Hybrid orthodontic archwire

Abstract

A hybrid orthodontic archwire design is disclosed. The hybrid archwire may have a bracket-archwire segment and an interdental archwire segment, wherein the cross-sectional shape, size, and / or material properties of each segment are variable. The bracket-archwire segment may be configured to facilitate torque control and may have a rectangular cross-section. The interdental archwire segment may be configured to bend into a force-facilitated bend and may have a circular cross-section. Each archwire segment may be straight or bent into any shape. The hybrid archwire may have a sliding segment and a non-sliding segment. The non-sliding segment may have an insert connector configured to prevent the archwire from sliding relative to the orthodontic bracket and / or may have a cross-sectional shape, size, or coating that prevents sliding relative to the sliding segment. The sliding segment may have a linear archwire segment. The hybrid archwire may have a distal or rear non-sliding segment and an intermediate front or medial segment.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the Chinese invention patent application with application date of January 31, 2018, application number 201880014915.4, and invention name “Hybrid Orthodontic Arch Wire”.

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] This application claims the benefit of 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of non-provisional U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62 / 452,802, filed on January 31, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Any and all applications filed in this application claiming foreign or domestic priority are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0004] The present application relates to certain aspects of orthodontic appliances, including orthodontic brackets and archwires. Background Art

[0005] Orthodontic braces are commonly used to correct misaligned teeth. There are many types of orthodontic braces. However, each brace has disadvantages, such as requiring too much time to prepare and / or install.

[0006] One type of orthodontic appliance is a spike-and-tube brace. The spike-and-tube brace can control the movement and positioning of each tooth in three-dimensional space. It can include an orthodontic archwire with a protruding "spike" inserted into a concave vertical "tube" attached to the teeth. The spike and tube do not move relative to each other. Interdental bends can be placed between the teeth to move the teeth to open or close a space. However, the spike-and-tube brace can present challenges, including:

[0007] In order for the pins to fit into the vertical tubes and the archwire to move the teeth to the desired position, custom bends in the archwire and interdental bends must be manually bent. This process may need to be performed manually by a person and can be very demanding and tedious.

[0008] · The protruding pin may need to be welded to the orthodontic archwire at the desired inclination. As the teeth move, the pin may need to be de-soldered and re-welded to the new position. This can also be a very demanding and tedious manual process.

[0009] The solder joint between the protruding pin and the orthodontic archwire may break.

[0010] The orthodontic archwire may be difficult to insert and remove from the patient because the locking mechanism may require bending the male insert over the tube to lock and bending the male insert back from the tube to unlock.

[0011] Stainless steel wire may be required. Because of the elastic limitations of stainless steel, many different sizes of wire with different properties may need to be used for each case. This may complicate the bending of the wire, the welding of the nails, and the locking and unlocking process when changing the wire.

[0012] The device may not be effective in treating axial rotation of the tooth.

[0013] Another type of orthodontic brace is a square arch brace. A square arch brace may include an orthodontic bracket (with a rectangular groove) attached to each tooth. An archwire with a rectangular cross section fits into the rectangular groove in the orthodontic bracket, but cross sections of different shapes may also be used. However, square arch braces may have the following problems, including:

[0014] Due to differences in tooth size and tooth position, extensive customization of wire bends along three axes (or three sequences) may be required. These axes may include mesial-lateral (first sequence bends), superior-inferior (second sequence bends), and labial-lingual inclination (third sequence bends).

[0015] • It may be necessary to bind the wire to an orthodontic square archwire orthodontic bracket. This can be time consuming, especially if the bracket is located at the back of the tooth (also known as a lingual bracket).

[0016] Sliding the archwire relative to the orthodontic bracket may require the application of external forces. Frequent visits may be required to ensure that these external forces do not overcorrect and undercorrect the desired amount of movement.

[0017] The system may rely heavily on the sliding between the orthodontic brackets and the archwire to move the teeth. However, due to the unpredictability of the value of the frictional forces to be overcome, it is difficult to predict the amount of sliding that can be achieved. This may again require frequent monthly visits to ensure that the teeth move the desired amount.

[0018] Another type of orthodontic brace is a pre-adjusted straight wire brace that uses nickel titanium wire. This appliance can minimize the amount of archwire bending required in a square wire brace. The shape memory ability, superelasticity, and lower elastic modulus characteristics of shape memory alloys can reduce the amount of force delivered to the teeth and significantly reduce tissue damage caused by the higher forces used by rigid stainless steel wires. The large range of movement of some shape memory alloy archwires can reduce the number of archwires required for treatment and thereby reduce the number of start-up visits required.

[0019] However, pre-adjusted straight wire braces can present challenges. For example, a significant amount of time may be required to bind the archwire into the orthodontic bracket, especially when using lingual brackets. The braces may also still rely heavily on the sliding of the orthodontic bracket relative to the archwire to open or close the gap. In order to overcome the unpredictable amount of friction generated, frequent monthly visits may still be required to ensure the correct amount of movement is achieved.

[0020] Another type of orthodontic braces uses self-ligating orthodontic brackets. These can reduce the time and effort required to tie the wire into an orthodontic straight wire brace. Various types of doors and latches are available to replace the tied orthodontic wire. These doors and latches can make it easier to deliver and replace the orthodontic archwire. They can also eliminate unnecessary archwire tying and untying during office visits when the archwire does not need to be replaced. Self-ligating orthodontic brackets can also provide a metal-to-metal interface between the orthodontic slot and the wire, which reduces the amount of friction when the teeth are moved. However, self-ligating orthodontic brackets can have the following problems, including:

[0021] Self-ligating orthodontic brackets may sacrifice torque control on the teeth due to the presence of a large angle of orthodontic bevel (groove gap) between the orthodontic slot and the archwire.

[0022] Self-ligating orthodontic brackets may rely heavily on sliding the orthodontic bracket relative to the archwire to open and close the space. Therefore, frequent monthly visits may still be required to ensure the correct amount of movement is achieved.

[0023] Self-ligating orthodontic brackets can be bulkier than other types of orthodontic brackets. When orthodontic brackets are used on the lingual side (behind the teeth), it can be more difficult to control the teeth because there can be less interdental space between the orthodontic brackets, resulting in a more rigid wire that is more difficult to control.

[0024] • Self-ligating orthodontic brackets may have several moving parts that break under wear due to biting forces within the mouth or normal use of the appliance.

[0025] CAD / CAM technology can be used in conjunction with orthodontics. The technology can be used to produce an anticipated desired end result before starting orthodontic treatment. Custom wires or orthodontic brackets can be designed based on the anticipated desired end result of orthodontic treatment to reduce the amount of physician intervention required at each visit. However, the use of CAD / CAM technology may not overcome all of the problems associated with orthodontic appliances, such as:

[0026] These custom-made appliances may rely more heavily on the sliding of the orthodontic brackets relative to the archwire to open and close the space. Therefore, frequent monthly visits may still be required to ensure that the force delivered is sufficient to ensure adequate tooth movement.

[0027] Custom-made orthodontic brackets can also be difficult to ligature, particularly when placed on the lingual surface of the teeth.

