Posterior occlusal interference element

Abstract

This disclosure discusses a technique for fabricating occlusal interference elements within polymer dental instruments. The technique discloses at least one polymer shell containing several cavities molded to fit over a patient's tooth. The polymer shell includes an occlusal instrument surface molded to fit over the patient's occlusal tooth surface. One or more occlusal interference elements are formed within the occlusal instrument surface, each occlusal interference element including a partially disc-shaped feature that extends radially away from the occlusal tooth surface when the patient wears it.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - reference to Related Applications This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 456,085, filed on Mar. 31, 2023, entitled “Posterior Bite Interference Elements,” and the contents of the same are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety into this specification.

[0002] This technology relates to manufacturing techniques for dental appliances. More specifically, this technology relates to techniques for forming bite interference elements on polymeric dental appliances.

Background Art

[0003] An orthodontic aligner is an instrument intended to perform a series of individual tooth position corrections aimed at properly aligning the tooth arrangement. Aligners have many advantages compared to conventional bracket / wire orthodontic appliances for orthodontic treatment. For example, aligners are often transparent or translucent, more comfortable to wear than wire orthodontic appliances, and removable for cleaning and eating. The manufacture of aligners conventionally begins by scanning a patient's teeth or creating a dental impression of the patient's teeth and then scanning that impression to generate a digital model of the patient's teeth. Once a digital model of the patient's teeth is obtained, a physical dental model can be fabricated (e.g., using 3D printing methods) to provide a positive model of the teeth.

[0004] When an intraoral scanning device (IOS device) is used to scan a patient's teeth, a three - dimensional computer - aided design (CAD) representation can be imported by custom software. The custom software enables an operator, such as a dental technician or dentist, to move individual teeth in specific movements and individual movements and in several stages according to a treatment plan to achieve a final dental arch with an aligned tooth arrangement.

[0005] At each stage of the patient's treatment plan, a 3D printed model of the dental arch is created, and a polymer sheet is thermoformed onto the top of the 3D printed arch model to form a transparent aligner.

[0006] Next, the thermoformed parts are marked with part identification marks. Then, the marked and thermoformed parts are cut by one of several methods so that the aligners supplied to the customer can be separated from the excess aligner material.

[0007] The aligners are then polished to remove burrs and sharp edges, inspected, packaged, and sent to the patient's orthodontist or directly to the patient. [Overview of the project]

[0008] This technology relates to a technique for forming occlusal interference elements on orthodontic appliances such as transparent or translucent aligners, dental splints, and retainers. These orthodontic appliances may be made from polymer materials and, in some embodiments, may be manufactured using thermoforming or direct manufacturing (3D printing or other additive manufacturing) processes. Some advantages of this disclosure include the ability to integrally form occlusal interference elements or bite blocks on the occlusal surface of the orthodontic appliance to prevent full occlusion of the patient.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a dental instrument is disclosed comprising a polymer shell having several cavities molded to fit over a patient's teeth. The polymer shell includes an occlusal instrument surface molded to fit over an occlusal tooth surface. The instrument also includes occlusal interference elements formed on the occlusal instrument surface, each occlusal interference element comprising a partially disc-shaped feature that extends radially away from the occlusal tooth surface when the patient wears the instrument. In some embodiments, the occlusal interference elements cause displacement between the upper and lower teeth when the patient wears the instrument. In some embodiments, the occlusal interference elements comprise three partially disc-shaped features positioned on the occlusal instrument surface corresponding to a single molar or premolar. In some embodiments, each occlusal interference element is positioned at intervals of approximately 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm. In some embodiments, each occlusal interference element has a vertex located in a single plane. In some embodiments, the partially disc-shaped features of each occlusal interference element have a diameter of approximately 3.5 mm to 4.5 mm. In some embodiments, the disc-shaped features of each occlusal interference element have a width of approximately 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm. In some embodiments, the occlusal interference element includes several occlusal interference elements formed on the occlusal surface of adjacent teeth.

