Orthodontic Bracket Placement Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

The current process of custom orthodontic bracket placement and archwire smoothing in a digital environment is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and varies significantly between technicians due to its manual nature, requiring extensive training and experience, and fails to systematically optimize bracket placement to satisfy multiple design objectives simultaneously.

Innovation Solution

A computational device generates and modifies the placement of orthodontic brackets to satisfy manufacturing and design constraints, using optimization techniques to ensure smooth archwires and minimal bracket heights, thereby automating the process and reducing human intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual operations are used for bracket placement and archwire smoothing, then technicians can make design decisions with training and experience, but the process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign outcome consistencyVSAvoiddesign process efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of bracket placement and archwire smoothing with an automated computational system. The system uses algorithms to automatically determine optimal bracket positions and smooth the archwire path, eliminating the need for manual technician operations while maintaining or improving design quality consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service automation where the computational algorithm independently performs the complete workflow of bracket placement optimization and archwire smoothing without human intervention. The system automatically iterates through design options, evaluates constraints, and produces final designs, making the process autonomous.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual bracket placement is performed by technicians, then design decisions can be made interactively, but the process requires extensive training and experience to master

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoidtechnician skill requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the complex human expertise requirement with an automated computational system that encapsulates the knowledge and decision-making logic in algorithms. The system automatically handles the complexity of evaluating multiple design constraints and making optimal decisions, eliminating the need for technicians to master extensive training and experience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Manufacturing precision

If manual operations are used for custom bracket placement, then aesthetic constraints can be considered, but the design outcome varies noticeably from person to person

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaesthetic constraint satisfactionVSAvoiddesign outcome consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service automation where the computational algorithm independently and consistently evaluates aesthetic constraints across all design cases. By removing human variability from the process, the system produces uniform, predictable outcomes that consistently satisfy aesthetic requirements without the person-to-person variation inherent in manual operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Manufacturing precision

If iterative optimization is performed to satisfy manufacturing constraints, then bracket placement accuracy improves, but computational time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconstraint satisfactionVSAvoidcomputational processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-defining all manufacturing constraints and design objectives before the optimization process begins. The algorithm is pre-configured with constraint boundaries, objective functions, and evaluation criteria, allowing it to efficiently navigate the solution space without requiring extensive iterative adjustments during execution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10098709B1Constrained optimization of orthodontic bracket placement and archwire smoothing

Publication Date: 2018.10.16 ORMCO CORP

AI summary

A method and system for generated an optimized placement of orthodontic brackets on a set of teeth with the goal of smoothing the orthodontic archwire associated with the brackets. The optimized placement takes into account at least one constraint, such as minimum height of the brackets or minimum distance from the center of the tooth. Generating the optimized placement may take the form of iteratively re-positioned the brackets on the underlying teeth to derive the most optimal placement within the bounds of the given constraints.