Design and production method of appliance

Abstract

The invention discloses a design and production method of an orthodontic appliance, which comprises the following steps: S1, acquiring data of teeth in an oral cavity of a patient, and constructing an initial three-dimensional model of the teeth in the oral cavity according to the data; s2, according to the initial three-dimensional data in the S1, constructing a final tooth arrangement model after the oral teeth of the patient are corrected in design software, and generating an STL file format from the data of the final tooth arrangement model; s3, manufacturing an orthodontic appliance female die frame without tooth print information according to human oral statistical data; s4, printing the final tooth arrangement model in the S2; and S5, hot-pressing the final tooth arrangement model printed in the step S4 on the appliance female mold frame in the step S3 to form tooth print information corresponding to the final tooth arrangement model on the appliance female mold frame so as to complete manufacturing of the customized appliance. The orthodontic appliance is customized completely according to the tooth condition of a customer, and the orthodontic effect of a patient wearing the orthodontic appliance is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of orthodontic technology, and in particular to a method for designing and manufacturing an orthodontic appliance. Background Technology

[0002] Malocclusion, manifesting as conditions such as protruding teeth, uneven teeth, and underbite, not only affects a child's appearance but also seriously impacts their physical and mental health due to abnormal skeletal development and disordered tooth alignment. Current clinical research evidence suggests that early prevention and intervention of environmental factors affecting the development of the stomatognathic system can effectively reduce the incidence and severity of malocclusion.

[0003] The newly emerging silicone rubber functional appliances on the market have largely solved the problems of difficult manufacturing, poor safety, and difficult wearing of functional appliances. However, existing silicone appliances, myofunctional appliances, bite guides, and bite adjusters are all pre-molded or physically processed after pre-molding. Their degree of matching with the patient's oral condition is limited, and they cannot achieve completely personalized customization, resulting in poor orthodontic effects.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to provide a design and manufacturing method for orthodontic appliances to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings, the purpose of this invention is to provide a method for designing and manufacturing orthodontic appliances, so that the appliances can be completely customized according to the patient's dental condition, thereby ensuring the orthodontic effect of the appliances.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a method for designing and manufacturing an orthodontic appliance, comprising the following steps: S1: Collect and acquire dental data from the patient's oral cavity, and construct an initial three-dimensional model of the dental data. Specifically, the collected dental data includes digital data on the maxillary and mandibular dentition and their occlusal relationships. After obtaining the initial data through the software, doctors can quickly grasp the patient's oral information, enabling them to rapidly develop subsequent orthodontic plans and confirm the final tooth arrangement model.

[0007] S2: Based on the initial three-dimensional data in S1, construct the final tooth arrangement model of the patient's oral orthodontic treatment in the design software, and generate the data of the final tooth arrangement model into an STL file format; Specifically, based on the patient's oral data collected in S1, doctors can gain a preliminary understanding of the relationship between the upper and lower jaw dentition in the patient's mouth, and formulate a treatment path for the teeth based on this data and medical principles, thereby generating the final tooth arrangement model. S3: Create a master mold frame for orthodontic appliances without tooth imprint information based on human oral statistics. Specifically, import the master mold data for orthodontic appliances generated from human oral statistics into the design software to form a three-dimensional model of the master mold frame for orthodontic appliances. Subsequently, the master mold frame for orthodontic appliances made of silicone or other materials can be prefabricated based on the model data in the design software. S4: Print out the final tooth arrangement model from S2; S5: The final tooth arrangement model printed in S4 is hot-pressed onto the orthodontic appliance master mold frame in S3 to form corresponding tooth imprint information on the orthodontic appliance master mold frame, thus completing the production of the customized orthodontic appliance.

[0008] Furthermore, in S1, dental data from inside the patient's mouth are collected using an oral scanner, plaster impression, or silicone impression.

[0009] Specifically, the oral scanner can perform 3D scanning of the oral cavity, and the plaster impression is made by using alginate or silicone rubber materials to create a plaster model of the patient's oral cavity. All three methods can ensure the accuracy of the patient's oral cavity data.

