초록 ▼

The present disclosure includes method, system, apparatus, and indicator embodiments. For example, one system for monitoring orthodontic treatment includes an appliance for placement over one or more teeth and multiple wear indicators including at least a first wear indicator having a first wear rat

The present disclosure includes method, system, apparatus, and indicator embodiments. For example, one system for monitoring orthodontic treatment includes an appliance for placement over one or more teeth and multiple wear indicators including at least a first wear indicator having a first wear rate and a second wear indicator that has a second wear rate that is different from the first.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A system for monitoring orthodontic treatment comprising: a first appliance for placement over one or more teeth; and multiple wear indicators including at least a first wear indicator having a first wear rate and a second wear indicator that has a second wear rate that is different fr

We claim: 1. A system for monitoring orthodontic treatment comprising: a first appliance for placement over one or more teeth; and multiple wear indicators including at least a first wear indicator having a first wear rate and a second wear indicator that has a second wear rate that is different from the first wear rate; wherein the multiple wear indicators each include: a bonding layer on an inner surface of the wear indicator that is adhesively coupled to the first appliance and comprised of a material different than a material comprising the first appliance; and an active indicator layer on an outer surface of the bonding layer including a water-soluble polymer. 2. The system of claim 1, where at least one of the multiple wear indicators is mounted on the first appliance to indicate compliance by demonstrating a change in at least one characteristic of the indicator, wherein the changed characteristic comprises at least one of color, shape, and size. 3. The system of claim 2, where the change is affected by at least one of moisture, temperature, one or more chemicals and one or more biological substances. 4. The system of claim 1, where at least one of the multiple wear indicators is mounted on the first appliance to indicate treatment distribution by demonstrating a change in at least one characteristic of the indicator, wherein the changed characteristic comprises at least one of color, shape, and size. 5. The system of claim 1, where the system includes: a second appliance for placement over one or more teeth; and at least one compliance indicator having a wear rate based upon an analysis of the first and second wear rates associated with the first appliance. 6. The system of claim 1, where the system includes: a second appliance for placement over one or more teeth; and at least one treatment distribution apparatus having a wear rate based upon an analysis of the first and second wear rates associated with the first appliance. 7. The system of claim 1, where the compliance is indicated by a release of a colorant within the appliance. 8. The system of claim 1, where the change is affected by a degradation of a biodegradable or a dissolvable polymer. 9. The system of claim 1, where the compliance is indicated by a loss in size of the indicator. 10. The system of claim 1, including a number of second wear indicators positioned on a second appliance, where the number of second wear indicators includes at least a first positional indicator having a wear rate and a second positional indicator having a wear rate, where the wear rates of the first and second positional indicators are the same and where the first positional indicator is placed in a position on the second appliance that is different from the second positional indicator. 11. An apparatus for monitoring orthodontic treatment, comprising: an appliance for placement over one or more teeth; and multiple wear indicators including at least a first wear indicator having a first wear rate and a second wear indicator that has a second wear rate that is different from the first, where at least one of the multiple wear indicators is mounted on the appliance to indicate wear by demonstrating a change in at least one characteristic of the indicator; wherein the multiple wear indicators each include: a bonding layer on an inner surface of the wear indicator that is adhesively coupled to the first appliance and comprised of a material different than a material comprising the first appliance; and an active indicator layer on an outer surface of the bonding layer including a water-soluble polymer. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, where at least one of the multiple wear indicators is mounted on the appliance to indicate compliance by demonstrating a change in at least one characteristic of the indicator; where the active indicator layer of the at least one of the multiple wear indicators includes a colored material mixed with the water-soluble polymer; and where the active indicator layer of the at least one of the multiple wear indicators is configured to indicate compliance by leaching the colored material. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, where the multiple wear indicators are three or more indicators attached to the appliance. 14. The apparatus of claim 11, where at least one of the multiple wear indicators is mounted on the appliance to indicate compliance by demonstrating a change in at least one characteristic of the indicator and where compliance is indicated by an absence of a change while the appliance is worn. 15. The apparatus of claim 11, where at least one of the multiple wear indicators is mounted on the appliance to indicate compliance by demonstrating a change in at least one characteristic of the indicator and where the compliance is indicated by a color change. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, where the color change occurs due to a reaction between one or more materials in the indicator and one or more oral fluids. 17. The apparatus of claim 11, where at least one of the multiple wear indicators is mounted on the appliance to indicate compliance by demonstrating a change in at least one characteristic of the indicator and where the compliance is indicated by a mechanical deformation during orthodontic movement. 18. A method for monitoring orthodontic treatment, comprising: affixing a first wear indicator having a first predetermined wear rate relative to a second, different, predetermined wear rate of a second wear indicator onto a first dental appliance to be worn by a patient during a first period of time; affixing the second wear indicator onto the first dental appliance; determining a particular wear rate relative to the first and the second predetermined wear rates sufficient to indicate compliance over a second period of time subsequent to the first period of time during which the patient will wear a second dental appliance based on a comparison of wear of the first and the second wear indicators after use by the patient during the first period of time; and affixing a particular wear indicator having the particular wear rate onto the second dental appliance. 19. The method of claim 18, where the particular wear rate is equal to one of the first wear rate or the second wear rate. 20. The method of claim 18, where the particular wear rate is different than the first and the second wear rates. 21. The method of claim 18, where the method includes determining a baseline wear rate specific to the patient based upon a comparison of wear of the first and the second wear indicators after use by the patient during the first period of time. 22. The method of claim 18, where the method includes: affixing a third wear indicator having a third predetermined wear rate different than and relative to the first and the second predetermined wear rates onto the first dental appliance to be worn by a patient during the first period of time; and determining a particular wear rate relative to the first, the second, and the third predetermined wear rates sufficient to indicate compliance over the second period of time subsequent to the first period of time during which the patient will wear the second dental appliance based on a comparison of wear of the first, the second, and the third wear indicators after use by the patient during the first period of time. 23. A dental appliance, comprising: an appliance for placement over one or more teeth; and a dental appliance indicator coupled to the appliance, including: an adhesive layer on an inner surface of the dental wear indicator configured to be adhesively coupled to the appliance; a wear indicator layer including a water-soluble polymer on an outer surface of the adhesive layer having a predetermined wear rate; and a protective layer on the wear indicator layer. 24. The dental appliance of claim 23, where the protective layer is a transparent film configured to protect the wear indicator layer from external forces. 25. The dental appliance of claim 23, where a type of wear that determines the wear rate of the wear indicator layer is determined based upon one of the factors selected from the group including: amount of saliva produced; one or more tooth anatomies or locations; a composition of saliva; an analysis of sleep habits of a patient; a amount of liquid consumption; and one or more types of liquid consumed. 26. A system for monitoring orthodontic treatment comprising: a first appliance for placement over one or more teeth; and multiple wear indicators including at least a first positional indicator having a wear rate and a second positional indicator having a wear rate, where the wear rates of the first and second positional indicators are the same and where the first positional indicator is placed in a position on the first appliance that is different from the second positional indicator; wherein the multiple wear indicators each include: a bonding layer on an inner surface of the wear indicator that is adhesively coupled to the first appliance and comprised of a material different than a material comprising the first appliance; and an active indicator layer on an outer surface of the bonding layer including a water-soluble polymer. 27. The system of claim 26, where a position of a third wear indicator on a second appliance is determined based upon analysis of the first and second indicators positioned on the first appliance in positions selected from the group including: buccal, lingual, molar, anterior, gingival, and occlusal positions.