Transparent dental braces

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides transparent dental braces for moving, to a target position, a tooth to be corrected, the transparent dental braces comprising a transparent dental brace body for at least partially encompassing a plurality of teeth according to the shape of a dental arch of a patient, wherein the transparent dental brace body includes: shells shaped to accommodate respective teeth in correspondence to one or more of the plurality of teeth; and a proximal region thickness reinforcement part for at least partially reinforcing the thickness of the transparent dental brace body in a proximal region between two adjacent shells.

Description

Clear aligners

[0001] The present invention relates to a transparent orthodontic device.

[0002] Orthodontic treatment is a treatment used to correct irregularities in the alignment of teeth or abnormal bite patterns between the upper and lower jaws. There are two types of orthodontic treatment: fixed orthodontic treatment, which involves attaching brackets made of hard materials like metal, resin, or ceramic to teeth and using the elasticity of wires to correct bite patterns. Removable orthodontic treatment utilizes elastic, easily removable orthodontic devices.

[0003] Fixed orthodontic treatment involves attaching orthodontic brackets made of biocompatible materials to teeth to correct malocclusions. The brackets are then held in place by orthodontic wires. Conventional orthodontic treatment, which utilizes brackets and wires, can be aesthetically unsightly and can lead to oral hygiene issues.

[0004] Clear orthodontics, one of the removable orthodontic methods, is a method of covering teeth with a transparent orthodontic device made of transparent material, so the device is not only invisible from the outside but can also be freely attached and detached, making it more comfortable to wear, and is receiving much attention compared to other orthodontic methods.

[0005] Clear aligners utilize transparent polymer materials, eliminating the need for brackets and wires, resulting in superior aesthetics. They can be removed when needed, effectively maintaining oral hygiene. Furthermore, clear aligners cause relatively little discomfort, allowing patients to receive orthodontic treatment with greater comfort.

[0006] However, conventional transparent orthodontic devices frequently fractured in vulnerable areas due to external forces such as compression, tensile, and torsion during frequent insertion and removal or handling, and thus had the problem of having to be replaced even when it was not the time to replace the transparent orthodontic device.

[0007] The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a transparent orthodontic device that can prevent fracture of the transparent orthodontic device due to external force and effectively transmit corrective force by reinforcing the thickness of the proximal region, which is a fracture-prone area, or forming a strength-reinforcing rib on the outer surface of the transparent orthodontic device.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides a transparent orthodontic device for moving a tooth to be corrected to a target position, the transparent orthodontic device including a transparent orthodontic body configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth according to the shape of a patient's dental arch, the transparent orthodontic body including a shell shaped to receive each tooth corresponding to at least one of the plurality of teeth, and an interdental region thickness reinforcing portion for at least partially reinforcing the thickness of the transparent orthodontic body in a proximal region between two adjacent shells.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the interdental region thickness reinforcing portion may be formed to protrude outward from the outer surface of the transparent orthodontic body, which may be a transparent orthodontic device.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the interdental region thickness reinforcing part may be a transparent orthodontic device characterized in that it is located between a first end on the gingival side and a second end on the occlusal side in the interdental region.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the interdental region thickness reinforcing portion may be formed at a position where an imaginary line connecting the maximum fusion portions of shells accommodating each tooth intersects an interdental line between two adjacent shells, which may be a transparent orthodontic device.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the interdental region thickness reinforcing part and the transparent orthodontic body may be formed integrally in a direct output manner, which may be a transparent orthodontic device.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the interdental region thickness reinforcing portion may be a transparent orthodontic device characterized in that it partially extends in the interdental region in the shell direction on both sides, and each of the interdental region thickness reinforcing portions is not connected to each other but is separated.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transparent orthodontic body may be a transparent orthodontic device characterized in that it further includes a margin line reinforcement configured to at least partially cover the gingiva beyond the gingival margin, which is the boundary between the patient's gingiva and the teeth.

[0015] In order to achieve the above object, another aspect of the present invention provides a transparent orthodontic device for moving a tooth to be corrected to a target position, the transparent orthodontic device including a transparent orthodontic body configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth according to the shape of a patient's dental arch, the transparent orthodontic body including a shell shaped to receive each tooth corresponding to at least one of the plurality of teeth, and a strength reinforcing rib formed to be continuously connected along a dental arch line to reinforce the thickness of the transparent orthodontic body on the outer surface of at least two adjacent shells.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transparent orthodontic device may be characterized in that the strength reinforcing rib is formed to protrude outward from the outer surface of the transparent orthodontic body.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transparent orthodontic device may be characterized in that the strength reinforcing rib is formed along an imaginary line connecting the maximum fusion portions of shells that accommodate each tooth.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transparent orthodontic device may be characterized in that the thickness of the strength reinforcing rib is relatively thicker in the proximal region between two adjacent shells.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transparent orthodontic device may be characterized in that the strength reinforcing ribs are formed in at least one row on the outer surface of the transparent orthodontic body.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transparent orthodontic body may be a transparent orthodontic device characterized in that it includes a first strength reinforcement rib extending continuously along the buccal surface and the labial surface of the transparent orthodontic body, a second strength reinforcement rib extending continuously along the lingual surface of a shell that accommodates an anterior portion, and one or more third strength reinforcement ribs extending continuously along the lingual surface of a shell that accommodates a posterior portion.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transparent orthodontic device may be characterized in that the strength reinforcing rib and the transparent orthodontic body are formed integrally in a direct output manner.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transparent orthodontic body may be a transparent orthodontic device characterized in that it further includes a margin line reinforcement configured to at least partially cover the gingiva beyond the gingival margin, which is the boundary between the patient's gingiva and the teeth.

