Orthodontic device for orthodontic appliance

Abstract

An orthodontic device (10) for an orthodontic appliance for promoting tooth eruption, the device (10) comprising a body (12) comprising a base (12a) for bonding to a tooth, an arm (14) extending away from the body, and a wire receptacle (16) provided on the arm at a position offset from the body, the wire receptacle (16) is arranged for receiving, in use, a portion of an orthodontic wire on an axis extending substantially across a tooth.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an orthodontic device for a dental brace to promote tooth eruption, a dental brace including the orthodontic device, a method of mounting the orthodontic device on teeth, and a method of using the dental brace to perform cosmetic alignment of teeth. Background Art

[0002] A dental brace is a device used to realign a person's teeth for cosmetic or therapeutic purposes. The brace consists of a series of brackets (usually stainless steel) bonded to part or all of the upper or lower teeth, with a brace wire (or archwire) attached to each bracket.

[0003] Braces wires are usually made of nickel-titanium alloy, which remembers its shape. When deformed, the braces wire straightens itself to reform its original shape. This applies force over a period of time, usually months, to move the teeth.

[0004] Different teeth erupt from the gums at different rates. Sometimes a tooth may not fully erupt from the gums, for example due to crowding of adjacent teeth. This is called a partially erupted tooth. Sometimes dental braces can be used to provide the right amount of space for a partially erupted tooth to fully erupt.

[0005] Sometimes it is best to wait until all teeth are fully erupted before using braces to align the teeth. If a tooth is best worn with braces when it is partially erupted, then using braces can speed up the eruption of that tooth. However, as the tooth erupts further, the brace wires become straighter and the force that promotes the eruption of the tooth tends to decrease, so it may take longer than ideal for the tooth to fully erupt, which means that the braces must be worn longer.

[0006] For partially erupted teeth, the best place to bond a dental bracket into place is far enough from the end of the tooth so that once the tooth is fully erupted, the bracket will eventually align with the bracket on the adjacent fully erupted tooth. However, partially erupted teeth often do not have enough exposed surface above the gum line to secure a traditional dental bracket in the optimal position.

[0007] To overcome this problem, orthodontists can use several methods to speed up tooth eruption. One option is to place brackets sequentially. The brackets are bonded as high as possible onto the already erupted surface, and the tooth is partially lowered (or lifted) by the dental brace. The brackets are then removed and re-bonded in the new position, bonding as high as possible onto the newly erupted surface. The process is repeated until the brackets can be bonded into the optimal position. In some cases, this process needs to be repeated four or five times, which can be inconvenient, time consuming, and expensive.

[0008] Another option is to use elastics. In this case, brackets are placed on the exposed parts of the partially erupted teeth, and elastics are used (fitted over the brackets on the upper and lower teeth) to help the teeth erupt more quickly. However, they can be uncomfortable to wear and are more difficult to clean. Elastics also tend to provide relatively little control over tooth movement. Additionally, elastics can be lost over time, so patients need to remember to replace elastics regularly to mitigate this. Patient compliance is a known issue in this regard.

[0009] Another option is gum surgery. Some of the gums are removed to expose more of the erupted tooth surface. Brackets can then be attached in the optimal position or closer to the optimal position. Surgery carries the risk of complications, can cause gum inflammation or infection, and may require extra care after surgery. It is also generally more invasive, causes discomfort, and requires local anesthesia.

[0010] A fourth option is to bend the aligner wire, which may encourage a partially erupted tooth to erupt more quickly. However, this may have limited effect on reducing overall eruption time and may also make it more difficult to brush around the aligner wire to remove, for example, trapped food. It should be noted that this option is relatively technique sensitive. It is difficult to create bends in Nitinol wire due to the shape memory of the wire, and although it is slightly easier to create bends in stainless steel wire, it can be a time-consuming process. There is also a limit to the amount of wire activation that can be performed in a given time, so multiple trips to the dentist for wire adjustments may still be necessary in order to erupt a tooth more quickly.

[0011] It is an object of the present invention to reduce or substantially eliminate the above mentioned problems. Summary of the invention

[0012] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an orthodontic device (or orthodontic bracket) for a dental brace for promoting or accelerating the eruption of teeth, the device comprising:

[0013] a body comprising a base for bonding to the tooth, a top surface opposite to the base, and a side wall between the base and the top surface, the body having a central longitudinal axis passing through the base and the top surface;

[0014] an arm extending from and away from the sidewall between the base and the top surface, the arm being disposed along a longitudinal axis in a plane parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the body, the arm being spaced from the base and adjacent the top surface; and

[0015] A first wire receiving portion is fixed to the arm at a position offset from the main body, the first wire receiving portion including a bore or through hole arranged to receive a generally linear portion of an orthodontic wire (or archwire) therethrough along an axis extending substantially from left to right (or vice versa) across the teeth in use.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an orthodontic device for use in a dental brace to promote tooth eruption, the device comprising:

[0017] a body including a base for bonding to the tooth;

[0018] an arm extending away from the body; and

[0019] At least a first wire receiving portion and a second wire receiving portion, wherein the first wire receiving portion and the second wire receiving portion are arranged on the arm, the first wire receiving portion is fixed at a first position along the arm deviating from the main body, and the second wire receiving portion is fixed at a different second position along the arm deviating from the main body, and each of the first wire receiving portion and the second wire receiving portion includes a drilled hole or a through hole for one of the first wire receiving portion and the second wire receiving portion to receive a portion of the orthodontic wire along an axis that basically extends through the tooth during use.

