US 12,433,720 B2
Orthodontic appliances with elongate tactile objects
Chunhua Li, Cupertino, CA (US); Jennifer Chen, San Francisco, CA (US); John Morton, San Jose, CA (US); Jon Moss, Antioch, CA (US); Clark Kaufhardt, Danville, CA (US); and Heng Cao, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Assigned to Align Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Align Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/062,489.
Application 18/062,489 is a division of application No. 16/951,624, filed on Nov. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,547,533.
Application 14/206,836 is a division of application No. 12/633,715, filed on Dec. 8, 2009, granted, now 8,708,697, issued on Apr. 29, 2014.
Application 16/951,624 is a continuation of application No. 17/085,583, filed on Oct. 30, 2020.
Application 17/085,583 is a continuation of application No. 15/423,418, filed on Feb. 2, 2017, granted, now 10,820,967, issued on Nov. 3, 2020.
Application 15/423,418 is a continuation of application No. 14/206,836, filed on Mar. 12, 2014, granted, now 9,597,164, issued on Mar. 21, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0095713 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. A61C 7/08 (2006.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC A61C 7/08 (2013.01) [B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); Y10T 29/49568 (2015.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An orthodontic system comprising:
an attachment configured to be coupled to a tooth of a patient;
a shell comprising a plurality of teeth-receiving cavities shaped to reposition the patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a second arrangement, wherein the shell comprises a first elasticity;
an attachment-receiving well formed in the shell, wherein the attachment-receiving well comprises a recess formed from a first upper surface, a second inner surface, and a third lower surface, wherein the second inner surface extends between the first upper surface and the third lower surface, wherein the recess has a cross-sectional shape that conforms to a cross-sectional shape of the attachment, and wherein the attachment-receiving well is configured to engage the attachment to apply a repositioning force to the attachment when the attachment is received within the recess; and
at least one tactile object coupled to and extending from the second inner surface of the attachment-receiving well, wherein the at least one tactile object comprises an elongate body having a longitudinal axis that extends from the second inner surface toward the attachment when the shell is worn on the patient's teeth, and wherein the at least one tactile object comprises a second elasticity greater than the first elasticity.