Align Technology, Inc.
MULTIPLE MATERIAL DENTAL APPARATUSES AND TECHNIQUES FOR MAKING THE SAME

Abstract:

Dental apparatuses, such as palatal expanders, and methods of forming them. The dental apparatuses may have multiple regions having different physical characteristics for performing different functions when worn by a patient as part of a dental treatment. The different regions may be made of different materials, or different combinations of materials, based on rigidity, flexibility and/or other physical characteristics. For palatal expanders, the different regions can include a tooth engagement region adapted to engage with the patient's teeth and a palatal region adapted to exert an expansion force across the patient's palate. The different regions may be joined together by a junction or a transition region configured to sufficiently hold adjacent regions together during use.