750 results about "Dental arch" patented technology

A computer implemented method of creating a dental model for use in dental articulation includes providing a first set of digital data corresponding to an upper arch image of at least a portion of an upper dental arch of a patient, providing a second set of digital data corresponding to a lower arch image of at least a portion of a lower dental arch of the patient, and providing hinge axis data representative of the spatial orientation of at least one of the upper and lower dental arches relative to a condylar axis of the patient. A reference hinge axis is created relative to the upper and lower arch images based on the hinge axis data. Further, the method may include bite alignment data for use in aligning the lower and upper arch images. Yet further, the method may include providing data associated with condyle geometry of the patient, so as to provide limitations on the movement of at least the lower arch image when the arch images are displayed. Further, a wobbling technique may be used to determine an occlusal position of the lower and upper dental arches. Various computer implemented methods of dental articulation are also described. For example, such dental articulation methods may include moving at least one of the upper and lower arch images to simulate relative movement of one of the upper and lower dental arches of the patient, may include displaying another image with the upper and lower dental arches of the dental articulation model, and / or may include playing back recorded motion of a patient's mandible using the dental articulation model.

Methods, devices and systems for digitizing a patient's arch and manipulating the digital dental arch model. In one variation the methods includes producing a physical arch model for the patient's arch, separating the physical arch model into a plurality of arch model components, mounting the arch model components on a scan plate, capturing one or more images of the arch model components, and developing digital representations of the arch model components using the captured one or more images.

A scanning system that acquires three-dimensional images as an incremental series of fitted three-dimensional data sets is improved by testing for successful incremental fits in real time and providing a variety of visual user cues and process modifications depending upon the relationship of newly acquired data to previously acquired data. The system may be used to aid in error-free completion of three-dimensional scans. The methods and systems described herein may also usefully be employed to scan complex surfaces including occluded or obstructed surfaces by maintaining a continuous three-dimensional scan across separated subsections of the surface. In one useful dentistry application, a full three-dimensional surface scan may be obtained for two dental arches in occlusion.

Methods and systems for anesthetizing a portion or all of a patient's maxillary dental arch using a nasal delivered anesthetizing composition. The process generates anesthesia sufficient for facilitation of operative dentistry, endodontics, periodontics or oral surgery for teeth of the maxillary arch. The dental nasal spray process consists of inserting one or more dispensing devices through the patient's nostril and delivering metered dosages of anesthetic solution or gel into the nasal cavity. The process may utilize a single solution which is a mixture of anesthetic agents, vasoconstricting agents and other physiological inert agents or two separate solutions, wherein one solution contains the vasoconstricting agents and the other solution contains the anesthetic agents. Anesthetic diffusion through the thin walls of the nasal cavity allows for the blocking of nerve impulses originating from the maxillary dentition and surrounding tissues. Anesthesia of specific oral regions such as right versus left sides of the dental arch, anterior versus posterior teeth, and soft tissue anesthesia may be controlled through modification of the dosage volume and the selection of right or left nostril insertion and agent delivery.

An orthodontic appliance for positioning one or more anterior teeth in a jaw of a patient comprising a clear labial component which extends over the labial surfaces of the patient's teeth and which has an anterior portion and a pair of posterior portions on opposite sides of the dental arch. The anterior and posterior portions of the labial component are in direct contact with the exterior surfaces of the teeth so that no other components of the appliance are located between the anterior and posterior portions of the labial component and those exterior surfaces of the teeth. A lingual component is located within the patient's dental arch for supporting the appliance and for applying force to the patient's anterior teeth, the lingual component operating to move the anterior teeth against the anterior portion of the labial component which serves as a reference against which the teeth are positioned.

An orthodontic appliance 1 for promoting development of a dental arch form in a patient who has an underdeveloped dental arch form is disclosed. The appliance 1 includes an arch-shaped base member 2 that is made of a resiliently flexible material, and a teeth engaging member 5 that encloses at least part of the base member 2. The teeth engaging member 5 defines upper and / or lower dental arch receiving channels 46, 47 and is made of a resiliently flexible material that is softer than the base member and is deformable. The appliance 1 has a resting form in which the resilient materials of the base member 2 and the teeth engaging member 5 are in their resting condition. The appliance 1 can be flexed or deformed out of the resting form to fit the underdeveloped dental arch form into the dental arch receiving channel 46, 47. When deformed the appliance 1 exerts a return force that is directed to returning it to its resting form which in use urges the underdeveloped dental arch to expand into a developed dental arch form.

A bonding tray for indirect bonding of orthodontic appliances includes a body adapted to fit over at least a portion of the dental arch. One or more orthodontic appliances are releasably connected to the body, and a photocurable adhesive material extends across the base or bonding pad of each appliance for bonding the appliance to a tooth. An outer surface of the body includes at least one receptacle for removably receiving a source of light in order to facilitate curing the photocurable adhesive material.

A set of orthodontic appliances is releasably connected to wall portions of a bonding tray that is used in an indirect bonding procedure. A quantity of dental sealant is applied to wall portions of the tray, and is subsequently transferred to enamel surfaces of the patient s teeth when the bonding tray is placed in position over one of the patient s dental arches. The dental sealant tends to reduce the formation of plaque in regions of the patient s tooth surfaces adjacent the orthodontic appliances.

The present invention provides an orthodontic appliance including a unitary appliance body positionable about a portion of a single dental arch, where the appliance body may define a lingual portion, a labial-buccal portion, and a contoured portion therebetween. The appliance body may further define an anterior portion and a posterior portion, as well as a first wire coupled to the appliance body, with the first wire extending from the lingual portion of the appliance body to the labial-buccal portion of the appliance body. In addition, a first portion of the first wire may be embedded in the appliance body while a second portion of the first wire extends from the posterior portion of the appliance body. The appliance may further include a second wire disposed about the appliance body between the first wire and the anterior portion of the appliance body. A series of appliances may be used to shift a patient's bite to proper bite orientation.

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 method for determining dental alignment of a 3-dimensional model of one or more teeth of a patient comprises the steps of: (a) obtaining a radiograph of the teeth of the patient; (b) obtaining a digital image from the radiograph indicative of the dental alignment of the teeth relative to a dental arch of the patient; (c) overlaying the 3-dimensional model of the teeth with the digital image obtained from the radiograph; (d) determining vertical and horizontal mis-alignment of the teeth in the 3-dimensional model relative to the digital image obtained from the radiograph; and (e) adjusting the 3-dimensional model to correct for the mis-alignment, thereby producing an adjusted 3-dimensional model of the teeth that is corrected for the vertical and horizontal alignment of the teeth relative to the dental arch.

A method is provided for automatically separating tooth crowns and gingival tissue in a virtual three-dimensional model of teeth and associated anatomical structures. The method orients the model with reference to a plane and automatically determines local maxima of the model and areas bounded by the local maxima. The method automatically determines saddle points between the local maxima in the model, the saddle points corresponding to boundaries between teeth. The method further positions the saddle points along a dental arch form. For each tooth, the method automatically identifies a line or path along the surface of the model linking the saddle points to each other, the path marking a transition between teeth and gingival tissue and between adjacent teeth in the model. The areas bounded by the lines correspond to the tooth crowns; the remainder of the model constitutes the gingival tissue.

An oral care agent delivery device is provided which comprises a permanently deformable backing layer, an oral care layer, and a non-woven binding material with a first part that is substantially invested in the oral care layer and a second part that is substantially invested in the backing layer. The device is sized to fit over a plurality of teeth in an upper or lower dental arch of a subject. The oral care layer comprises at least one oral care agent and at least one hydrophilic polymer. When hydrated, the oral care layer has an adhesiveness relative to the surface of a user's teeth that is sufficient to retain the device on the user's teeth when placed thereon. The device can also have an oral care agent which is activated on hydration of the oral care layer, or an oral care layer which releases the oral care agent over time.

