Integration of 3D CAD, reverse engineering and rapid prototyping in fabrication of invisible tooth aligner

Current fabrication of invisible tooth aligner follows the standard procedure to first form a dental plaster model manually adjusted per the dentist´s empirical judgment, and then replicate the model to make an invisible tooth aligner fit onto the specific patient. Such a process requires meticulous hands-on experience and time. The objective of this paper is to use digitalized tools to improve orthodontic efficiency. The tool will enable the dentist to directly modify a dental model in a computer, output the post-modification file to speedily produce a prototype, and finally fabricate a ready-to-wear invisible tooth aligner. This tool will also provide clear evaluation for post orthodontic treatment tracking.