Dental Aligner Laser Marking With Local Energy-Absorbing Texture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques face difficulties in effectively marking dental appliances, such as orthodontic aligners, due to material limitations and the demanding intraoral environment, making it challenging to incorporate information, patterns, or advertising without compromising the appliance's functionality.
Innovation Solution
The development of dental appliances with a surface texture and additive materials that enhance laser marking, allowing for efficient energy absorption and high-resolution markings by incorporating particulate materials with greater laser energy absorption characteristics, which are strategically placed within the appliance to reduce energy consumption and improve marking speed and clarity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If traditional laser marking techniques are used on dental appliances, then the marking process can be completed, but the energy consumption is high and the marking quality is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by incorporating laser energy absorbing particulate material specifically at the target marking location within the dental appliance, rather than uniformly throughout the entire appliance. This localized addition of absorptive particles enables efficient energy absorption and high-quality marking precisely where needed, while maintaining the transparency and other properties of the base material in non-marking areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining a transparent or translucent base material (such as polymeric material used for dental aligners) with laser energy absorbing particulate material. This composite structure allows the appliance to maintain its optical properties for aesthetics and functionality while the embedded particles provide enhanced laser energy absorption at the marking location, enabling high-quality marks with reduced overall energy consumption.
2Illumination intensity
If laser marking is performed on transparent dental appliance materials, then the appliance maintains its aesthetic properties, but the laser energy absorption is insufficient for effective marking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces laser energy absorbing particulate material as an intermediary substance within the transparent base material at the target marking location. These particles act as mediators that facilitate the transfer and absorption of laser energy, enabling effective marking on transparent materials without compromising their aesthetic properties. The particles convert the laser energy into heat or other forms that create visible marks while the surrounding transparent material maintains the appliance's aesthetic appearance.
3Illumination intensity
If the dental appliance material is made transparent for aesthetics, then the appearance is improved, but the laser marking capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating laser energy absorbing particulate material specifically at the target marking location within the transparent dental appliance. This localized approach enables effective laser marking precisely where needed while maintaining the overall transparency and aesthetic properties of the appliance in non-marking areas, thus resolving the conflict between aesthetics and marking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by modifying the optical absorption characteristics of the dental appliance material at the target marking location through the addition of laser energy absorbing particles. This changes the material's laser interaction properties locally, enabling effective marking with reduced energy requirements while the rest of the appliance maintains its original transparent properties for aesthetics.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables efficient and high-quality laser marking on dental appliances, ensuring the marks remain effective in the intraoral environment while minimizing energy usage and enhancing readability, thus facilitating correct sequencing and usage of orthodontic aligners.
Implementation Method 1
an additive material within the aligner body, which may be otherwise transparent and/or translucent, that may react with the laser to enhance marking; for example, the additive may be a particulate material having a laser energy absorption characteristic that is greater than that of the material used to form the body
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for forming dental appliances with laser marks. The methods may include identifying a target marking area of a dental appliance to receive a laser mark, and identifying a laser access area on a surface of the dental appliance. The methods may also include forming a surface texture to disperse laser energy received at the laser access area to form the laser mark in the target marking area.