by a variety of materials in a plurality of sequential manufacturing steps. For example, the first part of the article can be formed by a first material according to any manufacturing method herein, and then the second part of the article can be formed by a second material according to any manufacturing method herein, and so on, until the entire article has been formed.

[0111] In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing process used to manufacture the interlocking structure is selected based on the printing resolution of the process and the target feature size of the interlocking elements. For example, the feature size of the interlocking elements (e.g., the smallest spatial dimension of the interlocking elements) can be the same or similar (e.g., within 10%) to the resolution of the additive manufacturing process. The selected additive manufacturing process can be a technology that can achieve feature sizes less than or equal to 500μm, 100μm, 10μm, 5μm, or 1μm. In some embodiments, the FDM process can have a resolution of about 50μm; DLP, inkjet, and VAM processes can have a resolution of about 30μm; laser-based processes (e.g., SLA) can have a resolution of about 5μm; holographic interference processes (e.g., holography) can achieve resolutions on the order of hundreds of nanometers; and two-photon techniques (e.g., techniques that use the sequential or simultaneous absorption of two or more photons to selectively cure materials) can achieve resolutions on the order of nanometers.

[0112] In some embodiments, additive manufacturing processes for making interlocking structures are capable of printing "floating islands," e.g., features that are spatially separated from one another without an underlying support structure. Such processes can be used in embodiments where the interlocking structures include coupled interlocking elements that are in close proximity to one another but not in direct contact with one another. For example, VAM processes and powder bed fusion processes can be used to form such interlocking structures. Alternatively or in combination, such interlocking structures can be produced by simultaneously making the interlocking structures with surrounding matrix material, as described further below.

[0113] Figure 3A-Figure 5B Methods 300-500 for manufacturing composite materials according to embodiments of the present technology are shown. Methods 300-500 can be used to manufacture any embodiment of the composite materials and / or associated devices (e.g., dental appliances) described herein. In some embodiments, some or all of the processes of methods 300-500 are implemented as computer-readable instructions (e.g., program code) that are configured to be executed by one or more processors of a computing device (e.g., a controller of a manufacturing system). Methods 300-500 can be combined with each other and / or with any other methods described herein.

[0114] Figure 3A is a flow chart illustrating a method 300 of manufacturing a composite material, and Figure 3B 300 according to an embodiment of the present technology. Figure 3A and Figure 3B, method 300 begins at block 302 by forming an interlocking structure 306 from a first material. Interlocking structure 306 and the first material may be any of the embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, interlocking structure 306 is manufactured using an additive manufacturing process such as DLP, SLA, FDM, VAM (e.g., holography), inkjet, two-photon technology, or any other suitable technology. Optionally, the additive manufacturing process may be selected based on the feature size of the interlocking elements of interlocking structure 306 and / or based on the ability to print floating islands, as described above.

[0115] At box 304, method 300 can continue to form a matrix 308 around interlocking structure 306 from a second material. Matrix 308 and the second material can be any embodiment described herein. As discussed above, matrix 308 can surround the entire interlocking structure 306, or can surround only a selected portion of interlocking structure 306. Matrix 308 can be formed around interlocking structure 306 in many ways. For example, matrix 308 can adhere to interlocking structure 306, penetrate into interlocking structure, be deposited on interlocking structure and / or be coated on interlocking structure. In such embodiments, the second material can initially be in a liquid or semi-liquid state to facilitate penetration into the space of interlocking structure 306, and can then be cured or otherwise solidified to form matrix 308. The method can be performed with or without an additive manufacturing process.

[0116] As another example, the matrix 308 can be formed around the interlocking structure 306 via an additive manufacturing process, such as any of the processes described herein (e.g., DLP, SLA, FDM, VAM (e.g., holography), inkjet, two-photon technology, or any other suitable technology). In some embodiments, the interlocking structure 306 is printed in a first additive manufacturing operation, and the matrix 308 is subsequently printed in situ around the interlocking structure 306 using a second additive manufacturing operation. The first additive manufacturing operation and the second additive manufacturing operation can use the same additive manufacturing technology, or different technologies can be used. For example, VAM and / or inkjet technology can be used to print the matrix 308 around the existing interlocking structure 306. Optionally, the interlocking structure 306 (or selected portions thereof) can be placed into the print at the appropriate time via a robotic arm or other automated mechanism, and then the matrix 308 can be printed around the structure.

[0117] Figure 4A is a flow chart illustrating a method 400 of manufacturing a composite material, and Figure 4B 4 shows selected processes of a method 400 according to an embodiment of the present technology. Figure 4A and Figure 4B, method 400 begins at block 402 by forming a first article portion 406 (e.g., a first layer of a composite material). First article portion 406 may include a first section 408 (e.g., a first layer) of an interlocking structure 410 and a first section 412 (e.g., a first layer) of a matrix 414. First section 408 of interlocking structure 410 may be formed of a first material, and first section 412 of matrix 414 may be formed of a second, different material. Interlocking structure 410, first material, matrix 414, and second material may be any of the embodiments described herein.

[0118] In some embodiments, the first segment 408 of the interlocking structure 410 and the first segment 412 of the matrix 414 are formed simultaneously in a single manufacturing step or operation. For example, the first segment 408 of the interlocking structure 410 and the first segment 412 of the matrix 414 can be printed simultaneously in the same additive manufacturing step or operation. The method may involve the use of an additive manufacturing process capable of simultaneously forming an article from multiple materials, including but not limited to a material jetting process (e.g., an inkjet process, Nordson EFD's PICOPμlse), a powder bonding process, a multi-nozzle FDM process, and / or a hybrid process (e.g., a process performed by an additive manufacturing system that implements two or more different types of additive manufacturing technologies, such as an inkjet process and a resin-based photopolymerization process). Optionally, the additive manufacturing process can be selected based on the characteristic size of the interlocking elements of the interlocking structure 410, as described above.

[0119] At block 404, method 400 may continue by forming a second article portion 416 (e.g., a second layer of composite material). Second article portion 416 may be formed directly above or below first article portion 406. Second article portion 416 may include a second section 418 (e.g., a second layer) of interlocking structure 410 and a second section 420 (e.g., a second layer) of matrix 414. Second section 418 of interlocking structure 410 may be formed of a first material, and second section 420 of matrix 414 may be formed of a second material. In some embodiments, second section 418 of interlocking structure 410 and second section 420 of matrix 414 are formed simultaneously in a single manufacturing step or operation (e.g., the same additive manufacturing step or operation), as described above in connection with block 402.

[0120] The process can be repeated to form additional article parts (e.g., third article part 422, including third section 424 of interlocking structure 410 and third section 426 of matrix 414), thereby building up the composite material in a layer-by-layer manner. For example, the composite material can be made of dozens, hundreds, or thousands of sequentially formed article parts.

[0121] Figure 5A is a flow chart illustrating a method 500 of manufacturing a composite material, and Figure 5B 500 according to an embodiment of the present technology. Figure 5A and Figure 5B , method 500 begins at block 502 by providing material 510. Material 510 may be a single homogeneous composition including one or more polymerizable components (e.g., monomers, oligomers, reactive polymers). Optionally, material 510 may include various additives, such as catalysts, blocking agents, viscosity modifiers, fillers, adhesives, reactive diluents, solvents, pigments and / or dyes, stabilizers, surface active compounds, etc. In some embodiments, material 510 is positioned on a build platform for forming an article into, for example, a thin uniform layer having a thickness corresponding to a target layer thickness of the article.

[0122] At block 504, the method 500 can continue by applying energy to the material 510. The energy (e.g., light energy, thermal energy, radiation) can be configured to cure or otherwise solidify the material 510, for example, by initiating polymerization of one or more polymerizable components. The energy can be applied to a first region 512 corresponding to the location of the interlocking structure 514, a second region 516 corresponding to the location of the matrix 518, or both the first region and the second region. Applying the energy can cause (1) the formation of the interlocking structure 514 having a first set of properties (block 506) and (2) the formation of the matrix 518 having a second set of different properties (block 508). For example, the interlocking structures 514 and the matrix 518 can differ from each other in one or more of the following properties: modulus, glass transition temperature, elongation at break, elongation at yield, strength, hardness, scratch resistance, roughness, degradation, color, refractive index, transparency, porosity, morphology, chemical composition, degree of polymerization, crosslink density, phase, crystallinity, morphology, permeability, hydrophobicity, oleophobicity, and / or swellability. Thus, the interlocking structures 514 and the matrix 518 can both be formed from the same starting material 510, but still exhibit different properties in the resulting composite material. In some embodiments, the processes of blocks 504, 506, and 508 occur simultaneously, for example, the application of energy in block 504 simultaneously triggers the formation of the interlocking structures 514 and the matrix 518. In other embodiments, the interlocking structures 514 can be formed before the matrix 518, or vice versa.