[0020] The orthodontic device allows partially erupted teeth to erupt substantially faster and more conveniently than with existing methods, without the need for surgery.

[0021] An orthodontic device may be considered an offset bracket or a bracket having an offset brace wire portion. That is, a bracket having an offset between a base portion that is bonded to the tooth during use and a wire receiving portion that receives the brace wire during use. Thus, the wire receiving portion does not directly cover the base portion.

[0022] The offset allows portions of the wire to be positioned at or closer to the optimal position without exposing the optimal position of the tooth from the gums. That is, when an orthodontic device is used in a dental brace, the upward / downward deviation of the brace wire from the unerupted area of ​​the tooth creates a force on that particular tooth, thereby helping the tooth to erupt more quickly.

[0023] The body of the orthodontic device can be bonded to an exposed surface of a partially erupted tooth, and the wire receiving portion is positioned offset from the body by the arm.

[0024] The archwire can be arranged in the wire receiving portion so that when the tooth surface is viewed from the front, the archwire can be seen extending from one side across the tooth to the other side. The wire can be fixed to the orthodontic device, offset from the bonding area on the side relative to the tooth surface, rather than being arranged above the bonding area.

[0025] Orthodontic tools do not need to be placed in optimal positions on the teeth, thus reducing the need for surgical removal of the gums above the teeth.

[0026] By arranging the wire receiving portion offset relative to the body, the braces wire can be positioned in an offset position during an initial visit to the dentist or orthodontist. The force applied by the wire can then be used to pull the partially erupted tooth into the corresponding gap in the person's teeth.

[0027] An orthodontic device can accelerate the eruption of a partially erupted tooth from the gums. An orthodontic device can erupt a partially erupted tooth in a relatively small number of visits to an orthodontist compared to conventional methods. For example, an orthodontic device or tool can substantially fully erupt a partially erupted tooth in one visit to a dentist or orthodontist, two visits, or three visits to a dentist or orthodontist.

[0028] The base of the body and the central area or axis of the bore or through hole of the first wire receiving portion may be arranged on a common side plane.

[0029] This means that the wire receiving portion is located back from the front of the device, closer to the gums, which means that forces can be transferred to the teeth more effectively.

[0030] The second wire receiving portion may be fixed along the middle of the arm, between the main body and the first wire receiving portion.

[0031] The body may include a hub at the top of the base. The arms may extend radially out of the hub. The extension may be considered radial when viewed from the central longitudinal axis of the body, although it will be appreciated that this does not require the arms to be radial relative to the central longitudinal axis (e.g., the arms may be curved but appear to extend radially when the device is viewed from the front, such as when bonded to a tooth).

[0032] The hub may be substantially cylindrical.The hub may have a domed top.

[0033] The longitudinal axis followed by the arm may intersect the bore or through-hole of the first wire receiving portion (and optionally the bore or through-hole of the second wire receiving portion).

[0034] The first wire receiving portion may have substantially the same width as the base portion. If provided, the second wire receiving portion may have substantially the same width as the base portion (and the same width as the first wire receiving portion).

[0035] This can help distribute the force evenly across the width of the tooth.

[0036] The width or diameter of the hole(s) or through-hole(s) may be substantially half the width or diameter of the associated wire receiving portion.

[0037] The width of the top surface may be approximately half the width of the base, and the width of the arm may be approximately half the width of the top surface.

[0038] The width of the hub may be approximately half the width of the base, and the width of the arm may be approximately half the width of the hub.

[0039] The device may have an aspect ratio of approximately between 2: 1 and 3: 1. That is, when viewed from the front (e.g., when bonded to a tooth), the maximum length of the device (i.e., from top to bottom) may be between two and three times the maximum width (perpendicular to the length) of the device across the tooth (i.e., from left to right).

[0040] The first wire receiving portion and the second wire receiving portion may be substantially identical except for their position along the arm. That is, they may be of the same size and have the same size and shape of the internal bore / through hole.

[0041] For the portion of the aligner wire disposed in the wire receiving portion during use, its axis may be substantially parallel to the plane of the base of the device body. That is, the plane disposed between the base and the surface of the tooth to which it is bonded during use. It will be appreciated that the axis may be slightly non-parallel, for example if the wire receiving portion is adjusted by a dentist, but not perpendicular to this plane.

[0042] The wire receiving portion may comprise a first open end and / or a second open end.The or each open end may be arranged on an axis substantially parallel to a plane at the base of the body.

[0043] The wire receiving portion includes a bore or through hole extending along the axis for receiving the corrector wire. The bore or through hole may be open at both ends to allow the arch wire to pass through.

[0044] As a currently unstated alternative to a drilled or through hole, the wire receiving portion may include an open slot extending along the axis for receiving the corrector wire. For example, the cross-section of the slot may be U-shaped or C-shaped. However, it should be understood that the specific shape of the slot is not limited to these specific options and can be any shape suitable for receiving and / or retaining a portion of an arch wire.

