An orthodontic appliance having a locking slot, a matching locking piece and an orthodontic system

Abstract

The utility model relates to an orthodontic appliance with lock groove and matched lock piece and orthodontic system, including main part and cover body part, the main part is provided with the bow groove, the bow groove is along the medial direction and penetrates the main part, the second working wing is equipped with the mounting groove, and the mounting groove contains the spacing mechanism that cover body part activity is limited, the main part is still provided with the lock groove and auxiliary groove along the gum direction extension basically, the lock groove is from the surface of main part and penetrates the bow groove and does not interfere with the mounting groove, and the lock groove is used for connecting the lock block of lock piece, to realize the arch wire lock of the bow groove in, the auxiliary groove penetrates the opposite surface of main part, and the auxiliary groove is used for connecting the bendable end of lock piece, to realize the lock piece fixed on the main part. Since the lock groove of the utility model does not interfere with the spacing mechanism and mounting groove provided on the second working wing, the spacing mechanism and mounting groove do not need additional adjustment, and the main part also does not need to increase the thickness, meet the demand of patient to product comfort degree.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of orthodontic technology, and in particular to an orthodontic appliance with a locking groove, a matching locking element, and an orthodontic system. Background Technology

[0002] Orthodontics refers to the correction of teeth, malocclusion, and deformities. Orthodontic treatment mainly uses various orthodontic appliances to adjust the coordination between facial bones, teeth, and the nerves and muscles of the maxillofacial region. This involves correcting abnormal relationships between the upper and lower jawbones, between the upper and lower teeth, between the teeth and jawbones, and between the nerves and muscles connecting them. The ultimate goal is to achieve balance, stability, and aesthetics in the stomatognathic system. Currently used orthodontic appliances mainly include brackets and buccal tubes. Brackets are a crucial component of fixed orthodontic techniques. The archwire applies corrective force to the teeth through the brackets. The main function of the brackets is to fix the archwire, allowing it to better exert its corrective force to achieve the orthodontic goal. Most existing self-ligating brackets consist of a bracket body and a movable cover, insert, or clamp, which is movably connected to the bracket body and used to open and close the archwire slot that holds the archwire.

[0003] Locking of a bracket refers to adjusting the effective movement space of the archwire within the bracket through specific means, so that the archwire within the bracket can express torque more accurately, or even the archwire within the bracket and the archwire groove of the bracket can be pressed together to make the bracket an active bracket, providing locking force.

[0004] The applicant's previous patent application, 202420261787.6, discloses an orthodontic appliance with traction and locking function, which includes a locking structure for an archwire bracket. The traction element penetrates the main body of the bracket at the center of the archwire groove to lock the archwire.

[0005] However, orthodontic appliances (brackets or buccal tubes) with sliding cover sections generally have a limiting structure for the cover section, which is typically fitted into a mounting groove on the main body. This limiting structure is generally located on a surface that bisects the main body in the tilt direction. Therefore, the mounting groove is also located on a surface that bisects the main body in the tilt direction. In the aforementioned patent application, the locking groove interferes with the mounting groove. In production applications, the main body will inevitably need to be thickened to accommodate the positional relationship between the locking groove and the mounting groove, thus inevitably reducing patient comfort. Utility Model Content

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an orthodontic appliance with a locking groove, a matching locking component, and an orthodontic system to address the aforementioned technical problems, which can provide locking functionality without compromising patient comfort.

[0007] An orthodontic appliance with a locking groove includes a main body and a cover body. The main body has an archwire groove extending through it along a mesiodistal direction, dividing it into a first working wing and a second working wing. The second working wing has a mounting groove that accommodates a limiting mechanism that restricts the movement of the cover body. The cover body is slidably connected to the second working wing, and can switch between opening and closing the archwire groove due to the limiting mechanism. The main body also has a locking groove and an auxiliary groove extending generally along the gingival-maxillary direction. The locking groove extends through or through the archwire groove from the surface of the main body without interfering with the mounting groove. The locking groove connects to a locking block of a locking member, allowing the locking block to enter the archwire groove and lock the archwire. The auxiliary groove extends through two opposite surfaces of the main body and connects to a bendable end of a locking member, allowing the bendable end to engage with the main body, thereby fixing the locking member to the main body.