[0123] The process of frame 504-508 can be implemented in various ways to produce interlocking structure 514 and matrix 518 from the same material 510. For example, in some embodiments, energy is selectively applied to material 510 (e.g., via masking, scanning, patterning) so that certain areas of material 510 are exposed to energy, while other areas are not exposed to energy. For example, a first area 512 corresponding to interlocking structure 514 can be exposed to energy, while a second area 516 corresponding to matrix 518 can remain unexposed to energy, or vice versa. Selective exposure can cause phase separation and / or diffusion of one or more polymerizable components. For example, material 510 can be a polymerizable composition (e.g., a liquid resin) that includes a first polymerizable component (e.g., a first monomer) and a second polymerizable component (e.g., a second monomer) present in an initial ratio. After applying energy, the first polymerizable component can diffuse out of the exposed area and diffuse into the unexposed area, and / or the second polymerizable component can diffuse out of the unexposed area and diffuse into the exposed area. Thus, the exposed area may include a first ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component, and the unexposed area may include a different second ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component. In addition, the first ratio and the second ratio may both be different from the initial ratio. When the first polymerizable component and the second polymerizable component are polymerized, the different ratios of these components in the exposed area and the unexposed area may cause these areas to exhibit different properties, thereby forming an interlocking structure 514 and a matrix 518. Additional details of the method are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 10,495,973, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0124] As another example, energy can be applied to both the first region 512 and the second region 516, but with different energy application parameters, so that the resulting interlocking structure 514 and the matrix 108 have different properties. For example, the energy applied to the first region 512 can be different from the energy applied to the second region 516 in terms of energy intensity, dosage, exposure time, wavelength and / or energy type. The ability to change the energy application parameters of the applied energy at different spatial locations (e.g., in the x-direction, y-direction and / or z-direction) to program the amount of residual curable material removed can be referred to as "graying" in this article. In some embodiments, graying affects the local characteristics of the first region 512 and the second region 516, such as the degree of polymerization of the material 510, the degree of curing of the material 510, the double bond conversion of the material 510, the crosslink density, phase, crystallinity, morphology, permeability, solubility, viscosity, swellability, reactivity, degradability, porosity, particle connectivity, surface area and / or melting point. The local characteristics can directly affect the final properties of the interlocking structure 514 and the matrix 518. For example, a region with a higher degree of polymerization can exhibit a higher modulus and / or T g, while regions with lower DP may exhibit lower modulus and / or T g Alternatively or in combination, the local properties can change the amount of residual material (e.g., residual polymerizable components) removed from the first region 512 and / or the second region 516 in a subsequent material removal process (e.g., solvent extraction), and the amount of residual material removed can affect the final properties of the interlocking structure 514 and the matrix 518. Additional details of this method are provided in U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 449,589, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0125] II. Additively manufactured objects with mechanically interlocking elements

[0126] In some embodiments, the present technology provides an additively manufactured article that includes a plurality of mechanically interlocking elements. For example, the additively manufactured article can be a dental appliance, such as an orthodontic appliance, a palatal expander, a retainer, a mouth guard, an accessory placement device, an accessory, etc. The characteristics of the interlocking elements can be generally similar to the embodiments described above in Section I (e.g., Figure 2A-2M In some embodiments, the interlocking elements can have characteristic dimensions on a macroscopic scale (e.g., the same or similar to the dimensions of the macroscopic additively manufactured article). For example, the interlocking elements can have characteristic dimensions in the range of 0.1 mm to 10 mm, 0.1 mm to 5 mm, 0.1 mm to 1 mm, 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, 0.1 mm to 0.25 mm, 0.5 mm to 10 mm, 0.5 mm to 5 mm, 0.5 mm to 1 mm, 1 mm to 10 mm, 1 mm to 5 mm, or 5 mm to 10 mm. In some embodiments, the length, width, and / or height of the macroscopic article ranges from 1 cm to 50 cm, 1 cm to 20 cm, 1 cm to 10 cm, 1 cm to 5 cm, 5 cm to 10 cm, 5 cm to 25 cm, or 10 cm to 20 cm. The thickness of the macroscopic object may be in the range of 0.1 mm to 10 mm, 0.1 mm to 5 mm, 0.5 mm to 10 mm, 0.5 mm to 5 mm, or 5 mm to 10 mm.

[0127] As described above in part I, interlocking elements can be mechanically connected to each other in various ways, including but not limited to connecting rods, joints, complementary and / or matching interfaces, weaving, interweaving, entanglement or its suitable combination. In some embodiments, when connected and when the additive manufacturing article is in a static and / or unloaded state (for example, when not applying force to the additive manufacturing article), interlocking elements are in direct contact with each other. In other embodiments, when connected and when the additive manufacturing article is in a static and / or unloaded state, interlocking elements are not in direct contact with each other. In such embodiments, the adjacent surfaces of the interlocking elements can be spaced apart by a gap from each other. The size of the gap (for example, minimum, maximum and / or average size) can be in the range of 0.1mm to 10mm, 0.1mm to 5mm, 0.1mm to 1mm, 0.1mm to 0.5mm, 0.1mm to 0.25mm, 0.5mm to 10mm, 0.5mm to 5mm, 0.5mm to 1mm, 1mm to 10mm, 1mm to 5mm or 5mm to 10mm.

[0128] In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing article includes: a first article part, including a first interlocking element; and a second article part, including a second interlocking element. The first interlocking element and the second interlocking element can be coupled to each other to connect the first article part to the second article part. However, the coupling between the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element can be a releasable coupling, so that the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element can be separated from each other without breaking, plastically deforming and / or otherwise damaging the first article part and / or the second article part. Therefore, the first article part and the second article part can be temporarily (e.g., during manufacturing, before use) coupled to each other via the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element. When it is desired to separate the first article part and the second article part (e.g., when ready for use), the first article part and the second article part can be separated by disengaging the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element from each other.

[0129] Fig. 6A is a front view of a portion of an accessory placement device ("device 600") configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology, and Figure 6B is a side cross-sectional view of the device 600. First, refer to Fig. 6A, the device 600 can be used to apply an attachment 602 to the patient's teeth. The attachment 602 can be configured to interact with a corresponding orthodontic appliance (e.g., an orthodontic appliance) worn by the patient to apply one or more repositioning forces to the teeth. In some embodiments, the device 600 is used to help accurately place the attachment 602 against the surface of the tooth, for example in a predetermined position and / or orientation according to an orthodontic treatment plan. Representative examples of attachment placement devices that can be used as the device 600 are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2021 / 0259809 and 2022 / 0183795, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0130] The accessory 602 can be coupled to the frame 604 via a plurality of supports 606, and the frame 604 can be connected to a base 608 (also referred to as a "registration portion," "registration element," or "registration anchor"). In some embodiments, the accessory 602 is prefabricated with the frame 604, supports 606, and base 608 such that the accessory 602 is formed in situ within the frame 604 and coupled to the supports 606. The accessory 602, frame 604, supports 606, and base 608 are in the same manufacturing process (e.g., a single additive manufacturing operation). A representative example of a method for manufacturing the device 600 is provided below.

[0131] The support 606 can be a plurality of elongated members (e.g., struts, rods) surrounding and coupled to the perimeter of the accessory 602. The support 606 can be configured to hold the accessory 602 in place within the frame 604. In some embodiments, the accessory 602 and the support 606 are separate components (e.g., not bonded, fused, joined, or integrally formed with each other). The accessory 602 and the support 606 can be removably coupled to each other so that the accessory 602 can be separated from the support 606 without breaking, plastically deforming, or otherwise damaging the accessory 602.

[0132] As in Figure 6BAs best seen in FIG. 1 , the accessory 602 may include a plurality of first interlocking elements 610, and each support 606 may include a corresponding second interlocking element 612. The first interlocking elements 610 of the accessory 602 may be coupled to the second interlocking elements 612 of the support 606 to interlock the accessory 602 with the support 606. The first interlocking elements 610 and the second interlocking elements 612 may be configured in many different ways. For example, the first interlocking elements 610 and the second interlocking elements 612 may have complementary shapes. In the illustrated embodiment, the peripheral portion of the accessory 602 includes a plurality of recesses (e.g., grooves, holes, holes, notches), and each support 606 includes an end portion (e.g., a protrusion, a projection) that cooperates with and at least partially fits into the corresponding recess. Thus, the recess may serve as the first interlocking element 610, and the end portion may serve as the second interlocking element 612. In other embodiments, this configuration can be reversed, for example, the peripheral portion of the attachment 602 includes a plurality of protrusions that fit into corresponding recesses on the support 606. Furthermore, the first interlocking element 610 and the second interlocking element 612 can alternatively or additionally include other types of complementary couplings, such as a combination of Figure 2E-2G Any of the described embodiments.

[0133] In the illustrated embodiment, there is a gap between the complementary surfaces of the first interlocking element 610 and each second interlocking element 612, so that when the device 600 is in an unloaded and / or static configuration (e.g., when no force is applied to the attachment 602 and the support 606), the first interlocking element 610 and each second interlocking element 612 do not contact each other. The gap size (e.g., maximum, minimum or average gap size) can be 0.1mm to 10mm, 0.1mm to 5mm, 0.1mm to 1mm, 0.1mm to 0.5mm, 0.1mm to 0.25mm, 0.5mm to 10mm, 0.5mm to 5mm, 0.5mm to 1mm, 1mm to 10mm, 1mm to 5mm, or 5mm to 10mm. However, in other embodiments, the first interlocking element 610 and the second interlocking element 612 can also contact each other even when the device 600 is in an unloaded and / or static configuration.