[0045] This can allow the wire to be hooked into the slot, for example from the front, back or top. This can be done without having to pass the wire through a relatively narrow aperture on the left or right side.

[0046] The surfaces in the slot or bore of the wire receiving portion may act as bearing surfaces for the archwire to react to promote tooth eruption.

[0047] The wire receiving portion can be any structure suitable for attaching or securing a portion of the aligner wire so as to apply force to the body along the arm to promote tooth eruption. For example, the arm can have a notch or seat to which the arch wire can be attached or secured. That is, the wire receiving portion can be part of the arm.

[0048] When bonded to a tooth, the arm may have left and right sides for facing the left and right sides of the tooth.The terms "left side" and "right side" are used relative to an anatomical frame of reference.

[0049] The wire receiving portion may be arranged on the arm to allow the wire to extend in a direction from the left side (or right side) of the arm to the right side (or left side) of the arm. The wire receiving portion may extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the arm, and also substantially perpendicular to a central axis through the base and top of the device body. With this arrangement, the wire may extend directly through the teeth in a direction from the left side of the mouth to the right side of the mouth.

[0050] The structure of the wire receiving portion may allow an orthotic wire to be passed through, hooked, clamped, attached, mounted, bonded, or otherwise secured to the wire receiving portion.

[0051] The arm may extend in a direction substantially parallel to a side plane at the base of the body.Any point along the arm may be considered to be laterally offset from the base of the body.

[0052] One or both of the arm and the wire receiving portion may be arranged on the body side of the plane at the base of the body.

[0053] The arms may extend substantially radially from the body. The arms may then be arranged substantially parallel to the partially erupted teeth to which the device is bonded during use.

[0054] The wire receiving portion may be arranged at any position along the arm.The wire receiving portion may be provided at a fixed position on the arm.

[0055] The wire receiving portion can be considered to be laterally offset from the base of the body. That is, when the device is viewed from its top side, the coverage area of ​​the wire receiving portion does not overlap the coverage area of ​​the base.

[0056] The arm may include a distal end and a proximal end located at the body. The wire receiver may be arranged at or towards the distal end of the arm. This allows the wire to abut against the wire receiver at a position laterally offset from the base of the body by the length of the arm.

[0057] The length of the arms may be at least 2mm or 3mm.The wire receiving portion may be offset from the centre of the body in a direction along the arms by at least 2mm or 3mm.

[0058] The length of the arm may be at least 4 mm or at least 5 mm. The wire receiving portion may be offset from the center of the body by at least 4 mm or 5 mm along the direction of the arm.

[0059] Preferably, the length of the arm does not exceed about 35 mm for use with human orthodontic appliances. This in turn limits the maximum offset of the wire receiving portion from the base.

[0060] Two or three or more wire receiving parts may be provided on the arm. The two or more wire receiving parts may each be laterally offset from the center of the body along the arm by a different distance.

[0061] Each wire receiving portion may independently include one or more of the features discussed with respect to the first wire receiving portion.

[0062] Providing additional receiving portions allows the orthodontist to place the brace wire in a position on the device that best suits the tooth in question, such as to customize the amount of force applied to the tooth. In some cases, it may be more appropriate to secure the wire in a receiving portion that is relatively close to the eruption end of the tooth. This reduces the degree to which the brace wire needs to be bent when mounting it to the orthodontic device and an adjacent set of brace brackets.

[0063] If additional receptors are provided, the wire can be repositioned from the initial receptor to a different receptor once the tooth has further erupted. Thus, appropriate forces can be applied at different stages of the tooth eruption process. Methods of adjusting an orthodontic device are discussed in more detail below.

[0064] The base may comprise a disc-shaped element comprising a bottom surface for bonding to the tooth. The bottom surface may be concave or comprise a notch. This provides a space to receive the adhesive.

[0065] The disc-shaped element may include a chamfer or an inclined surface. The chamfer or inclined surface may lead to the top surface of the device or to the hub (if provided).

[0066] The base may include a mesh base or a mesh pad. During use, the mesh base may contact the surface of the tooth. The mesh base helps to bond the body to the tooth.

[0067] The arm may be directly attached to the body at the proximal / fixed end. The arm may be directly attached to the arm support. The arm may be directly attached to the side wall of the arm support. The arm may extend radially from the arm support.

[0068] The arms may be straight. The arms may be preformed into a curved shape. The arms may be shaped to accommodate the shape of the surrounding teeth, gum line and / or mouth. The curved shape may bend towards a plane provided at the base of the device.

[0069] When multiple wire receiving parts are provided, the arm can be divided into multiple arm parts. For example, the arm can have a first arm part extending between a first wire receiving part and a second wire receiving part. The arm can have a second arm part located between the second wire receiving part and the body.

[0070] The first arm portion and the second arm portion may be discontinuous. That is, they may be separated by the second arm receiving portion and disposed on opposite sides of the second arm receiving portion.

[0071] When the arm is preformed into a curved shape and divided into a plurality of arm portions, the curvature of each arm portion may share a common arc.

[0072] The arms should be flexible enough not to bend under the force of the aligner wires.

