Self-ligating orthodontic bracket

Abstract

Disclosed is a self-ligating orthodontic bracket which performs an orthodontic surgery by being fixed to a tooth. The disclosed self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a bracket body including a slot formed in a first direction for insertion of a wire and a guide portion formed in a second direction crossing the first direction, a door installed in a reciprocally movable manner to the guide portion of the bracket body to open and close the slot, and a clamp installed between the bracket body and the door and allowing the door to move while being elastically deformed when a certain force is applied to the door in the second direction. The clamp includes a coupling pin having one end portion protruding toward the guide portion and installed to the bracket body, and an elastic ring installed to one side of the door opposite to the guide portion and formed of a single closed curve having a hollow.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a self-ligation brace for orthodontic surgery, and more specifically to a self-ligation brace with a gate structure. Background Technology

[0002] Orthodontic treatment refers to the surgical procedure of correctly correcting misaligned teeth by attaching a ligation framework with slots to the surface of the teeth and ligating orthodontic wires within the slots. In ligation frameworks, self-ligating orthodontic frameworks may have doors that are installed in an openable and closable manner on the framework body, allowing the orthodontic wires to be ligated without the need for additional devices.

[0003] Figure 1 These are photographs of dental models used in previous portal ligation brace surgeries. Figure 2 It shows that it is applicable to Figure 1 A diagram of the clamp for a self-ligating stent.

[0004] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The conventional self-ligation framework 10 is attached to the surface of tooth D and includes a framework body 11, a door 15, and a clamp 17. The framework body 11 has a slot for ligating the orthodontic wire W. The door 15 is installed in an openable and closable manner on the framework body 11 and is fixed in an open or closed position by the clamp 17.

[0005] The clamp 17 is installed between the door 15 and the bracket body 11, and can be used by, for example Figure 2 The horseshoe-shaped structure shown is constructed using a leaf spring. Therefore, when a specified force is applied along the direction of opening and closing the door 15, the leaf spring 17 elastically deforms, thereby opening and closing the door 15.

[0006] like Figure 2 As shown, the clamp constructed from leaf spring 17 can easily deform elastically during the opening and closing of the door. That is, the direction of the deformation load, which affects the material through tension / compression, is concentrated on the closed ring side of leaf spring 17; conversely, the deformation direction of leaf spring 17 is concentrated on the open position. Therefore, during the deformation process of leaf spring 17 used for opening and closing, the elastic recovery performance of the leaf spring may be lost. Consequently, when the door's opening and closing function is lost, a replacement product may be required. In this case, additional issues arise such as longer operation time, higher costs, and the need for removal of the support structure and reoperation, potentially leading to tooth damage.

[0007] Furthermore, the support body 11 is typically made of a translucent ceramic material, while the leaf spring 17 is made of a metallic material with a black hue, therefore... Figure 1As shown in the enlarged view, the leaf spring 17 is exposed on the exterior of the support body 11 as a black spot. This negates the advantages of the ceramic material support body used for aesthetic purposes. Therefore, the problem is that patient satisfaction decreases. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention is proposed in consideration of the above points, and one object of it is to provide a self-ligating correction stent, which is a structure that minimizes the elastic deformation of the clamp during the opening and closing of the stent body.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a self-ligation correction stent that makes the clamp invisible from the outside of the self-ligation stent.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the self-ligation correction stent according to the present invention comprises: a stent body including a slot and a guide portion, wherein the slot is formed along a first direction for insertion of a metal wire, and the guide portion is formed along a second direction spanning the first direction; a door, which is reciprocally mounted to the guide portion of the stent body to open and close the slot; and a clamp mounted between the stent body and the door, which, when a certain force is applied to the door along the second direction, elastically deforms while causing the door to move. Here, the clamp includes: a connecting pin, one end of which protrudes upward toward the guide portion and is mounted to the stent body; and an elastic ring mounted on the side of the door opposite the guide portion, and which is formed by a hollow single closed curve.

[0011] The elastic ring may include: a stop portion having a connecting pin in the open and closed positions of the door and being separated into at least two spaces; and a neck portion located between the stop portions and elastically deforming when there is relative movement between the connecting pin and the elastic ring.

[0012] Furthermore, the elastic ring can be formed with a height of 3 mm or less. Additionally, the elastic ring can be formed with a thickness ranging from 50 μm to 1 mm.

[0013] The elastic ring may include: a substrate made of plastic; and a coating material of metal coated on the substrate at a specified thickness. Here, the coating material may be formed to a thickness ranging from 10 nm to 2 μm.

[0014] The clamp may also include a cover component formed between the bottom of the door and the resilient ring to cover the resilient ring.

[0015] In addition, the side of the elastic ring opposite the connecting pin is open, while the other side can be made of a blocking structure.

