Orthodontic trays

Abstract

The goal is to provide an orthodontic tray that allows brackets to be easily and quickly fixed in the correct position on the teeth being treated without requiring specialized skills, while also minimizing the burden on both the practitioner and the patient. [Solution] The tray body 17 consists of an outer wall 4 and an inner wall 5 shaped to correspond to the shape of the teeth 13 to be orthodontic treatment, and includes a bottom wall 6 continuous with the outer wall 4 and the inner wall 5, and an opening 7 located opposite the bottom wall, and the tray body 17 can be detachably covered by inserting the teeth 13 inward through the opening 7, wherein the outer wall 4 has a notch 8 formed continuously from the opening 7, allowing the bracket 10 to be positioned inside at the intended mounting position for the bracket 10 on the teeth 13.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an orthodontic tray that is removably coated on the outer periphery of teeth and is used when attaching brackets to teeth to be orthodontically treated.

Background Art

[0002] As a general orthodontic method, brackets, which are dental correction appliances, are fixed to teeth to be orthodontically treated, and wires are inserted through the brackets. By applying the force of the wires, the teeth are gradually moved, and the dental arch is corrected to a normal position. This method is widely known. In order to correct the dental arch to a normal state using wires in this way, it is necessary to fixedly arrange brackets on the teeth before orthodontic treatment at appropriate positions of the teeth.

[0003] Therefore, as a method for fixing brackets at appropriate positions on teeth, a method called the direct bonding method is known. As shown in FIG. 11, this direct bonding method fixes brackets to teeth to be corrected while accurately measuring the attachment position of the brackets each time using a dedicated gauge (31). However, accurately measuring the fixing position of the brackets while using a dedicated gauge and fixing the brackets to the teeth requires skilled techniques, and an operator needs to accumulate a certain amount of experience to acquire such techniques. In addition, since the work takes time, the treatment becomes a long-term one, imposing a great burden on both the operator and the patient.

[0004] aboveTo overcome the problems of the direct bonding method described above, a method called indirect bonding, which fixes brackets to the teeth to be orthodontized, has become known, as shown in Patent Document 1. This indirect bonding method uses an indirect bonding tray that allows the teeth to be orthodontized to be placed inside. That is, the brackets to be attached to the teeth to be orthodontized are pre-attached in a removable manner to the inner surface of the indirect bonding tray at appropriate positions that will serve as the bracket fixing positions for the teeth to be orthodontized.

[0005] Next, adhesive is applied to the back surface of the bracket attached to the indirect bonding tray to bond the bracket to the tooth. Then, the indirect bonding tray is placed over the tooth, and the bracket is fixed to the tooth. After that, by removing only the indirect bonding tray from the tooth, the bracket is fixed in the appropriate position on the tooth to be orthodontized.

[0006] As described above, the indirect bonding method allows for the brackets to be fixed to the teeth to be orthodontized to be fixed in the correct position on the teeth by first setting the brackets in an indirect bonding tray and then covering the teeth with the indirect bonding tray. Therefore, it does not require the skilled techniques of the conventional direct bonding method, and even inexperienced practitioners can easily position the brackets in the correct position on the teeth to be orthodontized. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2008-534129 [Overview of the Initiative] [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] However, as described above, the indirect bonding method shown in Patent Document 1 involves covering the tooth with an indirect bonding tray and then bonding the bracket, which is placed on the inner surface of the indirect bonding tray, to the tooth to be orthodontized. Therefore, it is difficult to directly observe the state of adhesion between the tooth and the bracket during the bonding process. Furthermore, because the bracket is covered by the tray, it is not possible to directly press the bracket against the tooth surface during the bonding procedure. Consequently, when the indirect bonding tray is removed, the bracket may not be properly bonded to the tooth to be orthodontized, resulting in insufficient fixation. This may necessitate repeating the same procedure, potentially making it difficult to smoothly attach the bracket.

[0009] Furthermore, conventional indirect bonding trays require a structure to hold the brackets. Therefore, the part that contacts the tooth is made of hard acrylic resin, and the part that contacts the bracket is made of soft silicone resin, and the two are bonded together to create a single integrated tray. This laboratory work is complicated and requires a certain level of skill and time from the dental technician.

[0010] Therefore, this invention aims to solve the aforementioned problems by enabling dentists and dental technicians to easily and quickly fix brackets to the appropriate position on the teeth to be straightened, and to provide an orthodontic tray that is less burdensome for both the practitioner and the patient.