[0073] The orthodontic device (or any part thereof, such as the body, arms and / or wire receiving portion) may be made of metal, metal alloy, ceramic, plastic or composite material. Suitable combinations of any two or more of metal, metal alloy, ceramic, plastic and composite material may be used. The materials used in the device should be biocompatible or non-toxic.

[0074] Plastic or ceramic may be preferred because they can be white or off-white, ie similar to the color of the tooth to which the orthodontic device is bonded. A white or off-white orthodontic device can be camouflaged in this way and therefore be more discreet.

[0075] The arms may be adjustable. The arms may include a malleable material. This may be preferred when the arms are straight, but it may also be provided when the arms are pre-formed or made into another shape (e.g. a curved arm).

[0076] The arm may be bendable to adjust the position of the wire receiving portion relative to the body. This may be beneficial, for example, when the wire receiving portion needs to be bent towards or away from the gum line.

[0077] The arms may be integrally formed with the body. Each wire receiving portion may be integrally formed with the arms. Providing the arms and body and / or the arms and wire receiving portions as an integrally formed structure reduces potential weak points in the structure that may otherwise exist at the joints between the arms and the body and / or at the joints between the arms and the wire receiving portions.

[0078] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a dental brace is provided, comprising a plurality of brackets for bonding to teeth, a brace wire (or archwire) and a fixing device for fixing the brace wire to the plurality of brackets, wherein at least one bracket is an orthodontic device according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0079] The advantages are similar to those of the first aspect of the invention. An orthodontic device can be bonded to a partially erupted tooth (assuming a suitable minimum exposed surface to which it is bonded) and can be used with the rest of the dental brace to promote faster eruption of that tooth.

[0080] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of bonding an orthodontic device according to the first aspect of the present invention to a partially erupted tooth, comprising the step of bonding the orthodontic device to the erupted portion of the partially erupted tooth.

[0081] The method may include the step of bending or otherwise shaping the arms, which step may occur before and / or after the bonding step.

[0082] The method may include the step of securing the aligner wire to a wire receiving portion of the orthodontic device.

[0083] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for performing cosmetic tooth alignment using a dental brace, comprising the following steps:

[0084] Providing a dental brace according to a second aspect of the present invention;

[0085] bonding each of the plurality of brackets to a corresponding one of the teeth (using a suitable bonding medium), comprising bonding the orthodontic device of the first aspect to an erupted portion of a partially erupted tooth;

[0086] installing an orthodontic wire onto each bracket and through a wire receiving portion of the orthodontic device; and

[0087] Secure the orthotic wire with a fixation device.

[0088] In this way, dental braces can be used to realign teeth for a cosmetic effect without having to wait for a tooth (or teeth) to fully erupt. It also avoids the need for surgery on the gums, as well as other advantages of the first aspect of the invention.

[0089] The method can be used to fit braces to a set of teeth that do not have a specific dysfunction or pathology. The teeth may only need to be realigned for cosmetic purposes, and the partially erupted teeth simply delay the point at which a conventional dental brace is fitted, without the need for surgery on the gums or multiple visits to reposition brackets on the partially erupted teeth. Thus, the present invention can be used to fit dental braces without these inconveniences.

[0090] When the orthodontic wire (or archwire) is connected to the orthodontic appliance and the orthodontic device, the device can provide the appropriate force required to promote the partially erupted teeth to enter the fully erupted position. Thus, the orthodontic device or tool can accelerate the eruption of the partially erupted teeth from the gums.

[0091] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of cosmetically aligning teeth using a dental brace mounted to a set of teeth, comprising an orthodontic device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the orthodontic device comprising at least two wire receiving parts, the method comprising the steps of:

[0092] removing the orthodontic wire from the first wire receiving portion of the orthodontic device; and

[0093] The aligner wire or a replacement aligner wire is secured to the second wire receiving portion of the orthodontic device.

[0094] Thus, if a partially erupted tooth does not erupt at one time through the dental braces comprising the orthodontic device, the wire can be repositioned during a subsequent orthodontist visit (or visits).

[0095] After the dental braces are installed, the (or each) orthodontic device of the first aspect moves with the associated teeth as the associated teeth erupt from the gums. That is, when the teeth are pulled downward (or upward) by the force applied by the wire, the position of the wire receiving portion relative to the adjacent bracket will change. Therefore, the offset of the first wire receiving portion relative to the adjacent bracket is reduced, and the force applied by the wire to the orthodontic device and the associated teeth may be reduced. Moving the wire to the second wire receiving portion can be used to re-establish a better force to continue to promote the eruption of the teeth in a shorter time frame.

[0096] Although the offset of the second wire receiving portion relative to the adjacent bracket may initially be too large, as the tooth erupts, it will approach an offset corresponding to the initial offset of the first wire receiving portion (i.e., the offset when the braces were first installed). The position of the second wire receiving portion can then be considered to be in a position suitable for the braces wire to be moved to.

[0097] By adjusting the orthodontic appliance in this manner, the orthodontist can easily adjust the amount of force that may be applied to the teeth throughout the eruption process. The orthodontist can adjust the amount of force applied by the orthodontic appliance without having to remove the aligner wires or the orthodontic appliance itself.

[0098] The second wire receiving portion may be located further from the body than the first wire receiving portion.The second wire receiving portion may be offset from the center of the body by a greater amount than the first wire receiving portion is offset from the center of the body.

