Insertable and prefabricated attachments for an oral appliance

Abstract

A dental appliance includes an interior shape that substantially conforms to a dental arch of a patient, a hollow portion forming a cavity, and an object bonded to the dental appliance and inserted into the cavity. The object provides structural strength to the dental appliance at a location of the hollow portion and does not interfere with a fit of the dental appliance onto the dental arch of the patient.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dental appliance comprising:
 an interior shape that substantially conforms to a dental arch of a patient;   a hollow portion forming a cavity; and   an object bonded to the dental appliance and inserted into the cavity, wherein the object provides structural strength to the dental appliance at a location of the hollow portion and does not interfere with a fit of the dental appliance onto the dental arch of the patient.   
     
     
         2 . The dental appliance of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a slot in the dental appliance at a location of the hollow portion, wherein the slot is configured to receive and retain a sphere attached to an end of a rod. 
 
     
     
         3 . The dental appliance of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a hole or slot in the dental appliance at a location of the hollow portion, wherein one or more additional objects are insertable into the cavity in the dental appliance through the hole or slot. 
 
     
     
         4 . The dental appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the dental appliance is configured to be worn in a mouth of the patient to alter, while the dental appliance is worn in the mouth, contact points between a first portion and a second portion of the dental arch of the patient. 
     
     
         5 . The dental appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the object is a preformed object that substantially conforms to a shape or contour of the cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The dental appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the object has a first surface that has a first shape that substantially matches first contours of walls of the hollow portion that form the cavity, and wherein the object has a second surface that has a second shape that substantially matches second contours of at least a portion of one or more teeth of the dental arch. 
     
     
         7 . The dental appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the object is bonded to the dental appliance using one or more of laser welding or ultrasonic welding. 
     
     
         8 . A dental appliance comprising:
 an interior shape that substantially conforms to a first dental arch of a patient;   a hollow portion forming a cavity; and   an object bonded to the dental appliance and inserted into the cavity, wherein: the object comprises a first surface shaped to fit into the cavity of the hollow portion; the object further comprises a second surface configured to facilitate fit of the dental appliance onto the first dental arch of the patient; and the object corresponds to a first feature shaped to reposition a jaw of the patient.   
     
     
         9 . The dental appliance of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a slot in the dental appliance at a location of the hollow portion, wherein the slot is configured to receive and retain a sphere attached to an end of a rod. 
 
     
     
         10 . The dental appliance of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a hole or slot in the dental appliance at a location of the hollow portion, wherein one or more additional objects are insertable into the cavity in the dental appliance through the hole or slot. 
 
     
     
         11 . The dental appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the dental appliance is configured to be worn in a mouth of the patient to alter, while the dental appliance is worn in the mouth, contact points between a first portion and a second portion of the first dental arch of the patient. 
     
     
         12 . The dental appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the object is a preformed object that substantially conforms to a shape or contour of the cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The dental appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the first surface has a first shape that substantially matches first contours of walls of the hollow portion that form the cavity, and wherein the second surface has a second shape that substantially matches second contours of at least a portion of one or more teeth of the first dental arch. 
     
     
         14 . The dental appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the object is bonded to the dental appliance using one or more of laser welding or ultrasonic welding. 
     
     
         15 . The dental appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the object is shaped to engage a second feature on a second dental arch of the patient. 
     
     
         16 . The dental appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the object is positioned on a buccal region of the dental appliance. 
     
     
         17 . The dental appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the object is shaped to provide bite stabilization to address contact between the first dental arch and a second dental arch of the patient. 
     
     
         18 . The dental appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the object is shaped to increase bite separation between the first dental arch and a second dental arch of the patient. 
     
     
         19 . The dental appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the object is shaped to alter one or more occlusal contacts between the first dental arch and a second dental arch of the patient. 
     
     
         20 . The dental appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the dental appliance comprises an aligner including a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities shaped to receive and resiliently reposition teeth on the first dental arch. 
     
     
         21 . A dental appliance comprising:
 an interior shape that substantially conforms to a dental arch of a patient;   a hollow portion forming a cavity; and   means for providing structural strength to the dental appliance at a location of the hollow portion without interfering with a fit of the dental appliance onto the dental arch of the patient, wherein the means for providing structural strength is bonded to the dental appliance.