[0011] In order to solve the problems mentioned above, Vow The device consists of an outer wall and an inner wall that are shaped like individual teeth or multiple teeth, corresponding to the shape of individual teeth or multiple teeth to be treated with orthodontics, and includes a bottom wall that is continuous with the outer wall and the inner wall, and an opening that is opposite the bottom wall, extending inward from the opening. Individual teeth or multiple teeth By inserting and positioning the previous Individual teeth or multiple teeth In a tray body that can be detachably covered, the outer wall has a front Individual teeth or multiple teeth A notch is formed continuously from the opening, allowing the bracket to be positioned inside at the intended mounting location of the bracket. The notch is formed to a size that allows the bracket to be placed inside, and by placing the bracket in the notch with its surface exposed while the tray body is attached to the individual teeth or multiple teeth, the bracket can be directly pressed against the individual teeth or multiple teeth through the exposed portion without going through the tray body. It is.

[0012] Furthermore, as described above, the orthodontic tray of the present invention may be a tray for a single tooth that is to be corrected, or it may be a tray for multiple teeth that is integrated and corresponds to a series of teeth.

[0013] Furthermore, when the bracket is positioned inside the notch, the inner circumference of the notch and the front The bracket It may also be shaped to be in contact with the outer circumference.

[0014] Also, when attaching brackets to teeth to be treated with orthodontics, Individual teeth or multiple teeth Method for manufacturing an orthodontic tray that can be attached to and detachably covered. About the law , in the state in which the bracket is attached Individual teeth or multiple teeth A model is formed, a resin sheet is covered over the model, and the resin sheet is allowed to solidify while in close contact with the model, thereby forming a tray body having an outer wall, an inner wall, a bottom wall continuous with the outer and inner walls, and an opening located opposite the bottom wall. After that, the tray body is separated from the model, and a notch is formed in the tray body by cutting out the deformed portion of the outer wall, which was deformed to the shape of the bracket during the formation of the tray body, continuously from the opening. It is possible.

[0015] Also , Based on the three-dimensional data of Akira's orthodontic tray, the orthodontic tray will be formed using a 3D printer. It is possible . [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] Book Vow As stated above, Akira is subject to correction. Individual teeth or multiple teethIt is provided with a notch portion where brackets can be inserted and arranged at an appropriate position. In orthodontics using wires, it is important to fixedly arrange the brackets at appropriate positions on the teeth during the treatment. However, by using the dental correction tray of the present invention, the tray is attached to the teeth to be corrected and the brackets are arranged in the notch portion, so that the brackets can be easily attached to the appropriate positions of the teeth to be corrected.

[0017] Also, different from the indirect bonding method, since the work of directly fixing and arranging the brackets on the teeth without passing through the tray can be performed, the fixing state of the brackets before Individual teeth or multiple teeth correction can be easily achieved. Also, the fixing state of the brackets before Individual teeth or multiple teeth correction can be checked at any time, and since the brackets can be directly pressed against the tooth surface, even when some treatment such as wiping off excess adhesive is required, it can be quickly responded to. Therefore, the brackets can be quickly and surely fixed and arranged at the appropriate positions before Individual teeth or multiple teeth correction.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] Perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] View showing the virtual image of Example 1. [Figure 3] Partial enlarged view showing the virtual image of Example 1. [Figure 4] View showing the virtual image of the dental arch before correction in Example 1. [Figure 5] Perspective view showing the state where the model is installed in the vacuum pressure device in Example 1. [Figure 6] Perspective view showing the state where the tray body is closely arranged on the model. [Figure 7] View showing the virtual image where the tray is arranged on the dental arch in Example 2. [Figure 8] Perspective view showing the state where the tray of the present embodiment is attached to the dental arch. [Figure 9](a) A perspective view showing the bracket temporarily fixed in the notched recess of the tray. (b) A perspective view showing the bracket installed in the notched recess of the tray. [Figure 10] (a) Perspective view showing the bracket temporarily fixed and the tray removed. (b) Perspective view showing the temporarily fixed bracket illuminated with light. [Figure 11] A conceptual diagram showing the placement of brackets using the direct bonding method. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. As shown in Figure 1, (1) is a tray for multiple teeth, and its overall shape is an arc shape corresponding to the upper dentition (3) of the patient. That is, the tray (1) is formed based on a tray body (17) which has a substantially U-shaped cross-section, consisting of an outer wall (4) that covers the surface (13) side of the tooth (13), an inner wall (5) that covers the back side of the tooth (13), and a bottom wall (6) provided between the outer wall (4) and the inner wall (5) that covers the tip of the tooth (13), with the opposite position of the bottom wall (6) being an opening (7).

[0020] Furthermore, a roughly rectangular notch (8) is provided in the outer wall (4) of the tray body (17), thereby forming the tray (1) of the present invention. Specifically, the notch (8) is recessed in the outer wall (4) continuously from the opening (7), and its dimensions correspond to the size of the bracket (10) so that the bracket (10) can be inserted into it. The inner circumference of the notch (8) is the same as or slightly larger than the outer circumference of the bracket (10). Although this embodiment and the following embodiments describe trays for multiple teeth, the manufacturing method for trays for individual teeth is the same as the manufacturing method for trays for multiple teeth described in Embodiments 1 and 2 below.