[0010] Another aspect of this disclosure discloses a method for forming a dental instrument. The method includes placing virtual occlusal interference elements on the occlusal surfaces of one or more teeth in a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model of a patient's dentition. Each virtual occlusal interference element includes a disk-shaped feature that partially extends radially away from the occlusal surface. The method also includes fabricating a physical model of the patient's dentition based on the virtual 3D model. The physical model includes one or more model occlusal interference elements corresponding to one or more virtual occlusal interference elements. The method also includes thermoforming a thermoplastic material onto the physical model of the patient's dentition to form a dental instrument having one or more occlusal interference elements corresponding to the model occlusal interference elements. In some embodiments, fabricating the physical model of the patient's dentition includes 3D printing the physical model of the patient's dentition. In some embodiments, the occlusal interference elements cause displacement between the upper and lower teeth when the patient wears the instrument. In some embodiments, the occlusal interference elements include three partially disk-shaped features placed on the surface of the occlusal instrument corresponding to a single molar or premolar. In some embodiments, each virtual occlusal interference element is positioned at intervals of approximately 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm. In some embodiments, each virtual occlusal interference element has a vertex located in a single plane. In some embodiments, each virtual occlusal interference element has a diameter of approximately 3.5 mm to 4.5 mm. In some embodiments, each virtual occlusal interference element has a width of approximately 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm. In some embodiments, positioning virtual occlusal interference elements involves positioning several virtual occlusal interference elements on the occlusal surfaces of several adjacent teeth in a virtual 3D model. In some embodiments, positioning virtual occlusal interference elements involves positioning a first set of virtual occlusal interference elements on the occlusal surface of a second molar and a second set of virtual occlusal interference elements on the occlusal surface of a first molar or premolar, wherein the second set of virtual occlusal interference elements extends beyond the occlusal surface of the first molar or premolar, and is greater than the second set of virtual occlusal interference elements extends beyond the occlusal surface of the second molar.

[0011] In another aspect of this disclosure, a system is disclosed that includes a dental instrument manufacturing system for manufacturing dental instruments. The system also includes a computing system that communicates with the dental instrument manufacturing system. The computing system receives three-dimensional (3D) scan data representing a patient's dentition and generates a virtual 3D model of the patient's dentition. The computing system also places virtual occlusal interference elements on the occlusal surfaces of teeth in the virtual 3D model of the patient's dentition. Each virtual occlusal interference element includes a disk-shaped feature that partially extends radially away from the occlusal surface. The system also provides instructions to the dental instrument manufacturing system to manufacture a dental instrument that includes model occlusal interference elements corresponding to the virtual occlusal interference elements. In some embodiments, the dental instrument manufacturing system includes a three-dimensional (3D) printing system for manufacturing a physical dental model of the virtual 3D dental model and a thermoforming system for thermoforming a thermoplastic material onto the physical dental model to form a dental instrument having occlusal interference elements corresponding to the model occlusal interference elements.

[0012] This technology is best understood through the detailed explanation below, in conjunction with the attached drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] An exemplary digital model of a set of occlusal interference elements extending from a digital model of a patient's dentition is shown according to embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] An exemplary digital model of a set of occlusal interference elements positioned on a molar according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 3] The following are exemplary dimensions of a set of occlusal interference elements according to embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] An example of a thermoformed dental instrument including a set of integrated posterior occlusal interference elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 5] Examples of thermoformed dental devices comprising multiple sets of occlusal interference elements on various teeth according to embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. [Figure 6]This invention provides an exemplary user interface for treatment planning software for determining the size and position of occlusal interference elements. [Figure 7A] An exemplary digital model of a patient's dentition, including multiple sets of occlusal interference elements, according to embodiments of this disclosure, is shown. [Figure 7B] Another exemplary digital model of a set of occlusal interference elements according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 7C] An exemplary digital model of a tooth having a set of three occlusal interference elements according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 8] This disclosure shows exemplary digital models of various occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 9] This disclosure shows exemplary digital models of various occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 10] This disclosure shows exemplary digital models of various occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 11] This disclosure shows exemplary digital models of various occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 12] This disclosure shows exemplary digital models of various occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 13] This disclosure shows exemplary digital models of various occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 14] This disclosure shows exemplary digital models of various occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 15] This disclosure shows exemplary digital models of various occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 16] This disclosure shows exemplary digital models of various occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 17] This disclosure shows exemplary digital models of various occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 18] This disclosure shows exemplary digital models of various occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 19] Illustrative digital models of various occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. [Figure 20] An illustrative thermoformed dental appliance in which an occlusal interference element is subjected to a stress test according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 21] Graphs of deformations of different occlusal interference element shapes at different force levels according to embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. [Figure 22] A flowchart of a method for fabricating an integral posterior occlusal interference element according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 23] A schematic structural diagram of a computer system adapted to implement a computing system according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a dental appliance that includes an occlusal interference element or bite block incorporated as an integral part of the appliance. In some cases, due to certain malocclusions (e.g., crossbite, posterior crossbite, and open bite malocclusions), at certain steps in the treatment plan, an occlusal correction structure or form may be required in the appliance. In some treatment plans, a bite turbo or bite block may be attached to the patient's teeth to maintain a specific distance between the upper and lower arches and prevent the patient from fully closing their teeth. However, a bite turbo attached to the patient's teeth requires an attachment and removal process and temporarily fixes an object to the patient's teeth. Further, it may be difficult to design an appliance that properly fits over a bite turbo fixed to the patient's teeth. To overcome these challenges, the present technique provides a dental appliance with an integral occlusal interference element.