[0028] Custom self-fitting orthodontic brackets are bulky, difficult to control and easily damaged. Summary of the invention

[0029] In some embodiments, a hybrid orthodontic archwire is disclosed herein, which may include different cross-sectional shapes, sizes and / or material properties. The archwire may be divided into two or more sections, which in some embodiments include an archwire portion that is inserted and ligated to an orthodontic bracket (referred to as a bracket-archwire section) and an archwire portion that is located between teeth and does not penetrate into an orthodontic bracket (referred to as an interdental archwire section). These two sections may alternate with each other on the archwire, and each section in these alternating sections of the archwire may have a different cross-sectional shape, size and / or material to form a variety of hybrid archwire combinations. Any cross-sectional shape, size and / or material may be used in a hybrid archwire.

[0030] In some embodiments, the hybrid archwire may include uniform or non-uniform patterns with different cross-sectional shapes, sizes, and / or materials. In addition, some embodiments are characterized by having different bends in the bracket-archwire segment and / or in the interdental archwire segment. These bends may include teardrop, U-shaped, V-shaped, rectangular, sleeve-shaped, and / or any other shape. The two segments of the archwire may also remain straight.

[0031] The hybrid archwires or portions thereof disclosed herein may include features disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 9,427,291, issued on August 30, 2016 to Khoshnevis et al., entitled "Orthodontic Bracket with Snap-Fit, Non-Sliding Archwire," or U.S. Patent Publication No. 2017 / 0296304, issued on October 19, 2017 to Tong et al., entitled "Orthodontic Bracket with Non-Sliding Binding Archwire," each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The hybrid archwires or portions thereof disclosed herein may further be configured for use with orthodontic brackets disclosed in those same publications.

[0032] In one aspect of the present invention, a hybrid archwire for orthodontic treatment is disclosed herein. The hybrid archwire includes a first segment of the archwire and a second segment of the archwire, the first segment of the archwire being configured to be coupled to a plurality of first orthodontic brackets having an archwire groove for accommodating the archwire, and the second segment of the archwire having one or more structural properties different from the first segment of the archwire and being configured to be coupled to a plurality of second orthodontic brackets having an archwire groove for accommodating the archwire. The first segment of the archwire is configured to slide relative to the plurality of first orthodontic brackets when accommodated in the archwire grooves of the plurality of first orthodontic brackets. Compared to the first segment of the archwire, the second segment of the archwire is configured to provide greater resistance to sliding in an inward and distal direction relative to the plurality of second orthodontic brackets when accommodated in the archwire grooves of the plurality of second orthodontic brackets.

[0033] In some embodiments, the second segment of the archwire is configured to prevent sliding inwardly and distally relative to the plurality of second orthodontic brackets in a shape-fitting manner when accommodated in the archwire groove of the plurality of second orthodontic brackets. The hybrid archwire may have two second segments along the distal portion of the archwire and a single first segment positioned between the two distal second segments. The two second segments may be configured to be connected to the posterior teeth of the dental arch and the single first segment may be configured to be connected to the anterior teeth of the dental arch. The second segment of the archwire may include a plurality of insert connectors. Each of the plurality of insert connectors may be configured to cooperate with an orthodontic bracket in the plurality of second orthodontic brackets in a manner that prevents sliding.

[0034] The insert connector may have a bend formed in the second section of the archwire. The insert connector may be configured to prevent the second section of the archwire from rotating within the archwire groove of the plurality of second brackets. The second section of the archwire may have at least one interdental bend configured to apply force to at least one adjacent orthodontic bracket when coupled to the plurality of second orthodontic brackets. The second section of the archwire includes an interdental bend between each pair of adjacent insert connectors. The interdental bend may be configured to apply force to adjacent orthodontic brackets when coupled to the plurality of second orthodontic brackets. The second section of the archwire may have a plurality of interdental bends configured to be positioned between each pair of adjacent teeth of a dental arch, the second section being configured to be attached along the dental arch.

[0035] The second segment of the archwire may have a circular cross-sectional shape. The second segment of the archwire may have a non-circular cross-sectional shape. The first segment of the archwire may have a circular cross-sectional shape. The first segment of the archwire may have a non-circular cross-sectional shape. The first segment of the archwire and the second segment of the archwire may have different cross-sectional shapes. The diameter or thickness of the second segment of the archwire may be greater than the diameter or thickness of the first segment of the archwire. The second segment of the archwire may have a coating configured to prevent sliding relative to the plurality of second orthodontic brackets in the medial and distal directions when the archwire is accommodated in the archwire grooves of the plurality of second orthodontic brackets. The first segment of the archwire may have a coating configured to facilitate sliding relative to the plurality of first orthodontic brackets in the medial and distal directions when the archwire is accommodated in the archwire grooves of the plurality of first orthodontic brackets. The first segment of the archwire may have an interdental bend. The interdental bend in the first segment of the archwire may be configured to be positioned between two adjacent orthodontic brackets in the plurality of first orthodontic brackets. The first segment of the archwire may include a first material and the second segment of the archwire may include a second material different from the first material. The second material may be a shape memory material.

[0036] In some embodiments, an orthodontic appliance includes a hybrid archwire, a plurality of first orthodontic brackets, and a plurality of second orthodontic brackets. The second segment of the archwire matches the archwire grooves of the plurality of second orthodontic brackets in shape and size better than the first segment of the archwire matches the archwire grooves of the plurality of first orthodontic brackets in size and shape.

[0037] In another aspect of the invention, an archwire is disclosed herein that is divided into a bracket-archwire segment and an interdental archwire segment. The bracket-archwire segment is the portion of the archwire that is threaded into and tied to the bracket, and the interdental archwire segment is the portion of the archwire that is in the interdental region and does not engage the bracket. Each segment is variable in terms of one or more of its archwire cross-sectional shape, size, and / or material properties.

[0038] In some embodiments, there are cross-sectional shapes, sizes, and / or materials that alternate in a uniform pattern among the bracket-archwire segments and the interdental archwire segments. In some embodiments, there are cross-sectional shapes, sizes, and / or materials that alternate in a uniform pattern among the bracket-archwire segments and the interdental archwire segments. Any shape of bend can be made in any archwire segment.

[0039] In another aspect of the invention, a hybrid archwire is disclosed herein having a plurality of bracket-archwire segments and a plurality of interdental archwire segments. The plurality of bracket-archwire segments are configured to be operably connected to an orthodontic bracket. Each of the interdental archwire segments may be interspersed between two bracket-archwire segments. The bracket-archwire segments have at least a first cross-sectional shape, size, and / or material property and the interdental archwire segments have at least a second, different shape, size, and / or material property.

[0040] In some embodiments, the bracket-archwire segment may have a first cross-sectional shape and the interdental archwire segment may have a second cross-sectional shape. The first cross-sectional shape may be circular and the second cross-sectional shape may be non-circular. The non-circular cross-sectional shape may be rectangular. The non-circular cross-sectional shape may be square. The bracket-archwire segment may include at least a first material and the interdental-archwire segment may include at least a different second material. The first material may include stainless steel. The first material may include titanium. The second material may include nickel titanium alloy.