[0008] The above-mentioned orthodontic appliances with locking grooves have at least the following advantages:

[0009] Compared with existing technologies, since the locking groove of this invention does not interfere with the limiting mechanism and mounting groove provided on the second working wing, the limiting mechanism and mounting groove do not require additional adjustments. That is, the limiting mechanism and mounting groove do not need to be raised in height, and the main body does not need to be thickened. This allows the orthodontic appliance of this invention to achieve the same thickness as conventional orthodontic appliances without locking grooves, even with the locking groove, thus meeting the patient's needs for product comfort.

[0010] Specifically, the locking groove and the mounting groove are located on the surface that bisects the main body in the axial tilt direction, and the auxiliary groove is located on one side of the locking groove. The locking groove corresponds to the middle of the bowwire groove and can lock the bowwire inside from the perspective of force balance.

[0011] Furthermore, the locking groove extends from the surface of the first working wing through the bowwire groove but not through the second working wing; or, the locking groove extends from the surface of the first working wing through the bowwire groove and through the second working wing, but not through the mounting groove; or, the locking groove extends from the surface of the first working wing through the bowwire groove and through the second working wing, and the locking groove extends through the mounting groove but only its end face contacts the groove. When the mounting groove is positioned in the center of the main body, and the locking groove is also positioned in the center to achieve force balance, the locking groove does not interfere with the mounting groove or the limiting mechanism within it.

[0012] Preferably, the limiting mechanism is a metal column, which is vertically inserted into the mounting groove; the metal column is a cylinder, a square column, a cylinder with a C-shaped radial cross section and a notch, or a column with a single root at the bottom and two elastic arms at the top end; there is one or two metal columns, and the two metal columns are arranged side by side with intervals, closely attached to each other, or spaced apart from each other.

[0013] Specifically, the mounting groove is located on the surface that bisects the main body in the axial tilt direction, and the locking groove and the auxiliary groove are respectively disposed on both sides of the mounting groove; the locking groove passes through the bowwire groove from the surface of the first ligation wing or the surface of the second ligation wing; the auxiliary groove passes through the first ligation wing and the second ligation wing but does not pass through the bowwire groove.

[0014] Furthermore, the locking groove penetrates one side wall of the bow wire groove, thereby forming a through hole in the side wall of the bow wire groove; or, the locking groove penetrates both one side wall and the bottom wall of the bow wire groove, thereby forming a notch at the bottom corner of the bow wire groove.

[0015] Specifically, the locking groove penetrates both one side wall and the bottom wall of the bow wire groove, forming a notch at the bottom corner of the bow wire groove with a height less than 1 / 2 of the bow wire groove height and a width less than 1 / 3 of the bow wire groove width; or, it also includes a base plate, the inclination angle of the auxiliary groove being consistent with the inclination angle of the base plate.

[0016] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model also provides a locking component for matching the above-mentioned orthodontic appliance with a locking groove. The locking component is a U-shaped rod with unequal lengths at both ends, including a short section, a long section, and a connecting section. The short section is provided with a locking block, which is used to connect the locking groove. The locking block is used to occupy space in the archwire groove to lock the archwire. The long section is provided with a bendable end, which is used to connect the auxiliary groove. After the bendable end is bent, it engages with the main body to fix the locking component on the main body.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the locking component of this utility model is a U-shaped rod with a simple structure. Its short section is used for locking, and its long section is used to fix the locking component to the main body. The design is ingenious, easy to install and disassemble, and convenient for doctors to operate.

[0018] Specifically, the bendable end extends from and bends from the main body, and is used to clamp the surface of the main body. The connecting section is used to clamp the opposite surface of the main body, thereby enabling the locking member to hold the main body from the two opposite surfaces. The locking member, through the long section combined with the connecting section, tightly clamps the main body, ensuring that the locking member is securely connected to the main body and does not fall off, thus ensuring that the force exerted by the locking member on the bowwire in the bowwire groove is stable and continuous.

