Patent ID: 8496474
Filing Date: 2013-07-30
Classification: A61C,B29C,B29L,B33Y

Abstract:
1. A method of providing a custom orthodontic appliance based on the anatomy of an individual patient wherein the appliance has a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of a crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient, the method comprising: producing three dimensional digital data of shapes of crowns of a plurality of teeth of an individual-patient's teeth moved from an initial arrangement to an intermediate or final arrangement of the teeth; manufacturing a custom orthodontic shell appliance having a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient, based on the digital data, by a process that includes: manufacturing at least one intermediate object by depositing material, in accordance with the digital data, layer by layer in a plurality of layers, each layer containing a cross section having an edge defined by the digital data in the shape of at least one crown of a tooth of the individual patient, the layers being stacked so the edges form a three dimensional surface having a shape matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient; and, using the intermediate object to form the custom orthodontic appliance having a three dimensional surface matching the shape of at least a portion of the crown of at least one tooth of the individual patient wherein the shell appliance comprises cavities shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth.