US 12,465,462 B2
Manufacture of patient-specific orthodontic tube
Samuel VanNoy, Somerville, MA (US); Dylan Winchell, Canton, MA (US); Kelsey A. Fafara, Watertown, MA (US); Oisín Duggan, Somerville, MA (US); and Alfred Charles Griffin, III, Lynnfield, MA (US)
Assigned to LightForce Orthodontics, Inc., Burlington, MA (US)
Filed by LightForce Orthodontics Inc., Burlington, MA (US)
Filed on May 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/827,481.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/318,954, filed on Mar. 11, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/195,052, filed on May 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0378551 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); A61C 7/00 (2006.01); A61C 7/28 (2006.01); A61C 9/00 (2006.01); A61C 13/34 (2006.01); B28B 1/00 (2006.01); B28B 17/00 (2006.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/00 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61C 7/282 (2013.01) [A61C 7/002 (2013.01); A61C 9/004 (2013.01); A61C 13/34 (2013.01); B28B 1/001 (2013.01); B28B 17/0081 (2013.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); B29L 2031/753 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing customized orthodontic tubes for patients, the method comprising:
obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) model of one or more teeth of a patient;
generating a 3D model of an orthodontic tube structure using the 3D model of the one or more teeth of the patient, the orthodontic tube structure comprising:
a base comprising a circumferential surface; and
a debonding structure that facilitates debonding of an orthodontic tube from a tooth of the patient, the debonding structure separated from the surface of the base by material of the orthodontic tube structure, wherein the debonding structure comprises a ridge for application of force to the orthodontic tube for removal from the tooth, the ridge located on at least a portion of the circumferential surface of the base; and
using an additive manufacturing device to produce a customized orthodontic tube based on the 3D model of the orthodontic tube structure.