[0019] Preferably, the locking block is located at the suspended end of the short segment, and the cross-sectional dimension of the suspended end of the short segment is larger than the cross-sectional dimension of the connecting end of the short segment. This ensures that the contact area of ​​the locking block is large enough to form a locking surface within the archwire groove, sufficient to lock the archwire within the archwire groove. The locking surface formed on the locking block includes both the end face and the side face of the suspended end of the short segment.

[0020] Specifically, the bendable end is the suspended end of the long segment, and the cross-sectional dimension of the suspended end of the long segment is smaller than the cross-sectional dimension of the connecting end of the long segment. This makes the bendable end easy to bend and shape.

[0021] To address the aforementioned technical issues, an orthodontic system is also provided, comprising the aforementioned orthodontic appliance with locking groove and the aforementioned locking element. The locking groove of this orthodontic appliance does not interfere with the limiting mechanism and mounting slot provided on the second working wing. The limiting mechanism and mounting slot on the main body require no additional adjustment, and the main body does not need increased thickness, effectively meeting the patient's needs for product comfort. The locking element has a simple and flexible structure, is easy to install and disassemble, and facilitates operation by the doctor. Furthermore, the locking element is firmly integrated with the orthodontic appliance, providing a stable and continuous locking force. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The illustrative embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention.

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the orthodontic appliance in Example 1.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a front view of the orthodontic appliance of Example 1.

[0026] Figure 3 for Figure 2 AA sectional view.

[0027] Figure 4 for Figure 2 BB cross-sectional view.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the locking component in Example 1.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the locking member inserted into the orthodontic appliance in Example 1.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the orthodontic system structure in Example 1.

[0031] Figure 8 This is a front view of the orthodontic system of Example 1.

[0032] Figure 9 for Figure 8 CC section view.

[0033] Figure 10 for Figure 8 DD sectional view.

[0034] Figure 11 This is a side view of the orthodontic system of Example 1.

[0035] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the locking member inserted into the orthodontic appliance according to another embodiment.

[0036] Figure 13 This is a structural schematic diagram of the removable cover portion of the orthodontic system according to another embodiment.

[0037] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a locking member inserted into an orthodontic appliance according to another embodiment.

[0038] Figure 15 This is a structural schematic diagram of the removable cover portion of the orthodontic system according to yet another embodiment.

[0039] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0040] 10 - Orthodontic system; 20 - Archwire;

[0041] 100-Orthodontic appliance; 110-Main body; 111-Archwire groove; 1110-Notch; 112-First working wing; 113-Second working wing; 114-Locking groove; 115-Auxiliary groove; 116-Mounting groove; 120-Cover body; 123-Limiting groove; 130-Base plate; 140-Limiting mechanism;

[0042] 200 - Locking element; 210 - Short section; 216 - Locking block; 220 - Long section; 228 - Bendable end; 230 - Connecting section. Detailed Implementation

[0043] It should be noted that the orthodontic appliances mentioned in this utility model refer to orthodontic brackets or buccal tubes, or other orthodontic appliances with similar functions and structures.

[0044] Unless otherwise stated, the following structural description requires the use of a frame of reference for the maxillary teeth to describe embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, as used herein, terms such as labial, lingual, mesial, distal, occlusal, and gingival, used to describe orthodontic appliances, are relative to the selected frame of reference. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the selected frame of reference and the terms described, as orthodontic appliances can be used with other teeth in the oral cavity and in other directions.

[0045] For example, brackets or buccal tubes can also be coupled to the lingual surface of the teeth and fall within the scope of this invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the descriptive terms used herein may not be directly applicable when there are changes in the frame of reference. However, embodiments of this invention are intended to be independent of position and orientation within the oral cavity, and the related terminology used to describe the embodiments is merely to provide clear illustration of the embodiments in the drawings. Similarly, the related terms labial, lingual, mesial, distal, occlusal, and gingival in no way limit this invention to a particular position or orientation.

