ORTHODONTIC ALIGNER, ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THEREOF

This present invention provides an orthodontic aligner installed on a user's teeth which includes a target tooth and an anchor tooth, the orthodontic aligner comprising a shell having a space constructed by receding of the shell, and a recess formed by recessing from one side of edge of the shell, and an extension formed by protruding from another side of edge of the shell, wherein the recess is located corresponding to position of the target tooth and the extension portion is located corresponding to position of the anchor tooth. This present invention also provides an orthodontic aligner assembly and manufacturing method therefor. So, only the target tooth needs to be moved will be moved during orthodontic treatment processes which can reduce sequels and the target tooth could make a predictable and long distance movement because of the recess without changing aligner frequently.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a medical device, more particularly to an orthodontic aligner, assembly and method for manufacturing thereof.

Description of the Prior Art

The removal of teeth are required for many medical procedures such as tooth decay, cracked teeth or periodontitis, or insufficient spaces on gums, misaligned teeth, and other considerations for beauty. Other teeth need to be aligned or orthodontic treatment to close the space created after a tooth has been removed. Since beauty is very important for modern people, many people choose clear aligners as a major tool for orthodontic treatment to align their teeth.

However, currently each set of clear aligners can only move each tooth about 0.3 to 0.4 millimeters. Thus, each user would require about 50 to 100 sets to complete the treatment, which is very costly and wastes materials. Furthermore, during the orthodontic treatment process, some teeth don't need to be moved, causing unnecessary rotation or tilting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To solve the above defects, one purpose of this present invention is to provide an orthodontic aligner and assembly, and manufacturing method thereof utilized to complete the orthodontic treatment in fewer sets and minimizes the side effects such as tilting and rotation that occur.

To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an orthodontic aligner placed on a user's teeth which include a target tooth and an anchor tooth. The orthodontic aligner comprises a shell having a space constructed by the receding of the shell, and a recess constructed through recessing of an edge of the shell at the location corresponding to the target tooth, and an extension portion protruding from the same side of the edge of the shell at the location of the anchor tooth.

To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an orthodontic aligner assembly comprising said orthodontic aligner, a connector and an elastic member. The connector has an attaching portion and a hitching portion protruding from the attaching portion and the elastic member with two ends connect respectively to the fixing lump and the hitching portion.

To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a manufacturing method comprising following steps: (a) taking a three-dimensional image of user's teeth before orthodontic treatment; (b) simulating a three-dimensional image of user's teeth after orthodontic treatment; (c) drawing a route map of the target teeth by comparing the three-dimensional images of user's teeth before and after orthodontic treatment; and (d) simulating the moving track and the position and size of the recess and setting it based on the route map.

According to the structures and technical features, the orthodontic aligner, assembly, and manufacturing method thereof disclosed in this invention reduces the sets needed to complete an orthodontic treatment, lowers costs and minimizes the waste of materials. Only the target tooth will be moved and the anchor teeth will stay stationary, thereby eliminating the need for an invasive temporary anchorage device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The specific embodiment described below is going to illustrate a practical example of this present invention, but not to limit the protection scope of this present invention.

FIGS. 1˜2illustrate an embodiment of an orthodontic aligner10and an orthodontic assembly20including the orthodontic aligner10. Wherein, the orthodontic aligner10is placed on a user's teeth which includes a target tooth101and at least one anchor tooth102. The target tooth101is a user's tooth which will be moved during this orthodontic treatment. The anchor tooth102is one or multiple teeth which provide a stationary point and fixing force. In order to describe the technical features of the orthodontic aligner10and the orthodontic assembly20, the top and bottom from the perspective ofFIG. 1are defined as the top and bottom of the orthodontic aligner10and the orthodontic assembly20, and the orthodontic aligner10and the orthodontic assembly20are placed on user's lower teeth in this embodiment. It is therefore understandable that the top and bottom of the orthodontic aligner10and the orthodontic assembly20should be reversed when they are placed on user's upper teeth.