[0023] According to one aspect of the present invention, a transparent orthodontic device includes an interdental region thickness reinforcing portion that reinforces the thickness of the transparent orthodontic body in an interdental region, which is a fracture-prone area, thereby reducing the risk of fracture due to external forces such as compressive force, tensile force, and torsion, and improving the strength of the transparent orthodontic device.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention, the transparent orthodontic device includes a strength reinforcing rib that at least partially reinforces the thickness of the transparent orthodontic body along the arch line on the outer surface, thereby reducing the risk of fracture due to external forces such as compressive force, tensile force, and torsion, and improving the strength of the transparent orthodontic device.

[0025] In addition, the transparent orthodontic device can prevent the problem of stress being concentrated in the bone between shells (especially, the bone in the premolar area) by forming a margin line with an adjusted depth of the bone between shells by further including a margin line reinforcement.

[0026] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the detailed description of the present invention or the composition of the invention described in the claims.

[0027] FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental area thickness reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figures 3 (a) and (b) are AA' cross-sectional views and BB' cross-sectional views of Figure 1, respectively.

[0029] Fig. 4 (a) is a plan view of a typical transparent orthodontic device, and Fig. 4 (b) is a plan view of a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental area thickness reinforcing part according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a front view of a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental area thickness reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 6 is a rear view of a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental area thickness reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 7 is a plan view of a transparent orthodontic device including a second type of interdental area thickness reinforcing member of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 8 is a plan view of a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental area thickness reinforcing member of the third form of the present invention.

[0034] Fig. 9 (a) is a drawing showing a general transparent orthodontic device, and Fig. 9 (b) is a drawing showing a transparent orthodontic device with an adjusted margin line according to the present invention.

[0035] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC' of Figure 9(b).

[0036] FIG. 11 is a drawing for explaining an experiment to compare a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental region thickness reinforcing part according to one embodiment of the present invention with a conventional transparent orthodontic device not including an interdental region thickness reinforcing part.

[0037] Figure 12 is a drawing showing the experimental results of Figure 11.

[0038] FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective views of a transparent orthodontic device including a strength-reinforcing rib according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figures 15 (a) and (b) are the DD' cross-sectional view and the EE' cross-sectional view of Figure 13, respectively.

[0040] Fig. 16 (a) is a plan view of a typical transparent orthodontic device, and Fig. 16 (b) is a plan view of a transparent orthodontic device including a strength-reinforcing rib according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 17 is a front view of a transparent orthodontic device including a strength-reinforcing rib according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 18 is a rear view of a transparent orthodontic device including a strength-reinforcing rib according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Fig. 19 (a) is a drawing showing a general transparent orthodontic device, and Fig. 19 (b) is a drawing showing a transparent orthodontic device with an adjusted margin line according to the present invention.

[0044] Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF' of Figure 19(b).

[0045] FIG. 21 is a drawing for explaining an experiment to compare a transparent orthodontic device including a strength-reinforcing rib according to another embodiment of the present invention with a conventional transparent orthodontic device not including a strength-reinforcing rib.

[0046] Figure 22 is a drawing showing the experimental results of Figure 21.

[0047] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in various different forms and is therefore not limited to the embodiments described herein. In the drawings, irrelevant parts have been omitted for clarity of description, and similar parts have been designated with similar reference numerals throughout the specification.

[0048] Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected" to another part, this includes not only "directly connected" but also "indirectly connected" with other elements intervening. Furthermore, when a part is said to "include" a component, this does not exclude other components, but rather implies that the other components may be included, unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0049] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0050] FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental region thickness reinforcing portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are cross-sectional views taken along lines AA' and BB' of FIG. 1, respectively, FIG. 4(a) is a plan view of a typical transparent orthodontic device, FIG. 4(b) is a plan view of a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental region thickness reinforcing portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a front view of a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental region thickness reinforcing portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a rear view of a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental region thickness reinforcing portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] The transparent orthodontic device (10) of the present invention can be manufactured by setting virtual treatment object data based on initial data of the patient's teeth, and then generating intermediate data for each step so that the teeth can be gradually moved from the initial position to the target position, and indirectly or directly outputting the intermediate data and target data for each step. Orthodontic dentition data, such as the intermediate data and target data, can be acquired through three-dimensional image software from images of the patient's teeth obtained through impression taking, CT, 3D scanning, etc. That is, the orthodontic dentition data can be three-dimensional image data. The orthodontic dentition data can include at least one of maxillary dentition data and mandibular dentition data. For example, when the orthodontic teeth that have undergone tooth movement through orthodontic treatment are only the maxillary dentition, the orthodontic dentition data can be composed of only maxillary dentition data, and when the orthodontic teeth that have undergone tooth movement through orthodontic treatment are only the mandibular dentition, the orthodontic dentition data can be composed of only mandibular dentition data.

[0052] An indirect printing method is a method of manufacturing a tooth model through an oral scan or impression taking, and manufacturing a transparent aligner by pressing a polymer sheet onto the tooth model. More specifically, the indirect printing method may include a step of manufacturing a tooth model through an oral scan or impression taking, a step of placing a polymer sheet on the tooth model, and a step of heating the polymer sheet so that the polymer sheet substantially conforms to the shape of the tooth model, thereby manufacturing a transparent aligner. In one embodiment, the thermoforming may use a vacuum to facilitate conformation of the heated polymer sheet to the tooth model.

