Systems and methods for temporarily staging teeth

Abstract

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.

1 . A system for moving teeth, comprising:
 a first dental appliance for placement of a group of teeth of a dentition therein, the first dental appliance configured to move a first subgroup of teeth in the group while isolating the remaining teeth of the group at a rest position during a first treatment stage;   a second dental appliance configured to move a second subgroup of teeth in the group while isolating the remaining teeth of the group at a rest position during a second treatment stage; and   a third dental appliance configured to reactivate movement of the first subgroup of teeth while isolating the remaining teeth of the group at a rest position during a third treatment stage.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second treatment stage is subsequent to the first treatment stage and the third treatment stage is subsequent to the second treatment stage. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third dental appliances each have a number cavities in which the group of teeth of the dentition are positioned. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first dental appliance is configured such that it does not make any force applying contact with the second subgroup of teeth. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second dental appliance is configured such that it does not make any force applying contact with the first subgroup of teeth. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the third dental appliance is configured such that it does not make any force applying contact with the second group of teeth. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second subgroups of teeth include contiguous teeth. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second subgroups of teeth include non-contiguous teeth. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second treatment stage are intra-day stages. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the group of teeth includes all of the teeth of the dentition. 
   
   
       11 . A system for moving teeth, comprising:
 a number of dental appliances to be successively placed over a group of teeth of a dentition;   wherein each of the number of dental appliances is configured to move a particular subgroup of teeth in the group while relieving the force applied to the remaining teeth in the group during one of a respective number of treatment stages; and   wherein at least one of the number of dental appliances is configured to reactivate movement of each of the teeth in a particular subgroup of teeth that was moved in a prior one of the number of treatment stages.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the group includes all of the teeth of the dentition of a patient. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the system includes at least three distinct subgroups of teeth to be moved in one or more of the respective number of treatment stages. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the system includes at least two distinct subgroups of teeth to be moved in one or more of the respective number of treatment stages, and wherein each particular subgroup includes at least two teeth. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the number of dental appliances is configured to reactivate movement of each of the teeth in the particular subgroup of teeth that was moved in the prior one of the number of treatment stages while isolating all the teeth not in the particular subgroup at a rest position. 
   
   
       16 . A system for generating a number of dental appliances to be successively placed over a group of teeth of a patient's dentition, the system comprising:
 a processor;   a display device coupled to the processor;   a data storage device coupled to the processor;   a scanner coupled to the processor for providing data to model the patient's masticatory system;   computer executable instructions storable on the data storage device and executed by the processor to provide a model of each of the number of dental appliances;   wherein each of the number of dental appliances is configured to move a particular subgroup of teeth in the group while relieving the force applied to the remaining teeth in the group during one of a respective number of treatment stages; and   wherein at least one of the number of dental appliances is configured to reactivate movement of each of the teeth in a particular subgroup of teeth that was moved in a prior one of the number of treatment stages.   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the system includes a dental appliance fabrication machine coupled to the processor for generating the number of dental appliances in accordance with the model. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each of the particular subgroups of teeth includes at least two teeth. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein each of the at least two teach in each of the particular subgroups of teeth are contiguous teeth. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the number of dental appliances includes at least two dental appliances each configured to reactivate movement of each of the teeth in a different particular subgroup of teeth.