Invention Publication
- Patent Title: METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR FABRICATING DENTAL APPLIANCES HAVING VARIABLE STIFFNESSES
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Application No.: US18473908Application Date: 2023-09-25
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Publication No.: US20240008956A1Publication Date: 2024-01-11
- Inventor: Allen Boronkay , Jihua Cheng , Fuming Wu , Yan Chen , John Morton
- Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US CA San Jose
- Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US CA San Jose
- The original application number of the division: US15202342 2016.07.05
- Main IPC: A61C7/00
- IPC: A61C7/00 ; A61C7/08 ; A61C7/14 ; A61C7/36 ; B33Y50/02 ; A61C7/10 ; B33Y80/00

Abstract:
Methods for fabricating dental appliances and associated systems are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes defining a plurality of object cross-sections of a dental appliance, and sequentially polymerizing the plurality of object cross-sections to create the dental appliance. The dental appliance can include an outer shell having a plurality of teeth-receiving cavities, and an inner structure coupled to an inner surface of the outer shell. The outer shell can have a first stiffness, and the inner structure can have a second stiffness less than the first stiffness. The sequential polymerization can include integrally forming the outer shell concurrently with the inner structure.
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