Preliminary Amendment
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`Altoniey Docket No: 22773-82640l
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`Amendments to the Claims:
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`This listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listings of claims in the
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`application:
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`Listing of Claims:
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`l ,— l 9. (Canceled)
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`20.
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`(Original) A method of making a dental appliance for positioning a patient's teeth,
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`the method comprising:
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`providing a sheet comprising a hard polymer layer of polymeric material disposed
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`between a first soi‘t polymer layer and a second soft polymer layer,
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`providing a positive model of the patient’s teeth in a target position; and fabricating an
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`appliance as a negative of the positive model comprising thernioforrning the sheet over the
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`positive niodel.
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`2l.
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`(Original) The method of claim 20, wherein the hard polymer layer comprises a
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`layer of a polyester, a (so—polyester, a polycarbonate, a thermoplastic polyurethane, a
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`polypropylene, a polyethylene, a polypropylene and polyethylene copolyrner, an acrylic, a cyclic
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`block copolymer, a polyetherethei‘lretone, a polyainide, a polyethylene terephthalate, a
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`polyhntylene terephthalate, a polyetheriniitle, a polyethersnlfone, a. polytrirnethylene
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`terephthalate, or a combination thereof.
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`22.
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`(Original) The method of claim 20, wherein the hard polymer layer comprises at
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`least two layers and the at least two layers are independently selected from a group consisting of
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`a polyester, a co-polyester, a polycarbonate, a thermoplastic polyurethane, a polypropylene, a.
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`polyethylene, a polypropylene and polyethylene copolynier, an aciylic, a cyclic block
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`copolymer, a polyetheretlierlcetone, a polyarnitle, a polyethylene terephthalate, a polybntylene
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`terephthalate, a poly etherimide, a polyethersultone, and a polytrirnethylene terephthalate.
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`Preliminary Amendment
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`Altoniey Docket No: 22773-82640l
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`23,
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`(Original) The method of claim 20, wherein each of the tirst soft polymer layer
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`and the second soft polymer layer independently comprises a layer of a styrenic bloclr copolyrner
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`(SEC), a silicone rubber, an elastonreric alloy, a. thermoplastic elastorner (TPE), a thermoplastic
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`vulcanizate (Tl’V) elastonier, a polyurethane elastomer, a block copolymer elastomer, a
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`polyolet’in blend elastomer, a thermoplastic (so—polyester elastomer, a thermoplastic polyaniitle
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`elastonter, or a combination thereof.
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`24,
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`(Original) The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the first soft polymer
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`layer and the second soft polymer layer comprises at least two layers, and wherein the at least
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`two layers are independently selected from the group consisting of a styrenic block copolymer
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`(Si-3C), a silicone rubber, an elastoineric alloy, a thermoplastic elastorner (Tl’ti), a thermoplastic
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`vulcanizate (TPV) elastoiner, a polyurethane elastorner, a block copolymer elastomer, a
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`polyoletin blend elastorner, a thermoplastic co—polyester elastomer, or a thermoplastic polyainide
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`elastomer.
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`25.
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`(Original) The method of claim 20, wherein the hard polymer layer comprises at
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`least one of a tensile strength at yield of between about 4000 pounds psi and 6500 psi, an
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`elongation at yield of greater than about 4%, an elongation at break of greater than about 7 .96, a
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`tensile modulus of greater than about 60,000 psi, a fl exural modulus greater than about 150,000
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`psi, a stress relaxation at 24 hours testing in a high humidity environment greater than about
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`l0%, and a light transmission between 400 nm and 800 nm of greater than about 75%.
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`26.
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`(Original) The method of claim 20, wl'ierein the first sort polymer layer and the
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`second soft polymer layer each independently comprise at least one of a hardness of about 60A
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`to about 8513, an ultimate tensile strength of greater than about 5000 psi, an elongation at break
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`of greater than about 200 9/0, a compression set at about 70 9C of greater than 40% after 24 hours,
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`a ilexural modulus of greater than about 35,000 psi, and a light transmission between 400 mn
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`and 800 nm of greater than about 75%,
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`27.
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`(Original) The method of claim 20, further oompri sing fabricating a plurality of
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`appliances corresponding to different arrangements of the patient's teeth
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`Preliminary Amendment
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`Attorney Docket No: 22773-82640l
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`28)
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`(Original) The method of claim 27, wherein l‘ahrieating the plurality of applianees
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`comprises digitally staging a plurality of digital models of the patients teeth and generating a
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`plurality of physical models from the digital models
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`29.
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`(Qriginal) The method of Claim 27, wherein two or more of the plurality of
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`appliances comprise a. sheet COl’l’lpl‘lSll’lg a hard polymer layer ol‘polynierie material disposed
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`between a first soft polymer layer and a second soft polymer layer.
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