[0041] In another aspect of the present invention, a method for moving teeth is disclosed herein, including: providing a single continuous custom archwire, positioning the single continuous archwire relative to a dental arch, and forcing the archwire. In a first configuration, the archwire provided is formed from a virtual tooth arrangement using image data of a patient's teeth and is configured to move the patient's teeth to a predetermined desired configuration. The archwire includes a first section and a second section. The first section includes a plurality of convex structures and a plurality of interdental structures relative to the patient's teeth. Each convex structure corresponds to each tooth of the first section and there is only a single interdental structure between all the convex structures of the first section. Each interdental structure corresponds to an interdental space between all teeth of a first portion of a dental arch. The second section corresponds to at least two of the patient's teeth of a second portion of a dental arch and has a continuous curve without any convex structure or interdental structure. Forcing the archwire includes deflecting the archwire from its first configuration to a second configuration, and attaching each of the plurality of convex bends to a corresponding bracket attached to each tooth of the dental arch in the first configuration. Force the archwire to allow the interdental curve structure to apply force to the teeth relative to the teeth in the first section, thereby moving the teeth in the first section toward a predetermined desired configuration while the archwire changes from the second configuration back to the first configuration. When each of the convex curves is attached to a corresponding bracket in the first section, the archwire does not slide relative to the bracket in the first section. The archwire can slide relative to the bracket in the second section.

[0042] Energizing the archwire may cause mesio-distal tooth movement of at least some of the teeth. Energizing the archwire may cause occlusal-gingival tooth movement of at least some of the teeth. Energizing the archwire may cause facial-lingual tooth movement of at least some of the teeth. The interdental structure may have a ring shape. The interdental structure may have a sleeve shape or a teardrop shape. The bracket may include a self-ligating bracket, a double bracket, a single-wing bracket, and / or a band-shaped bracket. The archwire may include a shape memory material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] These drawings are illustrative embodiments and do not necessarily represent all possible embodiments of the invention.

[0044] Figure 1An embodiment of an overall hybrid archwire having a uniform alternating pattern of square cross-sections for all bracket-archwire segments and circular cross-sections for all interdental archwire segments is shown;

[0045] Figure 2 Shows embodiments of combined, non-uniform archwire segments having square and rectangular cross-sections for bracket-archwire segments and circular cross-sections for interdental archwire segments bent into V, U, and teardrop-shaped bends, also with different sizes and materials;

[0046] FIG3 illustrates an embodiment of an archwire including an insert connector locked within an orthodontic bracket in a manner that prevents the archwire from sliding relative to the bracket;

[0047] Figure 4 An embodiment of a hybrid archwire having two distal segments including interdental bends and an insertion connector configured for a non-sliding mechanics mechanism and a middle proximal segment including a straight archwire configured for a sliding mechanics mechanism is shown.

[0048] Figure 5 An image showing another example of a hybrid archwire having two distal end segments including interdental bends and an insertion connector configured for a non-sliding mechanics mechanism and an intermediate proximal segment including a straight archwire configured for a sliding mechanics mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] Orthodontic treatment involves the use of orthodontic brackets and archwires to correct tooth malocclusion. The brackets are attached to the teeth, and the archwires are passed through and tied to the brackets. The tied archwires can then apply forces and torques that move the teeth to their correct positions.

[0050] Archwires exist in several different forms, and each archwire may have a different cross-sectional shape, size, and / or material. Traditionally, an archwire has a consistent cross-sectional shape, size, and material properties along its entire length. These different forms of uniform archwires have their respective indications at different stages of tooth movement in orthodontic treatment. Therefore, in order to achieve all the necessary tooth movement to complete the treatment, a series of different archwires with varying properties are usually required, which can be a gradual and inefficient process. One possible way to reduce the number of different archwires required and correct the problem of multiple tooth positions at the same time, making the treatment more efficient, is to create a hybrid archwire that can combine these different archwire properties into a single archwire. In fact, this has been demonstrated by Hills Dual-Geometry Wire (SPEED Orthodontics), which has a circular rear cross-section and a square front cross-section to allow space closure and anterior tooth retraction. However, the cross-section of the wire does not change from the bracket area to the interdental (or inter-bracket) area within each corresponding front or rear segment. In addition, despite the improvements made to the Sears Dual Geometry wire, the variability and functionality of the wire performance is still limited, so further improvements in archwire design are still needed.

[0051] The size (e.g., cross-sectional area or diameter) and material of the archwire directly affect the wire stiffness and load deflection rate, and the size also determines the groove clearance (or fit) value that the archwire has in the bracket groove. The cross-sectional shape of the archwire plays a large role in the bendability, comfort, and torque output of the archwire. A rounded rectangular or square cross-section is different from a circular cross-section, which in some cases allows torque to be output in a bracket with a rectangular groove. An archwire with a circular cross-section may have less friction than a rectangular wire and may form a favorable sliding mechanism in which the archwire slides in a medial or distal direction relative to one or more brackets. Compared with rectangular archwires, circular archwires are generally more comfortable to soft tissues and are easier to be bent into rings and other shapes. In addition to the more common rectangular, square, and circular cross-sectional shapes, archwires with other cross-sectional shapes have also been developed, such as D-shaped, trapezoidal, triangular, elliptical, and other cross-sectional shapes. Each cross-sectional shape has its advantages and disadvantages and is uniquely suitable for different aspects of orthodontic tooth movement. However, because archwires have a generally uniform cross-sectional shape, size, and / or material, each archwire can typically only achieve movement and bending of certain teeth, limiting the efficiency of orthodontic treatment.

[0052] Disclosed herein are hybrid archwires having varying properties along the length of the archwire. In some embodiments, different portions of the archwire may have different properties depending on which tooth or group of teeth the archwire is configured to be positioned across. The archwire properties may affect orthodontic treatment via the interaction of the archwire with an orthodontic bracket coupled to one or more teeth to which the archwire is attached. In some embodiments, different portions of the archwire may have different properties depending on whether the portion of the archwire is configured to be attached or ligated to an orthodontic bracket or another component of an orthodontic appliance, whether the portion of the archwire is configured to be bent or formed (e.g., an interdental bend), whether the portion of the archwire is configured to transmit a smaller or greater value of force (e.g., a translational force acting on adjacent teeth), whether the portion of the archwire is configured to transmit torque, and / or whether the portion of the archwire is configured to contact any portion of oral tissue. A hybrid archwire may have at least two sections that differ at least in part in properties.

[0053] In some embodiments, the archwire may include alternating sections, which include a plurality of first sections and a plurality of second sections. The alternating sections may form a repeating pattern along the length of the archwire. The first section may include a bracket portion of the archwire that is configured to be attached, ligated, or otherwise coupled to an orthodontic bracket. The second section may include a portion of the archwire that is not configured to be attached, ligated, or otherwise coupled to an orthodontic bracket. The second section may extend between the first sections. The second section may include an inter-bracket section or an inter-tooth section of the archwire. The alternating pattern may be regular (uniform) or irregular (non-uniform). For example, in a regular pattern, each first section may have the same length and each second section may have the same length. In a regular pattern, each first section may have the same or substantially similar properties and / or each second section may have the same or substantially similar properties. An irregular pattern may be any irregular pattern. Some patterns may be partially regular and partially irregular depending on the properties of the archwire. The pattern of the first segment may be regular and the pattern of the second segment may be irregular, or vice versa. Portions of the alternating pattern may be regular and portions of the alternating pattern may be irregular. In some embodiments, the alternating pattern may extend over the entire length of the arch wire. In some embodiments, the alternating pattern may extend along only a portion of the length of the arch wire. For example, the pattern may extend only across the length of the arch wire corresponding to a subset of teeth receiving orthodontic treatment. In some embodiments, the repeating pattern may include more than two types of segments, such as a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment. The pattern may include multiple segments in any order or arrangement.