A computer implemented method includes providing a first set of digital data corresponding to an upper arch image of at least a portion of an upper dental arch of a patient, providing a second set of digital data corresponding to a lower arch image of at least a portion of a lower dental arch of the patient, providing bite alignment data representative of the spatial relationship between the upper dental arch and the lower dental arch of the patient, and aligning the upper and lower arch images relative to one another based on the bite alignment data until an aligned upper and lower arch image is attained. The aligned upper and lower arch images are moved towards each other until a first contact point is detected and at least one of the upper and lower arch images is moved relative to the other in one or more directions to a plurality of positions for determining optimal occlusion position of the lower and upper dental arches.

The invention discloses a tooth jaw orthotic device which comprises a first positioner, a second positioner and at least two elastic pieces. The first positioner is detachably mounted on a dental arch of an upper jaw of an oral cavity and is provided with at least two first connecting parts which are fixed on a left cheek side face and a right cheek side face of the first positioner respectively. The second positioner is a detachably mounted on a dental arch of a lower jaw of the oral cavity and is provided with at least two second connecting parts which are fixed on a left cheek side face and a right cheek side face of the second positioner respectively. The elastic pieces are respectively connected with the first positioner and the second positioner which are fixed at the dental arch of the upper jaw and the dental arch of the lower jaw respectively, to be used for driving the second positioner to move relative to the first positioner, so as to adjust a relative position between a lower jaw bone of the second positioner and an upper jaw bone of the first positioner.

Methods and apparatus for producing controlled tooth-moving forces are provided. An orthodontic appliance includes one or more occlusal surface features that modify bite forces between opposing teeth during intercuspation to aid in realignment of the teeth. The interception bite forces can be applied between appliance shells on opposing arches, or between an appliance shell and an opposing tooth. These modified bite forces can be used to supply or augment tooth-moving forces, and the tooth moving forces can produce moments to urge rotational movement of a tooth. Also described herein are orthodontic appliances having an occlusal outer surface contours that are distinct from the occlusal inner surface contour within the dental appliance and may be configured to selectively intercuspate.

Systems and methods for producing a physical tooth model includes receiving a negative impression of a patient's tooth in a casting chamber, pouring a casting material over the negative impression of the patient's tooth, solidifying the casting material wherein the casting material is attached to the lid of the casting chamber, and cutting a tooth portion off the solidified casting material. A reference base is produced in attachment to the lid of the casting chamber. The reference base is configured to mold the physical tooth model.

A method and system for creating three-dimensional models of implant-bearing dental arches, and other anatomical fields of view, employs three-dimensional scanning means to capture images of an anatomical field of view wherein there have been positioned (and preferably affixed to an anatomical feature) one or more three-dimensional recognition objects having a known geometry, such as a pyramid or a linked grouping of spheres. Image processing software is employed to locate and orient said recognition objects as reference data for stitching multiple images and thereby reconstructing the scanned field of view. Recognition objects placed in areas of low feature definition enhance the accuracy of three-dimensional modeling of such areas.

Methods and apparatuses for taking, using and displaying three-dimensional (3D) volumetric models of a patient's dental arch. A 3D volumetric model may include surface (e.g., color) information as well as information on internal structure, such as near-infrared (near-IR) transparency values for internal structures including enamel and dentin.

A medical simulation apparatus is provided, which is capable of performing a simulation by correlating a three-dimensional image with an entity model.Coordinates of measurement marks MP1, MP2, MP3 on a surface of a lower dental arch model 62 in a coordinate system defined by three reference marks MK1, MK2, MK3 are acquired before and after displacement of the lower dental arch model 62. The coordinates thus acquired are converted into coordinates in a coordinate system defined by reference marks PK1, PK2, PK3 on the basis of a relationship between the reference marks MK1, MK2, MK3 and the reference marks PK1, PK2, PK3. Then, changes in the coordinates after displacement of the lower dental arch model 62 are determined, and a region preliminarily specified in a three-dimensional image displayed on a display 5 is displaced on the basis of the coordinate changes thus determined.