[0015] In one embodiment, the integrated occlusal interference element disclosed herein is positioned on the molars and modifies the patient's occlusion while being worn. In this way, the dental appliance can also prevent the patient from fully closing their teeth at a particular position while modifying the patient's teeth according to a specific treatment plan stage. The occlusal interference element disclosed herein includes a specific geometric structure that is thermoformed on one or both occlusal surfaces of the appliance and can provide a set jaw spacing, while also maintaining structural integrity and resisting deformation in response to the user's occlusal force.

[0016] Dental instruments disclosed herein may be made from polymer materials such as thin thermoformable materials. In some cases, the dental instrument is thermoformed around a dental model of the patient's teeth. The thickness of the polymer material is not particularly limited, but it must be thick enough to be thermoformed around the dental model. Preferably, the thickness of the polymer material is less than 5 mm. More preferably, the thickness of the polymer material may be about 0.05 to about 5 mm.

[0017] Examples of thermoforming materials include, but are not limited to, biocompatible polymers with elasticity and plasticity suitable for thermoforming, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

[0018] Examples of polymer materials include multilayer polymer materials as described in U.S. Patents 10,549,511, 10,870,263, 10,987,907, 11,325,358, 10,946,630, U.S. Patent Publication 2022 / 0118747, PCT Application PCT / US2020 / 065928, PCT Application PCT / US2022 / 025306, and Provisional U.S. Patent Application 63 / 354,998. All of these are incorporated by reference as a whole.

[0019] A set of instruments may include two shells that can be fitted onto the patient's teeth. The mechanical properties of the polymer material used to fabricate the shells allow the material to exert forces on one or more teeth, and these forces may be designed to gradually move the patient's teeth from their initial position to a desired position according to the treatment plan. Each set of instruments may correspond to a step in the treatment plan that corresponds to a specific time when the patient is intended to wear that particular set of instruments. Each set of instruments may differ slightly from the previous set in order to gradually move the teeth along the intended treatment plan path. The instruments may have multiple cavities, each cavity corresponding to a specific tooth in the patient's dental arch.

[0020] In some embodiments, it may be desirable to prevent complete closure of the patient's teeth within one or more steps of the treatment planning process, or with other types of dental appliances (such as retainers). According to the techniques disclosed herein, this can be achieved by including occlusal interference elements or bite blocks on the lower and / or upper dental appliances. In some embodiments, posterior occlusal interference elements represent occlusal interference elements positioned on or over the molars. Such posterior occlusal interference elements may, in some cases, serve to improve the penetration performance of the molars.

[0021] Figure 1 shows an exemplary digital model of a set of occlusal interference elements 101 extending radially from a digital model of a patient's dentition 103, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the digital model of the occlusal interference elements includes three disc-shaped or coin-shaped projections extending radially from one occlusal surface of a molar. In the digital model shown in Figure 1, only the arch portion of the occlusal interference elements extending radially from the occlusal surface is visible. In some embodiments, the occlusal interference elements may be sized and positioned to substantially fit within the central portion of the occlusal surface of each tooth, while in other cases, the size and position of the occlusal interference elements may be adjusted to best interact with opposing teeth or occlusal interference elements located on opposing aligners or appliances. The number and dimensions of the occlusal interference elements can also be customized for specific applications or cases, or to suit different tooth sizes. Once the size, dimensions, number, and position of the occlusal interference elements are determined, a physical model of the patient's dentition can be manufactured (e.g., using a 3D printing process) along with the model occlusal interference elements partially protruding from the occlusal surfaces of the model. This model can then be used to thermoform dental instruments containing integrated occlusal interference elements. As used herein, the term “virtual occlusal interference element” is used to describe occlusal interference elements in a digital software model, the term “model occlusal interference element” is used to describe occlusal interference elements in a physical model of the patient's dentition used as a thermoformable model, and the term “occlusal interference element” is used to describe occlusal interference elements in a dental instrument (manufactured using thermoforming techniques, additive manufacturing techniques, or other suitable manufacturing methods).

[0022] Figure 2 shows an exemplary digital model of a set of virtual occlusal interference elements 201 placed on molars in a digital model of a patient's dentition 203, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the digital model of the virtual occlusal interference elements shows a set of three disk-shaped virtual occlusal interference elements embedded in a model of the patient's dentition. In the digital model shown in Figure 2, the entire disk of the virtual occlusal interference elements is visible, and a portion of the virtual occlusal interference elements extends radially over the occlusal surface of the tooth model. Depending on the diameter of the disk and the depth of the center of the disk relative to the occlusal surface of the tooth, more or less of the virtual occlusal interference elements will extend beyond the occlusal surface.

[0023] Figure 3 shows exemplary dimensions of a set of virtual occlusal interference elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this particular embodiment, each disc has a diameter of approximately 4.00 mm and a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm, and each disc is spaced approximately 2.5 mm apart from the next disc. Thus, for three disc-shaped virtual occlusal interference elements, the distance between the outer virtual occlusal interference elements is approximately 5.5 mm. In various embodiments, each of the virtual occlusal interference elements may be spaced at intervals of approximately 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, or 3.0 mm. In various embodiments, each of the virtual occlusal interference elements may have a diameter of approximately 3.5 mm to 4.5 mm and a width of approximately 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm.