[0054] In some embodiments, the archwire may have segments that extend across portions of the archwire corresponding to multiple teeth. For example, segments of the archwire having varying properties may extend across the following teeth: distal lateral or posterior teeth, across anterior or medial teeth, across left teeth, across right teeth, across molars, across premolars, across premolars and canines, across incisors, across any adjacent combination, or across any subset of teeth within these segments. In general, these segments may extend across one tooth, two teeth, three teeth, four teeth, five teeth, six teeth, seven teeth, eight teeth, nine teeth, ten teeth, eleven teeth, twelve teeth, thirteen teeth, fourteen teeth, fifteen teeth, a portion of one tooth, a portion of two teeth, a portion of a dental arch (16 teeth), or any portion of an adjacent subset of teeth, or extend over a range that includes any two of the above values. Thus, the transition between two sections with different archwire properties can generally be positioned on the third molar, between the third molar and the second molar, on the second molar, between the second molar and the first molar, on the second premolar, between the first premolar and the second premolar, on the first premolar, between the first premolar and the canine (canine), on the canine, between the canine and the lateral incisor, on the lateral incisor, between the lateral incisor and the central incisor, on the central incisor, or between the left central incisor and the right central incisor. In some embodiments, the archwire can transition sharply between two adjacent sections of different properties. In some embodiments, the archwire can transition gradually between two adjacent sections or between two or more properties forming a transition section. The transition section can include the same length as described above and can be positioned on any of the same teeth.

[0055] In some embodiments, the archwire may have multiple sections or patterns. For example, the archwire may include two distal end sections or rear sections and one intermediate front section or inner section. Any or all of the rear sections or front sections may include subsections along the length of the section, such as the alternating pattern of bracket sections and interdental sections described elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, the sections may overlap. For example, the archwire may include a left section and a right section. The right section and the left section may have differences in a first archwire property (e.g., diameter). In addition, the archwire may include a third section extending over the anterior teeth and a fourth section and a fifth section extending over the posterior teeth. The third section may have differences in a second archwire property (e.g., cross-sectional shape or stiffness) from the fourth section and the fifth section. Alternatively, the third section may include an alternating pattern of a second archwire property (e.g., cross-sectional shape), such as between a bracket section and an interdental section, while the fourth section and the fifth section include consistent properties over the length of the section.

[0056] In some embodiments, disclosed herein are improved archwire designs that allow for more effective tooth movement. Figure 1An embodiment of an entire hybrid archwire 100 is shown having a uniform alternating pattern that alternates between a first cross-section of the archwire in the interdental archwire segment 102 (e.g., a circular cross-section) and a second cross-section different from the first cross-section (e.g., a rectangular cross-section) in a bracket-archwire segment 104 configured to couple to the bracket 101. The cross-sectional shape that varies in this alternating pattern allows for torque output in the bracket-archwire segment 104 and improved bendability and comfort in the interdental archwire segment 102. In some embodiments, the archwire 100 can be a single continuous archwire. In addition to the cross-sectional geometry, in some embodiments, the bracket-archwire segment 104 can be generally linear / straight, while the interdental archwire segment 102 can be generally non-linear and deviate from the bracket-archwire segment, such as being curved, looped, or other morphologies ( Figure 2 ). In some embodiments, approximately or at least approximately 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16 bracket-archwire segments 104 and / or interdental archwire segments 102 may be included in one archwire, or within a range of any two of the above values. In some embodiments, all bracket-archwire segments 104 may have the same cross-section (e.g., rectangular), size, and material. In some embodiments, all interdental archwire segments 102 may have the same cross-section (e.g., rectangular), size, and material. In some embodiments, each individual archwire segment may have a different diameter, length, width, thickness, stiffness, material (or material ratio), or other properties. In some embodiments, some segments may be coated with, for example, a smooth, non-destructive surface, such as, for example, silicone or a polymer, and other segments may not be coated.

[0057] Figure 2 An embodiment of a hybrid archwire segment 200 having a non-uniform pattern is shown. In this hybrid archwire segment 200, there are variations in cross-sectional shapes, sizes, and materials that indicate that the hybrid archwire has multiple combination possibilities. In this embodiment, the bracket-archwire segment has multiple cross-sections in the shape of a rectangular and a square cross-section, and the interdental archwire segment has a circular cross-section with variable size and material. For example, the bracket archwire segment 204a includes a rectangular cross-section, the bracket archwire segment 204b includes a square cross-section, and the interdental archwire segments 202a, 202b, and 202c include a generally circular cross-section. In some embodiments, adjacent archwire segments having different cross-sections may have substantially the same thickness or diameter. For example, the diameter of the circular cross-section of the interdental archwire segment 202b may be substantially equal to the height and width of the square cross-section of the bracket archwire segment 204b. In some embodiments, adjacent archwire segments may have different diameters or thicknesses in one or more dimensions. In some embodiments, the sizes of similarly shaped archwire segments may be different. For example, in Figure 2 In the embodiment of the present invention, the interdental archwire segment 202a is about 0.014 inches, and the interdental archwire segments 202b and 202c are about 0.016 inches. The interdental bends 203a, 203b, and 203c in the interdental archwire segments 202a, 202b, and 202c of the archwire 200 of the present embodiment are V-shaped, U-shaped, and teardrop-shaped, respectively, but they can be of any shape. As shown, each segment can be made of 2, 3, or more different materials, including, but not limited to, for example, nickel titanium (202a), stainless steel (202b), non-nickel titanium such as β-titanium (202c), or titanium-molybdenum alloy. Nickel titanium (NiTi) alloy (Nitinol) can include, for example, between 1 and 10% copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), niobium (Nb), palladium (Pd), or a combination thereof. The nickel-free beta titanium wire may include, for example, main elements of titanium (Ti), molybdenum (Mo), zirconium (Zr) and 0-5% additional elements selected from tin (Sn), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), vanadium (V) and niobium (Nb) or a combination thereof. The bracket archwire segments 202a, 202b may be secured to the bracket 101 by a ligature band (e.g., an elastic band or a metal band) that is wrapped around a protruding ligature wing of the bracket 101 as known in the art (not shown).

[0058] The interdental bend or interdental curve can be configured to apply force to adjacent teeth. For example, the interdental bend that is unfolded or opened when the archwire 200 is applied to the dental arch can elastically pull two adjacent teeth together (moving in the mesial-distal direction), and can be used to close the gap between adjacent teeth. Similarly, the interdental bend that is compressed when applied to the dental arch can elastically push two adjacent teeth apart, which can be used to open the gap between overlapping teeth. For occlusal-gingival tooth movement, if the adjacent teeth are not at the same height, the archwire inserted into the orthodontic bracket 101 can cause the connected archwire legs and interdental bend to deflect in an inclined manner, which can cause the archwire to be forced, resulting in tooth correction in the occlusal-gingival direction. For facial-lingual tooth movement, the insertion of the archwire into the orthodontic bracket 101 can cause the wire to be pushed away from its original position, which can cause the archwire to be forced, resulting in tooth correction in the facial-lingual direction. Typically, the relative displacement of the two legs of the interdental bend during elastic deformation can apply a translational force on one or two of the adjacent teeth in any direction in 1, 2, or 3 dimensions of three dimensions (mesio-distal, lingual-facial, gingival-occlusal). The force applied by the interdental bend to one or two adjacent teeth can result in a moment or torque that is applied to one or more teeth in any direction in any 1, 2, or 3 dimensions of three dimensions (around the mesio-distal axis, around the lingual-facial axis, around the gingival-occlusal axis). The resultant force and / or torque applied to the teeth can depend on the combination of forces applied by the proximally positioned and distally positioned interdental archwire segments. In some embodiments, some teeth may have an interdental bend positioned only on one side of the tooth.

[0059] The interdental bends may be formed substantially in a single plane (the medial and distal legs of the bend may be coplanar), such as Figure 2 As shown, or the legs may be non-coplanar. In some embodiments, the interdental bend can be inclined (e.g., in an unbiased configuration), such as in the lingual direction on a lingual orthodontic appliance, or in the facial direction such as in a facial (labial or buccal) appliance. The interdental bends may generally point in the occlusal direction or the gingival direction. The interdental bends on a single archwire may point in the same or different directions. The archwire segment forming the interdental bend may include consistent properties or the properties may vary along the length of the bend. For example, one leg of the bend may have a larger cross-section and / or greater stiffness than the other leg, which may affect the force distribution to two adjacent teeth when the interdental bend is deformed.

[0060] In some embodiments, the archwire 200 may include a shape memory material, at least in one or more interdental segments including interdental bends. The shape memory segments may be formulated in a memory configuration. The shape memory archwire may be plastically deformed to some extent and still return to its memory configuration similar to elastic deformation. The shape memory archwire may advantageously allow for correction of malocclusion by applying less force to the teeth than a non-shape memory archwire. The interdental bend may be specifically constructed (e.g., customized) to provide precise forces and / or moments to adjacent teeth. The customized nature of the archwire may produce an asymmetric archwire, such as asymmetric about a midline configured to align with the middle of a dental arch. The archwire or segments of the archwire may be configured in an original or non-deformed shape to reflect the intended final alignment of the teeth. When the deformed or deflected archwire returns to its original shape as the teeth move to release stress within the deformed archwire, the teeth may be moved to the final intended alignment or the final intended alignment of a particular stage of treatment (e.g., before cutting the archwire). The archwire may be stressed by deflecting it away from its default position and threading it into an orthodontic bracket that is coupled to the teeth. When this elastic deflection occurs, the archwire may apply a reaction force in a direction that returns the archwire to its designed configuration, thereby transmitting force to the teeth and causing orthodontic tooth movement. This type of stressing may be self-stressing and self-limiting because it may not require the use of external forces (such as power chains and coil springs) to move the teeth. This type of stressing may also be self-limiting because the archwire may only apply the force that returns the archwire to its original shape without requiring frequent visits to the doctor.

[0061] like Figure 2 As shown, the use of rectangular bracket archwire segments (204a, 204b) in a rectangular bracket archwire groove can be particularly advantageous for applying torque to the bracket 101, especially about the proximal-distal axis of the archwire 200, because the rectangular archwire will not slide relative to the rectangular bracket archwire groove in which it is disposed. The fitting of the archwire bracket segment 202 into the archwire groove can also affect the transmission of force or torque to the bracket 101. A tighter or more secure fit between the groove and the archwire can produce greater friction and less slip (groove clearance), which can result in more efficient transmission of force from the archwire 200 to the bracket 101. The fit or groove clearance can be a matching effect between the size and / or shape of the bracket archwire segment 202 and the bracket archwire groove. More evenly matched sizes and shapes will result in greater friction and less groove clearance. A more rounded bracket archwire segment can generally result in less friction and greater groove clearance. The ligature band (not shown) can increase the friction between the archwire and the bracket groove, which can be variable and somewhat unpredictable depending on the tightness of the band loop. In some cases, the amount of sliding of the archwire relative to the bracket 101 in the proximal-distal direction can increase inversely with the decrease in friction and increase in groove clearance.

[0062] In some embodiments, as teeth gradually move and tension in the archwire decreases, it may be necessary to have the sliding mechanics adjust the positioning of one or more brackets 101 along the length of the archwire so that the tension is redistributed accordingly (e.g., evenly distributed across several teeth). Otherwise, as teeth are repositioned, the portions of the archwire between the non-sliding brackets may become "loose." When designing orthodontic treatment, the amount and / or rate of sliding of one or more teeth may be specifically calculated. The sliding mechanics are typically useful for, for example, Figure 1 The archwire 100 is more important for straight archwires or sections of straight archwires, where most or all of the force applied to the teeth is the result of tension in the archwire 100 stretched between two anchor points (e.g., molar brackets). Friction between the archwire and the intermediate bracket (e.g., between the molar bracket anchors) may alter the uniform distribution of tension in the archwire 100 to some extent. In archwires or sections of archwires that include interdental bends, sliding mechanics are generally less needed. In some embodiments, the force applied to the adjacent teeth through the interdental bend may be the only or primary source of force applied to the adjacent teeth. Brackets adjacent to the interdental bend (which do not slide relative to the archwire or are prevented from sliding) are beneficial in concentrating the force applied by the bracket on the interdental bend by providing the reaction force required by the interdental bend.

[0063] In some embodiments, the bracket archwire segment and the orthodontic bracket can be configured to be attached to each other in a form that prevents sliding between the two in a form-fitting manner. The archwire can be "fixed" to one or more orthodontic brackets in a non-sliding manner. In some embodiments, the archwire can be fixed to the orthodontic bracket via an insertion connector. The insertion connector can be an integral part of the archwire. For example, the bracket archwire segment can be configured to have an insertion connector. The insertion connector can protrude away from the near-distal axis of the archwire. In some embodiments, the insertion connector and / or the interdental connector can be formed into a bend similar to the interdental bend (e.g., a U-shaped bend, a rectangular bend, an S-shaped bend, a V-shaped bend, a teardrop-shaped bend, a T-shaped bend, a sleeve-shaped bend, etc.). The insertion connector can be formed by an archwire segment having a circular (e.g., annular) cross section or another shape cross section (e.g., rectangular). In some embodiments, the insertion connector can be an attachment, such as a cylindrical pipe attached around the archwire. Figure 3 shows an embodiment of an archwire 300 including an insertion connector 306 and a corresponding orthodontic bracket 301 for accommodating the insertion connector 306. In some embodiments, the insert connector 306 can be locked within the bracket 301, such as by a mechanical mechanism. In some embodiments, the insert connector 306 can snap into a locked position within the bracket 301 under pressure. The insert connector 306 cannot slide in the mesial or distal direction relative to the orthodontic bracket 301 after being locked in the orthodontic bracket 301. A manual unlocking action can allow the insert connector 306 to disengage from the orthodontic bracket 301. The adjacent interdental bends can face the same or opposite direction as the insert connector 306.

