Orthodontic Treatment Interface for Tooth Anchoring Stages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Orthodontic aligners often fail to properly anchor teeth, leading to improper movement and the need for multiple refinement sets, and existing animations do not effectively educate patients about the treatment process.
Innovation Solution
A new orthodontic treatment planning method using a 2D visualization interface that selectively moves non-sequential subsets of teeth and provides detailed information about the treatment plan, allowing for improved anchoring and reduced refinement sets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional aligners attempt to gradually and continuously move each tooth, then tooth movement is achieved, but anchoring does not work properly and refinement sets are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment plan segments tooth movement into non-sequential subsets, where different groups of teeth are moved in different stages rather than all teeth simultaneously. This allows proper anchoring by isolating specific teeth for movement while using other teeth as stable anchors, eliminating the need for refinement sets.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different movement strategies to different subsets of teeth based on their specific requirements. Some teeth are selected as anchors while others are moved, creating local variations in treatment approach that optimize anchoring effectiveness and reduce the need for additional refinement aligners.
2Ease of operation
If animations show teeth moving from starting to ending location, then visualization is visually pleasing, but patient education about treatment process is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The animation segments the treatment process into discrete stages, showing which specific teeth are moved in each aligner stage and which teeth serve as anchors. This segmented visualization provides patients with detailed information about the treatment process, improving their understanding while maintaining visual appeal.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary visualization layer that bridges the gap between the final outcome animation and the actual treatment process. This intermediary shows the step-by-step breakdown of tooth movements, anchoring relationships, and treatment stages, providing patients with comprehensive information about what is happening to their teeth.
Data Source
AI summary
Orthodontic aligners can be used to help shape a patient's teeth, jaw, and gums. Aligners are designed to move teeth into a desired position. Prior to the treatment, a dental professional will prepare a treatment plan (e.g., a set of aligners, etc.) Each aligner in the set may perform a different action on different subsets of teeth. Many dental professionals use animation software to show the patient an animation/video of the changes that are going to occur to the patient's teeth/jaw over time as a result of the treatment plan. While the animation may visually depict how the teeth and mouth are going to change, it does not tell the patient what is being performed (i.e., the actions that are being taken to move the teeth). As a result, the patient often has a significant number of questions because they are not properly educated on the treatment.