Loc T Phan

US Patent:

6390812, May 21, 2002

Filed:

Jan 8, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/757385

Inventors:

Muhammad Chishti - Sunnyvale CA
Loc X. Phan - San Francisco CA

Assignee:

Align Technology, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61C 308

US Classification:

433 6, 433 24

Abstract:

An improved dental appliance system, and methods for using and fabricating the improved appliance, including a polymeric overlay or shell having a teeth-receiving cavity formed therein. The dental appliance having the necessary stiffness or strength to firmly secure the appliance on the teeth and provide controlled forces required for repositioning the teeth, until such time as removal of the appliance is desired. The appliance may be configured for use with a removal mechanism. The removal mechanism provides for selective release of the appliance from the teeth as the removal mechanism undergoes a state change stimulated by an environmental stimulus or environmental switch.

US Patent:

6394801, May 28, 2002

Filed:

Feb 7, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/779802

Inventors:

Muhammad Chishti - Sunnyvale CA
Loc X. Phan - San Francisco CA

Assignee:

Align Technology, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61C 300

US Classification:

433 24

Abstract:

The present invention provides a manipulable or reconfigurable dental model system and methods for its use to model a series of tooth configurations corresponding to sequential tooth movements during an orthodontic treatment. When a patient undergoes orthodontic treatment, teeth and bite configurations are realigned in a series of stages. Each stage represents a new pattern or dental configuration that will eventually lead to a proper final positioning of the entire dentition. Progress from the initial configuration, through the intermediate stages and finally to the final configuration may be accomplished using any one or a combination of different dental appliances. Of particular interest to the present invention, many of these appliances may be made using a dental mold representing the patients dental configuration. In particular, thermoformable plastic positioning appliances which fit over the patients teeth may be formed over a three-dimensional mold of the patients dentition. When successive appliances are used throughout treatment to reposition the teeth from initial to final configuration, a new mold has typically been produced to fabricate the appliance for each stage.

US Patent:

6454565, Sep 24, 2002

Filed:

Jun 4, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/874724

Inventors:

Loc X. Phan - Milpitas CA
Muhammad Chishti - Sunnyvale CA
Ross J. Miller - Sunnyvale CA
H. Robert Vandenberg - San Ramon CA
Eric Kuo - Foster City CA

Assignee:

Align Technology, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61C 300

US Classification:

433 6

Abstract:

The present invention provides improved devices, systems and methods for repositioning teeth from an initial tooth arrangement to a final tooth arrangement. Repositioning is accomplished with a system comprising a series of polymeric shell appliances configured to receive the teeth and incrementally reposition individual teeth in a series of successive steps. The individual appliances may be formed from layers having different stiffnesses (elastic moduluses), and the stiffnesses of successive appliances may be different, or both.

US Patent:

6485298, Nov 26, 2002

Filed:

Mar 13, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/099187

Inventors:

Muhammad Chishti - Sunnyvale CA
Loc X. Phan - Milpitas CA

Assignee:

Align Technology, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61D 500

US Classification:

433 6

Abstract:

An improved dental appliance system, and methods for using and fabricating the improved appliance, including a polymeric overlay or shell having a teeth-receiving cavity formed therein. The dental appliance having the necessary stiffness or strength to firmly secure the appliance on the teeth and provide controlled forces required for repositioning the teeth, until such time as removal of the appliance is desired. The appliance may be configured for use with a removal mechanism. The removal mechanism provides for selective release of the appliance from the teeth as the removal mechanism undergoes a state change stimulated by an environmental stimulus or environmental switch.

