Patent ID: 7192275
Filing Date: 2007-03-20
Classification: A61C

Abstract:
1. A method for orthodontic treatment comprising: providing an original set of thin polymeric shell orthodontic aligners to a patient, wherein each aligner in the set was shaped to move teeth through a plurality of planned successive tooth arrangements, and wherein the shape of each aligner in the original set corresponds to one of the planned successive tooth arrangements; observing whether a particular thin polymeric shell orthodontic aligner fits over the teeth at a corresponding tooth arrangement in order to determine if the actual arrangement of the teeth deviates from the corresponding planned tooth arrangement; and if the actual tooth arrangement deviates from the planned tooth arrangement, providing at least one additional polymeric shell orthodontic aligner which is shaped to move the teeth from their actual arrangement back to one of the originally planned successive tooth arrangements so that at least one of the original set of aligners may be used, wherein the patient uses both the at least one additional aligner and one or more of the original set of aligners to complete the orthodontic treatment.