[0024] Figure 4 shows the state after the polymer dental instrument 403 has been thermoformed on a physical dental model and then removed from the dental model in this embodiment. As described above, the dental model may be 3D printed based on a digital model of the patient's dentition, which may also include a physical representation of the occlusal interference element 401 (referred to as the “model occlusal interference element”). Thus, when the polymer material is thermoformed on the physical dental model, the occlusal interference element 401 is formed within the polymer shell that constitutes the dental instrument. In the example shown in Figure 4, one of the molars of the dental instrument includes three integrated disc-shaped occlusal interference elements.

[0025] Figure 5 shows the polymer dental instrument 503 in this embodiment after it has been thermoformed on a physical dental model of the upper teeth and subsequently removed from the dental model. The virtual dental model in this exemplary embodiment includes several sets of virtual occlusal interference elements positioned on eight different teeth, with three virtual occlusal interference elements positioned on the occlusal surface of each tooth. The set of dental instruments may include two instruments or aligners, one for the upper teeth (maxillary teeth) and the other for the lower teeth (mandibular teeth). Thus, the set of instruments may have additional occlusal interference elements on the instruments corresponding to the lower arch or mandibular arch and the maxillary arch.

[0026] In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, each occlusal interference element 501 includes a set of three interference elements molded as discs protruding from the occlusal surface of the dental instrument 503. In some cases, the occlusal interference elements may be included only on the first and / or second molars, rather than on many molars. Treatment planning software can be provided with instructions to the technician to avoid marking (such as laser marks or printed markings) on the occlusal interference elements whenever possible.

[0027] To determine the appropriate occlusal ramp shape, standard tooth sizes were analyzed to determine the largest and smallest teeth to which occlusal interference elements could be applied. A random sample of 40 preserved patient dentitions was selected, and the width and depth of the molars and premolars were measured. The results of this analysis are shown in Table 1 below. [Table 1-1] [Table 1-2]

[0028] As is clear from Table 1, the smallest premolar measured 6.25 mm (buccal / lingual) × 6.75 mm (mesial / distal), and the largest molar measured 13 mm (buccal / lingual) × 13 mm (mesial / distal). According to one embodiment, the geometric shape of the occlusal interference element should conform to the size of all premolars and molars.

[0029] Figure 6 shows that in this embodiment, a digital model of the patient's dentition is presented with a set of parameters on the left that can be used to determine the desired positions of the jaws relative to each other along several axes. The Y-axis can be adjusted to set the distance between the upper and lower arches to 1.5 mm, as shown in Figure 6. These parameters can be used to determine the maximum occlusal interposition of the dental arches and thus the size and position adjustments of the occlusal interference elements necessary to achieve the desired jaw positions. Once the desired occlusal spacing is determined, one or more virtual occlusal interference elements can be placed within the virtual 3D model, as shown in Figure 7A below. As will be discussed later, this software user interface or a similar software user interface can be used in combination with a computing device and other treatment planning software to virtually design the geometric shape, position, depth, angle, or any other parameters of the occlusal interference elements before fabrication. In some embodiments, this can be done by adjusting the vertical and / or lateral spacing between the upper and lower dental arches, the angle of one arch relative to the other, etc. These adjustments can be made, for example, using a touchscreen or other input method used by the treatment planner. In some embodiments, a 3D model of the patient's dentition is then manufactured and can be used as a thermoformable model. In other embodiments, the design of virtual occlusal interference elements can be used to virtually design dental instruments that can be manufactured by other methods, such as direct 3D printing.

[0030] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a virtual occlusal interference element can be positioned within a virtual dental model without the need to adjust the position and orientation of the upper teeth relative to the lower teeth. In such embodiments, the virtual occlusal interference element may include indicator marks, as shown below in Figures 7B to 7C, and can be positioned within the virtual dental model (either the upper or lower teeth) based on these indicator marks.

[0031] Figure 7A shows that in this exemplary embodiment, a set of three disc-shaped virtual occlusal interference elements are positioned on the lower dentition of the first and second molars. Therefore, in this example, a total of 12 virtual occlusal interference elements are used. In other examples, virtual occlusal interference elements may be positioned on more or fewer teeth within the lower dentition (i.e., mandibular molars) or on the upper dentition (i.e., maxillary molars). When virtual occlusal interference elements are positioned on both the upper and lower dentition, they may need to extend a shorter distance beyond the occlusal surface to achieve the desired occlusal spacing.