[0046] The terms labial, lingual, mesial, distal, occlusal, and gingival are industry terms used in orthodontic treatment. Taking an upper jaw tooth as an example, the tooth surface can be roughly divided into six surfaces. The surface of the tooth that occludes with the lower jaw teeth is the occlusal surface; the surface of the tooth that connects to the attached gingival tissue is the gingival surface; the occlusal surface and the gingival surface are opposite each other, and the direction formed by the occlusal surface and the gingival surface is also called the gingio-occlusal direction. The surface of the tooth facing the lips is the labial surface, and the surface of the tooth facing the tongue is the lingual surface; the labial surface and the lingual surface are opposite each other, and the direction formed by the labial surface and the lingual surface is also called the labiolingual direction. The two surfaces of the tooth that contact adjacent teeth are the mesial surface and the distal surface, the difference being their distance from the center; the direction formed by the two is also called the mesiodistal direction, or mesiodistal direction.

[0047] Furthermore, in the description of direction, "lip-tongue direction" generally refers to two directions. However, "lip-tongue direction" specifically refers to a single direction, that is, from the side of the lips to the side of the tongue, and this is used to distinguish them.

[0048] Example 1

[0049] Please see Figures 1 to 11 The orthodontic system 10 of Embodiment 1 includes at least one orthodontic appliance 100 and a locking member 200, wherein the locking member 200 is detachably installed on the orthodontic appliance 100 to enable the orthodontic appliance 100 to have a locking function. The following description uses an orthodontic bracket as an example of the orthodontic appliance 100.

[0050] Specifically, the orthodontic appliance 100 includes a main body 110 and a cover 120, with the cover 120 movably disposed on the main body 110. In some embodiments, a base plate 130 is further provided on the bottom surface of the main body 110, and the orthodontic appliance 100 can be bonded to the tooth surface by applying adhesive to the base plate 130. Of course, in other embodiments, the orthodontic appliance 100 may also be a buccal tube.

[0051] Furthermore, the main body 110 is provided with an archwire groove 111, which extends through the main body 110 in a mesiodistal direction. The archwire groove 111 is mainly used to hold the archwire 20, which transmits torque to the orthodontic appliance 100, and then to the teeth, causing the teeth to slowly move to the correct position. The archwire groove 111 divides the main body 110 into a first working wing 112 and a second working wing 113. The cover 120 is movably disposed on the second working wing 113, and the cover 120 can open or close the archwire groove 111. In this embodiment, the self-ligating orthodontic bracket, which is relatively common in this technical field, is a sliding cover self-ligating bracket. A slide rail is provided on the surface of the second working wing 113, and a slide rail is provided on the bottom surface of the cover 120. The slide rail and the slide engage, allowing the cover 120 to slide approximately along the gingival direction on the main body 110, thereby opening or closing the archwire groove 111.

[0052] A limiting mechanism 140 corresponding to the cover portion 120 is installed on the main body 110. The limiting mechanism 140 is located on the second working wing 113 of the main body 110, and is located on the surface that bisects the main body 110 in the axial tilt direction. Specifically, the second working wing 113 is provided with a mounting groove 116, which is formed by recessing from the surface of the second working wing 113. The limiting mechanism 140 is fitted into the mounting groove 116, and the functional part of the limiting mechanism 140 is elastic. Generally, the bottom surface of the cover portion 120 is provided with a limiting groove or a limiting protrusion. By matching the functional part of the limiting mechanism 140 with the limiting groove or limiting protrusion of the cover portion 120, the switching of the cover portion 120 between opening and closing the archwire groove 111 is restricted. In this embodiment, preferably, the limiting mechanism 140 is a single metal cylinder, the upper end of which protrudes from the surface of the second working wing 113. The upper end of the limiting mechanism 140 is the functional part and has metallic elasticity. The bottom surface of the cover is provided with a limiting groove 123. The upper end of the limiting mechanism 140 is matched and accommodated in the limiting groove 123 of the cover. The limiting groove 123 causes deformation of the upper end of the limiting mechanism 140 to restrict the cover 120 from switching between opening or closing the bow wire groove 111.