[0053] The direct output method is to obtain orthodontic dentition data through an oral scan, design a transparent orthodontic device, and directly manufacture the transparent orthodontic device. More specifically, the direct output method may include a step of obtaining orthodontic dentition data through an oral scan, a step of designing a transparent orthodontic device on a computer using the obtained orthodontic dentition data, and a step of directly outputting the designed transparent orthodontic device through a 3D device such as a 3D printer. That is, the transparent orthodontic device according to the direct output method can be manufactured through a 3D device such as a 3D printer. In this way, the direct output method of directly outputting the transparent orthodontic device using a 3D device can simplify the device manufacturing process through the use of software, improve precision by eliminating manual work, and prevent unnecessary material consumption.

[0054] It will be apparent that the transparent correction device (10) according to various embodiments of the present invention is not limited to the above-described methods and can be manufactured through various known methods.

[0055] Meanwhile, the transparent orthodontic device (10) can be used for various orthodontic cases, such as expansion, retraction, extrusion, intrusion, and rotation, to wrap the mandibular or maxillary teeth to be corrected and arrange them from the initial position to the target position. That is, the transparent orthodontic device (10) is used by being placed over the patient's teeth, and multiple units can be manufactured and used for each stage of the treatment plan, taking into account the maximum amount of movement of the teeth requiring correction.

[0056] The transparent orthodontic device (10) can be formed into a shape corresponding to the middle or target position of the teeth, and the internal shape of the transparent orthodontic device (10) that accommodates the teeth can be different from the current position of the teeth. Therefore, when the transparent orthodontic device (10) is worn by a patient, the internal shape of the transparent orthodontic device (10) can be at least partially deformed so as to accommodate the teeth. The deformation of the transparent orthodontic device (10) can induce at least one force among compression, tension, shear, bending, and torsion in one or more portions of the transparent orthodontic device (10), and the force induced by the deformation of the transparent orthodontic device (10) can be transmitted to the teeth.

[0057] The transparent orthodontic device (10) may be made of an elastic material. The elasticity or shape-retaining power of the transparent orthodontic device (10) can provide force in a certain direction to the teeth to be corrected, thereby moving the teeth to be corrected from the initial position to the target position.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the transparent orthodontic device (10) may be formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurethane, and glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate.

[0059] According to another embodiment, the transparent orthodontic device (10) may be made of a polymer material or an elastic polymer. The polymeric material or elastomeric polymer may include, for example, natural polyisoprene such as cis-1,4-polyisoprene natural rubber and trans-1,4-polyisoprene gutta percha, synthetic polyisoprene, polybutadiene, chloroprene rubber, polychloroprene, neoprene, bayprene, butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, nitrile rubber, halogenated nitrile rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, polyacrylic rubber, silicone rubber, fluorosilicone rubber, fluoroelastomer, perfluoroelastomer, polyether block amide, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, thermoplastic elastomer, polysulfide rubber, elastomeric olefin, or combinations thereof. The materials of the above-described transparent orthodontic device (10) are exemplary and not limited thereto. That is, a material having the properties necessary to achieve the function of a transparent orthodontic device (10), such as transparency and elasticity, can be used as a material of the transparent orthodontic device (10).

[0060] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, a transparent orthodontic device (10) according to the present invention is for moving a tooth to be corrected to a target position, and may include a transparent orthodontic body (100) configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth in a patient's maxillary dental arch or mandibular dental arch. For example, the transparent orthodontic body (100) may be shaped to surround at least one of the buccal (or labial), lingual, and occlusal surfaces of a patient's maxillary dental arch or mandibular dental arch.

[0061] The transparent orthodontic body (100) may include an outer surface (101), an inner surface (102) that comes into contact with teeth, a tooth-receiving cavity (103) defined by the inner surface (102) and configured to accommodate a plurality of teeth, and margin lines (104) formed at both ends of the transparent orthodontic body (100). That is, the transparent orthodontic body (100) is configured to be fitted to a tooth to move the tooth to be corrected from an initial position to a target position for each stage. At this time, the transparent orthodontic body (100) may be provided in a form that reflects the target position so as to enable tooth movement determined for each stage of orthodontic treatment.

[0062] The transparent orthodontic body (100) may include a plurality of tooth shells (110) and a proximal region (PR) thickness reinforcement part.

[0063] Each shell (110) of the plurality of tooth shells (110) may be shaped to accommodate a respective tooth corresponding to one or more of the plurality of teeth. In one example, the transparent orthodontic body (100) may be configured to have a shell (110) for each tooth the same number of times as there are teeth. In another example, the transparent orthodontic body (100) may be configured to have fewer shells (110) than there are teeth. For example, a shell (110) may accommodate one or more teeth, or at least one of the teeth may not be accommodated by the shell (110). In yet another example, the transparent orthodontic body (100) may be configured to have more shells (110) than there are teeth. For example, two or more shells (110) may accommodate one or more teeth, or the transparent orthodontic body (100) may be configured to have an additional shell (110) for a tooth that has not yet erupted.

[0064] The inner surface (102) of each shell (110) can be shaped to contact each tooth at a set location, a set surface area, and / or a set stress on each tooth. The shell (110) can surround at least one of the buccal (or labial), lingual, and occlusal portions of each tooth. In this way, by setting the shape of each shell (110), the clear aligner (10) can control one or more of the forces and directions applied to each tooth.

[0065] The interdental region thickness reinforcing member (120) is intended to at least partially reinforce the thickness of the transparent orthodontic body (100) in the interdental region (PR) between two adjacent shells (110). In the past, the part between the shells (110) placed in the interdental region (PR) between teeth was manufactured in a concave shape, which caused stress to be concentrated in the area and made it vulnerable to fracture. That is, the interdental region thickness reinforcing member (120) can increase the resistance to external force and prevent fracture by increasing the thickness of the interdental region between two adjacent shells (110), which is a fracture-prone area.

