Method and system for customizing an orthodontic archwire

Abstract

A method for applying a desired shape to an orthodontic archwire includes the steps of obtaining a numerical description of the desired shape of an orthodontic archwire, generating a description of the design of a fixture basing on the numerical description, manufacturing a fixture basing on this description of the design, constraining a wire into the fixture and applying an adequate treatment to the wire in order to cause it to adopt the shape dictated by the fixture.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method to permanently apply a desired non-planar shape to an orthodontic archwire, the method comprising the steps of:
 obtaining a numerical description of a desired non-planar shape of an orthodontic archwire;   generating a description of a design of a fixture reflecting said numerical description of an orthodontic archwire;   manufacturing a fixture based on the description of the design so that at least a portion of the fixture adapted to receive a wire has a non-planar shape;   constraining a wire in the at least a portion of the fixture causing it to adopt a non-planar shape as dictated by the fixture; and   exposing the fixture with the wire to conditions to thereby cause the wire to permanently adopt the non-planar shape as dictated by the fixture constrained therein.   
     
     
       2. A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising applying at least one modification to the description of the design of the fixture before the step of manufacturing the fixture. 
     
     
       3. A method as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the step of applying the at least one modification of the design of the fixture includes applying the at least one modification in order to reflect changes of the desired non-planar wire shape. 
     
     
       4. A method as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the step of applying the at least one modification of the design of the fixture includes applying the at least one modification responsive to data related to the resilience of material of the wire. 
     
     
       5. A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the wire is made from shape memory alloy and is exposed to heat treatment, causing it to adopt the shape dictated by said fixture. 
     
     
       6. A method of as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the fixture is manufactured using at least partially a numerically controlled manufacturing process. 
     
     
       7. A method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said fixture is completed by use of at least one reusable retainer. 
     
     
       8. A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the fixture comprises at least one retainer having a tubular slot. 
     
     
       9. A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the fixture comprises at least one retainer having an open slot. 
     
     
       10. A method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the wire is constrained in the open slot of the retainer by a clamp. 
     
     
       11. A method to apply a desired non-planar shape to a plurality of orthodontic archwires having different cross-sections, the method comprising:
 obtaining a numerical description of a desired non-planar shape of an orthodontic archwire;   generating a description of a design of a virtual fixture responsive to the numerical description, the generating including:   obtaining largest wire cross-section to be heat-treated in the fixture,   retrieving each coordinate system represented in the description of the design,   obtaining length of a wire portion associated with each coordinate system,   generating a plurality of points defining a virtual retainer for each coordinate system, and   merging all virtual retainers from each coordinate system with adjacent retainers and a base plate to create the virtual fixture;   supplying data defining the virtual fixture to a numerically controlled manufacturing device;   manufacturing a fixture based on the virtual fixture so that at least a portion of the fixture adapted to receive a wire has a non-planar shape;   manually inserting each of a plurality of wires having a different cross-section into the at least a portion of the fixture;   exposing the fixture with each wire inserted therein to heat to thereby cause each wire to permanently adopt a shape dictated by the fixture; and   removing the wire from the fixture to thereby receive a customized orthodontic archwire having a non-planar shape.   
     
     
       12. A method as defined in  claim 11 , further comprising applying at least one modification to the description of the design of the fixture before manufacturing the fixture. 
     
     
       13. A as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the step of applying the at least one modification of the design of the fixture includes applying the at least one modification in order to reflect changes of the desired wire shape. 
     
     
       14. A as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the step of applying the at least one modification of the design of the fixture includes applying the at least one modification responsive to data related to the resilience of material of the wire. 
     
     
       15. A method to apply a desired non-planar shape to an orthodontic archwire, the method comprising:
 obtaining a numerical description of a desired non-planar shape of a customized orthodontic archwire;   generating a description of the design of a virtual fixture responsive to the numerical description;   supplying data defining the virtual fixture to a numerically controlled manufacturing device;   manufacturing a fixture based at least partially on the virtual fixture so that at least a portion of the fixture adapted to receive a wire has a non-planar shape;   manually inserting wire into the at least a portion of the fixture;   exposing the fixture with the wire inserted therein to heat; and   removing the wire from the fixture to thereby receive a non-planar customized orthodontic archwire.   
     
     
       16. A method as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the step of generating includes retrieving each coordinate system represented in the description of the design, generating a plurality of points defining a virtual retainer for each coordinate system, and merging all retainers from each coordinate system with respective adjacent retainers to create the virtual fixture. 
     