[0053] It should be noted that since a set of orthodontic appliances, such as orthodontic brackets, has more than 20 brackets, each bracket corresponds to a different tooth position. The shape of the main body of each bracket varies slightly depending on the tooth position, mainly due to the axial tilt that follows the tooth position, resulting in an overall tilt at a certain angle. The surface that bisects the main body 110 in the axial tilt direction is the position that roughly divides the main body 110 into two equal parts in the axial tilt direction.

[0054] The main body 110 is also provided with a locking groove 114 and an auxiliary groove 115, which extend generally along the gingival-maxillary direction. The locking groove 114 extends through the archwire groove 111 from one side of the first working wing 112, and the auxiliary groove 115 extends through two opposite surfaces of the main body 110. The locking groove 114 and the auxiliary groove 115 are detachably connected to the locking member 200.

[0055] It should be noted that "through" and "penetrate" are two different definitions. The locking groove 114 penetrates the bowwire groove 111, meaning that the locking groove 114 only connects to the side wall of the bowwire groove 111 closest to the first working wing 112, and does not connect to the other side wall of the bowwire groove 111; that is, the locking groove 114 does not contact the second working wing 113. The auxiliary groove 115 penetrates through the two opposing surfaces of the main body 110, meaning that the two ends of the auxiliary groove 115 connect to the surfaces of the first working wing 112 and the second working wing 113, respectively.

[0056] In this preferred embodiment, the locking groove 114 is located on the surface that bisects the main body 110 in the axial tilt direction, and the auxiliary groove 115 is located on one side of the locking groove 114. Considering that the locking member provides balanced locking to the orthodontic appliance, the locking block of the locking member should be placed in the middle of the archwire groove of the orthodontic appliance, i.e., on the surface that bisects the main body 110 in the axial tilt direction.

[0057] Specifically, the locking groove 114 penetrates one side wall of the bow wire groove 111, thereby forming a through hole in the side wall of the bow wire groove 111; or, the locking groove 114 penetrates both one side wall and the bottom wall of the bow wire groove 111, thereby forming a notch at the bottom corner of the bow wire groove 111. Preferably, in this embodiment, the locking groove 114 penetrates both one side wall and the bottom wall of the bow wire groove 111, forming a notch 1110 at the bottom corner of the bow wire groove 111 with a height less than 1 / 2 of the bow wire groove height and a width less than 1 / 3 of the bow wire groove width.

[0058] In this preferred embodiment, the auxiliary groove 115 penetrates two opposing surfaces of the main body 110 along the gingival direction, and the auxiliary groove 115 does not penetrate the archwire groove 111. The auxiliary groove 115 is used to stably connect the locking member 200 to the main body 110. The inclination angle of the auxiliary groove 115 is consistent with the inclination angle of the base plate 130, so that the locking member 200 can enter along the inclination direction of the base plate 130 when inserted.

[0059] The locking member 200 is a U-shaped rod with unequal lengths at both ends, including a short section 210, a long section 220, and a connecting section 230. The short section 210 corresponds to the locking groove 114 of the main body 110, and the long section 220 corresponds to the auxiliary groove 115 of the main body.

[0060] The short segment 210 is provided with a locking block 216. In this embodiment, preferably, the locking block 216 is located at the suspended end of the short segment 210. In other embodiments, the locking block 216 can be located in the middle or at the connecting end of the short segment 210. The short segment 210 is inserted into the locking groove 114 of the main body 110, and the locking block 216 enters the bowwire groove 111 to occupy and limit the bowwire, thereby realizing the locking function. In this embodiment, preferably, the locking block 216 is a block with a large cross-sectional dimension, that is, the cross-sectional dimension of the suspended end of the short segment 210 is larger than the cross-sectional dimension of the connecting end of the short segment 210, so that the contact area of ​​the locking block 216 is large enough to form a locking surface in the bowwire groove 111, which is sufficient to lock the bowwire 20 in the bowwire groove 111. The locking surface that can be formed on the locking block 216 includes the end face and the side face of the suspended end of the short segment 210.