[0134] In some embodiments, the support 606 is sufficiently resilient and / or deformable so that the second interlocking element 612 can be separated from the first interlocking element 610 with little or no damage to the accessory 602. For example, when the support 606 is pulled upwardly away from the accessory 602, the support 606 can bend and / or deform so that the end portion slides out of the recess in the accessory 602. In addition, the support 606 can be sufficiently resilient and / or deformable to avoid the support 606 from breaking in a manner that leaves the remaining portion of the end in position within the recess. In some embodiments, to facilitate separation of the accessory 602 and the support 606, the accessory 602 is made of a relatively high modulus and / or T g and the support member 606 is made of a material having a relatively low modulus and / or T g Alternatively, attachment 602 may be made of the same material as support member 606, but may be stiffer than support member 606 due to differences in geometry (e.g., attachment 602 may be thicker than support member 606), differences in local properties of the material (e.g., attachment 602 may be more highly cross-linked than support member 606), and / or other suitable techniques.

[0135] The frame 604 can be configured to protect the accessory 602 and / or the support 606 from separation and / or damage prior to use (e.g., during manufacturing, handling, storage, and / or transportation). In the illustrated embodiment, the frame 604 is an annular structure that extends at least partially or completely around the perimeter of the accessory 602. The frame 604 can be connected to the support 606 (e.g., integrally formed with the support).

[0136] The base 608 can be configured to mate with a corresponding portion of the patient's dentition (e.g., a surface of a tooth to which the attachment 602 will be mounted ("mounting surface")) to ensure that the attachment 602 is aligned with the mounting surface at a predetermined position and / or orientation. For example, the base 608 may include a contoured registration surface (not shown) to complement the surface of the tooth so that when the registration surface of the base 608 is in complementary contact with the tooth surface, the attachment 602 is properly aligned with the mounting surface of the tooth. Once the attachment 602 is properly aligned, the attachment 602 can be coupled to the mounting surface of the tooth, for example using an adhesive, bonding, direct cure in place, etc. The attachment 602 can then be separated from the support 606 by disengaging the first interlocking element 610 and the second interlocking element 612 from each other, as described above, thereby allowing the device 600 to be removed from the patient's mouth while the attachment 602 remains in place on the tooth.

[0137] Fig. 7Ais a stereoscopic view of a patient's dentition 700 according to an embodiment of the present technology. The dentition 700 includes one or more teeth (e.g., a first tooth 702a, a second tooth 702b, and a third tooth 702c, collectively referred to as "teeth 702"), each tooth having a corresponding attachment mounted thereon (e.g., a first attachment 704a, a second attachment 704b, and a third attachment 704c, collectively referred to as "attachments 704"). As described above, the attachments 704 can be designed to engage with portions of an orthodontic appliance (e.g., an appliance or a palatal expander) to apply forces to the teeth 702 according to an orthodontic treatment plan. The attachments 704 can be placed at predetermined locations on the teeth 702 to apply appropriate forces (e.g., in magnitude and / or direction) according to a portion of the treatment plan. In some embodiments, the treatment plan includes replacing some or all of the attachments 704 with one or more new attachments. For example, a subsequent set of attachments can have a different shape and / or be positioned at a different location on the teeth 702 and / or on different teeth compared to the current set of attachments 704. As another example, one or more attachments 704 may be replaced with one or more new attachments having the same shape and configured to be positioned at the same location on the tooth 702, e.g., if the original attachment 704 is damaged, falls off, or fails to properly adhere to the corresponding tooth 702.

[0138] Figure 7B is a perspective view of an attachment placement device ("device 706") on the dentition 700 in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The device 706 can be used to properly position the attachment 704 so that the attachment can cooperate with the orthodontic appliance to apply the correct force on the tooth 702. The device 706 may include a plurality of alignment portions 708a-708g (collectively referred to as "alignment portions 708") configured to cooperate with the surfaces of the patient's teeth. In some embodiments, some or all of the alignment portions 708 include one or more cavities that are shaped to accommodate a corresponding one or more teeth to maintain the device 706 in a specified spatial configuration relative to the dentition 700. Some or all of the alignment portions 708 can be connected to the corresponding attachment 704 via a frame and support, as previously described with respect to Fig. 6A and Figure 6B The attachment 704 can be formed (e.g., prefabricated) with the registration portion 708 so that when the registration portion 708 is placed on the dentition 700, the attachment 704 is properly aligned relative to the tooth 702 for bonding. For example, the attachment 704, the registration portion 708, the framework, and the support can be manufactured in the same manufacturing process (e.g., a single additive manufacturing operation), as described further below.

[0139] Some or all of the registration portions 708 may be removably connected to one another via interlocking couplings 710a-710f (collectively, “interlocking couplings 710”). Figure 7B As shown, the first registration portion 708a can be coupled to the second registration portion 708b via the first interlocking coupling 710a; the second registration portion 708b can be coupled to the third registration portion 708c via the second interlocking coupling 710b; the third registration portion 708c can be coupled to the fourth registration portion 708d via the third interlocking coupling 710c; and so on. Optionally, only the registration portion 708 including the attachment 704 can have an interlocking coupling 710 with an adjacent registration portion 708.

[0140] Each interlocking coupling 710 may include a corresponding set of interlocking elements that are coupled to each other to interlock corresponding pairs of registration portions 708 to each other. The interlocking elements can be configured in many different ways. For example, the interlocking elements can have complementary shapes. In the illustrated embodiment, each interlocking coupling includes a first interlocking element and a second interlocking element, wherein the first interlocking element defines a recess and the second interlocking element includes a protrusion that cooperates with the recess and at least partially fits into the recess. Alternatively or in combination, some or all of the interlocking couplings may alternatively or additionally include other types of complementary couplings, such as in combination with Figure 2E-2G Any of the described embodiments.

[0141] In the illustrated embodiment, the interlocking elements are in direct contact with each other so that there is little or no space between the complementary surfaces of the interlocking coupling. In other embodiments, there may be a gap between the complementary surfaces of the interlocking elements so that when the device 706 is in an unloaded and / or static configuration, the interlocking elements do not contact each other. The gap size (e.g., maximum, minimum, or average gap size) may be 0.1 mm to 10 mm, 0.1 mm to 5 mm, 0.1 mm to 1 mm, 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, 0.1 mm to 0.25 mm, 0.5 mm to 10 mm, 0.5 mm to 5 mm, 0.5 mm to 1 mm, 1 mm to 10 mm, 1 mm to 5 mm, or 5 mm to 10 mm.

[0142] In some embodiments, the material of the registration portions 708 at or near the interlocking couplings 710 is sufficiently elastic and / or deformable such that the interlocking elements can be separated from one another with little or no damage to the registration portions 708. For example, when the registration portion 708b is pulled away from the adjacent registration portions 708a, 708c, the interlocking elements of the interlocking couplings 710a, 710b can bend and / or deform such that the protrusions slide out of the recesses.

[0143] The method can be used to selectively disengage selected registration portions 708 prior to applying the device 706 to the dentition 700. For example, in an embodiment where the device 706 is used to replace only selected attachments 704 (e.g., the first attachment 704a and the second attachment 704b) but not other attachments 704 (e.g., the third attachment 704c), the registration portions 708 (e.g., the registration portion 708f) connected to the attachments 704 that are not replaced can be disconnected from the remainder of the device 706. The remaining registration portions 708 (e.g., the registration portions 708a-708e and 708g) can then be placed on the dentition 700 to align the new attachments 704 with their corresponding teeth 702. Thus, a single design of the device 706 can be reused even if not all attachments 704 will be applied to the teeth 702. Optionally, the interlocking configuration of the device 706 can be used to customize the device 706 for a particular patient and / or a particular treatment phase, for example, the alignment portions 708 can be independently replaced with other alignment portions 708 depending on the desired arrangement of the attachment 704 on the dentition 700 for a particular patient and / or treatment phase.

[0144] although Figures 6A-7B The above description of relates to accessory placement devices having interlocking elements, but this is not intended to be limiting, and the present technology can be applied to other types of dental appliances (e.g., braces, palatal expanders, retainers, mouth guards, accessories). For example, the technology described herein can be used to manufacture dental appliances having interlocking, removable supports (e.g., struts, cones, columns) that connect the appliance to the build platform during an additive manufacturing process. In such embodiments, the interlocking elements (such as any suitable embodiment described herein (e.g., Figure 2E-Figure 2I and Figures 6A-7B In an embodiment of the present invention, the device is removably coupled to the support. Subsequently, the device can be separated from the support by disengaging the interlocking elements rather than by breaking the support. This method can reduce the possibility of damaging the device and reduce or eliminate the need to polish the device to remove residual support fragments. Additional examples and features of dental devices that can be used with the present technology are provided in Section III below.

[0145] Figure 8 800 is a flow chart illustrating a method 800 of manufacturing a dental appliance according to an embodiment of the present technology. The method 800 can be used to manufacture any embodiment of a dental appliance described herein. In some embodiments, some or all of the processes of the method 800 are implemented as computer-readable instructions (e.g., program code) configured to be executed by one or more processors of a computing device (e.g., a controller of a manufacturing system). The method 800 can be combined with any other method described herein.