[0032] Figure 7B shows that in this exemplary embodiment, a digital model of a disk-shaped virtual occlusal interference element includes several indicator marks 701, 703 positioned at different distances from its outer circumference. These indicator marks in the digital model of the virtual occlusal interference element can be used to properly position the virtual occlusal interference element relative to the occlusal surface of a tooth. For example, in one embodiment, a virtual occlusal interference element includes a first indicator mark 701 located 1.5 mm from the top surface of the virtual occlusal interference element (the upper edge of the disk along the circumference) and a second indicator mark 703 located 2.0 mm from the top surface of the virtual occlusal interference element. If it is determined that a virtual occlusal interference element corresponding to a tooth should extend 1.5 mm from the occlusal surface of that tooth, the element can be positioned at the appropriate depth in the digital model of the tooth, such that the first indicator mark 701 is at the deepest feature of the tooth. Similarly, if it is determined that a virtual occlusal interference element corresponding to a tooth should extend 2.0 mm from the occlusal surface of that tooth, the element can be positioned at the appropriate depth in the digital model of the tooth until the second indicator mark 703 is in the deepest feature of the tooth. Those skilled in the art will understand that different indicator marks can be implemented at different positions on digital or virtual occlusal interference elements, and that such indicator marks can be used for different occlusal interference element shapes. The illustrated straight indicator lines are for illustrative and descriptive purposes only, and other marks or designs on the virtual occlusal interference element may be used instead of straight lines to achieve the same purpose. For example, dashed lines, dotted lines, curves, or other suitable marks can be used to mark the appropriate depth and position on the virtual occlusal interference element, and the claims are not limited in any way to the geometric shape or form of a particular indicator mark.

[0033] Figure 7C shows that in this particular embodiment, the illustrated occlusal spacing of the teeth requires that the virtual occlusal interference element should extend only 2.0 mm from the deepest occlusal surface of the tooth. Thus, according to the virtual occlusal interference element including the 1.5 mm and 2.0 mm indicator marks shown in Figure 7B, the element is positioned to the appropriate depth within the tooth until the second indicator mark, located at 2.0 mm, is in the deepest feature of the tooth. In this embodiment, since the highest point of each virtual occlusal interference element lies in a single plane and each tooth includes fossae and ridges, each virtual occlusal interference element may extend to different heights beyond the occlusal surface of the tooth.

[0034] In some embodiments, the upper and lower dental arches move relative to each other as the mandible rotates from the temporomandibular joint, so the more posterior molars may require occlusal interference elements that do not protrude as much compared to the first molars and premolars. Therefore, to maintain the same occlusal spacing between the upper and lower dental arches, the height of the virtual occlusal interference element on the second molar may be lower than the height of the virtual occlusal interference elements on the first molars and premolars. For example, the virtual occlusal interference element on the second molar may be set to a height of 1.5 mm, and the virtual occlusal interference elements on the first molars and premolars may be set to a height of 2.0 mm. In various embodiments, virtual occlusal interference elements may be placed on one or more teeth, and if virtual occlusal interference elements are placed on multiple molars and / or premolars, the height of these elements may depend not only on the desired occlusal spacing but also on the position of the teeth in the mouth (e.g., whether the teeth are first molars, second molars, or premolars).

[0035] Figures 8–19 show exemplary digital models of various virtual occlusal interference element shapes according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 8 shows an embodiment in which two disc-shaped or coin-shaped virtual occlusal interference elements are placed on the second molars of the lower dentition. This exemplary geometric shape can accommodate all tooth sizes and also minimize the footprint of the occlusal interference elements.

[0036] Figure 9 shows an embodiment in which seven bubbles or spheres are arranged in a grid structure on the second molar of the lower dentition to form a virtual occlusal interference element. The size of this exemplary geometric shape may need to be reduced to fit within the premolars. Each bubble may be positioned to the height of a single reference point so that the bubbles do not follow the natural fossa / cusp of the tooth.

[0037] Figure 10 shows an embodiment in which two bubbles are placed on the second molars of the lower dentition to form a virtual occlusal interference element. This exemplary geometric shape can accommodate all tooth sizes and minimize the footprint of the occlusal interference element.

[0038] Figure 11 shows an embodiment in which four bubbles are arranged in a grid pattern on the second molar of the lower dentition to form a virtual occlusal interference element. This geometric shape is designed to accommodate the size of all teeth. Each bubble may be positioned to the height of a single reference point so that, in some embodiments, the bubbles do not follow the natural fossa / cusp of the tooth.

[0039] Figure 12 shows an embodiment in which hashtag virtual occlusal interference elements are formed on the first and second molars of the lower dentition. This geometric shape is designed based on positive test results from disc-shaped designs and can be adjusted to fit any tooth size.

[0040] Figures 13–15 show various geometric shapes intended to mimic the shape of composite bite blockers bonded to a patient's teeth using conventional fixed appliances. These designs include various ridges aimed at improving structural strength, and their geometric shapes can be adjusted to fit premolars or small molars. Figure 13 shows an elliptical design with three waves or ridges, Figure 14 shows a divided elliptical design, and Figure 15 shows an elliptical design with five waves or ridges.