[0066] The cross-sectional shape of the interdental region thickness reinforcement (120) may be substantially constant or may vary depending on the length of the interdental region thickness reinforcement (120). The cross-sectional shape of the interdental region thickness reinforcement (120) may include, for example, a circular shape, an oval shape, a polygonal shape, other geometric shapes, or an irregular shape.

[0067] Fig. 7 is a plan view of a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental area thickness reinforcing member according to a second form of the present invention, and Fig. 8 is a plan view of a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental area thickness reinforcing member according to a third form of the present invention.

[0068] In one embodiment, the interdental region thickness reinforcing member (120) may preferably be formed to protrude outwardly from the outer surface (101) of the transparent orthodontic body (100). For example, the interdental region thickness reinforcing member (120) may be formed on a part or the entirety of the outer outer surface (101a) and a part or the entirety of the inner outer surface (101b) of the outer surface (101), as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6 . Here, the outer outer surface (101a) may be a buccal surface or a labial surface, and the inner outer surface (101b) may be a lingual surface. Alternatively, for example, the interdental region thickness reinforcing member (120) may be formed on only a part or the entirety of the outer outer surface (101a) of the outer surface (101), as illustrated in FIG. 7 . Or, for example, the interdental region thickness reinforcement part (120) may be formed only on a part or the entire inner outer surface (101b) of the outer surface (101) of the transparent orthodontic body (100), as illustrated in FIG. 8. Or, for example, the interdental region thickness reinforcement part (120) may be formed only on the interdental region (PR) around the canine teeth (cuspid teeth), which are located in the most convex curvature area of ​​the dental arch and thus have a high possibility of fracture.

[0069] In one embodiment, the interdental region thickness reinforcing member (120) may be set to be located between the gingival first end (E1) and the occlusal second end (E2) in the interdental region (PR). Alternatively, the interdental region thickness reinforcing member (10) may be set to be located at the gingival first end (E1) in the interdental region. Alternatively, the interdental region thickness reinforcing member (120) may be set to be located at the occlusal second end (E2) in the interdental region (PR). Alternatively, the interdental region thickness reinforcing member (120) may be formed to extend from the gingival first end (E1) to the occlusal second end (E2).

[0070] More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the interdental region thickness reinforcement (120) may be formed at a location where an imaginary line (AL) connecting the maximum contours (height of contour) of the shells (110) accommodating each tooth intersects an interdental line (PL) between two adjacent shells (110). The maximum contour of a tooth is a location on the tooth that is furthest from the root axis line and has the maximum amount of curvature or convexity. When the transparent orthodontic device (10) is worn by a patient, the maximum contour of each of the shells (110) may be positioned at a location corresponding to the maximum contour of each tooth. As the interdental area thickness reinforcing portion (120) is partially formed at the location where the virtual line (AL) connecting the maximum fusion areas of the shells (110) and the interdental line (PL) between two adjacent shells (110) intersect, the foreign body sensation felt by the patient can be minimized while considering aesthetics, and the strength of the interdental area (PR) can be efficiently reinforced while reducing waste of the material forming the interdental area (PR).

[0071] In one embodiment, the interdental region thickness reinforcing portion (120) may be formed to partially extend from the interdental region (PR) toward the shells (110) on both sides, but each interdental region thickness reinforcing portion (120) may be formed to be separate from and not connected to each other. That is, the interdental region thickness reinforcing portion (120) may be smoothly connected to the shells (110) on both sides while extending to the shells (110), and thus, stress that may be applied to a fracture-vulnerable area during attachment / detachment or handling of the transparent orthodontic device may be easily distributed throughout the entire transparent orthodontic body (100).

[0072] The interdental region thickness reinforcement member (120) may comprise any suitable material. In some examples, the interdental region thickness reinforcement member (120) and the transparent orthodontic body (100) may be formed from a single material. In some examples, the interdental region thickness reinforcement member (120) and the transparent orthodontic body (100) may be formed integrally through direct output using a 3D device such as a 3D printer.

[0073] In one embodiment, the interdental region thickness reinforcement (120) may be formed of a material having different strength properties than the shell (110). For example, the interdental region thickness reinforcement (120) may be formed of a material having a higher elastic modulus than the shell (110) to increase the strength of the transparent orthodontic body (100) in the interdental region (PR) compared to the adjacent portion.

[0074] Fig. 9 (a) is a drawing showing a general transparent orthodontic device, Fig. 9 (b) is a drawing showing a transparent orthodontic device with an adjusted margin line according to the present invention, and Fig. 10 is a CC' cross-sectional view of Fig. 9 (b).

[0075] As shown in (a) of Fig. 9, a typical transparent orthodontic device (1) can cover teeth by setting the gingival margin, which is the boundary between the gums and the teeth, as a margin line (3) for aesthetic purposes. This transparent orthodontic device (1) forms a deep margin line (3) in which the depth of the valley (4) between the shells (2) and the shells (2) is deep. However, in the transparent orthodontic device (1) that forms a deep margin line (3) in which the depth of the valley (3a) between the shells (2) and the shells (2) is deep, stress is concentrated in the valley (3a) between the shells (2) and the shells (2) (particularly, the valley in the premolar area) during the process of attachment and removal and handling, and the valley (3a) area may be vulnerable to fracture.

[0076] Accordingly, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 9, the transparent orthodontic device (10) according to the present invention may further include a margin line reinforcement part (130) configured to at least partially cover the gingiva beyond the gingival margin, which is the boundary between the patient's gingiva and teeth.