[0016] Additionally, a slit of a specified length may be formed on at least one side of the elastic ring.

[0017] The self-ligating corrective brace according to the present invention forms an elastic ring with a closed curve shape during the opening and closing of a door, thereby achieving a symmetrical structure in the direction of deformation load. Therefore, it prevents a significant decrease in the elastic recovery performance of the elastic ring during elastic deformation and recovery when the door is opened and closed. Thus, it prevents the door from losing its opening and closing function, or at least greatly reduces the probability of such loss.

[0018] In addition, the self-ligation correction bracket according to the present invention is provided with a cover member or cover portion when constituting a clamp to prevent the elastic ring and connecting pin from being seen from the outside of the door, thereby improving aesthetics. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 It is a photograph of a dental model showing a previous portal self-ligation brace surgery.

[0020] Figure 2 It shows that it is applicable to Figure 1 A diagram of the clamp for a self-ligating stent.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of a self-ligating stent according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from above.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of a self-ligating stent according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a perspective view showing the separation of a self-ligating stent according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the direction of the force affecting the elastic ring of the self-ligating stent according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 7a This is a cross-sectional view of a self-ligating stent with its gate open, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 7b This is a cross-sectional view of a self-ligating stent in the closed state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a perspective view showing the separation of a self-ligating stent according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 9a This is a cross-sectional view of the self-ligating stent with its gate open, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 9b This is a cross-sectional view of the self-ligating stent in the closed state according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 10 It is shown Figure 8 A three-dimensional view of the bottom surface of a fixture that incorporates an elastic ring and a cover.

[0031] Figure 11 It is shown Figure 8 A three-dimensional diagram of a modified example of the fixture.

[0032] Figure 12a and Figure 12b They are viewed from different directions. Figure 8 A three-dimensional view of another variation of the fixture. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of clearly illustrating the invention in the drawings, parts unrelated to the description have been omitted, and the same or similar reference numerals are used throughout the specification for the same or similar constituent elements.

[0034] Figure 3 and Figure 4 These are perspective views of a self-ligating stent according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from above and below, respectively. Figure 5 This is a perspective view showing the separation of a self-ligating stent according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the direction of the force affecting the elastic ring of the self-ligating stent according to an embodiment of the present invention. Additionally, Figure 7a and Figure 7b These are cross-sectional views of a self-ligating stent in the open and closed states according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Referring to the accompanying drawings, a self-ligation correction stent 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a stent body 110, a door 130, and a clamp 150.

[0036] The support body 110 includes a slot 113 and a guide portion 114. A corrective wire (not shown) is inserted into the slot 113 and is formed to a predetermined depth relative to the support body 110 along a first direction. The two ends of the slot 113 are formed to widen towards the outer edges, allowing the wire to be easily inserted into the slot 113. The guide portion 114 is formed along a second direction spanning the first direction.

[0037] Additionally, a positioning guide groove 110a and a mechanism receiving portion 110b may be formed in the support body 110. When the bottom surface 115 of the support body 110 is attached to a tooth (not shown), the positioning guide groove 110a guides the attachment direction so that the surgeon can easily control it. The mechanism receiving portion 110b is formed around the slot 113 and provides a space between it and the support body 110 when the door 130 is in the closed position. An opening mechanism (not shown) can be selectively inserted into the mechanism receiving portion 110b. Therefore, when it is desired to open the door 130 to the open position, force is applied in the direction in which the door 130 is opened by inserting the opening mechanism into the mechanism receiving portion 110b, thereby causing the door 130 to move in a second direction.

[0038] Door 130 is mounted on guide section 114 in a reciprocating manner along the second direction. Figure 7a The open positions shown and as Figure 7b The door 130 is positioned between the closed positions shown. The door 130 opens and closes the slot 113. In other words, the door 130 is open when a wire is to be inserted into the slot 113, or when the inserted wire is to be removed from or its position adjusted. Conversely, when a wire is being tied into the slot 113, the end of the door 130 is positioned on the slot 113.

[0039] Here, a mounting groove 130a of a predetermined depth is formed on the underside of the door 130. A recess of the clamp 150 is installed within the mounting groove 130a.

[0040] The main body 110 and the door 130 may be made of ceramic material.

[0041] A clamp 150 is installed between the bracket body 110 and the door 130. The clamp 150 prevents the door 130 from disengaging from its open or closed position, and when a predetermined force is applied to the door 130 in a second direction, the clamp 150 elastically deforms as the door 130 changes position between the open and closed positions. The clamp 150 may include a connecting pin 151 and an elastic ring 155. One end of the connecting pin 151 protrudes towards the guide portion 114 and is mounted on the bracket body 110. In other words, a connecting hole 115a is formed in the bracket body 110, extending from its bottom portion 115 towards the guide portion 114. The connecting pin 151 is inserted into and securely connected to the connecting hole 115a.