[0041] Figure 16 shows an embodiment in which several bubbles are arranged in a lattice structure on the second molars of the lower dentition to form a virtual occlusal interference element. In this embodiment, the deformation was found to be significantly greater than that of some of the other geometric shapes. Therefore, this design is particularly undesirable compared to other geometric shapes, including the disc-shaped geometric shape.

[0042] Figure 17 shows an embodiment in which rectangular virtual occlusal interference elements (i.e., burs) are formed on the first and second molars of the lower dentition. This geometric shape can utilize or mimic the shape of a rectangular orthodontic engager or attachment, which is often placed on the buccal surface of the appliance.

[0043] Figure 18 shows an embodiment in which four disc-shaped or coin-shaped virtual occlusal interference elements are positioned on the first and second molars of the lower dentition. In this embodiment, the vertices or highest points of each virtual occlusal interference element are located in a single plane, which means that the virtual occlusal interference elements do not conform to the cusps and fossae of individual teeth.

[0044] Figure 19 shows an embodiment in which three disc-shaped or coin-shaped virtual occlusal interference elements are positioned on the first and second molars of the lower dentition. In this embodiment, the vertices or highest points of each virtual occlusal interference element within a single tooth are located in a single plane, which means that the virtual occlusal interference elements do not conform to the cusps and fossae of individual teeth.

[0045] Figure 20 shows how, in these stress tests, various geometric shapes of the occlusal interference elements described above were placed on a standard model of the dental arch. Further explanation of the stress test parameters and results can be found in Figure 21.

[0046] Figure 21 shows that in this benchtop test, various geometric shapes were tested with a 2 mm extrusion. That is, each occlusal ramp shape was designed to extend only 2 mm beyond the occlusal surface of the tooth from the deepest part of the molar. The test instruments were thermoformed using a Biostar pressure molding machine at standard settings with ClearQuartz material from Bay Materials, LLC. Before testing, the dental instruments were aged in 37°C water for 24 hours to simulate the oral conditions of a patient. Molar caps were attached to the test probes, and pressure was applied to the occlusal interference elements. All instruments were tested while controlling the force and periodically increasing the load (20N, 40N, 60N, ..., 380N, 400N). The force was held for 0-10 seconds at each force level. Evaluation was performed by measuring the displacement value at each force level. Based on this evaluation, designs with less displacement were considered stronger.

[0047] Figure 21 shows graphs of deformation values ​​for various geometric shapes, with the total deformation in the absence of occlusal interference elements shown at the bottom, ranging from 0.0 to 0.6 mm. Among the instruments tested with occlusal interference elements, the instrument with the least deformation at each force level was found to be the one described in Figures 1-2, and as mentioned above, the one with three coin-shaped occlusal interference elements per tooth.

[0048] Figure 22 discloses a specific functional block, but such a block is an example, and those skilled in the art will understand that additional or fewer steps may be implemented in various embodiments, and that, unless otherwise specified, the order of the functional blocks may also be adjusted within the scope of the invention. Therefore, the blocks may be executed in an order different from that presented, and not all blocks may necessarily be executed.

[0049] In block 2201, occlusion or maximum intercuspal interposition is set. As described above, in some embodiments, the treatment planner can adjust the orientation and spacing of the upper and lower arches relative to each other using a user interface and treatment planning software, for example, as shown in Figure 6 above.

[0050] In block 2203, the upper and / or lower dentition in the 3D model of the patient's dentition are raised and lowered to achieve the desired occlusal spacing. In some embodiments, this can also be done using the user interface and treatment planning software discussed herein.

[0051] In block 2205, virtual occlusal interference elements are added to the lower and / or upper dentition in the 3D model. As described above, various different geometric shapes, shapes, sizes, orientations, etc., can be used for the virtual occlusal interference elements depending on the individual case and the size of the patient's teeth. In addition, when positioning the virtual occlusal interference elements relative to the occlusal surface of the 3D model, the thickness of the specific thermoplastic material being used may be taken into consideration in order to achieve the desired occlusal spacing. For example, when fabricating dental instruments using thinner thermoplastic material, the virtual occlusal interference elements may extend beyond the occlusal surface in the 3D model in order to achieve a specific spacing between the occlusal surfaces of opposing molars in the patient's upper and lower dentition, compared to a treatment plan using thicker thermoplastic material.

[0052] In some embodiments, blocks 2201 and 2203 are optional and not essential for fabricating a single posterior occlusal interference element. In embodiments where blocks 2201 and 2203 are not performed, the method can begin by adding a virtual occlusal interference element to the lower and / or upper dentition in the 3D model in block 2205. In one such embodiment, the virtual occlusal interference element may include indicator marks, as described above, and these indicator marks can be used to achieve proper placement of the occlusal interference element relative to the occlusal surface of the tooth. In some embodiments, the distance the virtual occlusal interference element extends beyond the occlusal surface of the tooth may vary depending on the tooth to achieve a desired occlusal spacing. For example, a virtual occlusal interference element associated with a second molar may extend less beyond the occlusal surface of the second molar compared to a virtual occlusal interference element associated with a first molar or premolar.