US Patent:

6499997, Dec 31, 2002

Filed:

Feb 28, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/087126

Inventors:

Muhammad Chishti - Sunnyvale CA
Loc X. Phan - Milpitas CA

Assignee:

Align Technology, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61C 300

US Classification:

433 24

Abstract:

The present invention provides a manipulable or reconfigurable dental model system and methods for its use to model a series of tooth configurations corresponding to sequential tooth movements during an orthodontic treatment. When a patient undergoes orthodontic treatment, teeth and bite configurations are realigned in a series of stages. Each stage represents a new pattern or dental configuration that will eventually lead to a proper final positioning of the entire dentition. Progress from the initial configuration, through the intermediate stages and finally to the final configuration may be accomplished using any one or a combination of different dental appliances. Of particular interest to the present invention, many of these appliances may be made using a dental mold representing the patients dental configuration. In particular, thermoformable plastic positioning appliances which fit over the patients teeth may be formed over a three-dimensional mold of the patients dentition. When successive appliances are used throughout treatment to reposition the teeth from initial to final configuration, a new mold has typically been produced to fabricate the appliance for each stage.

US Patent:

6524101, Feb 25, 2003

Filed:

Jul 14, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/616830

Inventors:

Loc X. Phan - Milpitas CA
Muhammad Chishti - Sunnyvale CA
Ross J. Miller - Sunnyvale CA
H. Robert Vandenberg - San Ramon CA
Eric Kuo - San Francisco CA

Assignee:

Align Technology, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61C 300

US Classification:

433 6, 433 24

Abstract:

The present invention provides improved devices, systems and methods for repositioning teeth from an initial tooth arrangement to a final tooth arrangement. Repositioning is accomplished with a system comprising a series of polymeric appliances configured to receive the teeth in a cavity and incrementally reposition individual teeth in a series of successive steps. This is accomplished by applying force to specific surfaces of the teeth through stiffness of the appliance. However, such stiffness creates limitations in ease of use, patient compliance, and overall cost in material, manufacturing labor and treatment time. To overcome these limitations, the present invention utilizes polymeric or other material appliances with portions differing in rigidity or stiffness. Alternatively, elastic moduluses may differ from one appliance to the next in a successive series to accomplish various treatment goals. Thus, the systems and methods of the present invention provide the design, production and use of such multiple stiffness positioning appliances in orthodontic treatment.

US Patent:

6540984, Apr 1, 2003

Filed:

Jan 18, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/764552

Inventors:

Ray F. Stewart - Redwood City CA
Natarajan Balachander - Sunnyvale CA
Steven P. Bitler - Menlo Park CA
Loc Phan - San Jose CA
Valentine Y. Yoon - Santa Barbara CA

Assignee:

Landec Corporation - Menlo Park CA

International Classification:

A61K 700

US Classification:

424 47, 524556

Abstract:

Aqueous dispersions of crystalline polymers based on hydrophobic monomers, preferably on a mixture of hydrophobic and hydrophilic monomers which contains a crosslinking monomer, particularly side chain crystalline (SCC) polymers. The dispersions are useful for providing coatings on substrates, particularly on seeds (whose dormancy is thus extended) and on fibrous substrates, particularly human hair (which thus becomes heat-settable).

US Patent:

6572372, Jun 3, 2003

Filed:

Jul 14, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/616222

Inventors:

Loc X. Phan - Milpitas CA
Muhammad Chishti - Sunnyvale CA
Ross J. Miller - Sunnyvale CA
H. Robert Van Den Berg - San Ramon CA
Eric Kuo - San Francisco CA
Jae Hyun Ahn - San Francisco CA

Assignee:

Align Technology, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61C 700

US Classification:

433 6, 433 18

Abstract:

Traditional orthodontic treatment often involves the use of basic repositioning devices, such as braces, and the use of supplementary devices, components or accessories to achieve desired end results. Such components may be mounted on fixed, non-removable devices or they may be part of a removable appliance typically worn prior to the application of the fixed devices. As with traditional treatment, it may be desired to utilize similar components when repositioning teeth with removable elastic repositioning appliances. Due to the nature of elastic appliances, such components may take a variety of forms ranging from readily available traditional accessories to specially created devices. Thus, traditional components may be mounted on or embedded in an elastic appliance, or the appliance may be formed to provide similar components. Likewise, the appliance may be modified to provide additional features for specific orthodontic treatments.