[0146] The method 800 begins at block 802 by forming a first portion of an appliance (e.g., an appliance, a palatal expander, a retainer, a mouth guard, an accessory placement device, an accessory), the first portion comprising a first interlocking element. At block 804, the method 800 may continue by forming a second portion of the appliance, the second portion comprising a second interlocking element coupled to the first interlocking element. For example, the first portion may be a temporary component (e.g., Fig. 6A and Figure 6B The support 606 of the device 600, 3D printing support), and the second part can be a functional component (e.g., Fig. 6A and Figure 6B As another example, the first and second parts may be components that are intended to be removably coupled to each other (e.g., Figure 7B The first interlocking element and the second interlocking element can be any of the embodiments described herein.

[0147] In some embodiments, the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element are manufactured in situ in an interlocking configuration in a single manufacturing process or operation, such that no additional process steps are required to couple the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element to each other. For example, the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element can be manufactured simultaneously using an additive manufacturing process (such as any process described elsewhere herein (e.g., DLP, SLA, FDM, VAM (e.g., holography), inkjet, two-photon technology)). In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing process utilizes a technology capable of printing floating islands, such as VAM and / or powder bed fusion. Therefore, the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element can be manufactured so that any gaps between the elements already exist in the printed product. Alternatively or in combination, the additive manufacturing process can utilize a technology capable of printing multiple materials (e.g., a material jetting process, a powder bonding process, a multi-nozzle FDM process, a hybrid process). In such an embodiment, the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element can be printed from a first material, and the gaps between the elements can be partially or completely filled with a second material. The second material may be a sacrificial material that is removed in subsequent processing (eg, via solvent extraction, melting, vacuum, washing) to create the gap.

[0148] III. Dental appliances and associated methods

[0149] Fig.9AA representative example of a tooth repositioning appliance 900 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology is shown. The appliance 900 may be manufactured using any of the materials and methods described herein. The appliance 900 (also referred to herein as an "appliance") is wearable by a patient to achieve incremental repositioning of individual teeth 902 in a jaw. The appliance 900 may include a shell (e.g., a continuous polymer shell or a segmented shell) having a tooth-receiving cavity that receives and resiliently repositions the tooth. The appliance 900, or portions thereof, may be indirectly manufactured using a physical model of the teeth. For example, an appliance (e.g., a polymer appliance) may be formed using a physical model of the teeth and a suitable ply of polymer material. In some embodiments, for example, an additive manufacturing technique is used to directly manufacture the physical appliance from a digital model of the appliance.

[0150] The appliance 900 can be fitted on all teeth present in the maxilla or mandible, or on teeth less than all teeth. The appliance 900 can be specially designed to accommodate the patient's teeth (e.g., the topography of the tooth-accommodating cavity matches the topography of the patient's teeth), and can be manufactured based on a positive or negative mold of the patient's teeth generated by an impression, a scan, etc. Alternatively, the appliance 900 can be a general appliance configured to accommodate teeth but not necessarily shaped to match the topography of the patient's teeth. In some cases, only certain teeth accommodated by the appliance 900 are repositioned by the appliance 900, while other teeth can provide a base or anchoring area for holding the appliance in place when the appliance 900 applies force to one or more teeth intended to be repositioned. In some cases, some, most, or even all teeth can be repositioned at a certain point during treatment. When the appliance is worn by the patient, the teeth that are moved can also be used as a base or anchor to hold the appliance. In a preferred embodiment, no wire or other means is provided for holding the appliance 900 in place on the tooth. However, in some circumstances, it may be desirable or necessary to provide a separate attachment 904 or other anchoring element on the tooth 902, with a corresponding receptacle 906 or hole in the appliance 900, so that the appliance 900 can exert a selected force on the tooth. Representative examples of appliances are described in many of Align Technologies Inc.'s patents and patent applications, including, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,450,807 and 5,975,893, and on the company's website accessible on the World Wide Web (see, for example, the URL "invisalign.com"), including Examples of tooth-mounted attachments suitable for use with orthodontic appliances are also described in patents and patent applications of Alleyne Technologies, Inc., including, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,309,215 and 6,830,450.

[0151] Fig. 9BA tooth repositioning system 910 including a plurality of appliances 912, 914, 916 is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. Any appliance described herein may be designed and / or provided as part of a set of a plurality of appliances for use in a tooth repositioning system. Each appliance may be configured such that a tooth receiving cavity has a geometry corresponding to an intermediate or final tooth arrangement on which the appliance is intended to be used. The patient's teeth may be progressively repositioned from an initial tooth arrangement to a target tooth arrangement by placing a series of incremental position adjustment appliances on the patient's teeth. For example, the tooth repositioning system 910 may include: a first appliance 912, corresponding to an initial tooth arrangement; one or more intermediate appliances 914, corresponding to one or more intermediate arrangements; and a final appliance 916, corresponding to a target arrangement. The target tooth arrangement may be a planned final tooth arrangement selected for the patient's teeth at the end of all planned orthodontic treatment. Alternatively, the target arrangement may be one of a number of intermediate arrangements for the patient's teeth during the course of orthodontic treatment, which may include a variety of different treatment scenarios, including but not limited to situations where surgery is recommended, situations where interproximal reduction (IPR) is appropriate, situations where a progress check is scheduled, situations where anchor placement is optimal, situations where palatal expansion is desired, situations involving restorative dentistry (e.g., inlays, onlays, crowns, bridges, implants, veneers, etc.), etc. Thus, it should be understood that the target tooth arrangement may be any planned resulting arrangement for the patient's teeth following one or more incremental repositioning stages. Likewise, the initial tooth arrangement may be any initial arrangement for the patient's teeth followed by one or more incremental repositioning stages.

[0152] Fig. 9CA method 920 of orthodontic treatment using multiple appliances according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown. The method 920 can be practiced using any appliance or set of appliances described herein. In box 922, a first orthodontic appliance is applied to the patient's teeth so as to reposition the teeth from a first tooth arrangement to a second tooth arrangement. In box 924, a second orthodontic appliance is applied to the patient's teeth so as to reposition the teeth from the second tooth arrangement to a third tooth arrangement. The method 920 can be repeated as needed using any suitable number of sequential appliances and combinations of sequential appliances so as to incrementally reposition the patient's teeth from an initial arrangement to a target arrangement. The appliances can all be generated at the same stage or in groups or batches (e.g., at the beginning of a treatment stage), or the appliances can be manufactured one at a time, and the patient can wear each appliance until the pressure of each appliance on the teeth can no longer be felt or until the maximum amount of expressed tooth movement has been achieved for that given stage. Multiple different appliances (e.g., a set) can be designed and even manufactured before the patient wears any of the multiple appliances. After wearing the appliance for an appropriate period of time, the patient can replace the current appliance with the next appliance in the series until there is no appliance left. The appliance is usually not fixed to the teeth, and the patient can place and replace the appliance (e.g., a patient-removable appliance) at any time during the procedure. The final one or more appliances in the series can have a geometry selected to overcorrect the tooth arrangement. For example, one or more appliances can have such a geometry that (if fully realized) will move each tooth beyond the tooth arrangement that has been selected as the "final". Such overcorrection may be desirable in order to offset potential recurrence (e.g., allowing each tooth to move toward their pre-corrected position) after the repositioning method has been terminated. Overcorrection can also be beneficial to speed up the correction rate (e.g., an appliance with a geometry positioned beyond the desired intermediate or final position can move each tooth toward the position at a greater rate). In this case, the use of the appliance can be terminated before the teeth reach the position defined by the appliance. In addition, in order to compensate for any inaccuracies or limitations of the appliance, overcorrection can be applied intentionally.

[0153] Fig.10 A method 1000 for designing an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown. The method 1000 can be applied to any embodiment of the orthodontic appliance described herein. Some or all of the steps of the method 1000 can be performed by any suitable data processing system or device (e.g., one or more processors configured with suitable instructions).

[0154] In box 1002, determine the movement path of moving one or more teeth from the initial arrangement to the target arrangement. The initial arrangement can be determined from a mold or scan of the patient's teeth or oral tissue using, for example, wax articulation, direct contact scanning, x-ray imaging, tomography, ultrasonic imaging, and other techniques for obtaining information about the position and structure of teeth, jaws, gums, and other orthodontically related tissues. A digital data set representing the initial (e.g., before treatment) arrangement of the patient's teeth and other tissues can be derived from the acquired data. Optionally, the initial digital data set is processed to segment tissue components from each other. For example, a data structure that digitally represents each crown can be generated. Advantageously, a digital model of the entire tooth can be generated, including measured or inferred hidden surfaces and root structures as well as surrounding bone and soft tissue.

[0155] The target arrangement of teeth (e.g., the desired and expected end result of orthodontic treatment) can be received from a clinician in the form of a prescription, can be calculated based on basic orthodontic principles, and / or can be computationally inferred from the clinical prescription. Given details such as the desired final positions of the teeth and digital representations of the teeth themselves, the final position and surface geometry of each tooth can be specified to form a complete model of the desired dental arrangement at the end of treatment.

[0156] If there are both an initial position and a target position for each tooth, a movement path can be defined for the movement of each tooth. In some embodiments, the movement path is configured to move the tooth in the fastest manner with the least amount of round trips to bring the tooth from its initial position to its desired target position. The tooth path can optionally be segmented, and the segments can be calculated so that the movement of each tooth within the segment remains within threshold limits for linear and rotational translation. In this way, the endpoints of each path segment can constitute a clinically feasible repositioning, and the collection of segment endpoints can constitute a clinically feasible sequence of tooth positions such that moving from one point to the next in the sequence does not result in tooth collision.