[0053] In block 2207, a 3D model of the patient's dentition, including model occlusal interference elements, is fabricated. This model can then be used in block 2209 to thermoform the instrument material and fabricate the shell of the dental instrument. Those skilled in the art will understand that additional processing steps, including cutting, marking, and packaging, are performed after block 2209 to produce the final dental instrument suitable for shipment to the patient.

[0054] Referring to Figure 23, a schematic diagram of a computer system 2300 adapted to implement a computing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The computing systems described below may be designed to implement the methods disclosed herein.

[0055] As shown in Figure 23, the computer system 2300 may include a central processing unit (CPU) 2301, which can perform various operations and processes in response to the execution of programs stored in read-only memory (ROM) 2302 or programs loaded from storage unit 2308 into random access memory (RAM) 2303. The RAM 2303 may also store various programs and data required by the operation of the system 2300. In some embodiments, the CPU 2301, ROM 2302, and RAM 2303 may be interconnected via a bus 2304. An input / output (I / O) interface 2305 (e.g., a touchscreen, keyboard, mouse, microphone with voice recognition capabilities) may also be connected to the bus 2304. The bus 2304 may include one or more buses interconnected via various bridges, controllers, and / or adapters, as is well known in the art. The CPU 2301 can communicate with a dental instrument manufacturing system 2314, which in some embodiments may include a 3D printer 2313, a thermoforming system 2315, or any other necessary components required for the downstream manufacturing and processing of dental instruments as described herein. In other embodiments, the instrument manufacturing system 2314 may include a direct 3D printing system capable of directly manufacturing dental instruments having occlusal interference elements as disclosed herein.

[0056] In some embodiments, the input unit 2306 (e.g., keyboard, touchscreen, mouse, etc.), output unit 2307 (e.g., speaker, screen, etc.), storage unit 2308 (e.g., hard disk, flash drive, etc.), and communication unit 2309 (e.g., network interface card, etc.) are all connected to the I / O interface 2305. The communication unit 2309 can perform communication processes via a network such as the Internet. In addition, a drive 2310 may be connected to the I / O interface 2305 as needed. By placing removable media 2311 such as magnetic disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, or flash drives on the drive 2310, it may be possible to retrieve computer programs from the removable media 2311 as needed and install them on the storage unit 2308.

[0057] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the process described above with reference to Figure 22 can be implemented in a computer software program. For example, an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a computer program product which includes a computer program tangibly embedded in a machine-readable medium. The computer program includes program code for performing the method of Figure 22. In such an embodiment, the computer program may be downloaded and installed from a network via a communication unit 2309 and / or installed from a removable medium 2311.

[0058] It will be understood that the present invention may utilize non-volatile memory located away from the system, such as a network storage device coupled to a data processing system via a network interface such as a modem, Ethernet interface, or wireless network.

[0059] Some of the things described above may be implemented using logic circuits, such as dedicated logic circuits, or using microcontrollers or other forms of processing cores that execute program code instructions. Thus, the processes taught by the above description may be executed using program code, such as machine-executable instructions, that cause a machine that executes these instructions to perform a specific function. In this context, “machine” can mean a machine that translates intermediate form (or “abstract”) instructions into processor-specific instructions (e.g., an “abstract execution environment” such as a “virtual machine” (e.g., a Java virtual machine), an interpreter, a common language runtime, or a high-level language virtual machine), and / or electronic circuits (e.g., “logic circuits” implemented with transistors) located on semiconductor chips designed to execute instructions, such as general-purpose processors and / or dedicated processors. The processes taught by the above description may also be executed (in place of or in combination with a machine) by electronic circuits designed to execute the process (or part thereof) without executing program code.

[0060] The present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the operations described herein. The apparatus may be configured specifically for a required purpose, or it may include a general-purpose computer that is selectively started or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such computer programs may be stored in computer-readable storage media such as, but are not limited to, floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magneto-optical disks, read-only memory (ROM), RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of disk suitable for storing electronic instructions, each of which may be connected to a computer system bus.

[0061] Machine-readable media include any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a format readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). Examples of machine-readable media include read-only memory ("ROM"), random-access memory ("RAM"), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, and flash memory devices.

[0062] Products may be used to store program code. Products that store program code may be embodied as one or more memories (e.g., one or more flash memories, random access memories (static, dynamic, or other)), optical discs, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or other types of machine-readable media suitable for storing electronic instructions, but are not limited to these. Program code may also be downloaded from a remote computer (e.g., a server) to a requesting computer (e.g., a client) by data signals embodied on a propagation medium (e.g., via a communication link (e.g., a network connection)).