[0010] Furthermore, constructing the final tooth arrangement model after the patient's orthodontic treatment includes the following steps: Step 1: Identify and segment teeth based on the oral data collected in S1 to determine the initial position of the teeth; Oral data recognition refers to identifying the position and outline of each tooth in the oral cavity in a 3D model. Subsequently, the crown and gingiva of each tooth can be segmented according to the position and outline, making each tooth a separate component. After the doctor operates the mouse to drag or input specific values, the segmented teeth can be moved to specific positions at will, which facilitates the subsequent arrangement of the orthodontic path for the teeth that need to be treated.

[0011] Step 2: Arrange and design the orthodontic path for the teeth and determine the final position of the teeth to be treated; The orthodontic path and final position of the teeth are determined by the doctor based on the clinical condition of the patient's dental arch and combined with medical knowledge, such as the six standards of normal jaw or the norms of pit and fissure to cusp, and the final position is marked in the three-dimensional software. Step 3: Construct a three-dimensional final tooth arrangement model based on the final position data described in Step 2.

[0012] Furthermore, the printing in S4 is 3D printing, which can be an LCD photopolymer 3D printing device, a DLP photopolymer 3D printing device, or an SLA photopolymer 3D printing device.

[0013] Furthermore, the final tooth arrangement model printed in S4 is heated in an oven at a temperature of 100-300°C. Heating the printed final tooth arrangement model to the predetermined temperature allows it to be smoothly heat-pressed onto the orthodontic appliance master mold frame, accurately and completely pressing the tooth imprint information from the final tooth arrangement model onto the orthodontic appliance master mold frame, thus forming the customized orthodontic appliance required by the patient.

[0014] Furthermore, the material of the orthodontic appliance master mold frame is silicone.

[0015] Furthermore, the orthodontic mold frame in S3 is heated in an oven before hot pressing.

[0016] Silicone material remains stable at high temperatures and retains its flexibility and elasticity without deformation or damage. When the final tooth arrangement model is hot-pressed onto the silicone orthodontic appliance master frame, it can accurately replicate the details of the teeth and gums, ensuring that the molded appliance fits the patient's oral structure perfectly.

[0017] Specifically, during the operation, the printed final tooth arrangement model 1 is hot-pressed onto the silicone orthodontic appliance master mold frame, forming corresponding tooth imprints on the surface of the orthodontic appliance master mold frame for the patient to insert their teeth for orthodontic treatment.

[0018] Furthermore, in S4, the surface and edges of the printed final tooth arrangement model are trimmed.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention are: In this invention, the final tooth arrangement model 3D printed based on the patient's oral cavity data is hot-pressed with the orthodontic appliance master mold frame to form tooth imprint information on the orthodontic appliance master mold frame that perfectly matches the final orthodontic condition of the patient's teeth. This allows the orthodontic appliance to be completely customized according to the client's teeth condition, ensuring the orthodontic effect of the patient wearing the orthodontic appliance. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the design and manufacturing process of an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the final tooth arrangement model and the hot-pressed state of the orthodontic appliance master mold frame according to an embodiment of the present invention; In the image: 1. Final tooth arrangement model; 2. Orthodontic appliance master model frame. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the advantages and features of the present invention can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art, thereby providing a clearer and more explicit definition of the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0023] See appendix Figures 1 to 2 As shown, a method for designing and manufacturing an orthodontic appliance in this embodiment includes the following steps: S1: Collect and acquire dental data from the patient's oral cavity, and construct an initial three-dimensional model of the dental data. Specifically, the collected dental data from the patient's oral cavity includes digital data on the maxillary and mandibular dentition and occlusal relationships. After obtaining the initial data on the patient's teeth through the software, doctors can quickly grasp the patient's oral information, enabling them to rapidly develop subsequent orthodontic plans and confirm the final tooth arrangement model.

[0024] S2: Based on the initial three-dimensional data in S1, construct the final tooth arrangement model of the patient's oral orthodontic treatment in the design software, and generate the data of the final tooth arrangement model into an STL file format; Specifically, based on the patient's oral data collected in S1, the doctor can gain a preliminary understanding of the relationship between the upper and lower jaws in the patient's oral cavity, and formulate a treatment path for the teeth based on this data in conjunction with medical principles and the doctor's experience, thereby generating the final tooth arrangement model 1. It should be noted that the final tooth arrangement model 1 is the position and shape of the healthy teeth in the patient's mouth after the orthodontic treatment. Generating it into an STL file format makes it convenient to transfer it to an external printer for 3D printing of the final tooth arrangement model 1.