The orthodontic aligner10includes a shell12, a space14constructed by receding of the shell12, a recess16constructed through upwardly recessing from an edge of the shell12at the location corresponding to the target tooth101, and an extension portion18downwardly protruding from the same side of the edge of the shell12at the location corresponding to the anchor tooth102. The shell12is set to cover a user's lower teeth to put the lower teeth into the space14. The extension portion18further protrudes a fixing lump182.

AsFIG. 1shows, the shell12has a wall121where the recess16formed. One of sections, the area circumscribed by broken lines in theFIG. 1, the section around the wall121forms a moving track122. A side of the moving track122is the wall121. As illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, a vertical distance a between the wall121of the shell12and the top of crown of the target tooth101is about 2 to 4 mm which makes the shell12partially covers the top of crown of the target tooth101and reveals the outer side of it behind the recess16. The fixing lump182is located corresponding to the center of resistance of the anchor tooth102where the extension portion18locates correspondingly. Wherein, the center of resistance is an important concept in orthodontic means the quality center of a tooth. A tooth will only move vertically without rotation when the forces pass through the center of resistance during orthodontic treatment. So, the fixing lump182can provide forces to fix and anchor by whole structure of the shell12covering on user's teeth and the anchor tooth102correspondingly to achieve a steady effect. Furthermore, the center of resistance will locate on the extension portion line linked by points of the center of resistance of these teeth if the anchor teeth102are multiple teeth.

In order to facilitate the process of orthodontic treatment, locations of the recess16, the extension portion18and the fixing lump182are better the same outer side of user's teeth but not limited of it. Wherein, the shell12is made of clear and hard materials including but not limited to PET, PET-G, TPU-PET-G, PE, EVA, PC or PVC. The thickness of the shell12is between 0.25 to 0.6 inches, about 0.625 to 1.5 mm to make it harder and/or steadier.

Further illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 3, the orthodontic aligner assembly20includes the aligner10, a connector30and an elastic member40. The connector30has an attaching portion32and a hitching portion34protruding from the attaching portion32which attach on the outer side of the crown of the target tooth101. The connector30can be common dental instruments in practice including but not limited to a bottom. Two ends of the elastic member40connect respectively to the fixing lump182and the hitching portion34. A tensile force of the elastic member40pull the target tooth101towards the fixing lump182. In this embodiment, the elastic member40is a rubber band wrapped around on the fixing lump182and the hitching portion34. In other possible embodiment, the elastic member40can be other elements with the same effect. The vertical distance β between the wall121and the central position of the hitching portion34is about 2 mm which makes it convenient to attach the connector30to the crown of the target tooth101and proceeding orthodontic treatment like attaching on the elastic member40.

In this embodiment, the target tooth101is a lower canine at the right side, the anchor tooth102is a lower molar at the right side. The target tooth101can move within the moving track of the shell12toward the anchor tooth102by tensile forces of the elastic member40. In this situation, the recess16is opened nearby the lower canine at the right side and locates below the moving track122. The extension portion18extends downwardly to the center of resistance of the lower molar at the right side. Because the fixing lump182is fixed at outer side of the extension portion18, so tensile forces of the elastic member40could not affect the lower molar at the right side. In other possible embodiment, the recess16can be opened nearby any target tooth101needs to be moved and the extension portion18can be positioned accordingly to any fix point nearby the anchor tooth102.

In other embodiments, for example, the target tooth101is an upper canine at the right side or an upper or lower canine at the left side, the recess16is opened accordingly nearby the upper canine at the right side, the upper or lower canine at the left side. The anchor tooth102related to each said kinds of the target tooth101is usually an upper molar at the right side or an upper or lower molar at the left side, the extension portion18is positioned accordingly nearby the upper molar at the right side or the upper or lower molar at the left side. However, specifically to illustrate that the target tooth101can also be a molar, premolar or even incisor. A person having ordinary skill can easily locate the anchor tooth102corresponding to the target tooth101. For example, the anchor tooth102correspondingly is usually a premolar or canine when the target tooth101is a molar, the anchor tooth102accordingly is usually a molar or canine when the target tooth101is a premolar and the anchor tooth102accordingly is usually a premolar or canine when the target tooth101is an incisor. Based on different the target tooth101, the recess16can be opened accordingly nearby a molar, premolar or canine; meanwhile, the extension portion18can be positioned accordingly by a molar, premolar or incisor.