[0157] In box 1004, a force system (force system) is determined to produce the movement of one or more teeth along the movement path. The force system may include one or more forces and / or one or more torques. Different force systems may result in different types of tooth movement, such as tilting, translation, rotation, extrusion, intrusion, root movement, etc. Biomechanical principles, modeling techniques, force calculation / measurement techniques, etc., including knowledge and methods commonly used in orthodontics, can be used to determine the appropriate force system to be applied to the teeth in order to achieve tooth movement. When determining the force system to be applied, sources including literature, force systems determined by experiments or virtual modeling, computer-based modeling, clinical experience, minimization of unnecessary forces, etc. may be considered.

[0158] The determination of the force system can be performed in a variety of ways. For example, in some embodiments, the force system is determined on a patient-by-patient basis, for example using patient-specific data. Alternatively or in combination, the force system can be determined based on a generalized model of tooth movement (e.g., based on experiments, modeling, clinical data, etc.), thereby eliminating the need to use patient-specific data. In some embodiments, the determination of the force system involves calculating specific force values ​​to be applied to one or more teeth to produce a specific movement. Alternatively, the determination of the force system can be performed at a high level without calculating specific force values ​​for the teeth. For example, box 1004 can involve determining a specific type of force to be applied (e.g., extrusion force, intrusion force, translational force, rotational force, tipping force, torque force, etc.) without calculating the specific magnitude and / or direction of the force.

[0159] Determination of a force system may include constraints on the forces allowed, for example, constraints on the directions and magnitudes allowed and the desired movements caused by the applied forces. For example, when manufacturing a palatal expander, different patients may require different movement strategies. For example, the amount of force required to separate the palate may depend on the age of the patient, as very young patients may not have a fully formed palatal suture. Therefore, in adolescent patients and others who do not have a fully closed palatal suture, palatal expansion can be accomplished with lower forces. Slower palatal movement can also help grow bone to fill the expanded palatal suture. For other patients, more rapid expansion may be required, which can be achieved by applying greater force. The structure and material of the device can be selected as needed in combination with these requirements; for example, a palatal expander that can apply large forces to rupture the palatal suture and / or cause rapid expansion of the palate is selected. Subsequent stages of the device can be designed to apply different forces, such as first applying a large force to break the palatal suture, and then applying a smaller force to keep the palatal suture separated or gradually expand the palate and / or dental arch.

[0160] Determination of the force system can also include modeling the patient's facial structures, such as the skeletal structure of the jaw and palate. For example, scan data of the palate and dental arch (such as X-ray data or 3D optical scan data) can be used to determine parameters of the skeletal and muscular system of the patient's mouth in order to determine a force sufficient to provide the desired expansion of the palate and / or dental arch. In some embodiments, the thickness and / or density of the mid-palatal suture can be measured or input by a treating professional. In other embodiments, the treating professional can select an appropriate treatment based on the patient's physiological characteristics. For example, the characteristics of the palate can also be estimated based on factors such as the patient's age, for example, a young adolescent patient will require less force to expand the palatal suture than an elderly patient because the palatal suture has not yet been fully formed.

[0161] In box 1006, a design of an orthodontic appliance configured to generate a force system is determined. The design may include appliance geometry, material composition, and / or material properties, and may be determined in various ways, such as using a treatment or force application simulation environment. The simulation environment may include, for example, a computer modeling system, a biomechanical system or device, etc. Optionally, a digital model of the appliance and / or teeth, such as a finite element model, may be generated. The finite element model may be created using computer program application software available from various suppliers. To create a solid geometry model, a computer-aided engineering (CAE) or computer-aided design (CAD) program may be used, such as available from Autodesk, Inc. of San Rafael, California. Software Products. To create finite element models and analyze them, program products from several vendors may be used, including the finite element analysis package from ANSYS, Inc., Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and the SIMULIA (Abaqus) software product from Dassault Systèmes, Inc., Waltham, Massachusetts.

[0162] Optionally, one or more designs may be selected for testing or force modeling. As described above, the desired tooth movement and the force system required or desired to induce the desired tooth movement may be identified. Using the simulation environment, the candidate designs may be analyzed or modeled to determine the actual force system that would result from using the candidate appliance. One or more modifications may optionally be made to the candidate appliance, and the force modeling may be further analyzed as described, for example, to iteratively determine an appliance design that produces the desired force system.

[0163] In block 1008, instructions are generated for manufacturing an orthodontic appliance comprising the design. The instructions may be configured to control a manufacturing system or device to produce an orthodontic appliance having a specified design. In some embodiments, the instructions are configured to manufacture the orthodontic appliance using direct manufacturing (e.g., stereolithography, selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling, 3D printing, continuous direct manufacturing, multi-material direct manufacturing, etc.) according to various methods presented herein. In alternative embodiments, the instructions may be configured to, for example, manufacture the appliance indirectly by thermoforming.

[0164] Although the above steps illustrate a method 1000 for designing an orthodontic appliance according to some embodiments, a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize some variations based on the teachings described herein. Some steps may include sub-steps. Some steps may be repeated as needed. One or more steps of method 1000 may be performed with any suitable manufacturing system or device (such as the embodiments described herein). Some steps may be optional, for example, the process of box 1004 may be omitted so that an orthodontic appliance is designed based on desired tooth movement and / or a determined tooth movement path rather than a force system. In addition, the order of the steps may be changed as needed.

[0165] Fig.11 A method 1100 for orthodontic treatment and / or design or manufacture of digitally planned appliances according to an embodiment is shown. The method 1100 may be applied to any treatment procedure described herein and may be performed by any suitable data processing system.

[0166] In block 1102, a digital representation of a patient's teeth is received. The digital representation may include surface topography data of the patient's oral cavity (including teeth, gum tissue, etc.). The surface topography data may be generated by directly scanning the oral cavity, a physical model (positive or negative) of the oral cavity, or an impression of the oral cavity using a suitable scanning device (e.g., a handheld scanner, a desktop scanner, etc.).

[0167] In block 1104, one or more treatment phases are generated based on the digital representation of the teeth. A treatment phase may be an incremental repositioning phase of an orthodontic treatment process designed to move one or more teeth of a patient from an initial tooth arrangement to a target tooth arrangement. For example, a treatment phase may be generated by determining an initial tooth arrangement indicated by the digital representation, determining a target tooth arrangement, and determining a movement path of one or more teeth in the initial arrangement required to achieve the target tooth arrangement. The movement path may be optimized based on minimizing the total movement distance, preventing collisions between teeth, avoiding tooth movements that are more difficult to achieve, or any other suitable criteria.

[0168] In box 1106, at least one orthodontic appliance is manufactured based on the generated treatment stages. For example, a set of appliances can be manufactured, each appliance is shaped according to the tooth arrangement specified by one of the treatment stages, so that the appliances can be worn sequentially by the patient to incrementally reposition the teeth from an initial arrangement to a target arrangement. The appliance set can include one or more orthodontic appliances described herein. The manufacture of the appliance can involve creating a digital model of the appliance for use as an input to a computer-controlled manufacturing system. As desired, the appliance can be formed using direct manufacturing methods, indirect manufacturing methods, or a combination thereof.

[0169] In some cases, various arrangements or staging of treatment phases may not be necessary for the design and / or manufacture of the device. Fig.11 As shown by the dashed lines in , the design and / or manufacture of orthodontic appliances and possible specific orthodontic treatments may include using a representation of a patient's teeth (e.g., including receiving a digital representation of the patient's teeth (box 1102)) and then designing and / or manufacturing the orthodontic appliance based on the representation of the patient's teeth in an arrangement represented by the received representation.