[0063] The foregoing is merely a description of preferred embodiments and applicable technical principles of this application. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the scope of the invention of this application is not limited to technical solutions formed by specific combinations of the above technical features. The scope of the invention also includes, without departing from the concept of the invention, other technical solutions formed by any combination of the above technical features or their equivalents, such as (but not limited to) technical solutions formed by replacing the features disclosed in this application with technical features having similar functions.

Claims

1. A polymer shell having a plurality of cavities molded to fit on a patient's tooth, wherein the polymer shell includes an occlusal instrument surface molded to fit on an occlusal tooth surface, One or more occlusal interference elements, each of which is formed on the surface of the occlusal appliance and includes a partially disc-shaped form that extends radially away from the occlusal tooth surface when worn by a patient, A dental instrument equipped with the following features.

2. The dental appliance according to claim 1, wherein the one or more occlusal interference elements cause displacement between the upper teeth and the lower teeth when the patient wears the appliance.

3. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the one or more occlusal interference elements include three partially disc-shaped features arranged on the surface of the occlusal appliance corresponding to a single molar or premolar.

4. The dental instrument according to claim 3, wherein each occlusal interference element, which is positioned on the surface of the occlusal instrument corresponding to a single molar or premolar, is positioned at intervals of approximately 1.0 mm to approximately 3.0 mm.

5. The dental instrument according to claim 3, wherein each occlusal interference element positioned on the surface of the occlusal instrument corresponding to a single molar or premolar has a vertex located in a single plane.

6. The dental instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of the one or more occlusal interference elements has a partially disc-shaped form having a diameter of approximately 3.5 mm to 4.5 mm.

7. The dental instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each of the one or more occlusal interference elements has a disc-shaped form having a width of approximately 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm.

8. The dental appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the one or more occlusal interference elements include a plurality of occlusal interference elements formed on the surface of the occlusal appliance of a plurality of adjacent teeth.

9. A method for forming dental instruments, Placing one or more virtual occlusal interference elements on the occlusal surfaces of one or more teeth in a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model of the patient's dentition, wherein each virtual occlusal interference element includes a disk-shaped feature that partially extends radially away from the occlusal surface, The process of creating a physical model of the patient's dentition based on the virtual 3D model, wherein the physical model includes one or more model occlusal interference elements corresponding to one or more virtual occlusal interference elements. Thermoplastic material is thermoformed onto the physical model of the patient's dentition to form a dental instrument having one or more occlusal interference elements corresponding to the aforementioned model occlusal interference elements, The method, including the method described above.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein fabricating the physical model of the patient's dentition includes 3D printing the physical model of the patient's dentition.

11. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 10, wherein the one or more occlusal interference elements cause displacement between the upper teeth and the lower teeth when the patient wears the garment.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the one or more occlusal interference elements include three partially disc-shaped features arranged on the surface of an occlusal instrument corresponding to a single molar or premolar.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein each virtual occlusal interference element is arranged at intervals of approximately 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein each virtual occlusal interference element has a vertex located in a single plane.

15. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein each virtual occlusal interference element has a diameter of approximately 3.5 mm to 4.5 mm.

16. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 15, wherein each virtual occlusal interference element has a width of approximately 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm.

17. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 16, wherein the arrangement of one or more virtual occlusal interference elements includes arranging a plurality of virtual occlusal interference elements on the occlusal surfaces of a plurality of adjacent teeth in the virtual 3D model.

18. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 17, wherein the arrangement of one or more virtual occlusal interference elements includes arranging a first set of virtual occlusal interference elements on the occlusal surface of a second molar and arranging a second set of virtual occlusal interference elements on the occlusal surface of a first molar or premolar, wherein the second set of virtual occlusal interference elements extends beyond the occlusal surface of the first molar and is larger than the extent to which the second set of virtual occlusal interference elements extends beyond the occlusal surface of the second molar.

19. A dental instrument manufacturing system configured to produce dental instruments, A computing system that communicates with the aforementioned dental instrument manufacturing system, Receiving three-dimensional (3D) scan data representing the patient's dentition, To generate a virtual 3D model of the patient's dentition, The arrangement involves placing one or more virtual occlusal interference elements on the occlusal surfaces of one or more teeth in the virtual 3D model of the patient's dentition, wherein each virtual occlusal interference element includes a disk-shaped form that partially extends radially away from the occlusal surface. The dental instrument manufacturing system is instructed to manufacture a dental instrument that includes one or more model occlusal interference elements corresponding to one or more virtual occlusal interference elements. The computing system is configured to perform the following: A system that includes these features.

20. The aforementioned dental instrument manufacturing system is A three-dimensional (3D) printing system configured to produce a physical dental model of the aforementioned virtual 3D dental model, A thermoforming system configured to thermoform a thermoplastic material onto a physical dental model to form a dental instrument having one or more occlusal interference elements corresponding to one or more model occlusal interference elements, The system according to claim 19, including the system described in claim 19.

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