[0064] Each insertion connector 306 can be configured to match the shape of the corresponding archwire groove in the orthodontic bracket 301. Each insertion connector 306 can have two substantially parallel side rods and an arch portion. The archwire legs can extend from each side rod to the interdental section of the archwire. When the archwire legs of the insertion connector 306 are in a passive position, they can be parallel to the occlusal plane. The direction of the insertion connector 306 can affect the near-distal angle and / or the facial-lingual inclination of the tooth in the expected final setting of the tooth. When the orthodontic bracket is oriented in a manner that allows the archwire 300 to penetrate from the gingival side to the occlusal side, the insertion connector 306 can point to the occlusal direction. The user may alternatively wish to penetrate the archwire 300 from the occlusal direction to the gingival direction, in which case the insertion connector 306 can point to the gingival direction, and the orthodontic bracket can be inserted into the tooth 180 degrees away from the orientation required for the occlusal direction. Each orthodontic bracket 301 can be coupled to a tooth, oriented so that it has a proximal side toward the midline of the dental arch; a distal end away from the midline of the dental arch; a gingival side toward the gums; an occlusal side toward the occlusal plane of the tooth; a tooth side toward the tooth; and a non-tooth side away from the tooth.

[0065] The orthodontic bracket 301 shown in FIG. 3 includes a middle stopper 320 configured to be located between the archwire legs of the insertion connector 306, a middle body 324 configured to be located between the mesial sidebar and the distal sidebar of the insertion connector 306, a bridge 322 configured to be positioned above the top of the insertion connector 306, and a bottom plate 328. As shown in FIG. 3, in some embodiments, the middle body 324 can be a springboard that is pressed downward to insert the insertion connector 306. The springboard can lock the insertion connector 306 in the bracket 301 when it is not biased. The top edge 325 of the springboard can rise to the height shown in 326, and thereby prevent the arch of the insertion connector from sliding downward. The middle stopper 320 and / or the middle body 324 can prevent the sidebars of the insertion connector 306 from being compressed together when subjected to compression. The bridge 322 can prevent the insertion connector 306 from rotating about the proximal-distal axis of the archwire 300 and can thereby facilitate the transmission of torque to the bracket 301 about this axis.

[0066] Bracket archwire segments including insert connectors may provide several advantages. When compared to the rectangular dimensions of a square wire corrector, the vertical insert connector may provide longer arms to couple forces to the orthodontic bracket, so there may be better orthodontic control of mesio-distal angulation and facial-lingual inclination. Additionally, the two flared parallel sidebars of the insert connector may allow them to function like dual orthodontic brackets while providing force coupling to handle any axial rotation.

[0067] In some embodiments, a hybrid archwire may include segments configured for a sliding mechanics mechanism and segments configured for a non-sliding mechanics mechanism. Figure 4 An example of a hybrid archwire 400 including a non-sliding section 410 and a sliding section 412 is shown. Figure 4As shown, the non-sliding section 410 can be configured to effectively prevent sliding by using an insert connector 406, which can be the same or similar to those described with reference to FIG. 3. The teeth to which the non-sliding section 410 is coupled can be moved primarily by the force applied by the interdental bend 403 positioned between the teeth. In some embodiments, the non-sliding section 410 can include an interdental bend 403, which is configured to be positioned between each pair of adjacent teeth within the section and / or between each pair of adjacent orthodontic brackets within the section. In some embodiments, the interdental bend 403 may not be positioned between some pairs of adjacent teeth. In some embodiments, a sub-section within the non-sliding section 410 may include a bracket archwire section 404, which is configured to be attached to the bracket via a sliding mechanism (e.g., a straight archwire section), but at least the farthest and nearest bracket archwire section 404 can be configured for a non-sliding mechanism (e.g., including an insert connector 406) so that the non-sliding section 410 does not slide relative to the corresponding tooth group as a whole. In some embodiments, each non-sliding segment 410 may include zero, one, two, or more interdental bends 403 (e.g., one for each pair of adjacent teeth or one less than the total number of teeth in the segment). In some embodiments, the archwire 400 may not be connected to every tooth in the segment. In some embodiments, the interdental bends 403 (or inter-bracket bends) may be positioned between adjacent brackets, and adjacent brackets may not be positioned on adjacent teeth. In some embodiments, the interdental bends 403 may be positioned between two bracket archwire segments 404 configured for a sliding mechanics mechanism, or between one bracket archwire segment 404 configured for a sliding mechanics mechanism and one bracket archwire segment 404 configured for a non-sliding mechanics mechanism. In some embodiments, the sliding segment 412 may include one or more interdental bends 403 without an inserted connector 406. There may be an interdental bend 403 positioned at the transition between the non-sliding section 410 and the sliding section 412, or the sliding section 410 may extend from the adjacent orthodontic bracket in the non-sliding section 410 as a substantially "straight" archwire with a continuous curvature and without any interdental bend 403 and / or insert connector 406. The sliding section 412 between two non-sliding sections 410 may have the same or different morphology on each side of the sliding section 412.

[0068] Figure 5 An image of another example of a hybrid archwire 400 is shown having two distal end segments including interdental bends 403 and an insertion connector 406 configured for a non-sliding mechanics 410 and an intermediate proximal segment 412 including a straight archwire configured for a sliding mechanics mechanism. Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, a linear segment of an archwire configured for sliding may be offset in a gingival or occlusal direction relative to a general archwire axis along a non-sliding portion (e.g., the apex of the bend or the average position of the archwire over its length). The hybrid archwire 400 may include an interdental bend 403 between a non-sliding segment 410 and a sliding segment 412. In some embodiments, the non-sliding segment 412 may include a shape memory material (e.g., nitinol or beta titanium alloy), and the sliding segment 412 may include a non-shape memory material (e.g., stainless steel).

[0069] In other embodiments, the non-sliding sections may be defined by bracket archwire sections that are configured to resist sliding relative to the sliding sections. For example, the non-sliding sections may include a rectangular cross-section and / or a closely matched size relative to the bracket archwire groove, and the sliding sections may include a circular cross-section and / or a loosely matched size relative to the bracket archwire groove. If the archwire is configured for use with a bracket that includes bracket archwire grooves of the same size and shape throughout the sliding and non-sliding sections, the difference in fit may be reflected in the archwire having a reduced cross-section along the sliding sections. The non-sliding sections may also be created by applying a relatively sticky or non-slip coating along the length of those sections that resist sliding and / or by applying a slippery or sliding-promoting coating along the length of the sliding sections.

[0070] In some embodiments, the hybrid archwire 400 may be constructed with two distal or rear end non-sliding sections 410 and a middle front or proximal sliding section 412, such as Figure 4 As described elsewhere herein, the transition between the non-sliding section 410 and the sliding section 412 can occur anywhere along the dental arch. In some embodiments, the sliding section 412 and the non-sliding section 410 can transition. In some embodiments, only the left or right side of the arch can include a distal non-sliding section 412 or sliding section 410. Other numbers and locations of non-sliding sections 410 and sliding sections 410 are also contemplated.