[0021] Next, the following examples 1 and 2 describe the method for manufacturing the orthodontic tray (1) of the above embodiment. This will be explained in Example 2. [Examples]

[0022] First, three-dimensional data of the shape of the dentition (3) to be corrected is obtained by scanning the dentition (3). Then, based on this three-dimensional data, a virtual image of the dentition (3) after correction, i.e., the dentition (3) aligned in the correct position, is created using specialized software. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, slot lines (12) that will be used to attach the wire to the dentition (3) are then added to the virtual image. Subsequently, based on these slot lines (12), brackets (10) are placed on the surface (13) of the teeth (13) to be corrected in the virtual image.

[0023] Using the method described above, brackets (10) are placed on all teeth (13) to be corrected in the virtual image as shown in Figure 2. Then, using the software described above, the dentition (3) of the virtual image with brackets (10) placed on all teeth (13) as described above is returned to its pre-correction state as shown in Figure 4. This creates a virtual image in which the brackets (10) are attached in the correct positions of the dentition (3) before correction.

[0024] Next, based on the three-dimensional data of the virtual image created as described above, a model (16) of the dentition (3) with brackets (10) attached to the teeth (13) before orthodontic treatment, as shown in Figure 4, is formed using a 3D printer. This makes it possible to obtain a model (16) of the dentition (3) with brackets (10) attached to the teeth (13) before orthodontic treatment in the correct positions. Then, as shown in Figure 5, the model (16) of the tooth (13) is placed in a vacuum pressurizing device ((11), and the softened resin sheet is placed over the model (16) and vacuum pressurized. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the resin sheet is solidified while in close contact with the model (16), thereby forming a tray body (17) that takes the shape of the model (16) and has an outer wall (4), an inner wall (5), a bottom wall (6) continuous with the outer wall (4) and the inner wall (5), and an opening (7) located opposite the bottom wall (6), as shown in Figure 1.

[0025] Then, the tray body (17) is removed from the model (16) and separated, and the deformed portion (15) of the outer wall (4) that was deformed by the bracket (10) during the formation of the tray body (17) is cut out continuously from the opening (7) of the tray body (17). This forms a notch (8) as shown in Figure 1. By forming the notch (8) as described above, the size of the notch (8) corresponds to the size of the bracket (10), so that the inner circumference of the notch (8) can be made to be approximately the same as the outer circumference of the bracket (10).

[0026] Therefore, by placing the bracket (10) in the notch (8) of the tray (1) manufactured by this method, the bracket (10) can be positioned so that the inner circumference of the notch (8) and the outer circumference of the bracket (10) fit together perfectly. By this method, the orthodontic tray (1) of the present invention is completed. [Examples]

[0027] Next, a method for manufacturing the orthodontic tray (1) of the present invention, different from the above-described embodiment 1, will be explained below. First, three-dimensional data of the shape of the dentition to be corrected (3) is obtained by scanning the dentition to be corrected (3). Then, based on this three-dimensional data, a virtual image of the dentition after correction, i.e., the dentition after it has been aligned in the correct position, is created using dedicated software. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, slot lines (12) that will be used to attach wires to the dentition (3) are provided in the virtual image. Subsequently, based on these slot lines (12), brackets (10) are provided on the surface (13) of the teeth (13) to be corrected in the virtual image.

[0028] Using the method described above, brackets (10) are placed on all teeth (13) to be corrected in the virtual image as shown in Figure 2. Then, using the software described above, the dentition (3) of the virtual image with brackets (10) placed on all teeth (13) as described above is returned to its pre-correction state as shown in Figure 4. This creates a virtual image in which the brackets (10) are attached in the correct positions of the dentition (3) before correction.

[0029] Furthermore, using dedicated software, an image is created showing the tray body (17) attached to the virtual image formed as described above. In addition, in the virtual image, an image is created showing a notch (8) formed by cutting out the outer circumference of the bracket (10) displayed on the surface of the dentition (3), as shown in Figure 7, on the tray body (17). By inputting the three-dimensional data of this image into a 3D printer (not shown), an orthodontic tray (1) as shown in Figure 1 can be obtained. Note that the 3D printer is pre-loaded with a material suitable for the tray (1) for fabricating the tray (1).