[0077] In one embodiment, the margin line reinforcement part (130) may be configured to cover the interdental papilla area, which is the gingiva between each tooth. Accordingly, the transparent orthodontic body (100) according to the present invention can form a margin line (104) in which the depth of the valley (104a) between the shells (110) is adjusted. That is, the depth of the valley (104a) between the shells (110) in the margin line (104) of the transparent orthodontic body (100) can be variously adjusted according to the stage of orthodontic treatment. For example, the transparent orthodontic body (100) may include the margin line reinforcement part (130), but may be configured to have a relatively shallow margin line (104) compared to a general transparent orthodontic device (1), as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 9 .

[0078] In this way, the transparent orthodontic body (100) according to the present invention further includes a margin line reinforcement part (130) to form a margin line (104) in which the depth of the valley (104a) between the shells (110) is adjusted, thereby preventing the problem of stress being concentrated in the valley (104a) between the shells (110) (particularly, the valley in the premolar area).

[0079] In addition, referring to FIG. 9 (b) and FIG. 10, the margin line reinforcement part (130) may be formed to have a relatively thick thickness at the edge portion. For example, the edge portion of the margin line reinforcement part (130) may be formed to have a continuously connected cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section. That is, the transparent orthodontic device (10) can prevent breakage of the transparent orthodontic device (10) and effectively transmit corrective force as the thickness of the margin line is reinforced. FIG. 11 is a drawing for explaining an experiment for comparing a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental region thickness reinforcement part according to an embodiment of the present invention with a conventional transparent orthodontic device not including an interdental region thickness reinforcement part, and FIG. 12 is a drawing showing the results of the experiment of FIG. 11.

[0080] Referring to Fig. 11, Experiment 1 simulates a compression situation for a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental region thickness reinforcement part and a conventional transparent orthodontic device not including an interdental region thickness reinforcement part, and Experiment 2 simulates a torsion situation for a transparent orthodontic device including an interdental region thickness reinforcement part and a conventional transparent orthodontic device not including an interdental region thickness reinforcement part.

[0081] Experiment 1 (compressive situation) and Experiment 2 (torsional situation) were simulated using Abaqus finite element modeling software (Dassault Systems, Vélizy-Villacoublay, France), and the stress and maximum stress occurring in the fracture-vulnerable area (the area connecting one premolar-anterior-premolar on the other side) of the clear aligner in compressive and torsional situations were analyzed.

[0082] First, in Experiment 1 (compressive situation), the position of the shell (110) accommodating one molar (e.g., teeth 16 and 17) was fixed for the transparent orthodontic device model in the software, and a movement amount of 5 mm in the lingual direction was applied to the shell (110) accommodating the other molar (e.g., teeth 26 and 27). Referring to Fig. 12, in Experiment 1 (compressive situation), the conventional transparent orthodontic device (comparative example) that does not include an interdental region thickness reinforcement part was interpreted to exhibit a maximum compressive strength of 22.51 MPa at the fracture-vulnerable area, and the transparent orthodontic device (exemplary example) including an interdental region thickness reinforcement part was interpreted to exhibit a maximum compressive strength of 40.35 MPa at the fracture-vulnerable area. That is, it was confirmed that the transparent orthodontic device including an interdental region thickness reinforcement part according to the present invention had a maximum compressive strength that increased by approximately 79% compared to the transparent orthodontic device that did not include an interdental region thickness reinforcement part.

[0083] In Experiment 2 (torsion situation), the position of the shell (110) accommodating one molar (e.g., teeth 16 and 17) was fixed for the transparent orthodontic device model in the software, and a movement amount of 20 mm in the occlusal direction was applied to the shell (110) accommodating the other molar (e.g., teeth 26 and 27). Referring to Fig. 12, in Experiment 2 (torsion situation), the conventional transparent orthodontic device (comparative example) that does not include an interdental region thickness reinforcement was interpreted to exhibit a maximum compressive strength of 21.06 MPa at the fracture-vulnerable area, and the transparent orthodontic device (exemplary example) including an interdental region thickness reinforcement was interpreted to exhibit a maximum compressive strength of 39.09 MPa at the fracture-vulnerable area. That is, it was confirmed that the transparent orthodontic device including an interdental region thickness reinforcement according to the present invention had a maximum compressive strength that increased by approximately 86% compared to the transparent orthodontic device that did not include an interdental region thickness reinforcement.

[0084] In this way, the transparent orthodontic device according to the present invention includes an interdental region thickness reinforcing portion that reinforces the thickness of the transparent orthodontic body (100) in the interdental region (PR), which is a fracture-prone area, thereby reducing the risk of fracture due to external forces such as compressive force, tensile force, and torsion, and improving the strength of the transparent orthodontic device.

[0085]

[0086] FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective views of a transparent orthodontic device including a strength-reinforcing rib according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b) are cross-sectional views taken along line AA' and line BB' of FIG. 13, respectively, FIG. 16(a) is a plan view of a typical transparent orthodontic device, FIG. 16(b) is a plan view of a transparent orthodontic device including a strength-reinforcing rib according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 17 is a front view of a transparent orthodontic device including a strength-reinforcing rib according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 18 is a rear view of a transparent orthodontic device including a strength-reinforcing rib according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0087] Referring to FIGS. 13 to 18, a transparent orthodontic device (40) according to the present invention is for moving a tooth to be corrected to a target position, and may include a transparent orthodontic body (200) configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth in the maxillary dental arch or the mandibular dental arch of a patient. For example, the transparent orthodontic body (200) may be shaped to surround at least one of the buccal (or labial), lingual, and occlusal surfaces of the maxillary dental arch or the mandibular dental arch of a patient.

