Patent Document ID: 7831322
Application ID: 11074297
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for manufacturing a wrinkled dental aligner for a patient's tooth, comprising: developing a first digital dental aligner model comprising outer surfaces and inner surfaces designed to approximately follow at least some contours of outer surfaces of a digital dental arch model of the patient's dental arch in a target position, the first model configured to apply a system of forces to elicit movement of one or more teeth in accordance with a treatment plan; modifying the first model so as to create a second digital dental aligner model, the modifying comprising adding at least one predetermined wrinkle feature to the first digital dental aligner model, wherein the second model is configured to apply substantially the same system of forces to the teeth as the first model, and wherein the wrinkle feature is configured to reduce relaxation in a corresponding physical aligner after repeated use; and producing a physical dental aligner that is a physical embodiment of the second digital dental aligner model, the physical dental aligner having the wrinkle feature in accordance with said second digital dental aligner model, the physical dental aligner comprising a shell defining tooth receiving cavities, the wrinkle feature comprising a corrugated structure formed in a portion of material of the physical dental aligner that is in contact with the patient's tooth as the aligner is worn by the patient, the wrinkle feature configured to reduce loss of tooth movement eliciting forces due to relaxation in the physical aligner after repeated use, and wherein the wrinkle feature is other than contours of outer and inner surfaces of the aligner shell that approximately follow contours of the outer surfaces of the digital dental arch model of the patient's dental arch.