FIG. 4shows an orthodontic aligner assembly50from another embodiment of this invention which is basically the same structure with the orthodontic aligner assembly20. The only difference is that the orthodontic aligner assembly50has a connector60having an attaching portion62and a hitching portion64protruding downwardly from the attaching portion32which attach on the outer side of the crown of the target tooth101. The hitching portion64resembles a hook. There is a predetermined distance between the attaching portion62and the end of the hitching portion64to position it just at the center of resistance of the target tooth101when the attaching portion62fixed on the crown of the target tooth101. The distance y between the end of the hitching portion64and where the crown of the target tooth101and gum meets is about 3 to 5 mm; meanwhile, the distance between the location for the elastic member40actually hook on the hitching portion64and the end of the hitching portion64is no more than 1 mm. This way, the tensile force can equally distribute on the target tooth101to move vertically when the hitching portion64pulls the target tooth101via the contraction of the elastic member40and decreases the possibility for the decline of the target tooth101during the movement. The connector60can be common dental instruments in practice including but not limited to crimpable hook.

FIG. 5shows a way for manufacturing the orthodontic aligner10of this invention including following steps.

First, a three-dimensional image of user's teeth before orthodontic treatments as illustrated inFIG. 6is taken. A three-dimensional image of user's teeth after orthodontic treatment is simulated by utilizing a computer software based on the three-dimensional image of user's teeth before orthodontic treatment. A route map of the target teeth101, a canine for example, is drawn by comparing the three-dimensional images of user's teeth before and after orthodontic treatment. As shown inFIG. 7, this route map is a moving trail combining at least 40 movement points of the target teeth101. Finally, the moving track122and the position and size of the recess16are simulated and set based on the route map, and the extension portion18and the fixing lump182are set based on the fixing location needed when the elastic member40pulling the target tooth101. Wherein, said three-dimensional image of user's teeth, route map, stimulated images or comparing images can be drawn by commercial software such as 3Shape or Inteware.

After said steps, the orthodontic aligner10will be placed on user's teeth and the attaching portion32,62of the connector30,60will be fixed on the crown of the target tooth101.

And then, the two ends of the elastic member40respectively are wrapped around the fixing lump182and the hitching portion34,64. The target tooth101is then pulled by contracting forces of the elastic member40towards the fixing lump182on the extension portion182. By doing so, the space created after a tooth has been removed will be closed.FIGS. 2 and 4are illustrations of the orthodontic aligner10and the orthodontic aligner assembly20put together. The three-dimensional image of user's teeth after orthodontic treatment is shown asFIG. 8.

According to above-mentioned structure and technical features, the orthodontic aligner10and assembly20,50and, method for manufacturing thereof of this invention is utilized in orthodontic treatment so that the anchor tooth (102) will stay stationary while only the target tooth101will be moved during orthodontic treatment. Thus, sequels after orthodontic treatment are reduced, and an invasive temporary anchorage device would not need to be used during orthodontic treatment processes which can further decrease uncomfortableness of user. AsFIG. 9shows, we can see that only the target tooth101, the gray canine, moved while the other teeth were only displaced±1 mm. By utilizing the recess16and the moving track122on the orthodontic aligner10, the target tooth101could guide by the moving track122and be able to move great distances in just one set and its path will be predictable during orthodontic treatment. Therefore, at least only one of the orthodontic aligner10is used to complete the orthodontic treatment, especially for moving one tooth, during whole processes without changing aligner frequently like prior arts to save lots of costs and decrease waste materials.

The above detailed description, which is supported by drawings, is merely intended to provide an embodiment illustrative of the technical content and features of the present invention. The appended claims shall cover simple modifications, replacements or component reduction made, without going against the spirit embodied in the present invention, by persons skilled in the art after gaining insight into the technical content and features of the present invention.