Clear Aligner Attachment System with Embedded Pre-fabricated Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clear aligner attachment systems face challenges in producing certain tooth movements, such as rotation of round teeth, severe torque correction, large space closure, and intrusion or extrusion, due to mechanical limitations like overhanging structure printing difficulties, airspaces, and inefficient force delivery, which affect efficacy and aesthetics.
Innovation Solution
A clear orthodontic tray system with pre-fabricated attachment devices that are precision-cut to minimize airspaces and attach to the lingual surfaces or embed within the tray, allowing for customizable shapes and materials to provide prescribed aligning forces, and can include hard and soft attachments for efficient tooth movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional 3D printing is used to create attachments with overhanging structures, then the attachment shape can be complex, but the printing process becomes difficult and requires temporary supporting bars
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the overhanging attachment structure from the aligner body by creating a separate recess that receives the attachment. This separates the manufacturing processes: the aligner is thermoformed without overhangs, and the attachment is independently fabricated and then inserted into the recess, eliminating the need for supporting bars during printing.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment is nested within a recess of the aligner body. The recess is formed in the aligner material, and the attachment fits into this recess, creating a nested structure where the attachment is contained within the aligner's recess space rather than being printed as an overhanging feature.
2Reliability
If the aligner is thermoformed over the attachment, then the attachment is covered, but airspaces are created between the aligner and attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment is extracted from the thermoforming process and placed independently into a pre-formed recess. This prevents the aligner material from being forced over the attachment during thermoforming, thereby eliminating the creation of airspaces between the aligner and attachment surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The recess is preliminarily formed in the aligner material before the attachment is inserted. This preliminary action creates a precise receptacle that ensures the attachment fits snugly without creating airspaces, improving force delivery efficacy.
3Device complexity
If the attachment is covered by the aligner, then the attachment appears larger, but the total appliance size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment is extracted from the covered configuration and repositioned within a recess that allows it to sit flush with or slightly below the aligner surface. This extraction from the covered state eliminates the visual enlargement effect while maintaining the attachment's functional shape.
4Strength
If light-cured resin is used to build the attachment on the tooth surface, then the attachment has greater hardness, but the force drops exponentially after small tooth movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the attachment from hard light-cured resin to a softer, more compliant material. This parameter change allows the attachment to maintain continuous contact with the tooth surface during movement, providing sustained force over longer distances without the exponential force drop experienced with harder materials.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a clear orthodontic tray system and methods of making and using the same. The clear orthodontic tray system comprises pre-fabricated attachment device.