465 results about "Dental appliances" patented technology

Systems and methods support dental implant patient scheduling and treatment process relating to packaging one or more dental appliances as a kit which is readily used by dental professional during surgery, by communicating manufacturing progress information with a doctor over a network and performing patient scheduling and treatment when the dental appliances reach a certain manufacturing progress. A network-based service may also provide a doctor with a treatment solution including a surgical kit derived from patient data.

Detection of placement of dental aligners in patient mouth on teeth for indication of wearing compliance. Described herein are apparatuses and methods for detecting wearing, including compliance, and for reliably transferring data, by wired or wireless direct or indirect communication of electronic compliance information to a smartphone. Also described herein are dental appliances that can detect physiological parameters related to respiration and sleep. Also described herein are aligner cases that enable NFC communication with electronic compliance indicator (ECI) devices and Bluetooth communication with smartphones.

A dental appliance having an integrally formed reservoir and/or an ornamental design integrated thereon. The ornamental design can be selected or customized by a patient. The design can be created by directing energy to the dental appliance to alter a material property of at least a portion of the appliance to create the design. Alternatively, a groove or recess can be formed on a surface of the appliance to either mechanically retain an ornamental design or the groove or recess can be filled with ink to form the design. The appliance, including the integrally formed reservoir, can be formed using direct fabrication techniques.

An improved dental appliance system, and methods for using and fabricating the improved appliance, including a polymeric overlay or shell having a teeth-receiving cavity formed therein and a wire mounted on or embedded in the polymeric shell. The dental appliance having the necessary stiffness or strength to firmly secure the appliance on the teeth and provide controlled forces required for repositioning the teeth, until such time as removal of the appliance is desired. The appliance may be configured for use with a removal mechanisim. The removal mechanism undergoes a state change stimulated by an environmental stimulus or environmental switch.

A dental appliance having an integrally formed reservoir and/or an ornamental design integrated thereon. The ornamental design can be selected or customized by a patient. The design can be created by directing energy to the dental appliance to alter a material property of at least a portion of the appliance to create the design. Alternatively, a groove or recess can be formed on a surface of the appliance to either mechanically retain an ornamental design or the groove or recess can be filled with ink to form the design. The appliance, including the integrally formed reservoir, can be formed using direct fabrication techniques.

Traditional orthodontic treatment often involves the use of basic repositioning devices, such as braces, and the use of supplementary devices, components or accessories to achieve desired end results. Such components may be mounted on fixed, non-removable devices or they may be part of a removable appliance typically worn prior to the application of the fixed devices. As with traditional treatment, it may be desired to utilize similar components when repositioning teeth with removable elastic repositioning appliances. Due to the nature of elastic appliances, such components may take a variety of forms ranging from readily available traditional accessories to specially created devices. Thus, traditional components may be mounted on or embedded in an elastic appliance, or the appliance may be formed to provide similar components. Likewise, the appliance may be modified to provide additional features for specific orthodontic treatments.

A combination placement tool and light device (10, 50) is disclosed which allows the dentist or surgeon to hold a dental appliance with a vacuum supplied to a flexible skirt (18, 90), position the dental appliance, and then tack the dental appliance in place with a light source (28, 60, 62) using light activated adhesive. The device (10, 50) can also be used to provide a full cure. The device (10, 50) can also have a source of drying air to aid the procedure. The device (50) can be used with a disposable molded acrylic collimator (76).

Method and apparatus for registering an object of known predetermined geometry to scanned three dimensional data such that the object's location may be verified. Such a known object may comprise a less than ideal three-dimensional (3-D) digital object such as a tooth, a dental appliance (e.g., as a tooth bracket model) or other like object, including portions thereof. Knowledge of such an object's location is generally helpful in planning orthodontic treatment, particularly where the location of the object needs to be determined or confirmed or where incomplete or poor scan data is obtained. Aspects of the present invention provide methods of effectively verifying dental appliance location and displaying appliance locations using a computer and three-dimensional models of teeth.

