Elastic Orthodontic Appliances With Stacked Shells for Tooth Drift

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional orthodontic aligners require constant wear due to limited elasticity, leading to issues like teeth drifting out of alignment and the need for frequent restarts when patients fail to adhere to wear schedules, and they lack flexibility to accommodate varying tooth positions.

Innovation Solution

Orthodontic appliances with stacked shells that are mechanically or chemically bonded along a perimeter, allowing for varying affixation to enhance working elasticity, enabling greater flexibility and adaptability to accommodate a wider range of tooth positions and reduce the need for constant wear.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If aligners are made from highly elastic material to accommodate teeth drifting, then working tolerance increases, but force to move teeth decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworking toleranceVSAvoidforce to move teeth

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The aligner is divided into multiple zones with different elastic moduli: a first zone in contact with teeth has higher elasticity to accommodate drift, while a second zone provides stiffer structural support to maintain overall force. This segmentation allows simultaneous optimization of both adaptability and force generation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the aligner are assigned different material properties - the tooth-contacting portion uses highly elastic material for adaptability, while other portions use stiffer material to maintain structural integrity and force transmission. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between flexibility and force.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If aligners are worn constantly to maintain alignment, then treatment reliability improves, but patient compliance becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment reliabilityVSAvoidpatient compliance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The aligner transitions from a static, rigid structure to a dynamic, adaptable structure that can accommodate natural tooth movement within a broader range. This dynamic capability reduces the need for constant wear while maintaining treatment effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The working elasticity parameter of the aligner is increased through material selection and structural design, allowing the device to tolerate greater tooth displacement. This parameter change enables longer wear intervals while maintaining alignment, improving patient compliance without sacrificing reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If treatment is restarted when cases go off-track, then alignment precision is maintained, but treatment time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidtreatment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The aligner is designed with pre-built elasticity buffer that anticipates and accommodates natural tooth drift and off-track variations. This beforehand cushioning prevents treatment failure before it occurs, eliminating the need for restarts while maintaining alignment precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of restarting treatment with new custom aligners when cases go off-track, the patent employs a more resilient aligner design that can accommodate variations throughout its service life, effectively extending the usable lifespan of each aligner and reducing the frequency of replacement and treatment restarts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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

The solution provides increased flexibility, allowing for longer break times between wear periods and greater tolerance for patient non-compliance, enhancing treatment efficacy and reducing the frequency of treatment restarts.

Implementation Method 1

the first shell to contact the teeth... the first shell is deformed to accommodate a wider range of teeth positions and/or correct teeth positions that have veered off-track

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The shells may be bonded together mechanically

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical bonding: Mechanical Fastener

Implementation Method 3

and optionally chemically

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical bonding: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentUS12433719B2Elastic orthodontic appliances, systems, and methods for use

Publication Date: 2025.10.07 SMYLIO INC

AI summary

An orthodontic appliance is constructed from shells shaped to receive teeth. The shells can be constructed from one or more polymer materials and affixed to one another about the edge of each shell, defining a narrow elongate chamber therebetween. The chamber serves to allow for the first shell contacting the teeth to flex and fit a wide range of teeth without sacrificing the overall flexural modulus of the appliance. Methods of making the appliance are also described.