[0170] As noted herein, the techniques described herein can be used to directly manufacture dental appliances, such as an appliance having tooth-receiving cavities and / or a series of appliances configured to move a person's teeth from an initial arrangement toward a target arrangement according to a treatment plan. The appliance may include a mandibular repositioning element, such as those described in: U.S. Patent No. 10,912,629, filed on November 30, 2015, entitled “Dental Appliances with Repositioning Jaw Elements”; U.S. Patent No. 10,537,406, filed on September 19, 2014, entitled “Dental Appliances with Repositioning Jaw Elements”; and U.S. Patent No. 9,844,424, filed on February 21, 2014, entitled “Dental Appliances with Repositioning Jaw Elements”; the entire disclosures of these U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0171] The techniques used herein can also be used to manufacture attachment placement devices, for example, appliances used to position prefabricated attachments on a person's teeth according to one or more aspects of a treatment plan. Examples of attachment placement devices (also referred to as “attachment placement templates” or “attachment manufacturing templates”) can be found in at least the following references: U.S. application Ser. No. 17 / 249,218, filed on February 24, 2021, entitled “Flexible 3D Printed Orthodontic Device”; U.S. application Ser. No. 16 / 366,686, filed on March 27, 2019, entitled “Dental Attachment Placement Structure”; U.S. application Ser. No. 15 / 674,662, filed on August 11, 2017, entitled “Devices and Systems for Creation of Attachments”; U.S. Pat. No. 11,103,330, filed on June 14, 2017, entitled “Dental Attachment Placement Structure”; U.S. Pat. No. 13,979,697, filed on December 9, 2015, entitled “Dental Attachment Placement Structure”; No. 14 / 963,527, entitled “Dental Attachment Placement Structure”, filed on November 12, 2015; No. 14 / 939,246, entitled “Dental Attachment Placement Structure”, filed on November 12, 2015; No. 14 / 939,252, entitled “Dental AttachmentFormation Structures”, filed on November 12, 2015; and U.S. Patent No. 9,700,385, entitled “Attachment Structure”, filed on August 22, 2014; the entire disclosures of these U.S. applications / patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0172] The technology described herein can be used to manufacture an incremental palatal expander and / or a series of incremental palatal expanders for expanding a person's palate from an initial position toward a target position according to one or more aspects of a treatment plan. Examples of incremental palatal expanders can be found in at least the following documents: U.S. Application No. 16 / 380,801, entitled "Releasable Palatal Expanders," filed on April 10, 2019; U.S. Application No. 16 / 022,552, entitled "Devices, Systems, and Methods for Dental Arch Expansion," filed on June 28, 2018; U.S. Patent No. 11,045,283, entitled "Palatal Expander with Skeletal Anchorage Devices," filed on June 8, 2018; U.S. Patent No. 11,045,283, entitled "Palatal Expander with Skeletal Anchorage Devices," filed on December 4, 2017; U.S. Patent No. 11,045,283, entitled "Palatal Expander with Skeletal Anchorage Devices," filed on December 4, 2017; U.S. Patent No. 11,045,283, entitled "Palatal Expander and Methods of Expanding a Palate ... Palate"; U.S. Patent No. 15 / 831,159, entitled "Methods and Apparatuses for Customizing a Rapid Palatal Expander," filed on December 4, 2017; and U.S. Patent No. 7,192,273, entitled "System and Method for Palatal Expansion," filed on August 7, 2003; the entire disclosures of these U.S. applications / patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0173] Example

[0174] The following examples are included to further describe some aspects of the present technology and should not be used to limit the scope of the present technology.

[0175] Example 1. A dental appliance comprising:

[0176] The device body is at least partially made of a composite material, wherein the composite material comprises:

[0177] an interlocking structure comprising a plurality of interlocking elements, wherein the interlocking structure has a first mechanical property; and

[0178] A matrix surrounds at least a portion of the interlocking structure, wherein the matrix has a second mechanical property different from the first mechanical property.

[0179] Example 2. The dental appliance of Example 1, wherein the interlocking structure comprises:

[0180] a first portion including a first interlocking element, and

[0181] A second portion includes a second interlocking element coupled to the first interlocking element.

[0182] Example 3. The dental appliance of Example 2, wherein:

[0183] The composite material has a first stiffness along a first direction and a lower second stiffness along a second direction, and

[0184] Movement of the first and second interlocking elements along the second direction is less constrained than movement of the first and second interlocking elements along the first direction.

[0185] Example 4. The dental apparatus of Example 3, wherein the first direction comprises a translational direction and the second direction comprises a rotational direction.

[0186] Example 5. The dental appliance of any one of Examples 2 to 4, wherein the first interlocking element comprises an annular member.

[0187] Example 6. The dental appliance of Example 5, wherein the second interlocking element passes through the annular member.

[0188] Example 7. The dental appliance of example 5 or 6, wherein the second interlocking element comprises a second annular member interconnected with the annular member.

[0189] Example 8. The dental appliance of any one of Examples 5 to 7, wherein the second interlocking element comprises an elongated member passing through the annular member.

[0190] Example 9. The dental appliance of any one of Examples 2 to 8, wherein the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element comprise complementary shapes.

[0191] Example 10. A dental device according to any one of Examples 2 to 9, wherein the first interlocking element includes a first protrusion configured to fit into a recess of the second portion, and the second interlocking element includes a second protrusion configured to fit into a recess of the first portion.

[0192] Example 11. The dental appliance of any of Examples 2 to 10, wherein the first interlocking elements are interwoven or entangled with the second interlocking elements.

[0193] Example 12. The dental appliance of any of Examples 2 to 11, wherein the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element are spaced apart from one another when the composite material is in an unloaded configuration.

[0194] Example 13. The dental appliance of any of Examples 2 to 11, wherein the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element are in direct contact with each other when the composite material is in an unloaded configuration.

[0195] Example 14. A dental device according to any one of Examples 1 to 13, wherein the first mechanical property and the second mechanical property each include one or more of the following: stiffness, modulus, elongation at break, elongation at yield, strength, brittleness, or hardness.

[0196] Example 15. The dental appliance of any of Examples 1 to 14, wherein the interlocking structure comprises a first material and the matrix comprises a second material different from the first material.

[0197] Example 16. The dental appliance of Example 15, wherein the first material has a first modulus and the second material has a second modulus different from the first modulus.

[0198] Example 17. The dental device of Example 16, wherein the second modulus is less than the first modulus.

[0199] Example 18. The dental appliance of any of Examples 1 to 14, wherein the interlocking structure and the matrix comprise the same material.

[0200] Example 19. The dental appliance of Example 18, wherein the interlocking structures include a different degree of cross-linking than the matrix.

[0201] Example 20. The dental appliance of example 18 or 19, wherein the interlocking structure includes a different amount of removable components than the matrix.

[0202] Example 21. The dental appliance of any one of Examples 18 to 20, wherein:

[0203] The material comprises a first polymerizable component and a second polymerizable component,

[0204] The interlocking structure includes a first ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component, and

[0205] The matrix includes a second ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component, the second ratio being different from the first ratio.

[0206] Example 22. The dental appliance of any of Examples 1 to 21, wherein each of the plurality of interlocking elements has a characteristic dimension less than or equal to 500 μm.

[0207] Example 23. A dental appliance according to any one of Examples 1 to 22, wherein the dental appliance is an appliance, a palatal expander, a retainer, a mouth guard, an accessory placement device, or an accessory.

[0208] Example 24. A dental device according to any one of Examples 1 to 23, wherein the device body includes a shell having a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities.

[0209] Example 25. The dental appliance of Example 24, wherein the tooth receiving cavity is configured to reposition the patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a second arrangement.

[0210] Example 26. A method comprising:

[0211] A dental appliance is formed at least in part from a composite material, wherein the composite material comprises:

[0212] an interlocking structure comprising a plurality of interlocking elements, wherein the interlocking structure has a first mechanical property; and

[0213] A matrix surrounds at least a portion of the interlocking structure, wherein the matrix has a second mechanical property different from the first mechanical property.

[0214] Example 27. The method of Example 26, wherein forming the dental appliance comprises:

[0215] forming the interlocking structure from a first material, and

[0216] The matrix is ​​formed from a second material different from the first material.

[0217] Example 28. The method of Example 27, wherein the interlocking structure is formed separately from the matrix.

[0218] Example 29. The method of Example 27 or 28, further comprising surrounding at least a portion of the interlocking structure with the matrix.

[0219] Example 30. The method of any one of Examples 27 to 29 further comprising coupling the matrix to the interlocking structure.

[0220] Example 31. A method according to any one of Examples 27 to 30, wherein the interlocking structure and the matrix are formed simultaneously.

[0221] Example 32. The method of Example 31, wherein the interlocking structure and the matrix are formed in the same additive manufacturing process.

[0222] Example 33. The method of Example 32, wherein the additive manufacturing process comprises:

[0223] forming a first portion of the dental appliance, the first portion comprising a first section of the interlocking structure and a first section of the matrix, and

[0224] A second portion of the dental appliance is formed, the second portion comprising a second section of the interlocking structure and a second section of the matrix.

[0225] Example 34. The method of any one of Examples 27 to 33, wherein forming the dental appliance comprises forming the interlocking structure and the matrix from the same material.

[0226] Example 35. The method of Example 34, wherein forming the dental appliance comprises:

[0227] providing the material, wherein the material comprises an initial ratio of a first polymerizable component to a second polymerizable component,

[0228] applying energy to the material,

[0229] forming the interlocking structure, wherein the interlocking structure comprises a first ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component, the first ratio being different from the initial ratio, and

[0230] The matrix is ​​formed, wherein the matrix includes a second ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component, the second ratio being different from the initial ratio and the first ratio.

[0231] Example 36. The method of example 34 or 35, wherein forming the dental appliance comprises:

[0232] applying energy to a first region of the material using a first set of energy application parameters,

[0233] applying energy to a second region of the material using a second set of energy application parameters different from the first set of energy application parameters,

[0234] The interlocking structure is formed by the first region, and

[0235] The matrix is ​​formed by the second region.

[0236] Example 37. The method of Example 36, wherein forming the dental appliance comprises removing residual material from the first region and the second region, wherein different amounts of residual material are removed from the first region and the second region.

[0237] Example 38. A method according to any one of Examples 27 to 37, wherein the dental appliance is an appliance, a palatal expander, a retainer, a mouth guard, an accessory placement device, or an accessory.

[0238] Example 39. A method according to any one of Examples 27 to 38, wherein the dental appliance includes a shell having a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities.

[0239] Example 40. A method according to Example 39, wherein the tooth receiving cavity is configured to reposition the patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a second arrangement.

[0240] Example 41. A dental appliance comprising:

[0241] an attachment configured to be mounted on a patient's tooth, wherein the attachment comprises a first plurality of interlocking elements;

[0242] a plurality of supports coupled to the attachment, each support including a second interlocking element removably coupled to a corresponding first interlocking element;

[0243] a frame surrounding at least a portion of the accessory and coupled to the plurality of supports; and

[0244] A registration portion is coupled to the frame.