[0071] A hybrid archwire 400 comprising alternating segments configured for a sliding mechanism and a non-sliding mechanism (e.g., a fixed non-sliding mechanism) can provide unique advantages. Archwire portions configured for a fixed non-sliding mechanism, particularly those using archwire portions with shape memory properties, can be designed according to a patient-specific custom profile. The customized archwire can be digitally designed based on digital data representing the positioning of the patient's teeth in a previously adjusted or initial state (e.g., a malocclusion state). The positioning of the patient's teeth can then be digitally adjusted, such as to a preferred or expected final positioning after orthodontic treatment. The orthodontic treatment can then be designed in reverse from the expected final positioning. This process gives the doctor and patient an opportunity to negotiate by examining the final expected positioning of the teeth, such as in a computer model. Advantageously, the process allows the patient to provide input for the orthodontic treatment. In addition to allowing the doctor to evaluate his or her clinical goals, the patient can see the expected results of the orthodontic treatment and evaluate whether the custom-designed treatment meets the patient's desired goals (e.g., aesthetic results). The process can help the doctor and patient collaborate to fine-tune the orthodontic treatment. Traditional orthodontic treatment (e.g., nail-tube or square-wire braces) relies on the doctor to adjust the braces over multiple orthodontic visits to gradually and continuously move the teeth toward the doctor's desired position, as assessed by the doctor during each visit. The patient cannot participate in the design of the orthodontic treatment.

[0072] In some embodiments, a method for moving teeth is disclosed herein. The method may include providing a single continuous custom archwire, which is formed from a virtual tooth arrangement using image data of the patient's teeth and is configured to move the patient's teeth to a predetermined desired form. The single continuous archwire may include multiple convex structures and multiple interdental structures relative to the patient's teeth corresponding to the dental arch. When the archwire is in a first form, each convex bend may correspond to each tooth of the dental arch, and only a single interdental bend of the multiple interdental bend structures may be between each convex bend corresponding to the interdental space between all teeth of the dental arch. In other embodiments, the archwire may have one, two or more "straight" sections and / or interdental structures without any convex structures, as described elsewhere herein. Then, the archwire may be stressed by deflecting the archwire from its first form to a second form and attaching each of the multiple convex bends to a corresponding bracket, which is attached to a selected tooth of the dental arch. Thus, forcing the archwire can allow the interdental structure to apply force to the teeth relative to the teeth, thereby moving the teeth toward a predetermined desired configuration as the archwire changes from the second configuration back to the first configuration. When each of the male structures is attached to a corresponding bracket, the archwire may not slide relative to the bracket in some sections, but the archwire may slide relative to other sections.

[0073] Custom formed archwires allow the archwire to be custom fitted to an individual patient. Even conventional nitinol-based archwires (e.g., linear nitinol archwires), although they are available in several sizes, force individual dental arches to conform to certain pre-selected sizes of archwire. Custom formed archwires, such as archwires that include custom sections of fixed, non-sliding archwires, allow the archwire to be formed to fit an unlimited number of incremental sizes, which can result in more precise orthodontic treatment and / or less patient discomfort.

[0074] The portion of the archwire that relies on a fixed, non-sliding mechanics mechanism requires substantially less force to move teeth than a square wire brace. Square wire braces require greater force than is actually necessary to move teeth in order to overcome friction and slide the orthodontic bracket along the archwire. The greater force required by the sliding mechanics mechanism can lead to increased patient discomfort, particularly when the archwire must be manually tensioned. Because the force applied is an estimate of the force required to move the teeth to the desired position, orthodontic treatment often requires a series of overcompensation and undercompensation, with overcompensation resulting in unnecessarily large and uncomfortable forces. The portion of the archwire constructed for a fixed, non-sliding mechanics mechanism can be custom designed to apply precise, digitally determined forces on demand to move adjacent teeth, eliminating the need to apply excess pressure along that section of the archwire.

[0075] An advantage of portions of the archwire that are configured for a sliding mechanics mechanism is that they allow the practitioner to very precisely fine-tune orthodontic treatment along that segment of the archwire without having to replace the archwire. Thus, fine-tuning can be performed without the time or cost of obtaining a new digital record of the tooth positions, without digitally remodeling the teeth, and / or without having to manufacture a new custom archwire. Adjustments that can be made to the sliding segment of the archwire can include, for example, preparing and / or changing the first-order bend and / or the second-order bend, particularly when the sliding segment 412 is made of a non-shape memory material (e.g., stainless steel), or any other known adjustments commonly made to orthodontic appliances that employ a sliding mechanics mechanism. The portions of the archwire that are most conducive to a sliding mechanics mechanism can be configured to move areas of the teeth that are most visible and / or most sensitive to the patient's aesthetic goals, such as, for example, the front teeth. In some embodiments, the archwire 400 can include a segment 412 configured for a non-sliding mechanics mechanism along the posterior teeth and a segment configured for a sliding mechanics mechanism along the most visible anterior teeth, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown. This construction can provide the advantages discussed elsewhere herein, including reducing the overall applied force from the archwire, customized archwire sizing, customized orthodontic treatment plans using digital anticipated positioning, and / or reducing the number of orthodontic visits while allowing very subtle adjustments to selected teeth. The non-sliding mechanics mechanism on the left and / or right side of the archwire construction for the segment of the sliding mechanics mechanism can still be configured to move the segment of teeth along the sliding segment according to a predetermined customized (e.g., digitally defined) plan, but the sliding mechanics mechanism along the segment can allow for slight variations or deviations from the plan, particularly with respect to the positioning of individual teeth in the segment relative to each other. Fine adjustments can be performed near the end of orthodontic treatment to minimize the total number of visits. The fine adjustments can be performed to take into account specific patient preferences that the patient may develop during orthodontic treatment, and the patient can visually assess the results.

[0076] Various other modifications, changes and alternative designs can of course be made in accordance with the above teachings, including but not limited to by combining any cross-sectional dimensions (such as diameter, length, width or thickness), and / or materials in the bracket-archwire and interdental archwire segments. It should therefore be understood that at this time, within the scope of the claims attached to the present invention, the present invention can be implemented in a manner different from that specifically described herein. It is conceivable to make various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments disclosed above, and the combination still falls within one or more scopes of the present invention. In addition, any specific features, aspects, methods, performances, characteristics, qualities, attributes, elements, etc. disclosed herein in connection with the embodiments can be used in all other embodiments presented herein. Accordingly, it should be understood that the various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or replaced with each other to form a variation mode of the disclosed invention. It is therefore expected that the scope of the invention disclosed herein should not be limited by the specific disclosed embodiments described above. In addition, although the present invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, its specific embodiments have been shown in the drawings and described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific forms or methods disclosed, on the contrary, the present invention will cover all modifications, equivalents and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the various embodiments and the attached claims. Any method disclosed herein need not be performed in the order mentioned. The methods disclosed herein include certain actions performed by an operator, but they may also explicitly or implicitly include third-party instructions for these actions. For example, actions such as "using an orthodontic brace" include "instructing the use of an orthodontic brace". The scope disclosed herein also includes any and all overlaps, sub-ranges and combinations thereof. Languages ​​such as "reach", "at least", "greater than", "less than", "between..." include the cited numbers. As used herein, numbers preceded by terms such as "close to", "approximately" and "substantially" include the cited values ​​(e.g., about 10% = 10%), and also represent values ​​close to the value, which still perform the desired function or obtain the desired result. For example, the terms "close to", "approximately" and "substantially" may represent values ​​within the range of 10%, 5%, 1%, 0.1% less than the value.

