A method for producing a shape memory band of an orthodontic appliance. The shape memory band is one piece, has a cross section that can vary according to the longitudinal position of said cross section, and includes a bonding zone configured so as to exhibit a shape substantially identical to that of a tooth. The method includes: determining an orthodontic treatment suitable for treating the teeth, determining a set of forces to be exerted locally on the teeth in order to obtain the orthodontic treatment and the shape of the surface of the teeth to which bonding zones of the shape memory band are to be bonded, and producing the shape memory band. The local cross section of the shape memory band is determined according to the forces and in such a way as to define bonding zones substantially identical to the surfaces of the teeth.

A tape for use with braces or aligners includes a member of flexible and stretchable material that is infused with an ingredient to improve oral care during treatment with braces or aligners. The material includes two or more layers of material that are laminated together and that include a first layer of polymer film and a second layer of hydrogel material.

A tape for use with braces or aligners includes a member of flexible and stretchable material that is infused with an ingredient to improve oral care during treatment with braces or aligners. The material includes two or more layers of material that are laminated together and that include a first layer of polymer film and a second layer of hydrogel material.

Disclosed herein are devices, systems, and method for preconditioning lingual tissue for lingual orthodontic treatment, including the application of lingual braces. Protuberances may be affixed to the lingual surfaces of one or more of a patient's teeth prior to the introduction of an orthodontic appliance to allow time for the tongue to adapt to the presence of foreign structures. The protuberances may promote keratinization of the lingual tissue. The protuberances may be removed prior to the application of the orthopedic appliance. The protuberances can be pre-fabricated or fabricated in situ on the surfaces of the teeth. The protuberances may be any suitable material, including metal, polymer, or ceramic.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method and system of determining a first force vector of a selected point in a first position on a virtual dentition of the oral cavity based on the first aggregate force characteristic of a force member, having multiple segments, in the first configuration and determining a second force vector of the selected point in a second position on the virtual dentition based on the first aggregate force characteristic of the force member in the first configuration. The method includes determining a condition of whether the second force vector (or force magnitude thereof) is within 90 percent of the first force vector (or force magnitude thereof) at 50 percent of displacement between the first position and the second position and performing an operation based on the condition.

An orthodontic appliance includes an indirect bonding tray; at least one bracket segment integrally formed with the indirect boding tray; an integral slot location feature formed in the at least one bracket segment; a support structure configured to be bonded with the at least one bracket segment and wherein the integral slot location feature is configured to positively orient the support structure relative to the at least one bracket segment, the support structure being further configured to retain an arch-wire; and wherein a weakened section joins the indirect bonding tray and the at least one bracket segment, the weakened section being configured to facilitate removal of the indirect bonding tray from the at least bracket segment after installation of the at least one bracket segment. An associated method of creating and installing the orthodontic appliance is also disclosed.

Oral treatment devices formed from wax-based compositions that are thermally stable when formed into a three-dimensional shape to a temperature of at least 45° C. and plastically deformable at room temperature (25° C.). The wax-based compositions include a wax fraction homogeneously blended with a polymer fraction. The wax fraction includes at least one wax. The polymer fraction includes at least one polymer selected such that, when the wax and polymer are homogeneously blended together, they yield a wax-based composition having the desired properties of thermal stability and plastic deformability. Oral treatment devices are dimensionally stable to a temperature of at least 40° C. without external support and can be plastically deformed in a user's mouth to become at least partially customized to the size and shape of user's unique dentition and/or an appliance in a user's mouth.

A method and processor for generating a 3D-platform representation of a tooth-specific platform for attachment of a dental appliance to a tooth of a patient are disclosed. The method includes acquiring a 3D-tooth representation of the tooth, and defining an attachment zone on the surface of the 3D-tooth representation. The attachment zone has a zone perimeter enclosing a surface portion of the 3D-tooth representation corresponding to a surface portion of the tooth to which the tooth-specific platform is to be attached. The method also includes generating the 3D-platform representation having (i) a tooth-oriented surface matching the surface portion of the 3D-tooth representation and having a perimeter matching the zone perimeter, (ii) a perimeter wall extending between the tooth-oriented surface and the tooth-opposite surface and away from the surface portion, and (iii) a tooth-opposite surface matching an expanded surface portion of the 3D-tooth representation.

A cover device formed of a plastic or similar composition is structured for removable attachment over a bracket of an orthodontic appliance to conceal the bracket from view. The cover device includes a main plate with an outer front face, and top and bottom claws integrally formed with the main plate, curling behind the main plate, and each terminating at distal ends in spaced, opposing relation to each other behind the main plate. The front face includes an ornamental design or other indicia that is applied by polymer fusion technology to significantly reduce the risk of exposing the user to inks and pigment compositions, particularly if the cover device is accidentally swallowed. The application of the indicia by polymer fusion technology also increases the structural integrity of the cover device; mechanically strengthening the cover device at its point of greatest flexure.

Techniques are described for automating the design of dental restoration appliances using neural networks. An example computing device receives transform information associated with a current dental anatomy of a dental restoration patient, provides the transform information associated with the current dental anatomy of the dental restoration patient as input to a neural network trained with transform information indicating placement of a dental appliance component with respect to one or more teeth of corresponding dental anatomies, the dental appliance being used for dental restoration treatment for the one or more teeth, and executes the neural network using the input to produce placement information for the dental appliance component with respect to the current dental anatomy of the dental restoration patient.