US 11,957,533 B2
Aligner stage analysis to obtain mechanical interactions of aligners and teeth for treatment planning
Iman Shojaei, San Jose, CA (US); and Reza Shirazi Aghjari, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Align Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/108,486.
Application 18/108,486 is a continuation of application No. 17/139,222, filed on Dec. 31, 2020, granted, now 11,622,836.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/956,006, filed on Dec. 31, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0293264 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. G06T 19/20 (2011.01); A61C 7/00 (2006.01); A61C 7/08 (2006.01); G06T 19/00 (2011.01); G16H 20/40 (2018.01); G16H 50/50 (2018.01)
CPC A61C 7/002 (2013.01) [A61C 7/08 (2013.01); G06T 19/00 (2013.01); G16H 20/40 (2018.01); G16H 50/50 (2018.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of mapping mechanical interactions, the method comprising:
(a) generating an orthodontic treatment plan to move a patient's teeth from an initial position toward a final position, the treatment plan comprising a first stage and a second stage;
(b) building a 3D model of an orthodontic appliance at the second stage;
(c) building a 3D model of the patient's teeth at the first stage;
(d) mapping spatial differences between the 3D model of the orthodontic appliance at the second stage and the 3D model of the patient's teeth at the first stage;
(e) evaluating mechanical interactions of the orthodontic appliance at the second stage with the patient's teeth at the first stage, wherein the evaluating is based at least in part on the mapped spatial differences; and
(f) mapping forces applied by the orthodontic appliance at the second stage to each tooth of the patient's teeth at the first stage, wherein the mapping of the applied forces is based at least in part on the evaluated mechanical interactions.