US 12,329,598 B2
Devices and methods for dental appliances with cutouts
Artem Borovinskih, San Jose, CA (US); Anton Terekhov, Moscow (RU); Rene Sterental, Palo Alto, CA (US); Mikhail Minchenkov, Kratovo (RU); and Ivan Pavlov, Cherepovets (RU)
Filed by Align Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/833,532.
Application 16/148,740 is a division of application No. 15/219,779, filed on Jul. 26, 2016, granted, now 10,136,964, issued on Nov. 27, 2018.
Application 15/219,779 is a division of application No. 14/148,453, filed on Jan. 6, 2014, granted, now 9,433,477, issued on Sep. 6, 2016.
Application 14/148,453 is a division of application No. 13/270,171, filed on Oct. 10, 2011, granted, now 8,641,414, issued on Feb. 4, 2014.
Application 17/833,532 is a continuation of application No. 16/148,740, filed on Oct. 1, 2018, granted, now 11,389,272.
Prior Publication US 2022/0296341 A1, Sep. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. A61C 7/00 (2006.01); A61C 7/08 (2006.01); A61C 7/36 (2006.01); A61C 19/05 (2006.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC A61C 7/002 (2013.01) [A61C 7/08 (2013.01); A61C 7/36 (2013.01); A61C 19/05 (2013.01); A61C 2007/004 (2013.01); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer implemented method, the method comprising:
receiving a digital representation of a patient's dentition in an initial arrangement;
determining a plurality of stages to incrementally reposition the patient's dentition from the initial arrangement towards a target arrangement, wherein the plurality of stages is determined at least in part on the digital representation;
determining a first geometry for an upper shell of an orthodontic appliance corresponding to one of the plurality of stages, wherein the first geometry comprises:
a first plurality of tooth-receiving cavities shaped to receive an upper jaw of the patient's dentition, and
an upper cutout disposed along an upper gingival edge of the upper shell;
determining a location of an upper elastic band receiving member, wherein the location of the upper elastic band receiving member corresponds to a position of the upper cutout;
determining a second geometry for a lower shell of the orthodontic appliance corresponding to the one of the plurality of stages, wherein the second geometry comprises:
a second plurality of tooth-receiving cavities shaped to receive a lower jaw of the patient's dentition, and
a lower cutout disposed along a lower gingival edge of the lower shell;
determining a location of a lower elastic band receiving member, wherein the location of the lower elastic band receiving member corresponds to a position of the lower cutout; and
causing a fabrication machine to directly fabricate the upper shell and the lower shell,
wherein the location of the upper elastic band receiving member and the location of the lower elastic band receiving member are determined so as to generate a tooth repositioning force to facilitate repositioning of the patient's dentition from the initial arrangement towards the target arrangement when an elastic band is secured to the upper elastic band receiving member and the lower elastic band receiving member.