Patent ID: 11957533
Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  G | IPC A  G

Claim 0:
1. A method of mapping mechanical interactions, the method comprising:
(a) generating an orthodontic treatment plan to move a patient's teeth from an initial position toward a final position, the treatment plan comprising a first stage and a second stage;
(b) building a 3D model of an orthodontic appliance at the second stage;
(c) building a 3D model of the patient's teeth at the first stage;
(d) mapping spatial differences between the 3D model of the orthodontic appliance at the second stage and the 3D model of the patient's teeth at the first stage;
(e) evaluating mechanical interactions of the orthodontic appliance at the second stage with the patient's teeth at the first stage, wherein the evaluating is based at least in part on the mapped spatial differences; and
(f) mapping forces applied by the orthodontic appliance at the second stage to each tooth of the patient's teeth at the first stage, wherein the mapping of the applied forces is based at least in part on the evaluated mechanical interactions.