Patent ID: 7751925
Filing Date: 2010-07-06
Classification: A61C,B23H,B33Y,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A system to manufacture orthodontic appliances, the system comprising: a virtual orthodontic appliance design computer having a processor, memory coupled to the processor, and orthodontic appliance design program product stored in the memory including instructions to perform operations of receiving patient dentition data and designing a virtual dimensional representation of an orthodontic appliance defining virtual orthodontic appliance design data responsive to the received patient dentition data, the orthodontic appliance including a customized archwire and a plurality of precision customized brackets each including a tooth facing bonding surface and a bracket slot; a mold forming apparatus positioned to form each bracket including a mold positioned to receive a bracket-forming material and a dispensing device positioned to dispense the bracket-forming material into the mold, the mold having a cavity for each of the plurality of brackets defining peripheries of the bracket when the bracket-forming material is positioned therein and having a channel defining peripheries of a runner when filled with the bracket-forming material, each molded bracket connected to the runner when removed from the mold; a data processing computer in conununication with the virtual orthodontic appliance design computer and having memory and computer-aided manufacturing program product stored in the memory including instructions that when executed by the data processing computer cause the data processing computer to perform an operation of deriving electrical discharge device control instructions including those to perform an operation of forming a pattern describing a virtual dimensional representation of the bracket slot responsive to the virtual orthodontic appliance design data, and including those to perform an operation of simultaneously separating the bracket from the runner when forming the bracket slot; and an electrical discharge machining apparatus in communication with the data processing computer and comprising: