Patent attributes
An orthodontic aligner includes a shell defining at least one cavity sized to receive one of a patient's teeth. The cavity includes a lingual portion, a labial portion, and an occlusal portion. A bite structure forms at least a portion of the occlusal portion and is configured to be spaced apart from an occlusal surface of the patient's tooth by a distant sufficient to interfere with full closure of the patient's jaws. The bite structure has a non-planar surface that does not conform to the patient's tooth. The non-planar surface includes at least two spaced-apart projections separated by a boundary. The spaced-apart projections are spherical-like projections or ellipsoidal-like projections. The boundary has a grid-like appearance that spans the bite structure side to side. The spaced-apart projections define a tooth-engaging plane of the bite structure. The bite structure is an integral portion of the shell.