[0025] The design software mentioned above is the orthodontic design software mentioned below. This orthodontic design software is existing technology, and its working principle and operation steps will not be elaborated here.

[0026] S3: Create a master mold frame 2 for orthodontic appliances without tooth imprint information based on human oral statistics data; specifically, import the master mold data of orthodontic appliances generated from human oral statistics data into the design software to form a three-dimensional model of the master mold frame for orthodontic appliances. Subsequently, the master mold frame 2 for orthodontic appliances made of silicone or other materials can be prefabricated based on the model data in the design software.

[0027] In some embodiments, the orthodontic appliance master frame 2 is made of silicone. Silicone remains stable at high temperatures and retains its flexibility and elasticity, preventing deformation or damage. When the final tooth arrangement model 1 is hot-pressed onto the silicone orthodontic appliance master frame 2, it accurately replicates the details of the teeth and gums, ensuring a high degree of fit between the molded appliance and the patient's oral structure. Furthermore, the flexibility of silicone facilitates demolding after hot pressing, further reducing damage to the appliance, and its elasticity helps maintain its shape after molding.

[0028] S4: Print out the final tooth arrangement model 1 from S2; prepare for the subsequent hot pressing of it with the orthodontic appliance master frame 2, provide the patient with the accurate tooth imprint information on the customized orthodontic appliance, and ensure the accuracy of the tooth imprint information obtained later. S5: Press the final tooth arrangement model 1 printed in S4 onto the orthodontic master mold frame 2 in S3 to form corresponding tooth imprint information on the orthodontic master mold frame 2, thus completing the production of the customized orthodontic appliance.

[0029] Specifically, the final tooth arrangement model 1 is hot-pressed onto the orthodontic appliance master mold frame 2 through hot pressing. After cooling, it is demolded, thus forming complete tooth imprint information of the orthodontic teeth on the orthodontic appliance master mold frame 2.

[0030] It should be noted that the final tooth arrangement model 1 also needs to be preheated before hot pressing to improve the efficiency of hot pressing.

[0031] In some embodiments, during hot pressing, air pressure or vacuum adsorption can be used to make the final tooth arrangement model 1 fit tightly with the orthodontic appliance master frame 2, with no gaps between them, so that the tooth imprint information on the orthodontic appliance master frame 2 is more accurate, and the final customized orthodontic appliance is more in line with the patient's oral orthodontic needs.

[0032] It should be noted that the order of steps S3 and S4 is not limited, and they can be performed simultaneously.

[0033] In some embodiments, dental data within the patient's oral cavity is acquired in S1 using an intraoral scanner, a plaster impression, or a silicone impression. The intraoral scanner performs 3D scanning of the oral cavity; the plaster impression is created by using alginate or silicone rubber materials to produce a plaster model of the patient's oral cavity; and the silicone impression is made by hot-pressing a printed model with dental impression information onto a silicone master mold frame, thus making the master mold frame a novel final orthodontic appliance with precise dental impressions. All three methods ensure the accuracy of the patient's oral cavity data.

[0034] Specifically, intraoral dental data obtained through intraoral scanning, model scanning, or silicone impressions include: Tooth morphology can accurately record the shape, size, and surface details of each tooth, including the crown and root; The arrangement of teeth records their position and relationship to help assess crowding, gaps, or misalignment. Including the maxillary dentition, mandibular dentition, and occlusal relationships, specifically including centric occlusion, protrusion, and lateral occlusion.

[0035] It should be noted that this application does not limit tooth data to only three methods: intraoral scanner, plaster impression, or silicone impression. Data can also be obtained through other known clinical impression taking followed by model scanning methods.

[0036] In some embodiments, constructing the final tooth arrangement model 1 after orthodontic treatment of a patient includes the following steps: Step 1: Identify and segment teeth based on the oral data collected in S1 to determine the initial position of the teeth; Oral data recognition refers to identifying the position and outline of each tooth in the oral cavity in a 3D model. Subsequently, the crown and gingiva of each tooth can be segmented according to the position and outline of each tooth, making each tooth a separate component. After the doctor operates the mouse to drag or input specific values, the segmented teeth can be moved to specific positions at will, which facilitates the subsequent arrangement of the orthodontic path for the teeth that need to be treated.