[0061] Specifically, the limiting bowwire 20 is not limited to being pressed tightly against the bowwire 20; even a gap between it and the bowwire 20 can restrict the movement of the bowwire 20, thus achieving a locking effect. This is because the locking block 216, along with the short section 210, enters the bowwire groove 111 along with the locking groove 114 of the main body 110, limiting the bowwire 20. The locking block 216 occupies the internal space of the bowwire groove 111, and even with a gap between it and the bowwire 20, it reduces the movement space of the bowwire 20 within the bowwire groove 111.

[0062] The long segment 220 is provided with a bendable end 228, which is the suspended end of the long segment 220. The long segment 220 is inserted into the auxiliary groove 115 of the main body 110, and the bendable end 228 extends out of the auxiliary groove 115 from the surface of the main body 110. After being bent, the bendable end 228 engages with the main body 110, thereby stably connecting the locking member 200 to the main body 110. In this embodiment, preferably, the bendable end 228 is tail-shaped with a small cross-sectional dimension, that is, the cross-sectional dimension of the suspended end of the long segment 220 is smaller than the cross-sectional dimension of the connecting end of the long segment 220, making the bendable end 228 easy to bend and shape. After the long segment 220 is inserted into the auxiliary groove 115 from the surface of the first working wing 112, the bendable end 228 extends through the surface of the second working wing 113 and bends along the surface of the second working wing 113. Then, the bendable end 228 clamps the surface of the second working wing 113, while the connecting section 230 of the locking member 200 clamps the surface of the first working wing 112. That is, the locking member 200 clamps the main body 110 from two opposite sides of the main body 110, so that the locking member 200 is firmly connected to the main body 110 and does not fall off, thereby realizing that the force of the locking member 200 on the bow wire 20 in the bow wire groove 111 is stable and continuous.

[0063] When the locking function is required during orthodontic treatment, the locking member 200 is installed inside the main body 110. Specifically, the locking member 200 is inserted from the surface of the first working wing 112, wherein the short section 210 is connected to the locking groove 114, and the long section 220 is connected to the auxiliary groove 115. The locking block 216 of the short section 210 enters the archwire groove 111 to lock and limit the archwire 20 inside. The bendable end 228 of the long section 220 extends out of the auxiliary groove 115 from the surface of the second working wing 113 and bends to clamp the surface of the second working wing 113. Furthermore, the connecting section 230 of the locking member 200 clamps onto the surface of the first working wing 112. That is, the locking member 200 clamps the main body 110 from two opposite sides, ensuring that the locking member 200 is securely connected to the main body 110 and does not fall off. This ensures that the force exerted by the locking member 200 on the bowwire 20 in the bowwire groove 111 is stable and continuous. When the locking function is not needed, the entire locking member 200 can be removed from the main body 110.

[0064] In Embodiment 1, the locking groove 114 extends from the surface of the first working wing 112 through the bowwire groove 111 but not through the second working wing 113, thereby avoiding interference with the mounting groove 116 and its internal limiting mechanism 140. In other embodiments, the locking groove 114 extends from the surface of the first working wing 112 through the bowwire groove 111 and through the second working wing 113, but does not extend through the mounting groove 116, which also avoids interference with the mounting groove 116 and its internal limiting mechanism 140. Alternatively, the locking groove 114 extends from the surface of the first working wing 112 through the bowwire groove 111 and through the second working wing 113, and the locking groove 114 extends through the mounting groove 116 but only makes end-face contact. Here, "only end-face contact" means that although the locking groove 114 and the mounting groove 116 are connected, the locking groove 114 stops at the end face that communicates with the mounting groove 116, that is, the locking member 200 installed in the locking groove 114 does not enter the mounting groove 116. Even if other grooves may penetrate the mounting groove, the specific distribution of the locking groove 114 is defined by the locking member 200 within it. Only the portion of the locking member 200 whose short segment 210 can enter is where the locking groove 114 is located. Therefore, even if the locking groove 114 penetrates the mounting groove 116 but only makes end-face contact, it is possible to avoid interfering with the mounting groove 116 and its internal limiting mechanism 140.