[0042] An elastic ring 155 is mounted on one side of the door 130 opposite to the guide portion 114, and may be formed by a hollow single closed curve. The elastic ring 155 is inserted into and installed in a mounting groove 130a formed to a predetermined depth on the inner side of the door 130. Therefore, when the door 130 moves in the opening and closing direction, the elastic ring 155 moves together with the door 130. The end of the connecting pin 151 is inserted into the interior of the elastic ring 155. Here, since the connecting pin 151 is fixedly mounted on the bracket body 110, the elastic ring 155 moves relative to the connecting pin 151 when the door 130 is opened and closed.

[0043] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 The elastic ring 155 may include a rest portion 155a and a neck 155b. The rest portion 155a is provided with a connecting pin 151 in both the open and closed positions of the door 130, and is at least divided into two spaces. In other words, the inner diameter of the rest portion 155a is formed to be equal to or greater than the diameter of the connecting pin 151, thereby minimizing the elastic deformation of the elastic ring 155 through the connecting pin 151 located within the rest portion 155a. Although Figure 5 and Figure 6 The example shown uses two spaces for the docking section 155a, but it is not limited to this, and can be composed of three or more spaces arranged at predetermined intervals. Furthermore, the shape of the inner curve of the docking section 155a can be adjusted.

[0044] In this case, the degree and stage of opening and closing the door can be adjusted according to whether the connecting pin 151 is located at any of the multiple stopping parts 155a and the degree of the curve.

[0045] The number of docking parts 155a can be five or less. When more than five docking parts 155a are formed, the door 130 may become longer. Therefore, the foreign body sensation and detachment rate of the product may increase, thereby reducing treatment efficiency.

[0046] The neck 155b is located between multiple resting parts 155a and elastically deforms during the opening and closing of the door 130. In other words, the internal width of the neck 155b is smaller than the diameter of the connecting pin 151. Therefore, when the connecting pin 151 moves relative to another resting part, the neck 155b elastically deforms, thereby creating a movement space for the connecting pin 151.

[0047] Regarding the elastic ring 155, which undergoes elastic deformation during the opening and closing of the door 130, the direction of the deformation load that affects the material, such as tension or compression, is as follows: Figure 6As shown. In other words, the deformation load direction is the same as the deformation direction of the elastic ring, moving from the inside of the stop portion 155a towards the outside, and the deformation load direction moves from the outside of the stop portion 155a towards the opposite direction to the deformation direction of the elastic ring. Furthermore, in the case of the elastic ring 155 with a closed curve shape, the deformation load direction forms a symmetrical structure, thus preventing a significant reduction in the elastic recovery performance of the elastic ring 155 during elastic deformation and recovery when the door is opened or closed. Therefore, loss of the door's opening and closing function can be prevented, or even if it is lost, its probability can be greatly reduced.

[0048] The height H of the elastic ring 155 can be formed to be 3 mm or less. Here, when the height of the elastomer is higher than 3 mm, the overall height of the product will increase, thus increasing the foreign body sensation and the rate of detachment.

[0049] In addition, the thickness of the elastic ring 155 can be made thinner than such Figure 2 The thickness of the conventional leaf spring is shown. When the size of the elastic ring 155 is reduced and a thinner thickness is formed, a smaller mounting groove 130a for the door 130 can be formed, thus increasing the relative volume of the door 130. Therefore, the strength of the door 130 made of ceramic material can be improved.

[0050] The thickness of the elastic ring 155 can be formed in the range of 50 μm to 1 mm. When the thickness is less than 50 μm, it cannot provide sufficient elasticity, and therefore cannot provide sufficient elastic holding force for the operation of the gate 130. Conversely, when the thickness is formed to be greater than 1 mm, the gate 130 may be difficult to move due to excessive elastic holding force. In addition, due to the increase in thickness, the volume of the gate 130 is relatively reduced, and therefore its strength is weakened.

[0051] The elastic ring 155 may include: a substrate made of plastic; and a metal coating material coated on the substrate at a specified thickness. Examples of metal coating materials include rhodium (Rh), gold (Au), platinum (Pt), titanium nitride (TiN), and zirconium nitride (ZrN). The coating material can be formed with a thickness ranging from 10 μm to 2 μm. When the coating thickness is less than 10 μm, the coating material may peel off during use. Conversely, when the coating thickness exceeds 2 μm, the adhesion to the substrate decreases, the coating material may peel off, and manufacturing costs increase.

[0052] Figure 8 This is a perspective view showing the disassembled self-ligating stent according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9a and Figure 9b These are cross-sectional views of a self-ligating stent with its door open and closed, respectively, according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 It is shown Figure 8 A three-dimensional view of the bottom surface of a fixture that incorporates an elastic ring and a cover.

