Patent ID: 7377778
Filing Date: 2008-05-27
Classification: A61C,B33Y,G06F,G16H

Abstract:
1. A method for defining a fit between a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system of a patient, comprising: generating a computer representation of the masticatory system of the patient; determining an occlusion from the computer representation of the masticatory system using one or more keys; digitally modeling the set of teeth in a plurality of different arrangements representing successive repositioning of the patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a desired arrangement; and generating a patient removable appliance for each of a plurality of the arrangements, the patient removable appliances having teeth receiving cavities, the cavities of successive appliances having different geometries shaped to receive and resiliently reposition the teeth from one arrangement toward a successive arrangement, wherein the plurality of appliances is generated prior to the patient wearing an appliance of the plurality so as to reposition the teeth.