[0065] In Embodiment 1, the main body 110 has only one locking groove 114 and one auxiliary groove 115. The locking groove 114 matches the locking block 216 of the locking member 200 to lock and limit the bowwire 20. The auxiliary groove 115 matches the bendable end 228 of the locking member to fix the locking member 200 to the main body 110. In other embodiments, the main body 110 may have at least two auxiliary grooves 115. Correspondingly, the locking member 200 includes two long sections 220, each corresponding to one of the two auxiliary grooves 115. Preferably, the two auxiliary grooves 115 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the locking groove 114 to fix the locking member 200 to the main body 110 in a balanced manner.

[0066] In Embodiment 1, a slide rail is provided on the surface of the second working wing 113, and a slide rail is provided on the bottom surface of the cover portion 120. In other embodiments, a slide rail can be provided on the surface of the second working wing, and a slide rail can be provided on the bottom surface of the cover portion, which can also achieve a sliding engagement between the slide rail and the slide.

[0067] In Embodiment 1, the limiting mechanism 140 is a metal cylinder. In other embodiments, the limiting mechanism 140 is a metal column of various shapes, which is vertically inserted into the mounting groove 116. The metal column can be a cylinder, a square column, a cylinder with a C-shaped radial cross-section and a notch, or a column with a single root at the bottom and two elastic arms at the top end. Moreover, there can be one or two metal columns. When there are two metal columns, the two metal columns are arranged side by side with spacing, close together front to back, or spaced apart front to back. When the limiting mechanism consists of two or more components (such as two metal columns), since the two or more components work together and the overall size of the orthodontic appliance is small, the two or more components can be regarded as a whole.

[0068] In Embodiment 1, the locking member 200 achieves a stable connection by bending the bendable end 228 of the long segment 220. In other embodiments, it can be stably connected within the auxiliary groove 115 in other ways. These include, but are not limited to, the bendable end 228 of the long segment 220 being a slot or protrusion, and the auxiliary groove 115 having another slot or protrusion, with the bendable end 228 engaging the main body 110 within the auxiliary groove 115.

[0069] In Embodiment 1, both the locking groove 114 and the mounting groove 116 are located on the surface that bisects the main body portion 110 in the axial tilt direction. In other embodiments, while the mounting groove 116 is still located on the surface that bisects the main body portion 110 in the axial tilt direction, the locking groove 114 is not located on the surface that bisects the main body portion 110 in the axial tilt direction. The locking groove 114 is located on one side of the mounting groove 116, while the auxiliary groove 115 is located on the other side of the mounting groove 116. Specifically, since the locking groove 114 is not restricted to the surface that bisects the main body portion 110 in the axial tilt direction, the insertion direction of the locking member 200 is also unrestricted. It can be inserted from one side surface of the first working wing 112 or from one side surface of the second working wing 113. When the locking member 200 is inserted from one side surface of the first working wing 112, the locking groove 114 is located on the first working wing 112, such as... Figure 12-13 As shown; when the locking member 200 is inserted from one side surface of the second working wing 113, the locking groove 114 is provided in the second working wing 113, as shown. Figure 14-15 As shown.

[0070] Compared to existing technologies, since the locking groove does not interfere with the limiting mechanism and mounting groove on the second working wing, the limiting mechanism and mounting groove do not require additional adjustments. That is, the limiting mechanism and mounting groove do not need to be raised in height, and the main body does not need to be thickened. This allows the orthodontic appliance with locking function of this invention to achieve the same thickness as conventional orthodontic appliances without locking grooves, even with the locking groove, thus meeting patients' needs for product comfort.