[0099] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of removing an orthodontic device from a tooth, comprising the step of detaching or debonding the orthodontic device of the first aspect of the present invention from a tooth, preferably a fully erupted tooth.

[0100] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an orthodontic device for use in a dental brace to promote tooth eruption, the device comprising:

[0101] a body including a base for bonding to a tooth;

[0102] an arm extending from the body; and

[0103] A wire receiving portion is provided on the arm at a position offset from the main body, the wire receiving portion being arranged to receive a portion of an orthodontic appliance wire along an axis extending substantially across the teeth in use.

[0104] Any aspect of the invention may independently include one or more features presented with respect to any other aspect of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0105] For a better understanding of the invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0106] Figure 1 shows a front perspective view of a first embodiment of an orthodontic device according to the present invention;

[0107] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 A front perspective view of an orthodontic device with the arms in a bent or curved state;

[0108] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 An orthodontic device in which the tooth is placed as part of a dental brace on a set of teeth;

[0109] Figure 4 A second embodiment of an orthodontic device according to the present invention is shown;

[0110] Figure 5 A third embodiment of an orthodontic device according to the present invention is shown;

[0111] Figure 6 A fourth embodiment of an orthodontic device according to the present invention is shown;

[0112] Figure 7a shows a side view of a fifth embodiment of an orthodontic device according to the present invention;

[0113] Figure 7b Shows Figure 7a Front view of the orthodontic appliance in;

[0114] Figure 8a showing a side view of a sixth embodiment of an orthodontic device according to the present invention; and

[0115] Figure 8b Shows Figure 8a Front view of the orthodontic appliance. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0116] See first Figure 1 , an orthodontic device according to the present invention is generally indicated at 10. The device 10 is shown from the front side, which is visible when a person smiles if the device 10 is mounted on the front side or visible side of the teeth. The device 10 is suitable for bonding to a tooth in the upper or lower row of teeth. The device 10 may also be referred to as an orthodontic bracket. The device 10 may be made of any suitable material, including but not limited to: metal, alloy, ceramic, plastic or composite material.

[0117] The orthodontic device has a main body 12. An arm 14 extends outward from the main body 12. A wire receiving portion 16 is provided on the arm 14 for receiving an orthodontic wire (also referred to as an arch wire). In this embodiment, the main body, the arm and the wire receiving portion are all integrally formed.

[0118] The body 12 includes a base 12a. The base 12a includes a base suitable for bonding the orthodontic device 10 to a partially erupted tooth (26, see Figure 3 ) on the exposed surface of the tooth. The width of the body 12 is much greater than the thickness so as to provide a low profile when bonded to the tooth.

[0119] In this embodiment, the body 12 and its base 12a are generally circular in shape, although square, hexagonal, or other shapes (including irregular shapes) are also contemplated.

[0120] In this embodiment, the diameter of the base 12 is about 3 mm to 5 mm. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the dimensions of the body 12 and / or base 12a may vary so long as they are suitable for bonding to the intended teeth without overlapping or interfering with any adjacent teeth during use.

[0121] When installed as part of a dental brace, the base 12a faces the teeth. The body 12 has a front face 18. The front face 18 faces away from the teeth during use.

[0122] The base 12a in this embodiment may be a mesh base. The mesh base improves the bonding between the base body 12 and the surface of the partially erupted tooth.

[0123] Any suitable biocompatible or non-toxic adhesive may be used to bond the body 12 to the surface of a partially erupted tooth. Conventional tooth bonding adhesives may be used.

[0124] The arm 14 extends outwardly from the side or front face 18 of the body 12 in a direction substantially parallel to the plane at the base (or the plane of the base). In this embodiment, the arm 14 is about 4 mm or 5 mm long. In other embodiments, the length of the arm 14 can be shorter or longer as needed to provide a wire receiving portion that is appropriately displaced from the base 12a.

[0125] In this embodiment, the wire receiving portion 16 is disposed at the end of the arm 14 away from the body 12. The wire receiving portion 16 is generally cylindrical. A hole or bore 20 is provided in the wire receiving portion 16. The size and shape of the hole 20 enables it to receive an orthotic wire during use. The hole 20 has a generally circular cross-section for receiving the wire, which may also be generally circular in cross-section. The size of the hole 20 makes it larger than the diameter of a typical orthotic wire, but in some embodiments, the hole size may correspond generally to the wire diameter.

[0126] In other embodiments, the orthotic wire may be received by a slot in the wire receiving portion 16 that extends through an edge of the cylindrical wire receiving portion 16. The slot may extend through an edge or side of the wire receiving portion 16.

[0127] Reference now Figure 2 , the arm 14 is shown in a bent or curved state. When the arm is made of a ductile material, this can be achieved by placing Figure 1 Alternatively, another embodiment of the device 10 can be formed with the arms being in an arcuate state from the beginning.

[0128] The arm 14 is bendable or adjustable, allowing the wire receiving portion 16 to be repositioned. For example, it may be advantageous to bend the arm 14 around the gums to prevent it from getting stuck inside a person's mouth when mounted on a tooth. Providing an extendable arm 14 allows an orthodontist to customize the shape of the orthodontic tool 10 to an individual's mouth. Figure 2 In FIG. 1 , arms 14 are shown bending in a direction away from the mesh base.

