AUTOMATED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ORAL APPLIANCES

• Main Authors: KUHNS, David W, LIPTAK, Leonard A, KIM, Sung
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 13.07.2023
• Subjects: APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; CONTROLLING; DENTISTRY; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; DIAGNOSIS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONTECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING ORPROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTEDFOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ORELEMENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PHYSICS; PROSTHESES; REGULATING; SURGERY; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS

Disclosed herein are methods of manufacturing an oral appliance, the method comprising the steps of: a) importing into a computer aided design (CAD) computer program a digitized data set obtained from a three-dimensional scan of a patient's dentition; b) preparing a three-dimensional electronic model of the patient's dentition; c) subtracting the three-dimensional electronic model of the patient's dentition from an image of a solid block to obtain an appliance data set; and d) manufacturing a dental appliance in accordance with the appliance data set. Also disclosed are devices made by the above method, and methods of treating a condition, for example a sleep breathing disorder, by using a device made by the above method.