[0053] Referring to the accompanying drawings, a self-ligation correction stent 100' according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a stent body 110, a door 130, and a clamp 250. Here, the structure and function of the stent body 110 and the door 130 are substantially the same as those of the stent body and door of the self-ligation correction stent according to the above-described embodiment, therefore the same reference numerals will be used, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0054] The clamp 250 prevents the door 130 from disengaging from the open or closed position, and when a predetermined force is applied to the door 130 in the second direction, the clamp 250 elastically deforms as the door 130 changes position between the open and closed positions. The clamp 250 includes a connecting pin 251, an elastic ring 255, and a cover member 257. Here, the clamp 250 differs from the clamp 150 of the self-ligating stent according to one embodiment in that it also includes a cover member 257. The cover member 257 is disposed between the lower part of the door 130 and the elastic ring 255 to cover the upper part of the elastic ring 255. The cover member 257 may be made of an opaque material such as plastic, silicone, or ceramic. The cover member 257 may be formed to be the same or similar in color to the door 130. Therefore, when viewed from the outside of the door 130, the cover member 257 is located on the elastic ring 255 and the connecting pin 251. Therefore, when the support 110' is viewed from the outside of the tooth, the internal structure of the clamp 250 is not visible, thereby improving the aesthetics.

[0055] Figure 11 It is shown Figure 8 A three-dimensional diagram of a modified example of the fixture. (Refer to...) Figure 11 According to the modified example, one side of the elastic ring 355 of the clamp 350 is open, while the other side has a blocking structure. In other words, the side opposite to the engaging pin of the elastic ring 355 is open, so when installed on the bracket body, the end of the engaging pin is inserted into the elastic ring 355. Additionally, the other side, located on the side opposite to the door of the elastic ring 355, has a structure blocked by a cover 357. Here, the cover 357 can be formed integrally with the elastic ring 355. In this case, the volume of the load-bearing elastic ring 355 increases. Furthermore, with the formation of the cover 357, the amount of elastic deformation of the elastic ring 355 is reduced when elastically deformed by the engaging pin, thus reducing the occurrence of defects.

[0056] Figure 12a and Figure 12b They are viewed from different directions. Figure 8 A three-dimensional view of another variation of the fixture.

[0057] Referring to the accompanying drawings, according to another variation of the clamp 450 and reference Figure 11As described above, the elastic ring 455 has a structure where one side is open and the other side is blocked by a cover. Here, a slit 456 of a predetermined length can be formed along the side of the elastic ring 455 on at least one side. By adjusting the width and length of the slit, the elastic ring can be adjusted as follows: Figure 11 The elastic deformation of the elastic ring shown.

[0058] The above embodiments are merely illustrative. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and equivalent embodiments. Therefore, the true scope of protection of this invention must be determined by the inventive concept described in the claims.

Claims

1. A self-ligating orthodontic stent, characterized in that, include: The support body includes a slot and a guide, wherein the slot is formed along a first direction for inserting a metal wire, and the guide is formed along a second direction that crosses the first direction; The door is installed on the guide part of the bracket body in a reciprocating motion to open and close the slot; The clamp is installed between the support body and the door, and when a certain force is applied to the door in the second direction, the clamp elastically deforms, causing the door to move. The fixture includes: The connecting pin has one end protruding upwards towards the guide section and is installed on the bracket body; An elastic ring is installed on the side of the door opposite to the guide section and is composed of a hollow single closed curve. A cover component, formed between the bottom of the door and the elastic ring, to cover the elastic ring. The cover component is made of an opaque material selected from the group consisting of plastics, silicon, and ceramics, and the cover component is formed to be the same as or similar in color to the door.

2. The self-ligation correction stent according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic ring includes: The docking section has connecting pins in the open and closed positions of the door and is divided into at least two spaces; The neck, located between the resting parts, undergoes elastic deformation when there is relative movement between the connecting pin and the elastic ring.

3. The self-ligation correction stent according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic ring has a height of less than 3mm.

4. The self-ligation correction stent according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic ring has a thickness ranging from 50 μm to 1 mm.

5. The self-ligation correction stent according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic ring includes: The substrate is made of plastic. A coating material for metal materials, applied to a substrate to a specified thickness.

6. The self-ligation correction stent according to claim 5, characterized in that, The coating material is formed to a thickness ranging from 10 nm to 2 μm.

7. The self-ligation correction stent according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The side of the elastic ring opposite the connecting pin is open. Its other side is composed of a blocking structure.

8. The self-ligation correction stent according to claim 7, characterized in that, A slit of a specified length is formed along the side of the elastic ring on at least one side.

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