Patent ID: 11890159
Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  B  G | IPC A  B  G

Claim 19:
20. A non-transitory computing device readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to cause a computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving an initial dentition model of a patient's dentition in an initial arrangement;, determining a target arrangement for the patient's dentition;
generating an orthodontic treatment plan for the patient's dentition, the orthodontic treatment plan comprising a plurality of polymeric aligners configured to incrementally reposition the patient's dentition from the initial arrangement towards the target arrangement;
designing at least one of the plurality of polymeric aligners, wherein designing the least one of the plurality of polymeric aligners comprises:
determining a geometry for an upper shell having a first plurality of teeth-receiving cavities, wherein the first plurality of teeth-receiving cavities is configured to receive at least some of the patient's upper dentition;
determining a geometry for a lower shell having a second plurality of teeth-receiving cavities, wherein the second plurality of teeth-receiving cavities are configured to receive at least some of the patient's lower dentition;
determining a position of a first integral hook disposed on the upper shell; and
determining a position of a second integral hook disposed on the lower shell;
wherein the geometry for the upper shell comprises a locally reinforced portion connected with the first integral hook, wherein the locally reinforced portion comprises a curved geometry;

generating instructions for fabrication of the at least one of the plurality of polymeric aligners, wherein the instructions are based in part on the determined geometries of the upper and lower shells and the determined positions of the first integral hook and second integral hook; and
generating instructions for removal of material from a surface of each of the upper and lower shells to form the first and second integral hooks, wherein an edge of the aligner formed from the removed material is configured to engage with an elastic member when the elastic member is secured to the first integral hook.