Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Location: Santa Clara, CA
No. of patents: 30

Number	Title	Issue Date
7993136	Methods for producing non-interfering tooth models A method produces a physical dental arch model having at least two physical tooth models. The method includes detecting the interference between two physical tooth models. If interference is detected between the first physical tooth model and the second physical too...	08/09/2011
7993134	Accurately predicting and preventing interference between tooth models Systems and methods for preventing interference between two physical tooth models in a physical dental arch model includes digitally representing the surfaces of each of the two physical tooth models by a mesh of points in three dimensions, interpolating the meshes ...	08/09/2011
7943079	Methods of making orthodontic appliances Methods of making a removable dental positioning appliance include forming a sheet of transparent crystalline polymeric material into a shell having cavities shaped to receive and reposition teeth from a first orientation to a successive orientation. The polymeric m...	05/17/2011
7837469	System for determining final position of teeth An apparatus and method define a fit a set of upper and lower teeth in a masticatory system of a patient by generating a computer representation of the masticatory system of the patient; and determining an occlusion from the computer representation of the masticator...	11/23/2010
7831322	Producing wrinkled dental aligner for dental treatment A method for manufacturing wrinkled dental aligner for a patient's tooth includes developing a digital dental aligner model specifying at least one wrinkled surface on a dental aligner and producing a dental aligner having the wrinkled surface in accordance with dig...	11/09/2010
7826646	Systems and methods for removing gingiva from computer tooth models A computer-implemented method separates gingiva from a model of a tooth by defining a cutting surface along the gingiva; and applying the cutting surface to the tooth to separate the gingiva from the tooth. ...	11/02/2010
7802987	Methods and systems for lubricating dental appliances A system for repositioning teeth comprises a plurality of individual appliances that are treated with a lubricious composition. The appliances are configured to be placed successively on the patient's teeth and to incrementally reposition the teeth from an initial t...	09/28/2010
7748199	System and method for packaging of mass-fabricated custom items A system for packaging mass-customized items includes a computer system including a database containing item identification information unique to each item; (2) outer container identification apparatus that applies the item identification information received from t...	07/06/2010
7746339	System and method for automatic detection of dental features Systems and methods for automatic detection of dental features, such as cusps, ridges, and grooves, are disclosed. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented system and method for automatic detection of dental features for an occlusal surface...	06/29/2010
7736147	Systems and methods for bite-setting teeth models A method for bite-setting computer models of teeth on a first jaw and a second jaw includes determining an initial position of the first jaw; and determining an optimal bite based on the initial position of the first jaw. ...	06/15/2010
7711447	System and method for automated generating of a cutting curve on a surface In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, a system and method for automated generating of a cutting curve on a surface is provided. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method for automated generating of a cutting cur...	05/04/2010
7689398	System and method for modeling and application of interproximal reduction of teeth In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, system and method for modeling and application of interproximal reduction (IPR) of teeth to facilitate orthodontic treatment is provided. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a system and method for...	03/30/2010
7674422	Reinforced thin-shell molds A method and a system for forming a polymeric resin mold for molding plastic items, wherein the method includes: (a) using a rapid-prototyping process to create a polymeric resin shell having a configuration in the form of the mold; (b) introducing a reinforcing mat...	03/09/2010
7658610	Systems and methods for fabricating a dental template with a 3-D object placement A dental template to position an object on a patient's tooth includes digitizing the patient's tooth; adding virtual objects to predetermined three-dimensional positions on the digitized tooth; and fabricating the dental template to locate the object at the predeter...	02/09/2010
7648360	Dental appliance sequence ordering system and method The present invention provides systems and methods for providing dental appliances, particularly orthodontic appliances, to a patient wherein the patient is easily able to determine the order or sequence in which the appliances should be worn. Typically the applianc...	01/19/2010
7641828	Methods of making orthodontic appliances Methods of making a removable dental positioning appliance include forming a sheet of transparent crystalline polymeric material into a shell having cavities shaped to receive and reposition teeth from a first orientation to a successive orientation. The polymeric m...	01/05/2010
7637740	Systems and methods for temporally staging teeth Systems and methods are disclosed for moving teeth by moving a first tooth; and moving a second tooth while isolating the first tooth at a rest position. ...	12/29/2009
7611058	Identification of units in customized production Mass-customized parts are identified by encoding part identification information into a multi-dimensional bar code, wherein mass-customization machinery, such as stereolithography apparatus, is used to make the parts with the multi-dimensional bar code embedded ther...	11/03/2009
7604181	System for processing mass-fabricated items with three-dimensional codes In the processing of mass-produced items that include a three-dimensional code formed therein, a system is provided for automating certain post-manufacturing processing steps. The system includes a printing mechanism that applies ink to the three-dimensional code to...	10/20/2009
7600999	Systems and methods for fabricating a dental template A dental template to position an object on a patient's tooth includes digitizing the patient's tooth; adding virtual objects to predetermined three-dimensional positions on the digitized tooth; and fabricating the dental template to locate the object at the predeter...	10/13/2009
7580846	Method and system for distributing patient referrals Practitioners are certified to perform a medical procedure, such as an orthodontic procedure. Certified practitioners are maintained in a referral directory and classified within tiers based on criteria such as the number of procedures that they have performed. Inqu...	08/25/2009
7578674	Methods for correcting tooth movements midcourse in treatment Appliances are made using a dental mold representing a patient's dental configuration. In particular, thermoformable plastic positioning appliances which fit over the patient's teeth may be formed over a three-dimensional mold of the patient's dentition. An apparatu...	08/25/2009
7578673	System and methods for combination treatments of dental patients Systems and methods for fabricating a dental template to position an object on a patient's tooth to move the tooth from an initial position to a target position are disclosed. The system digitizes a model of the patient's tooth at the initial position; places an obj...	08/25/2009
7572121	Method and apparatus for mass customized manufacturing Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing dental aligners. The system includes a workpiece introduction system having at least one workpiece preparation chamber. The system further has a mold manipulation system, having a mold int...	08/11/2009
7553157	Systems and methods for dental appliance compliance indication An apparatus for monitoring orthodontic treatment compliance includes an appliance adapted to be worn over one or more teeth; and a compliance indicator mounted on the appliance to indicate compliance. ...	06/30/2009
7481647	Systems and methods for fabricating 3-D objects Systems and methods are disclosed for a platform to form a three-dimensional article from successively selectively solidified layers of a liquid medium which is solidifiable by application thereto of a prescribed energy. The platform can be coated or uncoated. The p...	01/27/2009
7481121	Orthodontic force measurement system A method for concurrently measuring a force exerted upon each of a plurality of teeth is disclosed. A dentition crown connecting rod associated with a force gauge is positioned such that a dentition crown coupled to the dentition crown connecting rod may be received...	01/27/2009
7476100	Guide apparatus and methods for making tooth positioning appliances A method for manipulating a three-dimensional model of a patient's teeth for making one or more tooth positioning appliances involves: forming at least one three-dimensional model of the patient's teeth; acquiring an initial digital data set representing at least pa...	01/13/2009
7474307	Clinician review of an orthodontic treatment plan and appliance A computer is used to create a plan for repositioning an orthodontic patient's teeth. The computer receives an initial digital data set representing the patient's teeth at their initial positions and a final digital data set representing the teeth at their final pos...	01/06/2009
7472789	Container for transporting and processing three-dimensional dentition models A method of transporting and processing a set of three-dimensional dentition models includes (a) providing a container having an outer shell containing a shock-absorbing core, wherein the core defines a plurality of compartments each configured to hold one model in ...	01/06/2009

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Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.