[0129] It will be appreciated that the arms may have any suitable curvature or shape, whether imparted by bending the arms or as a pre-formed shape.

[0130] See now Figure 3 , a dental brace is generally indicated at 100 and is shown mounted on a set of teeth of a person. The dental brace 100 includes an orthodontic device 10 bonded to a partially erupted tooth 26. The partially erupted tooth 26 partially erupts from a gum 28. The orthodontic device 10 is mounted in place of conventional brackets as part of an otherwise conventional orthodontic system.

[0131] The dental brace 100 has a plurality of metal brackets, one of which is indicated by 30. The metal bracket 30 is bonded to a plurality of teeth 32. In this embodiment, the dental brace 100 is bonded to a plurality of teeth 32 of the upper jaw. It is understood that the dental brace 100 can be bonded to a plurality of teeth 32 of the lower jaw. In further embodiments, the dental brace 100 can be bonded to a plurality of teeth 32 of the upper jaw and the lower jaw, respectively, and each dental brace can include one or more orthodontic devices.

[0132] A length of orthodontic wire 34 is secured to each bracket 30 along an axis that passes through the center of the exposed portion of each fully erupted tooth. The orthodontic wire 34 also passes through the hole 20 in the orthodontic device 10. The orthodontic wire 34 is bent, curved, or otherwise deflected upwardly away from the location of the wire receiving portion and then returned downwardly to the adjacent bracket 30. Thus, this portion of the orthodontic wire overlies the gums of the unerupted portions of the partially erupted teeth and does not pass directly over the body 12 or base 12a.

[0133] A strap 35 or other securing means may be provided on each bracket 30 to secure the aligner wire 34 to the bracket 30. In this embodiment, the strap 35 is an elastic strap.

[0134] Since the aligner wire 34 is not fixed to the body 12, no band 35 is required on the body 12 of the orthodontic device 10. The wire can be securely held by passing through the bore 20. In other embodiments, a band 35 or a fixing device may be provided on the wire receiving device 16, for example if there is a possibility that the wire may fall off from the wire receiving portion 16.

[0135] During use, when the aligner is installed, the aligner wire 34 applies force to the orthodontic device 10 in a direction extending away from the root of the partially erupted tooth 26. In other words, the aligner wire 34 provides force in a direction away from the gums 28 to align the tooth vertically with the adjacent tooth 32.

[0136] In the case where the gap is too small to allow the partially erupted tooth to grow in, a conventional dental brace can first be used to laterally move the erupted tooth to provide a gap of the appropriate size. Once there is a gap, the orthodontic device 10 can be installed on the partially erupted tooth and connected to the rest of the brace by the brace wire.

[0137] When a conventional brace is already installed on a set of teeth, the orthodontic device 10 can be installed on the partially erupted tooth 26 to aesthetically align the tooth with the remaining teeth by: applying a suitable dental adhesive or cement to the mesh base of the orthodontic device 10; and bonding the orthodontic device 10 to the erupted portion of the partially erupted tooth 26.

[0138] The position of the wire receiving portion 16 may be adjusted by bending or otherwise shaping the arm 14 to introduce the appropriate curvature around the gums.

[0139] Assuming that an appropriate spacing already exists, the dental appliance 100 can be used to aesthetically align the partially erupted tooth 26 with other adjacent teeth. The dental appliance 100 can be installed on the teeth by first bonding each bracket 30 individually to each tooth 32, and then bonding the orthodontic device 10 to the erupted portion of the partially erupted tooth 26. The aligner wire 34 can then be installed on each bracket 30 (usually installed in sequence) and passed through the hole 20 in the orthodontic device 10 at the appropriate location, and then secured to the bracket 30 using a band 35.

[0140] After the partially erupted teeth are vertically aligned with the remaining teeth (ie, fully erupted), the orthodontic device 10 can be removed from the teeth. If a dental brace is to be used to further align the teeth cosmetically, a conventional bracket can be installed in its place.

[0141] Reference now Figure 4 A second embodiment of an orthodontic device is generally indicated at 10'. If features of the orthodontic device 10' are not described, they may be assumed to be the same or substantially similar to the features of the first embodiment described above. Like reference numerals are used for like features.

[0142] In this embodiment, a second wire receiving portion 16' is provided. The second wire receiving portion 16' is substantially identical to the first wire receiving portion 16 except for the position of the second wire receiving portion 16' on the arm 14. The second wire receiving portion 16' is disposed on the arm 14. The second wire receiving portion 16' is disposed between the body 12 and the first wire receiving portion 16.

[0143] The second wire receiving portion 16' is laterally offset from the body 12 less than the first wire receiving portion 16 is laterally offset from the body 12. The second wire receiving portion 16' has a hole 20' similar to the first wire receiving portion 16. The hole 20' can pass through the arm 14 or reach to the side of the arm 14. The second receiving portion 16' allows the orthotic wire (34, see Figure 3 ) is repositioned from the first portion to apply appropriate force to tooth 26 throughout the eruption process.

