Patent ID: 10179035

Abstract:
Direct 3D-printed orthodontic aligners with torque, rotation, and full-control anchors are provided. In an implementation, an orthodontic system uses 3D-printed aligners to perform orthodontic treatment of teeth. Manufacturing the aligners by 3D-printing or additive manufacturing processes imparts novel geometries to the aligners for applying torque, rotation, and full 3D control forces to the teeth in novel ways. The 3D-printed aligners may contain multiple different plastic or metal materials with different orthodontic properties. In an implementation, divot anchors can be strategically applied to teeth to work in conjunction with a 3D-printed aligner fitted over the divot anchors and teeth. The divot anchors may include a depression, channel, groove, or notch providing an attachment point for the aligner to apply a force to the tooth through the divot anchor, such as a torque, rotational force, leverage, push, pull, or 3D control force.