SmileDirectClub has been granted a patent for a method of orthodontic treatment. The method involves providing a user with a first set of aligners, each with a different thickness, to move a tooth from one position to another. The aligners are created using a single physical dental model and are substantially the same shape. The patent also includes a claim for presenting the user with different aligner treatment plan options and providing a first and second set of aligners directly to the user based on their selection. The aligners are worn for a specific duration each day to achieve the desired tooth movement. GlobalData’s report on SmileDirectClub gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on SmileDirectClub, digital intra-oral scanning was a key innovation area identified from patents. SmileDirectClub's grant share as of September 2023 was 39%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Method for orthodontic treatment using aligners with different thicknesses
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11771527B2) describes a method for orthodontic treatment using aligners. The method involves presenting a user with two aligner treatment plan options, allowing the user to select one of them. After the selection is made and approved by a dentist or orthodontist, the user is provided with a first set of aligners and a second set of aligners.
The first set of aligners, which are made from a single physical dental model, are designed to move the user's tooth from a first position to a second position. The second set of aligners, also made from a single physical dental model, are designed to move the tooth from the second position to a third position. Both sets of aligners are provided to the user simultaneously and are made from the same type of polymeric material.
The aligner treatment plan is generated based on the user's selection and has an overall treatment duration determined by the treatment planning computing system. The user can choose between wearing the aligners for approximately twenty-two non-continuous hours per day or ten continuous hours per day, with the latter option allowing the aligners to be worn during sleep. Both treatment plan options have the same planned final position for the user's teeth.
The method also includes the provision of a third set of aligners, consisting of a fourth, fifth, and sixth aligner, which are created using a different physical dental model. These aligners have a different geometric shape and are provided to the user at the same time as the first and second sets of aligners.
The thickness of the aligners varies, with the first set having a thinner thickness than the second and third sets. The second and third sets have the same thickness, which is thicker than the first set. The fourth set of aligners has the same thickness as the third set.
The method allows for sequential wearing of the aligners, with each set worn for a specific period of time during the overall treatment duration. The periods of wear for each set of aligners can be the same amount of time, typically one or two weeks.
Overall, this patented method offers a customizable and efficient approach to orthodontic treatment using aligners, allowing users to select their preferred treatment plan and receive aligners directly without the need for prior approval from a dentist or orthodontist.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