[0037] Step 2: Arrange and design the orthodontic path for the teeth and determine the final position of the teeth to be treated; The orthodontic path and final position of the teeth are determined by the doctor based on the clinical condition of the patient's dental arch and combined with medical knowledge, such as the six standards of normal jaw or the norms of pit and fissure to cusp, and the final position is marked in the three-dimensional software. Step 3: Construct a three-dimensional final tooth arrangement model 1 based on the final orthodontic position data described in Step 2.

[0038] In some embodiments, the printing in S4 is 3D printing, which can be an LCD photopolymer 3D printing device, a DLP photopolymer 3D printing device, or an SLA photopolymer 3D printing device.

[0039] In some embodiments, the final tooth arrangement model 1 printed in S4 is heated in an oven at a temperature of 100~300℃. The printed final tooth arrangement model 1 is heated to a predetermined temperature so that it can be smoothly heat-pressed onto the orthodontic appliance master mold frame 2, and the tooth imprint information on the final tooth arrangement model 1 is completely and accurately pressed onto the orthodontic appliance master mold frame 2, forming the customized orthodontic appliance required by the patient.

[0040] In some embodiments, the orthodontic master frame 2 is made of silicone.

[0041] In some embodiments, the orthodontic mold frame 2 in S3 is heated in an oven before hot pressing.

[0042] Silicone material remains stable at high temperatures, maintaining its flexibility and elasticity without deformation or damage. When the final tooth arrangement model 1 is hot-pressed onto the silicone orthodontic master mold frame 2, it accurately replicates the details of the teeth and gums, ensuring a high degree of fit between the molded appliance and the patient's oral structure. Furthermore, the flexibility of silicone facilitates demolding after hot pressing, reducing damage to the appliance, and its elasticity helps maintain its shape after molding.

[0043] Specifically, during the operation, the preheated final tooth arrangement model 1 is printed and directly hot-pressed onto the silicone orthodontic appliance master frame 2, which will form corresponding tooth imprints on the surface of the orthodontic appliance master frame 2 for the patient to insert their teeth for orthodontic treatment.

[0044] In S4, the surface and edges of the printed final tooth arrangement model 1 are refined. This further ensures the accuracy of the subsequently thermoformed orthodontic appliance, guaranteeing the orthodontic effect after the patient wears the appliance.

[0045] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it. They should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for designing and manufacturing an orthodontic appliance, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1: Collect and acquire dental data from the patient's oral cavity, and construct an initial three-dimensional model of the dental data. S2: Based on the initial three-dimensional data in S1, construct the final tooth arrangement model of the patient's oral orthodontic treatment in the design software, and generate the data of the final tooth arrangement model into an STL file format; S3: Create a master mold frame for the orthodontic appliance without tooth imprint information based on human oral statistics; S4: Print out the final tooth arrangement model from S2; S5: The final tooth arrangement model printed in S4 is hot-pressed onto the orthodontic appliance master mold frame in S3 to form corresponding tooth imprint information on the orthodontic appliance master mold frame, thus completing the production of the customized orthodontic appliance.

2. The method for designing and manufacturing an orthodontic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S1, dental data from inside the patient's mouth are collected using an oral scanner, plaster impression, or silicone impression.

3. The method for designing and manufacturing an orthodontic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: Constructing the final tooth arrangement model after orthodontic treatment for a patient includes the following steps: Step 1: Identify and segment teeth based on the oral data collected in S1 to determine the initial position of the teeth; Step 2: Arrange and design the orthodontic path for the teeth and determine the final position of the teeth to be treated; Step 3: Construct a three-dimensional final tooth arrangement model based on the final orthodontic position data described in Step 2.

4. The design and manufacturing method of an orthodontic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The printing in S4 is 3D printing, which can be an LCD photopolymer 3D printing device, a DLP photopolymer 3D printing device, or an SLA photopolymer 3D printing device.

5. The method for designing and manufacturing an orthodontic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The final tooth arrangement model printed in S4 is heated in an oven at a temperature of 100~300℃.

6. The method for designing and manufacturing an orthodontic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The orthodontic appliance's master mold frame is made of silicone.

7. The method for designing and manufacturing an orthodontic appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that: The orthodontic mold frame in S3 is heated in an oven before hot pressing.

8. The method for designing and manufacturing an orthodontic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S4, the surface and edges of the final printed tooth arrangement model are trimmed.

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