[0030] As described above, by forming the tray (1), the size of the notch (8) provided in the tray (1) corresponds to the size of the bracket (10), so that the inner circumference of the notch (8) is approximately the same as the outer circumference of the bracket (10). Therefore, by placing the bracket (10) in the notch (8) of the tray (1) manufactured by this method, the bracket (10) can be positioned so that the inner circumference of the notch (8) and the outer circumference of the bracket (10) fit together perfectly. Thus, the orthodontic tray (1) of the present invention is completed. [How to use]

[0031] The method of using the orthodontic tray (1) of this embodiment, manufactured by the manufacturing method of Example 1 or Example 2, will be described below. First, after cleaning the teeth (13) to be straightened, see Figure 8 As shown, the tray (1) is attached to the dentition (3) to be orthodontized. Next, a light-curing resin adhesive (not shown) is applied to the back surface of the bracket (10) to be attached to the dentition (3), and as shown in Figures 9(a) and (b), the bracket (10) is inserted into the notch (8) of the tray (1) and temporarily fixed in place.

[0032] At this time, since the inner circumference of the notch (8) is formed to correspond to the size of the bracket (10) as described above, the bracket (10) can be easily placed within the notch (8). Furthermore, as described above, since the notch (8) is formed at the precise position of the tooth (13) to be straightened, by placing the bracket (10) within the notch (8), it becomes possible to easily place the bracket (10) at the precise position of the tooth (13) to be straightened.

[0033] Then, as shown in Figure 10(a), brackets (10) are fitted into all the notches (8) provided in the tray (1) using the method described above, and after temporarily fixing the brackets (10) to the teeth (13) to be straightened, the tray (1) is removed from the dental arch (3). Here, in the present invention, as described above, the notches (8) are provided continuously from the opening (7) of the tray (1) to the outer wall (4), so even though brackets (10) are fitted, the tray (1) fitted to the dental arch (3) can be easily removed by sliding the tray (1) toward the tip of the tooth (13), and the tray (1) can be easily fitted to the dental arch (3) to which the brackets (10) are fixed by sliding the tray (1) toward the gum side of the dental arch (3).

[0034] Then, as shown in Figure 10(b), the adhesive is cured by irradiating the bracket (10) with light, thereby bonding and fixing the bracket (10) to the tooth (13) to be straightened. This completes the fixing process of the bracket (10).

[0035] As described above, by attaching the tray (1) to the dentition (3) to be orthodontized and positioning the bracket (10) in the notch (8) provided in the tray (1), it becomes possible to easily attach the bracket (10) to the appropriate position on the tooth (13). Therefore, even inexperienced individuals can easily and accurately attach the bracket (10) to the tooth (13) without requiring skilled techniques or many years of experience. Furthermore, as described above, because the attachment of the bracket (10) is easy, it is possible to complete the attachment of the bracket (10) in a short time. Consequently, the burden on the practitioner and the patient can be reduced.

[0036] Furthermore, unlike the indirect bonding method, the bracket (10) can be directly fixed to the tooth (13) without using a tray (1), making it easy to check the fixation status of the bracket (10) to the tooth (13) to be straightened. In addition, the fixation status of the bracket (10) to the tooth (13) to be straightened can be checked at any time, and since the bracket can be directly pressed against the tooth surface, any necessary procedures, such as wiping off excess adhesive, can be handled quickly. Thus, it is possible to quickly and reliably fix the bracket (10) to the appropriate position on the tooth (13). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0037] 1 tray 4. Exterior walls 5 Inner wall 6 Bottom wall 7 Opening 8 Notch 13 teeth 17 Tray body__

Claims

1. An orthodontic tray comprising an outer wall and an inner wall in the shape of an individual or multiple teeth that correspond to the shape of an individual or multiple teeth to be treated with orthodontics, a bottom wall continuous with the outer wall and the inner wall, and an opening opposite the bottom wall, wherein the tray body can be detachably covered by inserting the teeth inward through the opening, characterized in that the outer wall has a notch formed continuously from the opening, allowing the bracket to be positioned inside at the intended mounting position for the bracket on the tooth.

2. The orthodontic tray according to claim 1, characterized in that the notch is shaped such that when the bracket is placed inside the notch, the inner circumference of the notch and the outer circumference of the orthodontic appliance come into contact.

3. A method for manufacturing an orthodontic tray that can be detachably covered on teeth when brackets are attached to teeth to be orthodontic treatment, characterized in that a model of the teeth with the brackets attached is formed, a resin sheet is covered on the model and solidified while the resin sheet is in close contact with the model to form a tray body having an outer wall, an inner wall, a bottom wall continuous with the outer wall and the inner wall, and an opening located opposite the bottom wall, the tray body is separated from the model, and a notch is formed on the tray body by cutting out the deformed portion of the outer wall that was deformed to the shape of the brackets during the formation of the tray body, continuously from the opening.

4. A method for manufacturing an orthodontic tray, characterized by forming the orthodontic tray according to claim 1 using a 3D printer based on the three-dimensional data of the orthodontic tray according to claim 1.

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