Attachment structure

Abstract

A series of appliances including a first shell and a second shell can be designed to incrementally implement a treatment plan. The first and second shells can have cavities designed to receive teeth of a jaw. The first shell can be designed to interface with a first surface of a plurality of surfaces of an attachment structure to provide a first engagement force specific to a first stage of the treatment plan. The second shell can be designed to interface with a second surface of the plurality of surfaces of the attachment structure attached to the at least one tooth of the first jaw to provide a second engagement force specific to a second stage of the treatment plan.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dental treatment system, comprising:
 an attachment structure shaped to be attached to at least one tooth of a patient, the attachment structure including a plurality of surfaces arranged at different angles with respect to each other;   a first appliance shaped to engage with a first subset of surfaces of the plurality of surfaces to apply a first repositioning force on the patient's teeth in accordance with a first stage of an orthodontic treatment plan; and   a second appliance shaped to engage with a second subset of surfaces of the plurality of surfaces to apply a second repositioning force on the patient's teeth in accordance with a second stage of the orthodontic treatment plan, wherein the second subset of surfaces is different than the first subset of surfaces.   
     
     
         2 . The dental treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the first appliance comprises a first shell having a plurality of first cavities configured to receive teeth of a jaw of the patient, and wherein the second appliance comprises a second shell having a plurality of second cavities configured to receive the teeth of the jaw of the patient. 
     
     
         3 . The dental treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first appliance comprises a first shell having a plurality of first cavities configured to receive teeth of a jaw of the patient, and wherein the second appliance comprises a second shell having a plurality of second cavities configured to receive the teeth of the jaw of the patient; and   the first shell comprises one or more first attachment cavities shaped to engage with the first subset of surfaces, and wherein the second shell comprises one or more second attachment cavities shaped to engage with the second subset of surfaces.   
     
     
         4 . The dental treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the attachment structure, the first appliance, and the second appliance is fabricated via rapid prototyping. 
     
     
         5 . The dental treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the attachment structure, the first appliance, and the second appliance is fabricated via thermoforming. 
     
     
         6 . The dental treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of surfaces are arranged around a center of the attachment structure. 
     
     
         7 . The dental treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of surfaces are raised edges of the attachment structure. 
     
     
         8 . The dental treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of surfaces are on separate components of the attachment structure. 
     
     
         9 . The dental treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of surfaces are on separate components of the attachment structure;   the separate components are configured to be arranged around a central point on the at least one tooth.   
     
     
         10 . The dental treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second repositioning forces are configured to rotate the at least one tooth. 
     
     
         11 . The dental treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second repositioning forces are configured to straighten the at least one tooth vertically. 
     
     
         12 . The dental treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second repositioning forces are configured to aid in erupting the at least one tooth from the patient's gingiva. 
     
     
         13 . The dental treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the first subset of surfaces and the second subset of surfaces include at least one surface in common. 
     
     
         14 . A dental treatment system, comprising:
 an attachment structure shaped to be attached to at least one tooth of a patient, the attachment structure including a plurality of surfaces arranged at different angles with respect to each other;   a first shell having a plurality of first cavities shaped to receive teeth of the patient's jaw, the first shell configured to engage with a first subset of surfaces of the plurality of surfaces to apply a first repositioning force on the teeth in accordance with a first stage of an orthodontic treatment plan; and   a second shell having a plurality of second cavities shaped to receive the teeth of the patient's jaw, the second shell configured to engage with a second subset of surfaces of the plurality of surfaces to apply a second repositioning force on the teeth in accordance with a second stage of the orthodontic treatment plan, wherein the second subset of surfaces is different than the first subset of surfaces.   
     
     
         15 . The dental treatment system of  claim 14 , wherein the first shell comprises one or more first attachment cavities shaped to engage with the first subset of surfaces, and wherein the second shell comprises one or more second attachment cavities shaped to engage with the second subset of surfaces. 
     
     
         16 . The dental treatment system of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of surfaces are arranged around a center of the attachment structure. 
     
     
         17 . The dental treatment system of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of surfaces are raised edges of the attachment structure. 
     
     
         18 . The dental treatment system of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of surfaces are on separate components of the attachment structure. 
     
     
         19 . The dental treatment system of  claim 14 , wherein the first subset of surfaces and the second subset of surfaces include at least one surface in common. 
     
     
         20 . A dental treatment system, comprising:
 an attachment structure shaped to be attached to at least one tooth of a patient, the attachment structure including a plurality of surfaces arranged at different angles with respect to each other;   a first shell having a plurality of first cavities configured to receive teeth of the patient's jaw, the first shell comprising one or more first attachment cavities shaped to engage with a first subset of surfaces of the attachment structure and to apply a first repositioning force on the teeth in accordance with a first stage of an orthodontic treatment plan; and   a second shell having a plurality of second cavities configured to receive the teeth of the patient's jaw, the second shell comprising one or more second attachment cavities shaped to engage with a second subset of surfaces of the attachment structure and to apply a second repositioning force on the teeth in accordance with a second stage of the orthodontic treatment plan.