Patent ID: 7751925

Claim:
A system to manufacture orthodontic appliances, the system comprising: a virtual orthodontic appliance design computer having a processor, memory coupled to the processor, and orthodontic appliance design program product stored in the memory including instructions to perform operations of receiving patient dentition data and designing a virtual dimensional representation of an orthodontic appliance defining virtual orthodontic appliance design data responsive to the received patient dentition data, the orthodontic appliance including a customized archwire and a plurality of precision customized brackets each including a tooth facing bonding surface and a bracket slot; a mold forming apparatus positioned to form each bracket including a mold positioned to receive a bracket-forming material and a dispensing device positioned to dispense the bracket-forming material into the mold, the mold having a cavity for each of the plurality of brackets defining peripheries of the bracket when the bracket-forming material is positioned therein and having a channel defining peripheries of a runner when filled with the bracket-forming material, each molded bracket connected to the runner when removed from the mold; a data processing computer in conununication with the virtual orthodontic appliance design computer and having memory and computer-aided manufacturing program product stored in the memory including instructions that when executed by the data processing computer cause the data processing computer to perform an operation of deriving electrical discharge device control instructions including those to perform an operation of forming a pattern describing a virtual dimensional representation of the bracket slot responsive to the virtual orthodontic appliance design data, and including those to perform an operation of simultaneously separating the bracket from the runner when forming the bracket slot; and an electrical discharge machining apparatus in communication with the data processing computer and comprising: a controller having memory and data communication program product stored in the memory including instructions that when executed by the controller cause the controller to perform an operation of receiving the electrical discharge device control instructions, and having control program product also stored in the memory and including instructions that when executed by the controller cause the controller to derive a control signal carrying the electrical discharge device control instructions responsive to the received electrical discharge device control instructions, and an electrical discharge device comprising an electrical discharge electrode assembly including an electrode and at least one drive section adapted to position each bracket in electrical discharge contact with the electrode to form the bracket slot and adapted to simultaneously separate the bracket from the runner when forming the bracket slot responsive to the control signal.