A digitally-based method is described for the design and production of customized removable dental appliances. The plastic component of custom appliances is designed using software, and milled directly over a plaster model of the dentition. A patient's upper, lower, and bite-registered arches are digitized, registered to a bite or centric occlusion position, and articulated in software using either an average geometry or the geometry of a specific articulator. Appliance design is performed by defining the desired plastic surfaces and margins as dictated by the relative movement and positions of the arches as functionally required for a specific appliance. Standard CAM software is used to read the design file and command a multiaxis machine center to mill the plastic while directly on a plaster model.

A method for electrophoretic deposition of ceramic particles as a green body shaped as a dental appliance, the method comprising the steps of (a) forming a suspension of the ceramic particles in a first polar solvent, the ceramic particles constituting at least about 5% of the first suspension by weight; (b) passing a direct electrical current through the first suspension, using a deposition electrode shaped as the dental appliance to form a green body; (c) coating the green body with glass particles; and (d) sintering the resultant coated body for obtaining a glass coated all-ceramic dental appliance.

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture is disclosed for providing a dental crowns using electronic models, and more particularly to a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for creating dental crowns using a lost-wax manufacturing process from electronic model files corresponding to patient teeth impressions and corresponding electronic models for tooth crowns. The system and method permit the electronic generation and specification of crown, bridge, and implant dental appliances that may be specified in an industry standard file specification. This specification is utilized in a rapid prototyping process to generate a wax impression for the appliance that may then be fabricated using standard lost-wax fabrication techniques.

A removable magnetic dental appliance is provided. The magnetic dental appliance can be used in the treatment of various conditions, including but not limited to, snoring, sleep apnea, some forms of temporomandibular joint pain or inflammation, myofascial pain or bruxism. The appliance comprises an upper arch attachment member and a lower arch attachment member, each for removably engaging at least a portion of the dentition. A magnetic component is positioned anteriorly on one of the upper arch attachment member or the lower arch attachment member and a magnet-attracted element is provided on the other arch attachment member for magnetic engagement with the magnetic component when the upper and lower arch attachment members are substantially vertically aligned. The appliance uses magnetic force to selectively position the mandible while still permitting movement of the mandible relative to the maxilla for improved comfort. A use of the magnetic dental appliance and a kit comprising the magnetic dental appliance are also provided

Provided herein are orthodontic devices and methods for patients whose orthodontic devices are causing a lisp. The device can comprise an aligner configured to fit over a patient's dental arch and comprising an occlusal surface section positioned over an occlusal surface of the patient's teeth. The aligner can comprise a barrier portion extending laterally and adjacent to a region of the dental arch, the barrier portion allowing the patient's tongue to form a seal against the barrier portion when the patient is speaking while wearing the device.

A new biofeedback modality for the treatment of bruxism. A mildly aversive, safe, liquid is inserted into, and sealed in, small, bilaterally-sleeved, polyethylene capsules. Two capsules are attached to a specially-constructed dental appliance which comfortably and securely places them between the lower and upper teeth. The appliance and capsules are worn at night or at other times when bruxism is suspected to occur. Whenever a sleeping or an awake patient attempts to brux, the capsules rupture and the liquid is released into the mouth. The liquid then draws the patient's conscious attention to, and forestalls, any attempt of teeth clenching or grinding. Variations of the method and device can be used to diagnose bruxism and to sustainably release medications and odor-masking substances into the mouth,.

A dental appliance case for receiving a dental appliance is provided. In some embodiments, the case may include a power source, a sound device, an occupancy sensor, and a processing unit. The sound device may be configured to create an audible alert sound. The occupancy sensor may be operable to detect the presence of a dental appliance. The processing unit may be in electrical communication with the power source, occupancy sensor, and the sound device. The processing unit may be operable to operate the sound device to create an audible alert in response to an electronic communication from the occupancy sensor.