[0245] Example 42. The dental appliance of Example 41, wherein each first interlocking element comprises a shape complementary to a shape of a corresponding second interlocking element.

[0246] Example 43. A dental appliance according to Example 41 or 42, wherein each first interlocking element comprises a recess and each second interlocking element comprises a protrusion that at least partially fits into the recess.

[0247] Example 44. The dental appliance of any of Examples 41 to 43, wherein each first interlocking element is separable from a corresponding second interlocking element without fracturing the corresponding support.

[0248] Example 45. The dental appliance of any of Examples 41 to 44, wherein each first interlocking element is separated from a corresponding second interlocking element by a gap when the appliance is in an unloaded configuration.

[0249] Example 46. A dental device according to Example 45, wherein the gap is in the range of 0.1 mm to 1 mm.

[0250] Example 47. The dental device of any of Examples 41 to 44, wherein each first interlocking element contacts at least a portion of a corresponding second interlocking element when the device is in an unloaded configuration.

[0251] Example 48. The dental appliance of any one of Examples 41 to 47, wherein the attachment is harder than the plurality of supports.

[0252] Example 49. A dental appliance according to any of Examples 41 to 48, wherein the alignment portion includes a surface configured to engage and cooperate with a tooth surface of the patient.

[0253] Example 50. A dental appliance according to Example 49, wherein the attachment is positioned at a predetermined position on the patient's teeth when the surface engages with the patient's tooth surface.

[0254] Example 51. A dental appliance according to any one of Examples 41 to 50, wherein the dental appliance is an accessory placement device.

[0255] Example 52. A method comprising:

[0256] Place the registration portion of the appliance onto the patient's teeth where:

[0257] The registration portion is coupled to the attachment via a plurality of supports,

[0258] The accessory includes a plurality of first interlocking elements, and

[0259] Each support member includes a second interlocking element coupled to a corresponding first interlocking element;

[0260] coupling the attachment to the patient's tooth; and

[0261] The accessory is separated from the plurality of supports by disengaging each first interlocking element from a corresponding second interlocking element.

[0262] Example 53. The method of Example 52, wherein the attachment is separated from the plurality of supports without breaking any of the plurality of supports.

[0263] Example 54. A method according to Example 52 or 53, wherein each first interlocking element comprises a shape that is complementary to the shape of the corresponding second interlocking element.

[0264] Example 55. A method according to any one of Examples 52 to 54, wherein each first interlocking element includes a recess and each second interlocking element includes a protrusion that at least partially fits into the recess.

[0265] Example 56. The method of any one of Examples 52 to 55, wherein each first interlocking element is spaced apart from a corresponding second interlocking element by a gap when the device is in an unloaded configuration.

[0266] Example 57. A method according to any of Examples 52 to 56, wherein each first interlocking element contacts at least a portion of a corresponding second interlocking element when the device is in an unloaded configuration.

[0267] Example 58. The method of any one of Examples 52 to 57 further includes engaging the patient's tooth surface with the alignment portion.

[0268] Example 59. A method according to Example 58, wherein the engagement aligns the attachment with a predetermined position on the patient's teeth.

[0269] Example 60. A method according to any one of Examples 52 to 59, wherein the alignment portion, the attachment, and the plurality of supports are manufactured simultaneously in a single additive manufacturing process.

[0270] Example 61. A method according to Example 60, wherein each first interlocking element is manufactured in situ in an interlocking configuration with a corresponding second interlocking element.

[0271] Example 62. A method according to Example 69 or 61, wherein the single additive manufacturing process includes a volumetric additive manufacturing process.

[0272] Example 63. A method comprising:

[0273] manufacturing a first portion of the appliance including a first interlocking element via an additive manufacturing process;

[0274] as well as

[0275] A second portion of the device including a second interlocking element is manufactured via the additive manufacturing process, wherein the second interlocking element is manufactured in-situ in an interlocking configuration with the first interlocking element.

[0276] Example 64. A method according to Example 63, wherein the first part includes a temporary component of the device and the second part includes a functional component of the device.

[0277] Example 65. The method of Example 64, wherein the temporary component comprises a support.

[0278] Example 66. A method according to Example 64 or 65, wherein the functional component includes an accessory.

[0279] Example 67. A method according to Example 64 or 65, wherein the appliance is an orthodontic appliance and the functional component includes a portion of a shell, wherein the shell includes a plurality of tooth receiving cavities.

[0280] Example 68. A method according to any one of Examples 63 to 67, wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to be removably coupled to each other via the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element.

[0281] Example 69. A method according to Example 68, wherein the first part and the second part are configured to be separated from each other without breaking one or more of the first part or the second part.

[0282] Example 70. A method according to any one of Examples 63 to 69, wherein the first interlocking element comprises a shape that is complementary to a shape of the second interlocking element.

[0283] Example 71. A method according to any one of Examples 63 to 70, wherein the first interlocking element includes a recess and the second interlocking element includes a protrusion that at least partially fits into the recess.

[0284] Example 72. A method according to any one of Examples 63 to 71, wherein when the device is in an unloaded configuration, the first interlocking element is separated from the second interlocking element by a gap.

[0285] Example 73. A method according to any of Examples 63 to 71, wherein the first interlocking element contacts at least a portion of the second interlocking element when the device is in an unloaded configuration.

[0286] Example 74. A method according to any one of Examples 63 to 73, wherein the additive manufacturing process includes a volumetric additive manufacturing process.

[0287] in conclusion

[0288] Although many embodiments are described above with respect to systems, devices, and methods related to dental appliances, the technology is applicable to other applications and / or other methods, such as other types of articles. Moreover, other embodiments than those described herein are also within the scope of the technology. In addition, several other embodiments of the technology may have different configurations, components, or processes than those described herein. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art will accordingly understand that the technology may have other embodiments with additional elements, or the technology may have other embodiments without the above referenced embodiments. Figure 1A-Figure 11 Other embodiments of the several features shown and described.

[0289] The various processes described herein can be implemented partially or completely using program codes, which include instructions that can be executed by one or more processors of a computing system to implement specific logical functions or steps in the process. The program code can be stored on any type of computer-readable medium, such as a storage device including a disk or hard drive. The computer-readable medium containing the code or part of the code may include any suitable medium known in the art, such as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable medium may include volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing and / or transmitting information, including but not limited to random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology; compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital video disk (DVD) or other optical storage device; cassette, tape, disk storage device or other magnetic storage device; solid-state drive (SSD) or other solid-state storage device; or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and can be accessed by the system device.

[0290] The description of the embodiments of the present technology is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present technology to the precise form disclosed above. Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may also include plural or singular terms, respectively. Although specific embodiments and examples of the present technology are described above for illustrative purposes, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant art, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the present technology. For example, although the steps are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform the steps in a different order. The various embodiments described herein may also be combined to provide additional embodiments.

[0291] As used herein, the terms "substantially," "substantially," "about" and similar terms are used as terms of approximation rather than terms of degree, and are intended to account for the inherent variations in measurements or calculations that those of ordinary skill in the art would recognize.

[0292] Furthermore, unless the word "or" is expressly limited to mean only a single item, excluding other items with respect to a list of two or more items, the use of "or" in such a list should be interpreted to include (a) any single item in the list, (b) all items in the list, or (c) any combination of items in the list. As used herein, the phrase "and / or" as in "A and / or B" refers to only A, only B, and both A and B. In addition, the term "comprising" is used throughout to mean including at least the stated features, such that any greater number of the same features and / or additional types of other features are not excluded.

[0293] If any material incorporated by reference herein conflicts with the present disclosure, the present disclosure controls.

[0294] It should also be understood that specific embodiments have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but various modifications may be made without departing from the present technology. In addition, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the present technology have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments must exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the present technology. Therefore, the present disclosure and associated technology may encompass other embodiments not expressly shown or described herein.

Claims

1. A dental appliance, include: The device body is at least partially made of a composite material, wherein the composite material comprises: an interlocking structure comprising a plurality of interlocking elements, wherein the interlocking structure has a first mechanical property; and A matrix surrounds at least a portion of the interlocking structure, wherein the matrix has a second mechanical property different from the first mechanical property.

2. The dental appliance according to claim 1, in, The interlocking structure comprises: a first portion including a first interlocking element, and A second portion includes a second interlocking element coupled to the first interlocking element.

3. The dental appliance according to claim 2, in: The composite material has a first stiffness along a first direction and a lower second stiffness along a second direction, and Movement of the first and second interlocking elements along the second direction is less constrained than movement of the first and second interlocking elements along the first direction.

4. The dental appliance according to claim 3, in, The first direction comprises a translational direction, and the second direction comprises a rotational direction.

5. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 2 to 4, in, The first interlocking element includes an annular member.

6. The dental appliance according to claim 5, in, The second interlocking element passes through the annular member.

7. The dental appliance according to claim 5 or 6, in, The second interlocking element includes a second annular member interconnected with the annular member.

8. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 5 to 7, in, The second interlocking element includes an elongated member that passes through the annular member.

9. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 2 to 8, in, The first interlocking element and the second interlocking element include complementary shapes.

10. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 2 to 9, in, The first interlocking element includes a first protrusion configured to fit into a recess of the second portion, and the second interlocking element includes a second protrusion configured to fit into a recess of the first portion.

11. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 2 to 10, in, The first interlocking elements are interwoven or entangled with the second interlocking elements.

12. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 2 to 11, in, The first interlocking element and the second interlocking element are spaced apart from each other when the composite material is in an unloaded configuration.

13. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 2 to 11, in, The first interlocking element and the second interlocking element are in direct contact with each other when the composite material is in an unloaded configuration.

14. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 13, in, The first mechanical property and the second mechanical property each include one or more of the following: stiffness, modulus, elongation at break, elongation at yield, strength, brittleness, or hardness.

15. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 14, in, The interlocking structure includes a first material and the matrix includes a second material different from the first material.

16. The dental appliance according to claim 15, in, The first material has a first modulus, and the second material has a second modulus different from the first modulus.

17. The dental appliance according to claim 16, in, The second modulus is less than the first modulus.

18. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 14, in, The interlocking structures and the matrix comprise the same material.

19. The dental appliance according to claim 18, in, The interlocking structure includes a different degree of cross-linking than the matrix.

20. The dental appliance according to claim 18 or 19, in, The interlocking structure includes a different amount of removable components than the matrix.

21. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 18 to 20, in: The material comprises a first polymerizable component and a second polymerizable component, The interlocking structure includes a first ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component, and The matrix includes a second ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component, the second ratio being different from the first ratio.

22. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 21, in, Each of the plurality of interlocking elements has a characteristic dimension less than or equal to 500 μm.

23. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 22, in, The dental appliance is an appliance, a palatal expander, a retainer, a mouth guard, an accessory placement device or an accessory.

24. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 23, in, The device body includes a shell having a plurality of tooth receiving cavities.

25. The dental appliance according to claim 24, in, The tooth-receiving cavity is configured to reposition the patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a second arrangement.

26. A method, include: A dental appliance is formed at least in part from a composite material, wherein the composite material comprises: an interlocking structure comprising a plurality of interlocking elements, wherein the interlocking structure has a first mechanical property; and A matrix surrounds at least a portion of the interlocking structure, wherein the matrix has a second mechanical property different from the first mechanical property.

27. The method according to claim 26, in, Forming the dental appliance comprises: forming the interlocking structure from a first material, and The matrix is ​​formed from a second material different from the first material.

28. The method according to claim 27, in, The interlocking structures are formed separately from the matrix.

29. The method of claim 27 or 28, further comprising surrounding at least a portion of the interlocking structure with the matrix.

30. The method of any one of claims 27 to 29, further comprising coupling the matrix to the interlocking structure.

31. The method according to any one of claims 27 to 30, in, The interlocking structures and the matrix are formed simultaneously.

32. The method according to claim 31, in, The interlocking structure and the matrix are formed in the same additive manufacturing process.

33. The method according to claim 32, in, The additive manufacturing process includes: forming a first portion of the dental appliance, the first portion comprising a first section of the interlocking structure and a first section of the matrix, and A second portion of the dental appliance is formed, the second portion comprising a second section of the interlocking structure and a second section of the matrix.

34. A method according to any one of claims 27 to 33, in, Forming the dental appliance includes forming the interlocking structure and the matrix from the same material.

35. The method according to claim 34, in, Forming the dental appliance comprises: providing the material, wherein the material comprises an initial ratio of a first polymerizable component to a second polymerizable component, applying energy to the material, forming the interlocking structure, wherein the interlocking structure comprises a first ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component, the first ratio being different from the initial ratio, and The matrix is ​​formed, wherein the matrix includes a second ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component, the second ratio being different from the initial ratio and the first ratio.

36. The method according to claim 34 or 35, in, Forming the dental appliance comprises: applying energy to a first region of the material using a first set of energy application parameters, applying energy to a second region of the material using a second set of energy application parameters different from the first set of energy application parameters, The interlocking structure is formed by the first region, and The matrix is ​​formed by the second region.

37. The method according to claim 36, in, Forming the dental appliance includes removing residual material from the first region and the second region, wherein different amounts of residual material are removed from the first region and the second region.

38. The method according to any one of claims 27 to 37, in, The dental appliance is an appliance, a palatal expander, a retainer, a mouth guard, an accessory placement device or an accessory.

39. The method according to any one of claims 27 to 38, in, The dental appliance includes a housing having a plurality of tooth receiving cavities.

40. The method according to claim 39, in, The tooth-receiving cavity is configured to reposition the patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a second arrangement.

41. A dental appliance, include: an attachment configured to be mounted on a patient's tooth, wherein the attachment comprises a first plurality of interlocking elements; a plurality of supports coupled to the attachment, each support including a second interlocking element removably coupled to a corresponding first interlocking element; a frame surrounding at least a portion of the accessory and coupled to the plurality of supports; and A registration portion is coupled to the frame.

42. The dental appliance according to claim 41, in, Each first interlocking element includes a shape that is complementary to a shape of a corresponding second interlocking element.

43. The dental appliance according to claim 41 or 42, in, Each first interlocking element includes a recess, and each second interlocking element includes a protrusion that at least partially fits into the recess.

44. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 41 to 43, in, Each first interlocking element is separable from the corresponding second interlocking element without rupturing the corresponding support member.

45. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 41 to 44, in, When the implement is in the unloaded configuration, each first interlocking element is spaced apart from a corresponding second interlocking element by a gap.

46. ​​The dental appliance according to claim 45, in, The gap is in the range of 0.1 mm to 1 mm.

47. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 41 to 44, in, When the instrument is in the unloaded configuration, each first interlocking element contacts at least a portion of a corresponding second interlocking element.

48. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 41 to 47, in, The attachment is stiffer than the plurality of supports.

49. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 41 to 48, in, The registration portion includes a surface configured to engage and mate with a tooth surface of the patient.

50. The dental appliance according to claim 49, in, When the surface engages a tooth surface of the patient, the attachment is positioned at a predetermined location on the patient's tooth.

51. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 41 to 50, in, The dental appliance is an accessory placement device.

52. A method, include: Place the registration portion of the appliance onto the patient's teeth where: The registration portion is coupled to the attachment via a plurality of supports, The accessory includes a plurality of first interlocking elements, and Each support member includes a second interlocking element coupled to a corresponding first interlocking element; coupling the attachment to the patient's tooth; and The accessory is separated from the plurality of supports by disengaging each first interlocking element from a corresponding second interlocking element.

53. The method according to claim 52, in, The accessory is separated from the plurality of supports without rupturing any of the plurality of supports.

54. The method according to claim 52 or 53, in, Each first interlocking element includes a shape that is complementary to a shape of a corresponding second interlocking element.

55. The method according to any one of claims 52 to 54, in, Each first interlocking element includes a recess, and each second interlocking element includes a protrusion that at least partially fits into the recess.

56. The method according to any one of claims 52 to 55, in, When the implement is in the unloaded configuration, each first interlocking element is spaced apart from a corresponding second interlocking element by a gap.

57. The method according to any one of claims 52 to 56, in, When the instrument is in the unloaded configuration, each first interlocking element contacts at least a portion of a corresponding second interlocking element.

58. The method of any one of claims 52 to 57, further comprising engaging a tooth surface of the patient with the registration portion.

59. The method according to claim 58, in, The engagement aligns the attachment with a predetermined location on the patient's tooth.

60. The method according to any one of claims 52 to 59, in, The registration portion, the attachment, and the plurality of supports are manufactured simultaneously in a single additive manufacturing process.

61. The method according to claim 60, in, Each first interlocking element is manufactured in-situ in an interlocking configuration with a corresponding second interlocking element.

62. The method according to claim 69 or 61, in, The single additive manufacturing process comprises a volumetric additive manufacturing process.

63. A method, include: manufacturing a first portion of the appliance including a first interlocking element via an additive manufacturing process; as well as A second portion of the device including a second interlocking element is manufactured via the additive manufacturing process, wherein the second interlocking element is manufactured in-situ in an interlocking configuration with the first interlocking element.

64. The method according to claim 63, in, The first portion comprises temporary components of the device and the second portion comprises functional components of the device.

65. The method according to claim 64, in, The temporary component includes a support.

66. The method according to claim 64 or 65, in, The functional components include accessories.

67. The method according to claim 64 or 65, in, The appliance is an orthodontic appliance and the functional component comprises a portion of a housing including a plurality of tooth receiving cavities.

68. The method according to any one of claims 63 to 67, in, The first portion and the second portion are configured to be removably coupled to each other via the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element.

69. The method according to claim 68, in, The first portion and the second portion are configured to be separated from each other without rupturing one or more of the first portion or the second portion.

70. The method according to any one of claims 63 to 69, in, The first interlocking element includes a shape that is complementary to a shape of the second interlocking element.

71. The method according to any one of claims 63 to 70, in, The first interlocking element includes a recess and the second interlocking element includes a protrusion that at least partially fits into the recess.

72. The method according to any one of claims 63 to 71, in, The first interlocking element is spaced apart from the second interlocking element by a gap when the implement is in an unloaded configuration.

73. The method according to any one of claims 63 to 71, in, When the instrument is in an unloaded configuration, the first interlocking element contacts at least a portion of the second interlocking element.

74. The method according to any one of claims 63 to 73, in, The additive manufacturing process comprises a volumetric additive manufacturing process.

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