[0071] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0072] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

[0073] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0074] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0075] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0076] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0077] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

Claims

1. An orthodontic appliance having a lock groove, characterized by, The device includes a main body and a cover. The main body has an archwire groove that extends through the main body in a mesiodistal direction, dividing the main body into a first working wing and a second working wing. The second working wing has a mounting groove that accommodates a limiting mechanism that restricts the movement of the cover. The cover is slidably connected to the second working wing, and the cover can switch between opening and closing the archwire groove due to the limiting mechanism. The main body also has a locking groove and an auxiliary groove that extend approximately in the gingival-maxillary direction. The locking groove extends through or through the archwire groove from the surface of the main body without interfering with the mounting groove. The locking groove is used to connect a locking block of a locking member, allowing the locking block to enter the archwire groove and lock the archwire. The auxiliary groove extends through two opposite surfaces of the main body and is used to connect a bendable end of a locking member, allowing the bendable end to engage with the main body, thereby fixing the locking member to the main body.

2. The orthodontic appliance having a lock groove of claim 1, wherein, The locking groove and the mounting groove are located on the surface that bisects the main body in the axial tilt direction, and the auxiliary groove is located on one side of the locking groove.

3. The orthodontic appliance having a lock groove of claim 2, wherein, The locking groove extends from the surface of the first working wing through the bow wire groove but not through the second working wing; or, the locking groove extends from the surface of the first working wing through the bow wire groove and through the second working wing, but not through the mounting groove; or, the locking groove extends from the surface of the first working wing through the bow wire groove and through the second working wing, and the locking groove extends through the mounting groove but only the end face contacts the groove.

4. The orthodontic appliance having a lock groove of claim 3, wherein, The limiting mechanism is a metal column that is vertically inserted into the mounting groove; the metal column is a cylinder, a square column, a cylinder with a C-shaped radial cross section and a notch, or a column with a single root at the bottom and two elastic arms at the top end; there is one or two metal columns, and the two metal columns are arranged side by side with intervals, closely attached to each other, or spaced apart from each other.

5. The orthodontic appliance having a lock groove of claim 1, wherein, The mounting groove is located on the surface that bisects the main body in the axial tilt direction, and the locking groove and the auxiliary groove are respectively disposed on both sides of the mounting groove; the locking groove passes through the bowwire groove from the surface of the first ligation wing or the surface of the second ligation wing; the auxiliary groove passes through the first ligation wing and the second ligation wing but does not pass through the bowwire groove.

6. The orthodontic appliance with locking groove according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking groove penetrates one side wall of the bow wire groove, thereby forming a through hole in the side wall of the bow wire groove; or, the locking groove penetrates both one side wall and the bottom wall of the bow wire groove, thereby forming a notch at the bottom corner of the bow wire groove.

7. The orthodontic appliance with locking groove according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking groove extends through both one side wall and the bottom wall of the bow wire groove, forming a notch at the bottom corner of the bow wire groove with a height less than 1 / 2 of the bow wire groove height and a width less than 1 / 3 of the bow wire groove width; or, it may also include a base plate, wherein the inclination angle of the auxiliary groove is consistent with the inclination angle of the base plate.

8. A locking component, characterized in that, For use in matching the orthodontic appliance with locking groove according to any one of claims 1-7, the locking member is a U-shaped rod with unequal lengths at both ends, including a short section, a long section and a connecting section; the short section is provided with a locking block, the short section is used to connect to the locking groove, and the locking block is used to occupy space in the archwire groove to lock the archwire; the long section is provided with a bendable end, the long section is used to connect to the auxiliary groove, and the bendable end is bent and snapped into the main body to fix the locking member on the main body.

9. The locking member according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bendable end extends from the main body and bends, and the bendable end is used to clamp the surface of the main body. The connecting section is used to clamp the opposite surface of the main body, thereby realizing that the locking member clamps the main body from the two opposite surfaces.

10. The locking member according to claim 8, characterized in that, The locking block is located at the suspended end of the short segment, and the cross-sectional dimension of the suspended end of the short segment is larger than the cross-sectional dimension of the connecting end of the short segment; and / or, the bendable end is the suspended end of the long segment, and the cross-sectional dimension of the suspended end of the long segment is smaller than the cross-sectional dimension of the connecting end of the long segment.

11. An orthodontic system, characterized in that, Includes the orthodontic appliance with locking groove as described in any one of claims 1-7 and the locking element as described in any one of claims 8-10.

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