Patent ID: 8454358
Filing Date: 2013-06-04
Classification: A61C

Abstract:
1. A method for forming a tooth positioner for repositioning at least one tooth of a patient comprising: providing a dental arch cast of a patient having at least one tooth to be repositioned; separating at least one tooth from the dental arch cast, including the at least one tooth to be repositioned to provide at least one separated cast tooth having a crown part, and a stump representing a root; fixing a tail end of a pin in the stump part of the at least one separated tooth, and in any non-separated teeth portions, each of the pins having a body portion and a head end extending outwardly from the stump part; reconstructing the dental arch cast of the patient by first aligning the at least one separated tooth to correspond to the alignment in the patient's mouth to form an aligned arch by forming a shell over the dental arch cast of a patient to provide a zero aligner having a shape corresponding to the dental arch cast of the patient, and aligning the at least one separated tooth in the zero aligner, and then providing a material around the body portion of the pins to hold the body portion of the pins in the material, wherein the head ends of the pins extend outwardly of the material, the material allowing movement of the pins when force is applied to at least the head end of the pin; then applying force to at least the head end of the pin fixed in the at least one tooth to be repositioned to move the at least one tooth to be repositioned in a desired direction to obtain a realigned arch; and then forming a tooth positioner corresponding to the realigned arch.