[0088] The transparent orthodontic body (200) may include an outer surface (201), an inner surface (202) that comes into contact with teeth, a tooth-receiving cavity (203) defined by the inner surface (202) and configured to accommodate a plurality of teeth, and margin lines (204) formed at both ends of the transparent orthodontic body (200). That is, the transparent orthodontic body (200) is configured to be fitted to a tooth to move the tooth to be corrected from an initial position to a target position for each stage. At this time, the transparent orthodontic body (200) may be provided in a form that reflects the target position so as to enable tooth movement determined for each stage of orthodontic treatment.

[0089] The transparent orthodontic body (200) may include a plurality of tooth shells (210) and strength reinforcing ribs (220).

[0090] Each shell (210) of the plurality of tooth shells (210) may be shaped to accommodate a respective tooth corresponding to one or more of the plurality of teeth. In one example, the transparent orthodontic body (200) may be configured to have a number of shells (210) for each tooth equal to the number of teeth. In another example, the transparent orthodontic body (200) may be configured to have fewer shells (210) than teeth. For example, a shell (210) may accommodate more than one tooth, or at least one of the teeth may not be accommodated by the shell (210). In yet another example, the transparent orthodontic body (200) may be configured to have more shells (210) than teeth. For example, two or more shells (210) may accommodate more than one tooth, or the transparent orthodontic body (200) may be configured to have an additional shell (210) for a tooth that has not yet erupted.

[0091] The inner surface (202) of each shell (210) can be shaped to contact each tooth at a set location, a set surface area, and / or a set stress on each tooth. The shell (210) can surround at least one of the buccal (or labial), lingual, and occlusal portions of each tooth. In this way, by shaping each shell (110), the clear aligner (40) can control one or more of the forces and directions applied to each tooth.

[0092] The strength reinforcing rib (220) is intended to reinforce the thickness of the transparent orthodontic body (200) on the outer surface (201) of at least two adjacent shells (210). The strength reinforcing rib (220) may be formed to be continuously connected along the dental arch line on the outer surface (201) of at least two adjacent shells (210). Here, the thickness of the strength reinforcing rib (220) may be formed to be relatively thicker in the proximal region (PR) between the two adjacent shells (210).

[0093] In the past, there was a problem in that the shells (210) placed in the interdental area between the teeth were manufactured in a concave shape, which caused stress to be concentrated in that area and made it vulnerable to fracture. That is, the strength-reinforcing rib (220) can increase the resistance to external force and prevent fracture by at least partially increasing the thickness of the transparent orthodontic body (200) along the dental arch line, including the interdental area between two adjacent shells (210), which is a region vulnerable to fracture.

[0094] The cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing rib (220) may be substantially constant or may vary along the length of the reinforcing rib (220). The cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing rib (220) may include, for example, a circular shape, an oval shape, a polygonal shape, other geometric shapes, or an irregular shape.

[0095] In one embodiment, the reinforcing rib (220) may be preferably formed to protrude outwardly from the outer surface (201) of the transparent orthodontic body (200). For example, the reinforcing rib (220) may be formed on a part or the entirety of the outer outer surface (201a) and a part or the entirety of the inner outer surface (201b) among the outer surfaces (201), as illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 18. Here, the outer outer surface (201a) may be a buccal surface or a labial surface, and the inner outer surface (201b) may be a lingual surface. Alternatively, for example, the reinforcing rib (220) may be formed only on a part or the entirety of the outer outer surface (201a) among the outer surfaces (201). Or, for example, the reinforcing rib (220) may be formed only on a part or the entire inner outer surface (201b) of the outer surface (201) of the transparent orthodontic body (200). Or, for example, the reinforcing rib (220) may be formed only on the outer surface (201) around the canine teeth (cuspid teeth) that are located in the most convex curvature area of ​​the dental arch and thus have a high risk of fracture.

[0096] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the transparent orthodontic body (200) may include a first strength reinforcing rib (220a), a second strength reinforcing rib (220b), and one or more third strength reinforcing ribs (220c).

[0097] More specifically, the transparent orthodontic body (200) may include a first strength reinforcing rib (220a) extending continuously along the buccal surface and the labial surface of the transparent orthodontic body (200), a second strength reinforcing rib (220b) extending continuously along the lingual surface of the shell (210) that accommodates the anterior teeth, and one or more third strength reinforcing ribs (220c) extending continuously along the lingual surface of the shell (210) that accommodates the posterior teeth. Here, the second strength reinforcing rib (220b) and the third strength reinforcing rib (220c) may not be connected to each other but may be separated.

[0098] In one embodiment, the reinforcement rib (220) may be set to be located between the occlusal portion and the gingival margin line (204) on the outer surface (201) of the transparent orthodontic body (200). In addition, the reinforcement rib (220) may be formed so that its thickness gradually decreases from the outer surface (201) of the transparent orthodontic body (200) toward the occlusal portion or the gingival margin line (204). If the reinforcement rib (220) is formed to extend from the outer surface (201) of the transparent orthodontic body (200) to cover the occlusal portion and the gingival margin line (204), when the transparent orthodontic device (40) is worn by the patient, it may cause an excessive foreign body sensation to the patient, and the attachment and detachment of the transparent orthodontic device (40) may not be easy due to the increased thickness caused by the reinforcement rib (220) at the occlusal portion and the gingival margin line (204).

[0099] More specifically, the reinforcing rib (220) may be formed along an imaginary line connecting the maximum contours (height of contour) of the shells (210) that accommodate the respective teeth. The maximum contour of a tooth is the location on the tooth that is furthest from the root axis line and has the greatest amount of curvature or convexity. When the transparent aligner (40) is worn by a patient, the maximum contour of each of the shells (210) may be positioned at a location corresponding to the maximum contour of the respective tooth. Since the reinforcing rib (220) is formed at least partially along an imaginary line connecting the maximum contours of the shells (210), the foreign body sensation felt by the patient can be minimized while considering aesthetics, and the strength of the fracture-prone area can be efficiently reinforced.

[0100] The reinforcing rib (220) may comprise any suitable material. In some examples, the reinforcing rib (220) and the transparent orthodontic body (200) may be formed from a single material. In some examples, the reinforcing rib (220) and the transparent orthodontic body (200) may be formed integrally through direct output using a 3D device such as a 3D printer.

[0101] In one embodiment, the reinforcing rib (220) may be formed of a material having different strength properties than the shell (210). For example, the reinforcing rib (220) may be formed of a material having a higher elastic modulus than the shell (210) to increase the strength of the transparent aligner body (200), including the interdental area.

[0102] Fig. 19 (a) is a drawing showing a general transparent orthodontic device, Fig. 19 (b) is a drawing showing a transparent orthodontic device with an adjusted margin line according to the present invention, and Fig. 20 is a FF' cross-sectional view of Fig. 19 (b).

[0103] As shown in (a) of Fig. 19, a typical transparent orthodontic device (1) can cover teeth by setting the gingival margin, which is the boundary between the gums and the teeth, as a margin line (3) for aesthetic purposes. This transparent orthodontic device (1) forms a deep margin line (3) of the bone (3a) between the shells (2) and the shells (2). However, in the transparent orthodontic device (1) that forms a deep margin line (3) of the bone (3a) between the shells (2) and the shells (2), stress is concentrated on the bone (3a) between the shells (2) (particularly, the bone in the premolar area) during the process of attachment and removal and handling, and the bone (3a) area may be vulnerable to fracture.

[0104] Accordingly, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 19, the transparent orthodontic device (40) according to the present invention may further include a margin line reinforcement part (230) configured to at least partially cover the gingiva beyond the gingival margin, which is the boundary between the patient's gingiva and teeth.

[0105] In one embodiment, the margin line reinforcement part (230) may be configured to cover the interdental papilla area, which is the gingiva between each tooth. Accordingly, the transparent orthodontic body (200) according to the present invention can form a margin line (204) in which the depth of the valley (204a) between the shells (210) is adjusted. That is, the depth of the valley (204a) between the shells (210) in the margin line (204) of the transparent orthodontic body (200) can be variously adjusted according to the stage of orthodontic treatment. For example, the transparent orthodontic body (200) may include the margin line reinforcement part (230), but may be configured to have a relatively shallow margin line (204) compared to a general transparent orthodontic device (1), as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 19.

[0106] In this way, the transparent orthodontic body (200) according to the present invention further includes a margin line reinforcement part (230) to form a margin line (204) in which the depth of the valley (204a) between the shells (210) is adjusted, thereby preventing the problem of stress being concentrated in the valley (204a) between the shells (210) (particularly, the valley in the premolar area).

[0107] In addition, referring to (b) of FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, the margin line reinforcement part (230) may be formed to have a relatively thicker thickness at the edge portion. For example, the edge portion of the margin line reinforcement part (230) may be formed to have a continuous cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section. That is, as the thickness of the margin line is reinforced, the transparent orthodontic device (40) can prevent breakage of the transparent orthodontic device (40) and effectively transmit corrective force.

[0108] FIG. 21 is a drawing for explaining an experiment for comparing a transparent orthodontic device including a strength-reinforcing rib according to another embodiment of the present invention with a conventional transparent orthodontic device not including a strength-reinforcing rib, and FIG. 22 is a drawing showing the results of the experiment of FIG. 21.

[0109] Referring to Fig. 21, Experiment 3 simulates a compression situation for a transparent orthodontic device including a strength-reinforcing rib and a conventional transparent orthodontic device not including a strength-reinforcing rib, and Experiment 4 simulates a torsional situation for a transparent orthodontic device including a strength-reinforcing rib and a conventional transparent orthodontic device not including a strength-reinforcing rib.

[0110] Experiment 3 (compressive situation) and Experiment 4 (torsional situation) were simulated using Abaqus finite element modeling software (Dassault Systems, Vélizy-Villacoublay, France), and the stress and maximum stress occurring in the fracture-vulnerable area (the area connecting one premolar-anterior-premolar on the other side) of the clear aligner in compressive and torsional situations were analyzed.

[0111] First, in Experiment 3 (compressive situation), the position of the shell accommodating one molar (e.g., teeth 16 and 17) was fixed for the transparent aligner model in the software, and a 5 mm movement in the lingual direction was applied to the shell accommodating the other molar (e.g., teeth 26 and 27). Referring to Fig. 20, in Experiment 3 (compressive situation), the conventional transparent aligner (comparative example) without strength-reinforcing ribs was interpreted to exhibit a maximum compressive strength of 22.51 MPa at the fracture-vulnerable area, and the transparent aligner (exemplary example) including strength-reinforcing ribs was interpreted to exhibit a maximum compressive strength of 34.58 MPa at the fracture-vulnerable area. That is, it was confirmed that the transparent aligner including strength-reinforcing ribs according to the present invention had a maximum compressive strength that was approximately 54% higher than that of the transparent aligner not including strength-reinforcing ribs.

