Reinforced Aligner Hooks for Elastic Force Without Hook Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orthodontic aligners face challenges in generating sufficient tension force between upper and lower teeth to achieve desired occlusion, particularly when shell aligners leave little room for bonding brackets.
Innovation Solution
The development of orthodontic positioning appliances with hooks configured to interface with orthodontic elastic members, allowing for the transfer of forces to supplement aligner-generated forces, including offset and reinforced hook designs to accommodate elastic members without reducing tooth engagement surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If shell aligners are used to match tooth geometry, then tooth engagement is improved, but the ability to bond brackets is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the shell aligner structure with integrated hooks that protrude from the aligner body. These hooks are formed as part of the aligner itself, merging the alignment function with the elastic member attachment function, eliminating the need for separate bracket bonding while maintaining both tooth engagement and elastic member coupling capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The aligner is segmented with discrete hooks positioned at specific locations to interface with elastic members. This segmentation allows the aligner to maintain its overall shell structure for tooth engagement while creating localized features for elastic member attachment, resolving the contradiction between maintaining shell integrity and providing attachment points
2Force
If hooks are added to aligners to interface with elastic members, then force generation is improved, but hook deflection under load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local reinforcement to the hook regions of the aligner. The reinforcement structures are positioned specifically at the hooks to provide localized stiffness and strength where needed, while the rest of the aligner maintains its original flexible properties for proper tooth engagement. This localized approach allows the hooks to resist deflection under elastic member load without compromising the overall aligner performance
3Strength
If reinforcement structures are added to hooks, then deflection resistance is improved, but aligner complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement structures are formed as integral parts of the thermoplastic aligner shell itself, utilizing the material's inherent flexibility and formability. The reinforcements are created through molding techniques that shape the thermoplastic material into reinforced hook regions, maintaining the aligner as a single-piece flexible shell without adding separate components or complex assembly steps
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
Enhances the ability to apply desired repositioning forces to teeth, improving occlusion and facilitating efficient tooth movement through the use of elastic members in conjunction with aligners.
Implementation Method 1
an orthodontic elastic member to generate a tension force between a patient's upper and lower teeth
Implementation Method 2
configured to couple with an orthodontic elastic member so as to react a force from the elastic member into the appliance
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming a system of aligners may include generating a first digital model of a first mold for a first orthodontic aligner including a first geometry for forming teeth receiving cavities to receive and reposition a first set of teeth, a first digital model of a first witness object for a first integral hook portion of the aligner on at least one of the tooth receiving cavities may be generated. A first mold with the first witness object based on the first digital model of the first mold with the first digital model of the first witness object may be fabricated. The first orthodontic aligner may fabricated by thermoforming polymeric material over the first mold. A material removal operation may be performed on the first integral hook portion to form a first u-shaped aperture to receive an elastic therein.