     
       17. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a set of instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations for permanently applying a desired non-planar shape to an orthodontic archwire, the operations comprising:
 obtaining a numerical description of a desired non-planar shape of an orthodontic archwire, the description including a plurality of coordinate systems each defining separate segments of the desired shape of the orthodontic archwire;   generating from the numerical description a design of a virtual fixture, at least a portion of the designed fixture adapted to receive and constrain at least a portion of an archwire to a non-planar shape; and   generating from the design, numerical control data usable by a manufacturing system to at least partially manufacture the fixture.   
     
     
       18. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the operation of generating the design of the virtual fixture from the numerical description includes the operations of:
 obtaining a largest archwire cross-section to be heat-treated in the fixture;   obtaining the plurality of coordinate systems;   obtaining data for a plurality of lengths of a corresponding plurality of archwire portions each corresponding with a different one of the plurality of coordinate systems;   generating a plurality of positions for a plurality of virtual retainers from the plurality of coordinate systems; and   combining the plurality of virtual retainers with a base plate to define the design of the virtual fixture.   
     
     
       19. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the desired non-planar shape is at least partially customized for an individual orthodontic patient. 
     
     
       20. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 17, the operations further comprising applying at least one modification to the design of the virtual fixture in order to reflect changes to the desired non-planar shape. 
     
     
       21. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 17, the operations further comprising obtaining data related to the resilience of material of the wire, and applying at least one modification to the design of the virtual fixture responsive to the data related to the resilience of material of the wire. 
     
     
       22. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a set of instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations for permanently applying a desired non-planar shape to an orthodontic archwire, the operations comprising:
 obtaining a numerical description of a desired non-planar shape of an orthodontic archwire;   generating a design of a fixture from the numerical description, at least a portion of the fixture is adapted to receive and constrain a wire to a non-planar shape to thereby cause the wire to permanently adopt a shape matching the desired non-planar shape; and   generating numerical control data from the design.   
     
     
       23. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 22, wherein the numerical description of the desired non-planar shape of an orthodontic archwire includes a plurality of coordinate systems each defining separate segments of the desired shape of the orthodontic archwire. 
     
     
       24. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 23, wherein the operation of generating the design of the fixture from the numerical description includes the operations of:
 obtaining a largest archwire cross-section to be heat-treated in the fixture;   obtaining the plurality of coordinate systems;   generating a plurality of positions for a plurality of virtual retainers from the plurality of coordinate systems; and   combining the plurality of virtual retainers with a base plate to define the design of a virtual fixture.   
     
     
       25. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 22, wherein the desired non-planar shape is at least partially customized for an individual orthodontic patient. 
     
     
       26. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 22, the operations further comprising applying at least one modification to the design of the fixture in order to reflect changes to the desired non-planar shape. 
     
     
       27. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 22, the operations further comprising obtaining data related to the resilience of material of the wire, and applying at least one modification to the design of the virtual fixture responsive to the data related to the resilience of material of the wire. 
     
     
       28. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a set of instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations for permanently applying a desired non-planar shape to an orthodontic archwire, the operations comprising:
 obtaining a numerical description of a desired non-planar shape of an orthodontic archwire, the description including a plurality of coordinate systems each defining separate segments of the desired shape of the orthodontic archwire;   generating from the numerical description a design of a virtual fixture, at least a portion of the designed fixture adapted to receive and constrain at least a portion of an archwire to a non-planar shape, the operation of generating including the operations of:
 obtaining a largest archwire cross-section to be heat-treated in the fixture, 
 obtaining the plurality of coordinate systems, 
 generating a plurality of positions for a plurality of virtual retainers from the plurality of coordinate systems, and 
 combining the plurality of virtual retainers with a base plate to define the design of the virtual fixture; and 
   generating from the design, numerical control data usable by one or more numerically controlled automated manufacturing machines to at least partially manufacture the fixture.   
     
     
       29. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 28, wherein the desired non-planar shape is at least partially customized for an individual orthodontic patient. 
     
     
       30. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 28, the operations further comprising applying at least one modification to the design of the virtual fixture in order to reflect changes to the desired non-planar shape. 
     
     
       31. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 28, the operations further comprising obtaining data related to the resilience of material of the wire, and applying at least one modification to the design of the virtual fixture responsive to the data related to the resilience of material of the wire.