Claims

1. A hybrid archwire for orthodontic treatment, the hybrid archwire comprising: a first segment of an archwire configured to move a tooth corresponding to the first segment using a sliding mechanics mechanism, the first segment including one or more first interdental bends and configured to be coupled to a first plurality of orthodontic brackets having an archwire groove therein for receiving the first segment of the archwire, wherein the first segment of the archwire is configured to slide relative to the first plurality of orthodontic brackets when received in the archwire grooves of the first plurality of orthodontic brackets; and a second segment of the archwire configured to move posterior teeth corresponding to the second segment using a non-sliding mechanics mechanism, the second segment having a plurality of insert connectors and a plurality of second interdental bends, the plurality of insert connectors configured to be coupled to a plurality of second orthodontic brackets to prevent sliding in mesial and distal directions relative to the plurality of second orthodontic brackets when received in archwire grooves of the plurality of second orthodontic brackets, wherein one of the plurality of insert connectors is positioned at a transition between the second segment and the first segment; Wherein the plurality of second interdental bends are configured to apply force to adjacent orthodontic brackets of the plurality of second orthodontic brackets to move the posterior teeth corresponding to the second segment using a non-sliding mechanics mechanism, so that movement of a posterior tooth among the posterior teeth corresponding to an inserted connector at a transition between the first segment and the second segment causes the first segment to apply force to the plurality of first orthodontic brackets to move the teeth corresponding to the first segment using a sliding mechanics mechanism.

2. The hybrid archwire of claim 1, wherein the first segment is configured to be coupled to anterior teeth of a dental arch.

3. The hybrid archwire of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of insertion connectors includes a bend formed in the second segment of the archwire.

4. The hybrid archwire of claim 1, wherein the plurality of insert connectors are configured to prevent the second segment of the archwire from rotating within the archwire slots of the second plurality of orthodontic brackets.

5. The hybrid archwire of claim 1, wherein the second segment of the archwire includes one second interdental bend of the plurality of second interdental bends between each pair of adjacent insert connectors of the plurality of insert connectors.

6. The hybrid archwire of claim 1, wherein a second interdental bend of the plurality of second interdental bends is configured to be positioned between each pair of adjacent posterior teeth along a portion of the dental arch corresponding to the second segment.

7. The hybrid archwire of claim 1, the second segment of the archwire comprising a circular cross-sectional shape.

8. The hybrid archwire of claim 1, wherein the second segment of the archwire comprises a non-circular cross-sectional shape.

9. The hybrid arch wire of claim 1, wherein the first segment of the arch wire comprises a circular cross-sectional shape.

10. The hybrid arch wire of claim 1, wherein the first segment of the arch wire comprises a non-circular cross-sectional shape.

11. The hybrid arch wire of claim 1 , wherein the first segment of the arch wire and the second segment of the arch wire have different cross-sectional shapes.

12. The hybrid arch wire of claim 1, wherein the diameter or thickness of the second segment of the arch wire is greater than the diameter or thickness of the first segment of the arch wire.

13. The hybrid archwire of claim 1, wherein the second segment of the archwire comprises a coating configured to prevent sliding relative to the plurality of second orthodontic brackets in the mesial and distal directions when the archwire is received in the archwire grooves of the plurality of second orthodontic brackets.

14. The hybrid archwire of claim 1, wherein the first segment of the archwire comprises a coating configured to facilitate sliding movement relative to the first plurality of orthodontic brackets in a mesial and distal direction when the archwire is received in an archwire groove of the first plurality of orthodontic brackets.

15. The hybrid arch wire of claim 1, wherein a first segment of the arch wire comprises a first material and a second segment of the arch wire comprises a second material different from the first material.

16. The hybrid archwire of claim 15, wherein the second material is a shape memory material.

17. The hybrid archwire of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising another second segment.

18. The hybrid arch wire of claim 17, wherein the second segment is disposed along a distal portion of the hybrid arch wire.

19. An orthodontic appliance comprising the hybrid archwire of claim 1, further comprising the plurality of first orthodontic brackets and the plurality of second orthodontic brackets.

20. A hybrid archwire comprising: a first segment of an archwire configured to move teeth corresponding to a first portion of a dental arch of a patient using a sliding mechanics mechanism, the first segment of the archwire comprising one or more first interdental archwire bends and configured to be coupled to a first plurality of orthodontic brackets having archwire grooves for receiving the archwires therein, wherein the first segment of the archwire is configured to slide relative to the first plurality of orthodontic brackets when received in the archwire grooves of the first plurality of orthodontic brackets; and a second section configured to move posterior teeth corresponding to a second portion of the patient's dental arch using a non-sliding mechanics mechanism, the second section being divided into a bracket-archwire section and a second interdental archwire bend, wherein the bracket-archwire section is configured to be inserted into and coupled to a plurality of second orthodontic brackets so that the bracket-archwire section does not slide relative to the plurality of second orthodontic brackets, the second interdental archwire bend being configured to be disposed in an interdental region of adjacent posterior teeth and not engaged with the plurality of second orthodontic brackets, wherein one of the bracket-archwire sections is positioned at a transition between the first section and the second section; Wherein the second interdental archwire bend is configured to apply force to adjacent orthodontic brackets of the plurality of second orthodontic brackets to move the posterior teeth corresponding to the second segment using a non-sliding mechanics mechanism, so that movement of a posterior tooth of a bracket-archwire segment among the posterior teeth corresponding to a transition between the first segment and the second segment causes the first segment to apply force to the plurality of first orthodontic brackets to move the teeth corresponding to the first segment using a sliding mechanics mechanism.

21. The hybrid arch wire of claim 20, wherein the second segment is disposed along a distal portion of the arch wire.

22. The hybrid archwire of claim 20, wherein there is a uniform pattern of alternating cross-sectional shapes, sizes, and / or materials in the bracket-archwire segments and the second interdental archwire bend.

23. The hybrid archwire of claim 20, wherein there is a non-uniform pattern of cross-sectional shape, size, and / or material in the bracket-archwire segment and the second interdental archwire bend.

24. The hybrid archwire of claim 20, wherein the second interdental archwire bend comprises a different shape.

25. The hybrid archwire of claim 20, wherein the bracket-archwire segment has a first cross-sectional shape and the second interdental archwire bend has a second cross-sectional shape.

26. The hybrid archwire of claim 25, wherein the first cross-sectional shape is circular and the second cross-sectional shape is non-circular.

27. The hybrid archwire of claim 26, wherein the second cross-sectional shape is rectangular.

28. The hybrid archwire of claim 26, wherein the second cross-sectional shape is a square.

29. The hybrid archwire of claim 20, further comprising another second segment.

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