A computer-implemented method and a system create a virtual model of at least a part of an orthodontic appliance. A process for manufacturing at least a part of an orthodontic appliance is described. A device formed by an orthodontic appliance and at least one strut is described.

Embodiments relate to the methodology of direct manufacture of a customized labial/lingual orthodontic tube by using a ceramic slurry-based additive manufacturing (AM) technology. For example, a method of manufacturing customized ceramic labial/lingual orthodontic tubes by additive manufacturing may comprise measuring dentition data of a profile of teeth of a patient, based on the dentition data, creating a three-dimensional computer-assisted design (3D CAD) model of the patient's teeth, and saving the 3D CAD model, designing a virtual 3D CAD tube structure model for a single labial or lingual tube structure based upon said 3D CAD model, importing data related to the 3D CAD tube structure model into an additive manufacturing machine, and directly producing the tube with the additive manufacturing machine by layer manufacturing from an inorganic material including at least one of a ceramic, a polymer-derived ceramic, and a polymer-derived metal.

Embodiments relate to the methodology of direct manufacture of a customized labial/lingual orthodontic tube by using a ceramic slurry-based additive manufacturing (AM) technology. For example, a method of manufacturing customized ceramic labial/lingual orthodontic tubes by additive manufacturing may comprise measuring dentition data of a profile of teeth of a patient, based on the dentition data, creating a three-dimensional computer-assisted design (3D CAD) model of the patient's teeth, and saving the 3D CAD model, designing a virtual 3D CAD tube structure model for a single labial or lingual tube structure based upon said 3D CAD model, importing data related to the 3D CAD tube structure model into an additive manufacturing machine, and directly producing the tube with the additive manufacturing machine by layer manufacturing from an inorganic material including at least one of a ceramic, a polymer-derived ceramic, and a polymer-derived metal.

The present disclosure provides methods, devices, and systems that utilize dental appliance etch templates prior to or during dental treatment. One dental appliance etch template includes a removable shell having one or more cavities formed therein, where the one or more cavities are shaped to receive teeth of a patient, and the shell includes a well, the well including a wafer, where the wafer includes etch material to etch a tooth of the patient.

In an embodiment, a method of manufacturing customized ceramic labial/lingual orthodontic brackets by additive manufacturing may comprise measuring dentition data of a profile of teeth of a patient, based on the dentition data, creating a three dimensional computer-assisted design (3D CAD) model of the patient's teeth, and saving the 3D CAD model, designing a virtual 3D CAD bracket structure model for a single labial or lingual bracket structure based upon said 3D CAD model, importing data related to the 3D CAD bracket structure model into an additive manufacturing machine, and directly producing the bracket with the additive manufacturing machine by layer manufacturing from an inorganic material including at least one of a ceramic, a polymer-derived ceramic, and a polymer-derived metal.

An orthodontic adhesive includes components capable of allowing easy debonding of an orthodontic device from a patient's tooth. The adhesive includes an engineered marine mussel protein. The adhesive may include at least one photocleavable moiety. The adhesive is applied in one or more individual layers. One of the components of the adhesive is capable of binding to a tooth and the other component may be capable of binding to an orthodontic device. A method of adhering an orthodontic device to a tooth includes applying a layer of an orthodontic adhesive to either the tooth or the orthodontic device or the tooth and the orthodontic device and affixing the orthodontic device to the tooth with the orthodontic adhesive situated between the tooth and the orthodontic device. The engineered marine mussel protein includes one or more catechol moieties or one or more derivatives of a catechol moiety.

An orthodontic adhesive includes components capable of allowing easy debonding of an orthodontic device from a patient's tooth. The adhesive includes an engineered marine mussel protein. The adhesive may include at least one photocleavable moiety. The adhesive is applied in one or more individual layers. One of the components of the adhesive is capable of binding to a tooth and the other component may be capable of binding to an orthodontic device. A method of adhering an orthodontic device to a tooth includes applying a layer of an orthodontic adhesive to either the tooth or the orthodontic device or the tooth and the orthodontic device and affixing the orthodontic device to the tooth with the orthodontic adhesive situated between the tooth and the orthodontic device. The engineered marine mussel protein includes one or more catechol moieties or one or more derivatives of a catechol moiety.

An orthodontic appliance for orthodontic treatment of a posterior maxillary sector extending from a mesial anchor tooth to a molar tooth unilaterally on the same side of the maxilla is provided. The appliance features a molar component, a mesial anchor tooth attachment, a long rod, and a hook. The long rod is saddle-shaped in the occlusal-gingival plane, and may have a distal step-down portion. The rod may extend at a mesial end thereof from the mesial anchor tooth attachment towards the molar component in a mesiodistal direction, and the rod may also have a mesial step-up portion starting from the mesial anchor tooth or premolar attachment. The hook may be located on the rod, for attachment with a traction element for direct molar traction. Under force of the traction element the rod exerts force on the molar component for molar distillation.

The present disclosure is directed, at least in part, to a self-ligating orthodontic bracket system that includes a rotatable member for securing an archwire within a slot of a bracket. Embodiments of the orthodontic bracket system disclosed herein include a bracket body containing the archwire slot as well as tie wings for attaching various orthodontic devices (e.g., elastomeric bands) to the bracket. The rotatable member is rotatable in a first direction (e.g., counter clockwise) relative to a body of the bracket for securing or locking the archwire within the slot, and for rotating in an opposite direction (e.g., a clockwise direction) relative to the bracket body for unsecuring or unlocking the archwire so that it is substantially unrestrained from exiting the slot. Other embodiments include an orthodontic appliance and method of producing and using the same, and preferably employed in a lingual orthodontic system, that includes friction reducing features between an interior of an archwire slot portion of the appliance and an archwire placed within the archwire slot.

The present disclosure is directed, at least in part, to a self-ligating orthodontic bracket system that includes a rotatable member for securing an archwire within a slot of a bracket. Embodiments of the orthodontic bracket system disclosed herein include a bracket body containing the archwire slot as well as tie wings for attaching various orthodontic devices (e.g., elastomeric bands) to the bracket. The rotatable member is rotatable in a first direction (e.g., counter clockwise) relative to a body of the bracket for securing or locking the archwire within the slot, and for rotating in an opposite direction (e.g., a clockwise direction) relative to the bracket body for unsecuring or unlocking the archwire so that it is substantially unrestrained from exiting the slot. Other embodiments include an orthodontic appliance and method of producing and using the same, and preferably employed in a lingual orthodontic system, that includes friction reducing features between an interior of an archwire slot portion of the appliance and an archwire placed within the archwire slot.