US 12,440,313 B2
Methods of forming arch expanding appliances
Avi Kopelman, Palo Alto, CA (US); Shiva Sambu, Milpitas, CA (US); Rene M. Sterental, Palo Alto, CA (US); Eric Kuo, San Jose, CA (US); and Mauricio De Alencar Casa, São Paulo (BR)
Assigned to Align Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Align Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/190,958.
Application 18/190,958 is a continuation of application No. 16/159,261, filed on Oct. 12, 2018, granted, now 11,638,629.
Application 16/159,261 is a continuation of application No. 15/792,313, filed on Oct. 24, 2017, granted, now 10,130,445, issued on Nov. 20, 2018.
Application 15/792,313 is a continuation of application No. 15/439,834, filed on Feb. 22, 2017, granted, now 9,795,461, issued on Oct. 24, 2017.
Application 15/439,834 is a continuation of application No. 14/491,617, filed on Sep. 19, 2014, granted, now 9,610,141, issued on Apr. 4, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0301753 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. A61C 7/10 (2006.01); A61C 7/00 (2006.01); A61C 7/08 (2006.01)
CPC A61C 7/10 (2013.01) [A61C 7/002 (2013.01); A61C 7/08 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a series of dental appliances, comprising:
gathering one or more virtual models comprising representations of a plurality of teeth of a patient;
forming a first virtual dental appliance, the first virtual dental appliance comprising:
a plurality of first virtual teeth receiving cavities shaped to conform to the representations of the plurality of teeth of the patient at a point during a first stage of an orthodontic treatment, and
a first virtual arch element that extends between the plurality of first virtual teeth receiving cavities, the first virtual arch element having a first appliance arch width that is wider than an anatomical arch width of the patient;
forming a second virtual dental appliance, the second virtual dental appliance comprising:
a plurality of second virtual teeth receiving cavities shaped to conform to the representations of the plurality of teeth of the patient at a point during a second stage of the orthodontic treatment, and
a second virtual arch element that extends between the plurality of second virtual teeth receiving cavities, the second virtual arch element having a second appliance arch width that is wider than the first appliance arch width;
fabricating a first dental appliance using the first virtual dental appliance, the first dental appliance comprising a first arch element corresponding to the first virtual arch element;
fabricating a second dental appliance using the second virtual dental appliance, the second dental appliance comprising a second arch element corresponding to the second virtual arch element, wherein the second arch element is fabricated to vary in thickness along the second arch element.