Patent Document ID: 10098709
Application ID: 14747138
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of optimizing a set of orthodontic brackets on a corresponding set of a patient's teeth, the method comprising: positioning a set of virtual brackets on a digital representation of the set of teeth in a nominal bracket layout, each virtual bracket including a slot; simulating an initial path of a virtual archwire through each slot in the set based on the nominal bracket layout; selecting at least two adjustment candidates based on the initial path, wherein each of the at least two adjustment candidates is one virtual bracket in the set of virtual brackets; modifying at least one of the adjustment candidates by at least one of changing a bracket height, changing an angle between the slot and a back surface of the virtual bracket, and rotating the slot in the virtual bracket about a centerline of the virtual bracket, wherein modifying updates the nominal bracket layout into an updated bracket layout; simulating an updated path of the virtual archwire through each slot in the updated bracket layout; and evaluating whether the updated bracket layout violates at least one constraint; in response to violation of the at least one constraint, repeating modifying the at least one adjustment candidate, simulating, and evaluating to produce another updated path; wherein modifying, simulating, and evaluating are performed one or more times to arrive at an updated bracket layout for manufacturing, the updated bracket layout satisfying the at least one constraint, and manufacturing the set of orthodontic brackets in accordance with the updated bracket layout.