[0112] In Experiment 4 (torsion situation), the position of the shell accommodating one molar (e.g., teeth 16 and 17) was fixed for the transparent aligner model in the software, and the shell accommodating the other molar (e.g., teeth 26 and 27) was moved 20 mm in the occlusal direction. Referring to Fig. 20, in Experiment 4 (torsion situation), the conventional transparent aligner (comparative example) without reinforcing ribs was interpreted to exhibit a maximum compressive strength of 21.06 MPa at the fracture-vulnerable area, and the transparent aligner (exemplary example) including reinforcing ribs was interpreted to exhibit a maximum compressive strength of 32.20 MPa at the fracture-vulnerable area. That is, it was confirmed that the transparent aligner including reinforcing ribs according to the present invention had a maximum compressive strength that was approximately 53% higher than that of the transparent aligner not including reinforcing ribs.

[0113] In this way, the transparent orthodontic device according to the present invention includes a strength reinforcing rib that reinforces the thickness along the dental arch line of the transparent orthodontic body, including the interdental area, which is a fracture-vulnerable area, thereby reducing the risk of fracture due to external forces such as compressive force, tensile force, and torsion, and improving the strength of the transparent orthodontic device.

[0114] The foregoing description of the present invention is for illustrative purposes only, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention can be readily modified into other specific forms without altering the technical spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single entity may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined manner.

[0115] The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims described below, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

[0116] Description of the symbol

[0117] 10, 20, 30, 40 transparent orthodontic devices

[0118] 100, 200 transparent correction body

[0119] 101, 201External surface

[0120] 102, 202Inner surface

[0121] 103, 203 tooth receiving cavity

[0122] 104, 204 margin lines

[0123] 110, 210 shells

[0124] 120-tooth area thickness reinforcement

[0125] 130, 230 margin line reinforcement

[0126] 220-strength reinforced rib

[0127] 220a first strength reinforcing rib

[0128] 220b second strength reinforcing rib

[0129] 220c third strength reinforcement rib

Claims

1. A transparent orthodontic device for moving the teeth to be corrected to the target position. It includes a transparent orthodontic body configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth according to the shape of the patient's dental arch, The above transparent orthodontic body is, A shell shaped to accommodate each tooth corresponding to one or more of the plurality of teeth; and A transparent orthodontic device comprising an interdental region thickness reinforcing member for reinforcing the thickness of the transparent orthodontic body at least partially in the proximal region between two adjacent shells.

2. In paragraph 1, A transparent orthodontic device characterized in that the interdental area thickness reinforcing portion is formed to protrude outward from the outer surface of the transparent orthodontic body.

3. In paragraph 2, A transparent orthodontic device, characterized in that the interdental area thickness reinforcing part is located between the first end on the gingival side and the second end on the occlusal side in the interdental area.

4. In paragraph 1, A transparent orthodontic device characterized in that the interdental area thickness reinforcement part is formed at a position where an imaginary line connecting the maximum fusion areas of shells accommodating each tooth intersects an interdental line between two adjacent shells.

5. In paragraph 1, A transparent orthodontic device characterized in that the interdental area thickness reinforcement part and the transparent orthodontic body are formed integrally by a direct output method.

6. In paragraph 1, A transparent orthodontic device characterized in that the interdental region thickness reinforcing portion partially extends in the interdental region in the shell direction on both sides, and each of the interdental region thickness reinforcing portions is not connected to each other but is separate.

7. In paragraph 1, A transparent orthodontic device characterized in that the above transparent orthodontic body further includes a margin line reinforcement configured to at least partially cover the gingiva beyond the gingival margin, which is the boundary between the patient's gingiva and the teeth.

8. As a transparent orthodontic device for moving the teeth to be corrected to the target position, It includes a transparent orthodontic body configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth according to the shape of the patient's dental arch, The above transparent orthodontic body is, A shell shaped to accommodate each tooth corresponding to one or more of the plurality of teeth; and A transparent orthodontic device comprising a strength reinforcing rib formed continuously along the dental arch line to reinforce the thickness of the transparent orthodontic body on the outer surface of at least two adjacent shells.

9. In paragraph 8, A transparent orthodontic device, characterized in that the above-mentioned strength reinforcing ribs are formed to protrude outward from the outer surface of the transparent orthodontic body.

10. In paragraph 9, A transparent orthodontic device characterized in that the above-mentioned strength reinforcing ribs are formed along an imaginary line connecting the maximum fusion portions of shells that accommodate each tooth.

11. In paragraph 9, A transparent orthodontic device characterized in that the thickness of the above-mentioned reinforcing rib is relatively thicker in the proximal region between two adjacent shells.

12. In paragraph 9, A transparent orthodontic device characterized in that the above strength reinforcing ribs are formed in at least one row on the outer surface of the transparent orthodontic body.

13. In paragraph 9, The above transparent orthodontic body is, A first strength reinforcing rib extending continuously along the buccal surface and the labial surface of the above transparent orthodontic body; A second reinforcing rib extending continuously along the lateral surface of the shell accommodating the anterior portion; and A transparent orthodontic device characterized by including at least one third reinforcing rib extending continuously along the lingual surface of a shell that accommodates the molar portion.

14. In paragraph 8, A transparent orthodontic device characterized in that the above-mentioned strength reinforcing rib and the above-mentioned transparent orthodontic body are formed integrally by a direct output method.

15. In paragraph 8, A transparent orthodontic device characterized in that the above transparent orthodontic body further includes a margin line reinforcement configured to at least partially cover the gingiva beyond the gingival margin, which is the boundary between the patient's gingiva and the teeth.

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