Dental Appliance Materials for Durable Low-Energy Laser Marking
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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.
Innovation Solution
The use of laser marking and reading methods that incorporate particulate materials with enhanced laser energy absorption characteristics, such as dyes or pigments, and surface textures designed to disperse laser energy, allowing for efficient and high-resolution marking on dental appliances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional marking techniques are used on dental appliances, then the material limitations and intraoral environment challenges persist, but laser marking with enhanced absorption materials reduces energy requirements and improves marking quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical absorption parameters of the dental appliance material by incorporating particulate materials (pigments, dyes, or other absorptive particles) into the transparent material. This modification enables the material to absorb laser energy more effectively at specific wavelengths, thereby reducing the overall laser energy requirement while improving marking resolution and quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system by combining transparent dental appliance material (such as polymeric material) with particulate materials that have enhanced laser energy absorption characteristics. This composite structure allows the material to maintain its transparency and optical properties while simultaneously providing improved laser marking capabilities through the absorptive particles
2Loss of information
If laser marking is performed on transparent dental appliances, then marking visibility may be achieved, but marking durability in the intraoral environment remains challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the material parameters by incorporating particulate materials that not only enhance laser absorption but also improve the thermal and chemical stability of the marked area. These particulates help create more durable marks that can withstand the harsh intraoral environment including moisture, temperature variations, and chemical exposure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses particulate materials that can be integrated into the dental appliance material to create durable marks without requiring additional protective coatings or treatments. The particulates themselves serve as the marking medium, eliminating the need for separate marking layers that might fail in the intraoral environment
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 reduces the required laser energy, enhances marking resolution, and improves reading efficiency, enabling durable and readable laser marks on dental appliances that withstand the intraoral environment.
Implementation Method 1
the particulate material may have laser energy absorption characteristics that are greater than that of the material used to form the body without the particulate material
Implementation Method 2
the exterior surface at the laser access area has a patterned surface texture formed thereon that is configured to disperse laser energy from a laser beam within the target area
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~2C
AI summary
Dental appliances, materials, and methods of forming such appliances and materials for improved laser marking are provided herein.