[0144] In the case where the device 10' is installed as part of a dental brace, the brace wire (34, Figure 3 ) is removed from a wire receiving portion and the orthotic wire (34, Figure 3 ) or replace the orthotic wire and reinstall it to another wire receiving portion to reposition the orthotic wire (34, Figure 3 Here, the wire is removed from the second portion 16 ′ and then secured to the first portion 16 .

[0145] It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, additional wire receptacles 16 may be provided to provide additional wire positioning options.

[0146] Reference now Figure 5 and Figure 6 , a third embodiment and a fourth embodiment of an orthodontic device are generally shown at 10" and 10"'. Where features of the orthodontic device 10", 10"' are not described, they may be considered to be the same or similar to the features of the first embodiment. Like reference numerals are used for like features.

[0147] In these embodiments, the wire receiving portion 16", 16"' includes an open slot 36, 36', respectively. Similar to the through holes 20, 20' of the first and second embodiments, the open slot 36, 36' is arranged to receive the orthotic wire (34, Figure 3 ). It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the slot may be provided on the front side of the wire receiving portion.

[0148] See also Figure 5 , a third embodiment of the orthodontic device 10" is shown. In this embodiment, the groove 36 passing through the wire receiving portion 16" has a depth extending in a direction from the base to the front face 18 of the body 12. In other words, the groove 36 has a depth extending in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the base.

[0149] See also Figure 6 , a fourth embodiment of an orthodontic device 10'' is shown. In this embodiment, the groove 36' passing through the wire receiving portion 16'' has a depth extending in a direction from the end of the wire receiving portion 16'' away from the body 12 to the body 12. In other words, the groove 36' has a depth extending in a direction substantially along the arm. The devices of the third and / or fourth embodiments may have any features or combinations of features of the first and second embodiments, such as additional wire receiving portions having grooves or bores.

[0150] Reference now Figure 7a and Figure 7b A fifth embodiment of an orthodontic device is generally indicated at 200. The orthodontic device 200 of the fifth embodiment is substantially similar to the orthodontic device 10 of the first embodiment, but the differences between the orthodontic devices 10, 200 of the first and fifth embodiments are described as follows.

[0151] In this embodiment, the arm 240 is preformed into an arc shape. The arc shape bends toward a plane provided at the base of the device. Similar to the above, a wire receiving portion 216 is provided at the end of the arm 240. The wire receiving portion 216 includes a bore or through hole 220 having an axis for receiving an orthotic wire.

[0152] In this embodiment, the bore 220 for receiving the aligner wire is disposed substantially in the plane of the base 212a. The curvature of the arm 240 is designed to achieve this, taking into account the length of the arm.

[0153] In this embodiment, the body 212 comprises a disk-shaped member having a generally conical portion 250. The base 212a comprises a recess 252 in the portion 250. The recess 252 provides a space for receiving an adhesive.

[0154] The body 212 includes an arm support or hub 254. The arm support 254 projects from the front face of the base 250 which faces away from the teeth during use.

[0155] The arm support 254 is substantially cylindrical. The arm support 254 is substantially disposed in the center of the base. The front of the arm support 254 includes a dome 256 adjacent to the cylindrical wall. When the orthodontic device 200 is mounted on a person's teeth, the dome 256 may be used to improve the user's taste for the device.

[0156] The arm 240 is directly attached to the body 212 at the arm support 254. The arm 240 is attached to the side wall of the arm support 254.

[0157] Reference now Figure 8a and Figure 8b A sixth embodiment of an orthodontic device is generally indicated at 200'. The orthodontic device 200' of the sixth embodiment is substantially similar to the orthodontic device 200 of the fifth embodiment and includes the features of that embodiment as well as the features described below.

[0158] The orthodontic device 200' includes a second wire receiving portion 216'. The second wire receiving portion 216' is disposed on the arm 240. The second wire receiving portion 216' can be considered to divide the arm 240 into a first arm portion 240a and a second arm portion 240b.

[0159] The first arm portion 240 a extends from the first wire receiving portion 216 to the second wire receiving portion 216 ′, and the second arm portion 240 b extends from the second wire receiving portion 216 ′ to the body 212 .

[0160] The preformed curvatures of the first arm portion 240a and the second arm portion 240b share a common arc.

[0161] Figure 7a and Figure 7b as well as Figure 8a and Figure 8b In the figure, exemplary relative dimensions are shown, which may be in millimeters, but it is understood that within the scope of the present invention, for various embodiments, slight variations in dimensions may be adopted. In some embodiments, the measured values ​​may be used as examples of relative proportions.

[0162] Variations of the device of the fifth and / or sixth embodiments may have any feature or combination of features of the previous embodiments, such as straight arm portions and / or wire receiving portions having slots or drilled holes.

[0163] The above-described embodiments are provided by way of example only and various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An orthodontic device for a dental brace for promoting tooth eruption, the device comprising: a body, the body comprising a base for bonding to the tooth, a top surface opposite to the base, and a side wall between the base and the top surface, the body having a central longitudinal axis passing through the base and the top surface; an arm extending from the side wall between the base and the top surface, the arm being disposed along a longitudinal axis in a plane parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the body, the arm being spaced from the base and adjacent to the top surface; as well as A first wire receiving portion is fixed to the arm at a position offset from the body, the first wire receiving portion including a bore or through hole arranged to receive a portion of an orthodontic wire along an axis extending substantially across the teeth in use.