A tool for removing a dental shell appliance from the teeth of a user is disclosed having a distal end with a J-shaped member, the member including an end portion adapted to slide between a dental shell appliance and one or more teeth when the appliance is being worn over the teeth, and a proximal end having a handle, wherein the tool is configured to facilitate removal of the dental shell appliance when the J-shaped member is engaged with the appliance and the handle is pulled away from the teeth.A combination tool for alternately seating and removing a dental shell appliance relative to teeth of a user is also disclosed, the tool including a proximal end having a generally planar member approximating the size of a dental arch, wherein the tool is configured to facilitate seating of at least one dental shell appliance when the generally planar member is placed between an upper arch and a lower arch of a user before the user bites down on the appliance, and a distal end having a J-shaped member with an end portion adapted to slide between the dental shell appliance and one or more teeth when the appliance is seated on the teeth, wherein the tool is configured to facilitate removal of the dental shell appliance when the J-shaped member is engaged with the appliance and the proximal end is pulled away from the teeth.Methods involving the use of such tools are also disclosed.

An indirect bonding tray places orthodontic appliances in precise, predetermined positions on the teeth of a patient. The indirect bonding tray includes a first matrix material that extends over a set of appliances and a second matrix material that extends over the first matrix material. The indirect bonding tray also includes at least one occlusal stop member that is connected to the second matrix material for firm, relatively hard contact with the occlusal tips of the patient's teeth when the tray is received in place over the patient's dental arch.

A dental arch model and method for making the same is shown and described. The dental arch model includes a connector having opposite ends that connect to a respective one of the arch legs. The connector has a three-dimensional shape but does not include a surface that is both planar and parallel to the base of the arch connector along more than two thirds of the arch connector's length. In certain examples, the connector is in the shape of a prism or a trapezoid. In other examples, the connector has an upper surface that is sloped relative to the base of the arch connector. The arch connector may also include a plurality of fluid passageways for allowing fluid flow from an interior area between the inner walls of the arch connector to a location outside of the connector.

Indirect bonding trays for orthodontic treatment are made from a model of the patient's dental arch that is manufactured using digital data and rapid prototyping processes. The model includes one or more guides for orienting an orthodontic appliance in a desired position on a model tooth of the dental arch model. A holder is connected to the archwire slot of the appliance and is brought into contact with the guide in order to move the appliance to its intended position for subsequent manufacture of the indirect bonding tray.

A method produces a physical dental arch model based on a three-dimensional (3D) digital dental arch model. The method includes smoothening the digital dental arch model to make the digital dental arch model suitable for CNC based manufacturing, segmenting the digital dental arch model into at least two manufacturable digital components, producing manufacturable physical components using Computer Numerical Control (CNC) based manufacturing in accordance with the manufacturable digital components, and assembling the manufacturable physical components to form the physical dental arch model.

An intra-oral appliance in the form of a tongue-airway functional appliance which restores / encourages training of the tongue, which encourages patients to breathe through the nose, and which can serve as a diagnostic aid or test device to access a patient's problems. The appliance includes a body of plastic material having an arcuate-shaped portion along which is defined a recess for receiving teeth of a dental arch of a patient, preferably the upper arch. The appliance further includes a curved platform or extension from the body running from the area of the lingual gingival margin of all teeth inferiorly (toward the mandible) forming a “U” or cup-shaped portion or sling which passes under the tongue laterally and anterior to posterior. In another embodiment, nubs or projections are provided on the walls of the teeth-receiving recess for enhancing retention of the appliance.