Clear Aligner Occlusal Thickness for Premature Contact Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clear aligners face issues with premature contact and posterior intrusion due to uniform thickness, leading to potential open bite and reduced orthodontic force, and they lack sufficient strength reinforcement for effective tooth movement.
Innovation Solution
The clear aligner features a thinner occlusal part to prevent premature contact and includes strength reinforcing parts on the outer surface to compensate for reduced orthodontic force, tailored for specific tooth movements such as expansion, retraction, extrusion, intrusion, rotation, and angulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the clear aligner uses uniform thickness throughout, then manufacturing is simple, but premature contact and posterior intrusion occur reducing orthodontic force effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The clear aligner employs non-uniform thickness distribution where the occlusal part has different thickness compared to other areas. This local variation in thickness is specifically designed to prevent premature contact and posterior intrusion while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modern 3D printing techniques, thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and orthodontic force effectiveness.
2Strength
If the occlusal part thickness is increased to prevent deformation, then durability improves, but premature contact and posterior intrusion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating specific thickness variations in the occlusal part. The occlusal surface is designed with controlled thickness to prevent deformation while avoiding premature contact. This localized thickness control allows the aligner to be durable without causing harmful occlusal interactions, resolving the contradiction between strength and harmful factors.
3Ease of manufacture
If the clear aligner lacks strength reinforcing parts, then manufacturing is simpler, but orthodontic force is insufficient for effective tooth movement
Solution Approach 1:
The clear aligner incorporates strength reinforcing parts as discrete segmented structures integrated into the aligner body. These reinforcing parts are strategically positioned to provide additional orthodontic force where needed during tooth movement, while the overall manufacturing process remains relatively simple through 3D printing technology, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing complexity and force generation capability.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention provides a clear aligner comprising: a clear aligning body in which a channel for accommodating a tooth to be corrected is formed in order to move the tooth from the initial position to a target position; and an occlusal part defined by the clear aligning body, and positioned at an occlusal area coming into contact with an antagonist tooth during occlusion, wherein the occlusal part is thicker than the area that excludes the occlusal part.