2. An orthodontic device for use in a dental brace to promote tooth eruption, the device comprising: a body including a base for bonding to the tooth; an arm extending away from the body; as well as At least a first wire receiving portion and a second wire receiving portion, wherein the first wire receiving portion and the second wire receiving portion are arranged on the arm, the first wire receiving portion is fixed at a first position along the arm deviating from the main body, and the second wire receiving portion is fixed at a different second position along the arm deviating from the main body, and each of the first wire receiving portion and the second wire receiving portion includes a drilled hole or a through hole for one of the first wire receiving portion and the second wire receiving portion to receive a portion of the orthodontic wire along an axis that basically extends through the tooth during use.

3. An orthodontic device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the central areas or axes of the base of the body and the bore or through hole of the first wire receiving portion are arranged on a common side plane.

4. An orthodontic device as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the second wire receiving portion is fixed midway along the arm, between the body and the first wire receiving portion.

5. An orthodontic device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body comprises a hub located on top of the base, and the arms extend radially out of the hub when viewed from a central longitudinal axis of the body.

6. An orthodontic device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the longitudinal axis followed by the arm intersects the bore or through hole of the first wire receiving portion.

7. An orthodontic device as claimed in claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 6 as dependent on claim 2, wherein the arm includes a first arm portion connected between the first wire receiving portion and the second wire receiving portion, and a second arm portion connected between the second wire receiving portion and the body.

8. An orthodontic device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first wire receiving portion has substantially the same width as the base portion.

9. An orthodontic device as claimed in claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 8 as appended to claim 2, wherein the second wire receiving portion has substantially the same width as the base portion.

10. An orthodontic device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the diameter of the bore or through hole is substantially half the diameter of the wire receiving portion.

11. Orthodontic device according to one of the following claims: a) claim 1 or any one of claims 3, 5, 6, 8 or 10 when dependent on claim 1, wherein the width of the top surface is approximately half the width of the base, and the width of the arm is approximately half the width of the top surface; or b) Claim 5 or any one of claims 6 to 10 when dependent on claim 5, wherein the width of the hub is approximately half the width of the base, and the width of the arm is approximately half the width of the hub.

12. An orthodontic device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the device has a length to width ratio of substantially between 2:1 and 3:

1.

13. An orthodontic device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arm has a left side and a right side for facing the left and right sides of the teeth, and the first wire receiving portion is arranged on the arm for receiving the wire in a direction from the left side to the right side of the arm during use.

14. An orthodontic device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first wire receiving portion is arranged at or towards the distal end of the arm.

15. An orthodontic device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first wire receiving portion is offset from the centre of the body in a direction along the arm by one of: at least 2 mm; at least 3 mm; at least 5 mm.

16. An orthodontic device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base comprises a mesh base or a mesh pad.

17. An orthodontic device as claimed in claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 16 when appended to claim 2, wherein the first and second wire receiving portions are substantially identical except for their positions along the arm.

18. An orthodontic device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the arms are preformed into a curved shape that curves towards a plane provided at the base of the device.

19. An orthodontic device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the orthodontic device is made from one or more of: metal or metal alloy, ceramic and plastic.

20. An orthodontic device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the arms are adjustable or comprise a malleable material for bending the arms around part of the gum.

21. An orthodontic device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the arms are integrally formed with the body.

22. An orthodontic device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first wire receiving portion is integrally formed with the arm.

23. An orthodontic device as claimed in claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 22 as appended thereto, wherein the second wire receiving portion is integrally formed with the arm.

24. An orthodontic device as claimed in claim 1 or any one of claims 3, 5, 6, 8, 10 to 16 or 18 to 22 as dependent on claim 1, wherein a second wire receiving portion is arranged along the arm at a fixed position offset from the body, and the second wire receiving portion includes a drilled hole or a through hole for receiving an orthodontic wire.

25. A dental brace comprising a plurality of brackets for bonding to teeth, a brace wire and fixing means for fixing the brace wire to said plurality of brackets, wherein at least one of said brackets is an orthodontic device as claimed in the preceding claims.

26. A method of attaching an orthodontic device to a partially erupted tooth, comprising the step of bonding an orthodontic device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 24 to the erupted portion of the partially erupted tooth.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of bending or shaping the arms.

28. A method for cosmetically aligning teeth using a dental brace, comprising the following steps: a) providing a dental brace as claimed in claim 25; b) bonding each of the plurality of brackets to a corresponding one of the teeth, including bonding the at least one orthodontic device to an erupted portion of a partially erupted tooth; c) installing the aligner wire onto each bracket and passing it through the wire receiving portion of the orthodontic device; as well as d) fixing the corrector wire using the fixing device.

29. A method for cosmetically aligning teeth using a dental brace mounted on a set of teeth, the dental brace as claimed in claim 25, the method comprising the steps of: a) removing the orthodontic wire from a first wire receiving portion of the orthodontic device; as well as b) installing the brace wire or a replacement brace wire into a second wire receiving portion of the orthodontic device.

30. A method of removing an orthodontic device from a tooth, comprising the step of detaching the orthodontic device of any one of claims 1 to 24 from the tooth.

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