Techniques for preparing a model (e.g., a digital model) of a person's teeth are described. The techniques include receiving a model of a maxillary arch and a mandibular arch of a person's teeth, operating an automated mesh cleaning operation to modify the model, segmenting the model to identify individual teeth and gum tissue in the model, identifying and marking features of each tooth of the model, and adjusting the individual teeth of the model into a recommended orientation relative to each other, and applying a treatment method. The treatment method may include a selection of a bracket type and an aligner type. The techniques may determine a proposed location of brackets or aligners on the individual teeth based on the applied treatment method and export a digital model of a bracket tray for formation of a bracket tray that can be used to secure the brackets to a person's teeth.

An orthodontic bracket may include a housing portion having a first channel extending from a first end to a second end through the housing portion. The first channel is configured to slidably receive an archwire therethrough. The bracket also include a body portion configured to be received within the housing portion. The housing portion is configured to rotatably mount to the body portion about a first axis and a second axis. The first axis may be in an apico-coronal direction of the tooth. The second axis may be in a buccopalatal direction of the tooth. The bracket further includes a base portion configured to attach to a surface of the tooth. The body portion is configured to slidably mount on the base portion along the apico-coronal direction of the tooth.

An orthodontic bracket may include a housing portion having a first channel extending from a first end to a second end through the housing portion. The first channel is configured to slidably receive an archwire therethrough. The bracket also include a body portion configured to be received within the housing portion. The housing portion is configured to rotatably mount to the body portion about a first axis and a second axis. The first axis may be in an apico-coronal direction of the tooth. The second axis may be in a buccopalatal direction of the tooth. The bracket further includes a base portion configured to attach to a surface of the tooth. The body portion is configured to slidably mount on the base portion along the apico-coronal direction of the tooth.

An orthodontic appliance is provided and includes: a base member fixed to two or more screws implanted in a vicinity of median palatine suture of a palate bone; an arm-shaped arm member having a first connecting portion connected to the base member and a second connecting portion located in a vicinity of palatal side of a tooth; and a traction member that is made of an elastic wire material and pulls a tooth as the traction target. The traction member has a traction base portion, a traction fixation portion, and a traction force generation portion. The traction fixation portion has a bent portion in which the wire material extending along dentition is plastically deformed and bent toward a tooth root side. The bent portion is hooked on a protruding portion protruding to a palate side in a bracket.

An orthodontic appliance may include an archwire and multiple orthodontic brackets. The archwire may fit within a human mouth and contain multiple male connectors. Each orthodontic bracket may have a configuration that facilitates attaching the orthodontic bracket to a single tooth. Each orthodontic bracket may allow one of the male connectors to be locked into the orthodontic bracket with a snapping action. The male connector may be unable to slide with respect to the orthodontic bracket after being locked in the orthodontic bracket. A manual unlocking action may allow the male connector to disengage from the orthodontic bracket.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a fitting device for an orthodontic apparatus, including: the following steps: making a first image of a row of teeth in an initial position, and a second image of the orthodontic apparatus; the apparatus including two attachment elements connected by a bridge, each attachment element capable of being connected to a tooth; making a third image of the orthodontic apparatus joined to the teeth in the initial position; then making a fourth image of the fitting device, including a contact surface capable of being joined to the teeth; two complementary first cavities of the attachment elements; and a second cavity capable of receiving the bridge; then additively manufacturing the fitting device from the fourth image.

Improvement is required in many aspects in order to enhance a treatment effect by reliably applying necessary orthodontic force for moving teeth. The present invention provides a mouthpiece type removable orthodontic appliance including a base portion (10), and a fitting portion (20) provided on the base portion. The base portion (10) is a thin plate formed of an inelastic material and extending along the shape of an occlusal surface of a dental arch of a jaw on which the orthodontic appliance is fitted. The fitting portion (20) includes a movement member (30, 40) to be fitted on a tooth intended to be moved, and a gripping member (50, 60) to be fitted on a tooth unintended to be moved. The movement member includes an orthodontic tooth surface pad pair including two orthodontic tooth surface pads conforming to a post-movement position and state of a tooth crown surface of the intended tooth, and an orthodontic resilient member for applying an orthodontic force and a gripping force to the tooth surface pad pair. The gripping member includes a gripping tooth surface pad pair including two gripping tooth surface pads for covering a tooth crown surface of the unintended tooth, and a gripping resilient member for applying a gripping force to the gripping tooth surface pad pair.

A method of forming an arch member comprising an arch member body and an arch member coupling integral with the body, comprising: providing a substrate comprising a resilient material; and removing a portion of the substrate to form the arch member. The arch member body including a cross-sectional geometry that varies along a length of the body. Also a method of designing an orthodontic appliance comprising: providing a proposed specification of the orthodontic appliance, wherein the orthodontic appliance comprises an arch member comprising an arch member body and an arch member coupling integral with the body, and a set of anchors, providing a first digital image representing a first dental arrangement associated with the orthodontic appliance; deriving a target digital image representing a target dental arrangement; revising the proposed specification of the orthodontic appliance based in part on the target digital image; and forming the orthodontic appliance based on the revised proposed specification.

A method of forming an arch member comprising an arch member body and an arch member coupling integral with the body, comprising: providing a substrate comprising a resilient material; and removing a portion of the substrate to form the arch member. The arch member body including a cross-sectional geometry that varies along a length of the body. Also a method of designing an orthodontic appliance comprising: providing a proposed specification of the orthodontic appliance, wherein the orthodontic appliance comprises an arch member comprising an arch member body and an arch member coupling integral with the body, and a set of anchors, providing a first digital image representing a first dental arrangement associated with the orthodontic appliance; deriving a target digital image representing a target dental arrangement; revising the proposed specification of the orthodontic appliance based in part on the target digital image; and forming the orthodontic appliance based on the revised proposed specification.

Systems, methods, and devices for improved orthodontic treatment of a patient's teeth are provided herein. In some aspects, a method for fabricating an orthodontic appliance for treating a patient's teeth is disclosed. The method may comprise determining a movement path to move a tooth from an initial arrangement towards a target arrangement; determining a force system to move the tooth along the movement path; determining a variable gable bend to produce the force system; determining a geometry for a tooth receiving cavity of the appliance based on the variable gable bend; and generating instructions for fabricating the appliance having a tooth receiving cavity formed according to the geometry for the tooth receiving cavity.