US 12,409,009 B2
Dental appliance and method for making the same
David Christopher Leeson, North Tustin, CA (US); Michael J. Selberis, Coto de Caza, CA (US); and Sergey Nikolskiy, Coto de Caza, CA (US)
Assigned to James R. Glidewell Dental Ceramics, Inc., Newport Beach, CA (US)
Filed by James R. Glidewell Dental Ceramics, Inc., Newport Beach, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 25, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/753,681.
Application 18/753,681 is a division of application No. 16/776,761, filed on Jan. 30, 2020, granted, now 12,023,214.
Prior Publication US 2024/0341918 A1, Oct. 17, 2024
Int. Cl. A61C 5/20 (2017.01); A61C 7/00 (2006.01); A61C 7/08 (2006.01); A61C 7/16 (2006.01); A61C 13/00 (2006.01); A61C 13/271 (2006.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61C 5/20 (2017.02) [A61C 7/002 (2013.01); A61C 7/08 (2013.01); A61C 7/16 (2013.01); A61C 13/0013 (2013.01); A61C 13/26 (2013.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); B29L 2031/753 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An orthodontic dental appliance for improving teeth appearance and repositioning of the teeth, the appliance comprising:
an outer shell with simulated teeth that approximate a desired teeth arrangement;
inner cavities configured to receive a patient's teeth and to incrementally reposition the teeth toward the desired teeth arrangement; and
a plurality of anchoring slots in the inner cavities adapted to receive corresponding anchors on the patient's teeth, with the dental appliance including a region of increased dental appliance wall thickness proximate to a location of at least one anchoring slot that imparts an increased stiffness to the region.