One-Piece Orthodontic Jig and Brackets via 3D Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthodontic bracket positioning methods are prone to human error, leading to inaccurate placement and extended treatment times due to the need for manual placement or transfer models, which can result in unintended tooth movements and side effects.
Innovation Solution
An automated system that produces a one-piece orthodontic jig and brackets using computer-controlled manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing, directly from a CAD model, allowing for precise and accurate bracket positioning without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual bracket positioning methods (direct bonding or indirect bonding with templates) are used, then the practitioner can place brackets on teeth, but placement accuracy is limited by human capability and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the bracket positioning template and the brackets themselves into a single integrated one-piece appliance manufactured by additive manufacturing. This eliminates the need for separate manual positioning steps and ensures that bracket positions are precisely determined by the digital model rather than manual placement, directly resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical positioning system with an automated digital design and additive manufacturing system. The bracket positions are determined by computer-aided design software based on the patient's digital dental model and treatment prescription, then directly manufactured without manual intervention, eliminating human error in positioning while maintaining the mechanical function of bracket placement.
2Productivity
If separate templates and brackets are used requiring manual assembly, then flexibility in bracket selection is maintained, but the process is time-consuming and subject to errors in bracket order
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the positioning template and multiple brackets into a single integrated appliance where brackets are pre-positioned in their correct sequence during additive manufacturing. This eliminates the time-consuming manual assembly step where practitioners must individually place each bracket in the correct order, directly improving productivity while reducing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the bracket positioning action in advance during the additive manufacturing process rather than during the clinical bonding procedure. The brackets are pre-positioned in their exact final locations within the one-piece appliance, so that when the appliance is placed in the patient's mouth, the brackets are already in their correct positions and sequences, eliminating time loss during the clinical visit.
3Reliability
If conventional orthodontic devices are used, then acceptable treatment results are achieved, but limitations exist in precise bracket positioning, predictable biomechanics, and aesthetics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional manual or semi-manual bracket positioning systems with a fully digital workflow combining CAD design and additive manufacturing. The system uses digital dental models and treatment prescriptions to automatically determine precise bracket positions, then manufactures the one-piece appliance with exact precision, ensuring consistent and reliable treatment outcomes while improving manufacturing precision beyond human capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameters from manual fabrication tolerances to digital manufacturing precision. By using additive manufacturing with computer-controlled layer-by-layer construction, the system achieves much tighter dimensional tolerances and more precise positioning accuracy, directly improving both reliability of treatment outcomes and manufacturing precision of bracket positions.
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 eliminates placement errors, reduces treatment time, and ensures precise biomechanics and aesthetics by enabling direct, mechanical transfer of the prescribed bracket positioning, enhancing treatment efficiency and patient experience.
Implementation Method 1
computer-controlled manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a one-piece orthodontic jig and brackets employs a computer-aided design (CAD) system to create a model of a patient's dental anatomy. A set of orthodontic brackets and their desired positions are also designed in the CAD model. An orthodontic jig for temporarily positioning the brackets during the bonding process is then designed that includes features for registering the jig to selected teeth, together with connecting members that detachably connect the brackets to the jig and hold the brackets in their desired position on the patient's teeth during the bonding process. The orthodontic jig and brackets is fabricated as a single piece by computer-controlled manufacturing (e.g., 3D printing) based on the CAD model.